April 05, 2023
Licor 43 contest moves to Madrid
Spanish liqueur brand Licor 43 will host the final of this year's Bartenders & Baristas Challenge in Madrid, after three years in Gran Canaria.
Marking the seventh edition of the competition, Licor 43 has called on cocktail and coffee professionals around the world to showcase their expertise and imagination in the art of pairing Licor 43 and coffee. Entries for competitors opened online on 3 April, and the grand final will take place in Madrid from 16-19 October 2023. “Madrid is one of the, if not the most important cities in Spain for mixology – plus gastronomy, art and entertainment,” commented Julian Fernandez, Zamora Company’s global marketing and innovation director for spirits. “Our three years in Gran Canaria have been fabulous and extremely educational with our visits to coffee plantations, but now we are going to take entrants to Madrid for a full immersion in the Spanish culture which is so intrinsic to Licor 43 as the liqueur brand of Spain.” Nine key Licor 43 markets around the world will take part in the 2023 competition: Germany, Mexico, the US, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Estonia, Peru and Costa Rica. Each will set up local judging teams to find the winner to put forward to the final in Madrid. Returning to the judging panel this year is international barista champion Merijn Gijsbers, who has worked with the competition since 2019. He will be joined by last year’s champion Yefferson Avila, who won with his cocktail Armonía. The 2023 global winner will receive a bursary to put towards professional equipment and career development courses, join next year’s judging panel, and become the Licor 43 Coffee Master for 2024, appearing with the brand at key international shows. Professionals interested in entering the 2023 Licor 43 Bartenders and Baristas Challenge can enter via bbchallenge.licor43.com or through www.licor43.com.
