World beating cocktail

Neville Azzopardi won first place in the World Cocktail Competition held in Las Vegas, organised by The International Bartenders Association.

Mr Azzopardi has been employed with Island Hotels Group for the past 10 years and is the bars manager at the Bugibba Holiday Complex. He is also a member of the Maltese Bartenders Guild.

Gaetano Cristina, president of the Maltese Bartenders Guild, said: "This is the highest achievement that any of the Guild's members have ever achieved since its inception way back in 1974. This augurs well for the future of bartending on the island".

Mr Azzopardi's winning cocktail, Recall, which consisted of vodka, grenadine, passion, apricot brandy and fresh orange juice, won him the award following an intense competition with barmen from 45 other countries.

Winston J. Zahra, director of operations of Island Hotels Group, said that this was an excellent achievement for Mr Azzopardi personally and also an honour for Island Hotels Group and Malta. "Such a result should help inspire local barmen and other employees within the hospitality industry. For someone Maltese to win a worldwide competition such as this is indeed an achievement that we should all be proud of," Mr Zahra added.