Following his success winning the 2016 Bacardi Legacy Cruise Competition Bartender of the Year and as a semi-finalist in the 2017 competition, Miroslav Kljajic of Carnival Cruise Lines is continuing his winning streak in the professional bartender competition circuit.
This past week Kljajic reached the Miami regional finals as the winner of the Cruise category of the United States Bartenders’ Guild Most Imaginative Bartender competition presented by Bombay Sapphire gin. With this win, he will have a chance to compete in the global final in London.
Contestants, which included some of Miami’s best bartenders, were required to craft their own unique recipe for a contemporary, imagin-ative cocktail featuring Bombay Sapphire gin.
Miroslav’s ‘The Forgotten’ provided an experience with all 10 botanicals present in Bombay Sapphire gin. The final 10 contenders took to the stage in Wynwood’s Beaker & Grey.
Zachary Sulkes International Account Manager (Cruise), Bacardi Global Travel Retail comments: “Miroslov has really impressed us over the past two years with his dedication to continued profession-alism and the sheer creativity and attention to detail he brings to his craft. He’s a fantastic ambassador for the on-board cruise bartender community and epitomizes the ever-increasing professional standards driven by progressive companies like Carnival Cruise Lines.”
The title was won by Andrew Lue of Sugar at the East Hotel.
Recipe for The Forgotten:
1.50 oz Bombay Sapphire
0.75 oz Blue Cheese Campari
0.5 oz Lemongrass syrup
1.25 ml (1/4 teaspoon) Smoky Black Pepper Tincture
2 oz Dry Cranberry lemonade
Shake and strain in Collins glass over ice. Garnish with dried cranberries, zest of lemon with rosemary and rosemary water spray.
