RETURN OF MARTINI REINVENTION: elit™ Vodka's Global Cocktail Competition is Back with a Sustainable Twist

Written by PR Newswire

NEW YORK, May 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- elit™ Vodka has announced the launch of the latest evolution of the brand's global cocktail competition elit Martini Masters. Previously known as the Art of Martini, the competition is back after a four-year hiatus – promising even tougher competition and offering a once in a lifetime "money can't buy" prize.

elit Martini Masters 22 Competition Launches

As a 10-time platinum award winning vodka and advocate of social responsibility, elit Vodka is pairing with the best bartenders in the industry from 13 countries (United Kingdom, France, Austria, Spain, Italy, Greece, Israel, South Africa, Australia, Turkey, Dominican Republic, United Arab Emirates and Mexico) to bring the perfect sustainable martini to life and unearth the future of the classic cocktail.

Todays' consumers are ever more conscious of the environmental impact of the brands they choose, and elit Vodka is proud to lead the sustainability agenda amongst luxury spirits brands by inspiring bartenders to rethink the martini in an eco-conscious way.

elit Vodka believes the future of the martini is sustainable, and through the elit Martini Masters is looking to welcome the global bartender community's' take on how to make sustainability not only the future of the cocktail, but bring it into the present through their creations.

Following the country heats, where the entries will be judged on three criteria: Sustainability, Performance and Perfection, the winner from each market will get the chance to mix their drinks at the global finals in Greece at the Athens Bar Show this November.

To be successful, elit Vodka recommends each competition serve to showcase the Five T's of a perfect sustainable martini: Trend, Technique, Taste, Temperature and Tall Tale. More information about both the judging criteria and the guiding Five T's is available via the elit Martini Masters private Facebook groups in each market and here ^[1].

The sustainability challenge for this year's edition falls in line with elit Vodka's dedication to championing sustainability, diversity, and inclusion – further demonstrated by the brand's partnership with Formula E team ROKiT Venturi Racing.

The winner will become the Global elit Martini Master and will visit three Formula E events during the 2023 racing season, receiving the opportunity to present their winning drink at elit's events during race weekends. Formula E aspires to accelerate change towards an electric future, one race and one city at a time. Using the spectacle of sport, they are sending a powerful and meaningful message to help alter perceptions, with elit Vodka fully aligned with spreading the word off the track.

Damian McKinney, CEO of Stoli Group commented:

"The martini is an iconic cocktail and reinventing it is no easy task. To make it even more challenging, we're pushing the boundaries of cocktail-making, asking bartenders to demonstrate their knowledge, skill and performance and develop this classic drink with a sustainable twist."

The best bartenders will compete in local heats before heading to the global final, taking place in Athens from 7^th – 8^thNovember 2022.

To learn more about elit Martini Masters, follow us on Facebook ^[2] and Instagram ^[3] @elitvodka and #elitMartiniMasters across social channels. For more information about elit Vodka visit https://elitvodka.com/^[4].

About Stoli® Group

Stoli® Group was established in 2013 and is responsible for the production, management, and distribution of a global spirits and wines portfolio. Mainly known for the Stoli® Vodka brand, Stoli Group has expanded to appeal to luxury on-premise and more sophisticated global consumers. Signature brands are: Stoli® Vodka, elit™ Vodka, Bayou® Rum, Kentucky Owl™, Villa One™, Gator Bite™ Rum Liquers, Cenote™ Tequila, Tulchan Gin™, Se Busca™ Mezcal and Stoli Group's wine division, Tenute del Mondo®. With a presence across a network of more than 176 markets, Stoli Group works with a passionate team of 200 distributors around the world. Headquartered in Luxembourg, Stoli has production facilities in Spain, Italy, Argentina, and the United States, some of which are steeped in history dating back to the early part of the last century. For more information, visit stoli-group.com ^[5].

About elit™ Vodka

Part of the Stoli Group's brands, elit™ Vodka is one of the highest-rated white spirits in the world, receiving 10 platinum awards and has been named as the best vodka of the year on 10 occasions by the Beverage Tasting Institute, Chicago, USA.