Launching in 11 countries worldwide, the unique competition challenges bartenders to create cutting-edge, innovative, art-inspired cocktails that represent the aperitivo experience using multi-award-winning ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto citrus liqueur.

ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto is inviting bartenders across the globe to create an original aperitivo cocktail inspired by any form of art. 

This year, the Challenge will see applicants encouraged to incorporate heightened sustainability into their creations, with the global winner being crowned ‘The ITALICUS Bar Artist of the Year’ and receiving the opportunity to experience a mentorship programme with number-one bar in the world, Paradiso Barcelona and global-award-winning bartender Giacomo Giannotti. 

During the experience, the winner will be accompanied by Shoshin Arts Club – the international bartender’s educational platform created by Valentino Longo – to document the full experience in a video episode that will be featured amongst the courses available on the website.

Creatively showcasing the ITALICUS spirit

The Art of ITALICUS Aperitivo Challenge is built on the belief that bartenders are artists. The programme is designed to incentivise them to be as creative as possible by bringing the industry together to create art-inspired cocktails that best represent an elevated aperitivo experience, whilst showcasing the ITALICUS spirit through creative liquid expressions.

The competition will be opened in 11 countries: Italy, Spain, USA, UK, Croatia and Slovenia region, France, Greece, Hungary, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. All other bartenders not resident in those countries will be able to apply through a ‘Wild Card’ entry, which will afford then the opportunity to win a spot to the global final in Rome at the end of May.

“The Art of ITALICUS Aperitivo Challenge is a programme that gives me great pride in discovering and meeting, year on year, the new emerging talents in our industry,” commented Giuseppe Gallo, founder and CEO of ITALICUS. “The contest is thought as a creative platform to be used by bartenders to express their creative sensibility, staying connected to the Aperitivo Culture with the brand. Last year’s edition had over 1,200 entries worldwide, across 12 countries – a result that makes us strive to keep innovating and supporting our bartending community, whilst working together to promote a more sustainable future for the forthcoming generations.”

The Competition

Applications will be opened from the 9th January to 6th March 2023, on the ITALICUS website: https://rosolioitalicus.com/the-art-of-italicus/aperitivo-challenge/

Competitors are tasked to create an original aperitivo cocktail using a minimum 40ml of Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto and including a sustainable ingredient or garnish. To be in with a chance of winning, all applicants must upload the recipe and a photo of their creation – alongside measurements, garnishes and glassware to the competition website by 6th March 2023. Bartenders are encouraged to develop and test their cocktail with consumers ahead of the competition, and to share their creations on social media using the following hashtags: #ITALICUS #ROSOLIODIBERGAMOTTO #ARTOFITALICUS #AOI2023

Regional Finals – Shortlisted applicants will be notified in March, with eight competitors from each region invited to participate in the regional final. Shortlisted applicants will be selected based on a combination of the creativeness of their cocktail recipe, the connection between the cocktail and the art that inspired its creation, the perception of the aperitivo and the social media attraction the competitor managed to generate – tracked using the aforementioned hashtags.

National Finals – These will take place during March and April, where the eight finalists will have five minutes to prepare ‘mise en place’ and eight minutes to present their cocktail to the judges with a minimum of four servings.

Global Finals – The regional winner will progress on to the global final, taking place at the end of May in Rome. All national winners will receive an all-expense-paid trip to the final, and the global winner of the AOI Aperitivo Challenge 2023 will receive the coveted title of ITALICUS Bar Artist of the Year 2023, as well as an exclusive mentorship opportunity with Giacomo Giannotti – Italian bartender and head of Barcelona-based Paradiso Cocktail Bar, which was recently awarded ‘Best Bar in the World’ by the 50 Best Bars 2022. The winner will also receive a yearly subscription to the Shoshin Arts Club – a virtual hub offering subscribers the chance to explore all possible bar-related topics and the ability to learn from world-class mixologists.