Beluga Vodka, a triple-filtered Rusian vodka that was first distilled in 2002, is produced in the 1900-established Mariinsk distillery in Siberia. This smooth spirit has made a mark on the global vodka market, setting spirit satisfaction and consumption standards for other vodka distillers across the globe.
Beluga Signature Bartender Program is an annual competition that is sponsored by the vodka label. It invites talented bartenders from seven regions to compete against each other to become the Beluga Signature Ambassador for the year.
The competition sees bartenders applying from France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Russia, UK and India, clearing four competition rounds to become the global finalists. The interested talent pool has to submit a Beluga vodka-based original cocktail recipe at beluga-signature.com, from where the shortlisted candidates are invited to attend Beluga Signature Bartender School. Then, the bartenders participate in creative competitions which shortlist the talent further, choosing one finalist from each country to participate in the next rounds.
From there, the national finalists guest bartend in their native countries, focusing on digital promotions and counter sales of their cocktails. They then travel to St. Petersburg, to compete against the other global finalists for the title of Beluga Signature Ambassador.
The winner not only becomes a Beluga Vodka ambassador for a whole year but is also offered an all-expense paid one week-long trip to do an internship at one of the 50 World’s Best Bars of his/her choice. The winner travels the world to represent the vodka brand at important industry events throughout the year, learning from the best and imparting their knowledge.
This year, the competition will announce its shortlisted bartenders on 3rd March. I am hoping to see talented bartenders from India make the cut and go on to win the competition at the global finals!
