One of my best experiences in a bar and one story I like repeating took place in a small establishment in Baltimore. Back in 1999, while en route from Baltimore to Washington D.C., I popped into a bar with a bar with a buddy and the mid-afternoon hour accounted for the empty seats across the floor. When we ordered our beers over the bar counter, the bartender told us to head back to our table and offered to bring the beers over. He finished filling the glasses and placed them on the bar top before proceeding back to the kitchen. My buddy and I sat there staring at the beers, procrastinating if we should whisk over and pick them up, after all, the bartended did insist on serving it to us. A good while later, the bartender re-emerged, saw the beers on the counter, picked them up and poured them down the sink. Very promptly, he proceeded to fill 2 fresh glasses, brought them over to us and said, “Dudes, these beers are on the house, you should never have to wait for a beer.” You can imagine our delight and even though we didn’t have to pay for it, we left the dude a good tip!

But what makes a truly good bartender? Drinks on the house? Someone who makes a whisky sour with egg white? Ability to consistently pour a pint of Guinness with a shamrock? What if a dash of Andy Warhol’s creativity, the humour of Conan O’Brien, the theatrics of David Copperfield, Nobu’s palette, Tom Ford’s style was mixed and shaken to create the ultimate mixologist? Last month, we had the privilege of meeting someone close to this DNA match.

Erik Lorincz, Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender 2010

Erik Lorincz, Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender 2010, was uncovered from among 6,000 bartenders from 24 countries. Through a series of challenges including distinguishing 20 aromas from spirits, blind tasting and food pairing with Diageo Reserve brands such as Tanqueray No. Ten, Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Jose Cuervo Platino and Ketel One vodka. Erik was crowned Diageo Reserve World Class Bartender in Athens last year. When we met, he was dressed in a suit which looked straight out of the wardrobe of Mad Men with his hair slicked back, we were treated to an afternoon of exceptional cocktails. What truly surprised me was his liberal use of yuzu (a type of Japanese tangerine) given that his Slovak roots and having spent most of his life in Europe. Sampling his signature cocktail, named Rising To The Sky, garnished with a botanical steam, was very apt given that we were seated at City Space overlooking the city. Rising To The Sky had a refreshingly sour taste, one very perfect for a hot afternoon day by the pool.

Erik's "Rising To The Sky", a touch of Yuzu with Tanqueray No. Ten

This year’s final of World Class 2011, labeled, the Oscars of the industry, will be held in New Delhi in July. Diageo is expecting 10,000 participants this year, to follow the competition, check out their Facebook page.