Geelong bartenders to compete in national cocktail competition

TWO of Geelong’s best bartenders are ready to mix up a storm at the prestigious ‘Enter the Dragon 3’ Australian cocktail competition this weekend.

Gorge Camorra and Dave Whitehead from the 18th Amendment are among the 10 finalists who will compete at the prestigious national event at the Sydney Opera House.

The local pair will be required to submit an original cocktail recipe incorporating 30ml of China’s most iconic spirit, Moutai.

Often compared to a whisky, gin and rum in terms of prestige, Moutai is an esteemed brand of baijiu and has a history spanning over 4000 years.

They will present their cocktail vision in just under five minutes to a panel of distinguished guests and battle it out for the coveted title of Moutai Master and a $10,000 cash prize to put towards their hospitality dreams.

Mr Camorra has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is the owner of 18th Amendment, Non Disclosure Bar and Manhattan Bar in Geelong.

Alongside his passion for fine cocktails and delivering peak hospitality, the Geelong local is a breathwork and ice bath facilitator.

He said excitement was high heading into the event, particularly with such a delicate item like Moutai at his disposal.

“I’m feeling great,” he said. “I haven’t competed in a national final for a few years, so it’s awesome to be throwing my hat back in the ring.

“I’ve got a really cool concept set out for my drink, and some special glasses they’ll go in.

“There’s such an amazing list of competitors in the national final. Dave [Whitehead] is one of them; he’s beat me the last few times.”

Mr Whitehead currently serves as the assistant manager at 18th Amendment and has lived in Geelong since 2021.

One of the elder statesmen of the 18th Amendment team, Mr Whitehead is passionate about mentoring and training and takes pride in helping others succeed in the industry.

He said he couldn’t wait for the contest.

“I haven’t done a competition for a long time, but its really exciting,” he said. “There’s many of my old friends from the industry who are also finalists. I tasted Moutai for the first time last month – it’s unlike anything I’ve ever tasted.

“When I heard how it was made too, you can tell why it’s so good.

“There’s nothing made like it’s made anywhere. It takes a year to make it before they start ageing it.

“From a trade perspective, I wondered where something this great had been. I can’t wait to put it to good use this weekend.”

Moutai Australia brand and marketing manager Dan Zhao said this year’s contest had a record number of entries.

“This year’s ‘Enter the Dragon 3’ competition has been nothing short of extraordinary. The creativity displayed by bartenders has been truly astounding,” he said.

“The ability to pair Moutai’s rich complexity with diverse ingredients has shone through, and we can’t wait to see these finalists compete in the final round.”

Winners will be crowned on Monday (October 28).