In a bid to provide bartenders with an international experience, Sula commenced its three-city Masterclass in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore conducted by Agostino Schiavo.

SULA SELECTIONS, the import arm of Sula Vineyards launched ‘Beluga Cocktail Masters India 2018’ in association with Beluga Noble Russian Vodka which saw over 150 bartenders from Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai attended the masterclasses held in the respective cities. During the marterclasses, they learnt about Beluga Noble Russian Vodka, it’s tasting notes and got interesting tips and tricks about the art of bartending from the celebrated bartender and mixologist Agostino Schiavo, the head bartender at the legendary Arts Club in London. 

In a bid to provide bartenders with an international experience, Sula commenced its three-city Masterclass in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore conducted by Agostino Schiavo. Hailing from the UK, Agostino Schiavo brings with him over 7 years of experience in the hospitality industry. An Alumni of Hotel and Catering School (2008), Agostino is known for mixology and creating unique cocktails and showcases expertise with Beluga Vodka. He has also been a finalist of Beluga Signature bartender 2016 held in UK. 

Kenneth Pritchard, Senior VP, Marketing and International Sales, Sula Vineyards, said, ”We are delighted to launch the Beluga Cocktail Masters India programme. This is a great opportunity for India’s top mixologists to get to know this great brand and of course to show us what they can do with authentic Russian vodka and exciting Indian flavours. Not only will there be an opportunity for the winner to visit Russia, the home of Beluga, but also to have their creations made available across India.”

Speaking on the success of the Masterclasses across the three cities, Agostino Schiavo, the head bartender at the legendary Arts Club in London, said, "It was an amazing experience, the crowd reacted perfectly to the messaging and the information that I gave. It was a fantastic initiative by Beluga and Sula Selections. Initiatives like these go a long way in bringing the cocktail experience higher. Indian bartenders have a lot to show to the world in terms of using spices and herbs and bring that knowledge to a global scale.”

According to the release, 150 bartenders across the country aligned themselves to put together interesting cocktails made with Beluga and learn global tricks about bartending. The bartenders will be given one week to battle it out as they will need to create a unique cocktail using Beluga Vodka and record a video showcasing it. From the 50 bartenders per city, 20 will be selected to promote Beluga in a personal capacity and using their social media platforms. Top ten cocktails will be selected for the final round. The ten finalists will then make their way to Mumbai for the Grand Finale as they fight it out to be the Beluga Cocktail India Champion and win an all-inclusive weekend trip to Moscow. The contestants will face two challenges in the grand finale which is scheduled on 25th October in Mumbai.