Entries for global cocktail competition The Art of Italicus aperitivo challenge have opened and for the first time, New Zealand is among the 10 countries invited to participate.

First held in 2018, The Art of Italicus invites bartenders from select countries around the world to create an innovative spin on the aperitivo.

Italicus is one of the top-awarded aperitivo brands globally and is distributed in New Zealand by Tickety-Boo Liquor.

For 2025, the competition is welcoming participants from: France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, New Zealand, Spain, UK, USA, and a Wild Card entry open to bartenders from other nations.

This year’s global winner will earn the title of Italicus Bar Artist of the Year 2025 and embark on an exclusive mentorship programme that includes access to the most prestigious bar industry events worldwide. The winner will have the opportunity to work alongside Lorenzo Antinori, from the celebrated Bar Leone in Hong Kong – ranked #1 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024 and #2 globally.

Competitors are asked to create an original spritz cocktail using a minimum of 40ml Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto and no more than five ingredients. Participants are encouraged to draw inspiration from any form of art such as painting, sculpture, music, architecture, or fashion to craft a drink that: “embodies creativity and sophistication whilst demonstrating the spirit’s versatility and distinctive bergamot essence”.

Entries are open until the end of April with National Finals to take place between May and June, where eight shortlisted bartenders per country will have eight minutes to present their creations to a judging panel. Winners of the National Finals will advance with an all expenses paid ticket to the Global Finals in Europe at the beginning of July.

W: Entry details at artofitalicus.com.