Yeehaw: Jake Down from Sydney’s debauchery den Pleasure Club has just won Diageo World Class Australian Bartender of the Year 2024, now in its 15th year. Meaning we have the best booze shaker and maker in the whole country right here in Sydney. If that doesn’t call for a couple of celebratory cocktails, we don’t know what will.
Yesterday (Mon, May 27), six finalists from Australia’s top-notch venues – including James Irvine (Merivale, Sydney), Matt Bodycote (State Buildings, Perth), Rohan Massie (Rude Boy, Hobart), Shirley Yeung (Foxtrot Hospitality Group, Perth) and Tom Opie (The Waratah, Sydney) – battled it out across an all-day competition that featured a series of liquor-laced challenges. The first saw the bartenders reimagining traditional whisky, showcasing the flavours of Johnnie Walker, Talisker and The Singleton. Next, they created drinks inspired by their favourite bars using Johnnie Walker Black Ruby.
The third challenge saw the bartenders create six classic cocktails in just six minutes, incorporating Diageo’s Reserve tipples. Down impressed the judges by creating three Mr Black Espresso Martinis, a Don Julio Blanco Margarita, a Bulleit Rye Toronto and a Bulleit Bourbon Mint Julep. It usually takes me six minutes just to make one coffee.
Down has more than a decade of experience under his belt, having worked at This Must Be The Place, Scout London, Re and Housemade Hospitality. Currently, he’s making drinks at Newtown’s purple-hued Pleasure Club, where chicken parm, Vegemite and Cherry Ripe cocktails grace the menu.
Soon, Down will compete in the Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year 2024 Global Finals held in Shanghai, from September 9 to 13. There, he will be up against representatives from more than 50 other countries in a multi-format event and battle it out for Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year 2024.
Down said: “I'm honoured to be part of our incredible hospitality community, and I can’t wait to represent Australia in September at the global finals.”
Kate McGraw, Diageo head of advocacy, added: “All six competitors gave it their all, but we could only crown one Australian Bartender of the Year. Jake Down is an extremely worthy recipient!”
We’ll be cheering for you come September, Down. And until then, you can head to Pleasure Club to get a drink made by the country's best bartender (we’ll have one Cherry Ripe, please).
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