The Bar Journal

The first everCocktail Island festival was held on the historic Cockatoo Island, a former convict precinct which was transformed into a plethora of cocktail stands and tasting rooms. The inaugural event saw the weekend crowd explore a range of cocktails and spirit brands over two days, with the third day exclusively open for trade.

“Welcome to Cocktail Island” coupled with a lei on arrival near the Think Spirits Beach Bar had you thinking you stepped into a cocktail-infused fantasy on a patch of dry land you’d never want to leave.

Cocktail Island is a concept by Marco Faraone, the award-winning bartender behind bars such as Lotus and now The Island Bar which is also located on Cockatoo Island. The aim of the event is to educate consumers about cocktails and various brands of spirits through a series of masterclasses and product tastings.

Each stand was beaming with energy as bartenders were shaking, mixing, pouring and attending to the thirsty crowd.

Many brands showcased their products through cocktails as well as neat tastings of their spirits.

Several masterclasses, tasting sessions and talks were held at Cocktail Island, some of which included international speakers.

Tequila seminars by the Mexican Ambassador Julio Bermejo.

The History and Tradition of Italian Aperitifs and Digestives with Francesco Lafranconi was a veritable journey through Italy starting with the origins of the aperitif and moving on to the benefits of digestives.

Aperitivo comes from “aperire”, to open and stimulate the appetite. “The aperitivo in Italy is a lifestyle”, Francesco explained, a celebration of drink accompanied by food between the hours of 6 and 9 pm.

Drinks were priced between $2 to $10 island dollars (equivalent to Australian dollars) which were available from the Cocktail Island Bank.

SALUTE !