New Boutique Drinks Festival Top Shelf Coming to Melbourne

There aren't any specific guidelines to define how you become a 'mixologist'. Sure, everyone has that one friend who fancies themselves quite the bartender because they can make a vodka, fresh lime and soda, but somehow I think there's more to it. Okay, citrus and soda do taste good together, but if you ask any bartender what they think of that drink they'll undoubtedly groan and roll their eyes back out of their heads. Time to get serious about your drinks, people — and luckily, Melbourne's newest boutique drinks festival is here to give you a little more finesse.

Coming to the Royal Exhibition Building on Sunday, February 9, the Top Shelf Boutique Drinks Festival will not only be a place for purists and professionals, but for hobbyists too. Ever wondered what goes into a good bourbon or whiskey? Check in with Harlen Wheatley from Kentucky's Buffalo Trace, the world's most awarded distillery. Thinking about delving into the world of food and wine matching? Maybe you want to learn the difference between real margaritas and the kind they serve at Taco Bill? Just ask International Bartender of the Year Jack McGarry. He'll be there with business partner Sean Muldoon, talking about his latest venture, The Dead Rabbit — a recently launched New York bar that has taken out awards for Best New Cocktail Bar and World's Best Cocktail Menu.

Of course, for many, this all seems a world away. Not everyone can make whiskey or launch a bar in New York City; the vast majority of us just want to drink the stuff. Luckily, this is far from being a dry event. Punters will be able to sample drinks as homegrown as Four Pillars gin from the Yarra Valley and as far-fetched as Tokaji dessert wines from Hungary. After all your taste testing, Chingon Taco Truck will be there to responsibly fill up your stomach as the day wears on.

For those who just can't wait, the festival will also be running a Top Shelf Bar Safari that parades you through some of Melbourne's finer establishments, including cocktail gems like Lily Blacks and 1806. And for those budding mixologists who want to get a head start, Jack McGarry has created a Melbourne-inspired cocktail for us in honour of the trip. That's right — a drink from the world's best bartender. A little better than a vodka, fresh lime and soda.

The Melbourne Cup

- 44ml Jameson Black Barrel
- 22ml cranberry liqueur
- 7ml elderflower liqueur
- 22ml fresh lemon juice
- 15ml sherbet
- 3 dashes Bittermens Burlesque Bitters
- 1tsp quince jam

Method:

Add ice and shake vigorously. Add 30ml champagne cider to the tin and strain into an ice-filled bar-glass. Garnish with berries in season and finish with freshly grated nutmeg.

The Top Shelf Boutique Drinks Festival will run at the Royal Exhibition Building from 11am-6pm on Sunday, February 9, with an extra day on February 10 for trade professionals. Tickets are $25 pre-sale or $30 on the door and can be pre-purchased at the festival website.