Elit Eighteen Masters - The Art of Creation

1. The ELIT MASTERS competition (the “Competition”) is organised by the STOLI GROUP in each participating country
   (the “Local Country”).
2. The Competition consists of no less than SIX months of activity (defined as engagement with the bartending community in each country through participation in the ELIT MASTERS competition including recruitment period; [a series of competition stages around a theme designed for the bartending community and ELIT MASTERS bartender live competition challenges which are formally judged including announcement and registration.
3. The Programme is void wherever prohibited or restricted by law.

1. This Programme is available to bartenders employed by a current Stoli Group Customer (see definition below) or customers who agree to become a Stoli Group Customer in exchange for the opportunity to participate in the Programme.
2. A Stoli Group Customer is a customer which stocks and lists on the menu at least one Stoli Group Brand product, including but not limited to: ELIT Vodka, Stoli Vodka, Cenote Tequila, Se Busca Mezcal, Kentucky Owl Bourbon, Tulchan Gin,
3. Bartenders who have already won the title of Global ELIT MASTERS (previously Art of the Martini or ELIT Martini Master 2022) Bartender of the Year in any previous year are not permitted to compete in the programme but may act as mentors, trainers or judges as the Local Market or Global Brand Team see fit.
4. Bartenders are permitted to compete in the Global Final as many times, until they win.
5. In addition to working in a Stoli Group Customer, the participants must:
   1. be of legal drinking age in the relevant Local Market or older;
   2. comply with the Rules and Regulations of the Competition;

1. Up to 10 bartenders will be selected from Round 1 to progress to the next round – Either a LIVE or ONLINE National Final where we will select the National Winner

1. Each ELIT MASTERS Local Market Finalist:
   1. must be available to attend then National Final in the Local Market either in person or online whichever is applicable to that Local Market
   2. must commit to a 30-minute telephone screening & debrief with Stoli Group representative and PR agency (if applicable);
   3. must hold a valid and current passport
   4. must be eligible under COVID restrictions applied and
   5. must be eligible for a visa in Athens, Greece in November 2023
2. Each ELIT MASTERS Local Market Winner is permitted to compete in any other national cocktail competition. If the ELIT MASTERS Local Market Burst Winner wins the National ELIT MASTERS Final, they are still permitted to participate in any other competition.
3. In the event that an ELIT MASTERS Local Market Winner wins another cocktail competition and will go on to compete at another global final the participant is still permitted to participate in the Competition.
4. If the participant wins both the Competition and any other rival competition the Local Market is advised to open a channel of communication with the organisers of the other competition to ensure mutual agreement over dates and anticipate any conflicts over contractual commitments.
5. Each ELIT MASTERS National Finalist must submit a signature cocktail for the National Final that is photographed for use in the ELIT MASTERS cocktail database.

1. Judges will include Stoli Group Brand Ambassadors, respected industry & mixologist professionals and/or media.
2. Finalists will be asked to compete a pre-advised number of mixology challenges, as judged by ELIT MASTERS Judges.
3. One (1) Grand Prize will be awarded from the Finalists chosen. The prize for the one winner, announced at the event includes:
   1. the right to represent the country in the ELIT MASTERS Bartender of the Year Global Final in Athens, Greece to compete for the global title and relevant prize pool and
   2. the option to work with the Local Market in the year following the win as an ELIT Martini Ambassador, these duties may be paid or unpaid, to include, media appearances on behalf of ELIT MASTERS, mentoring and training of other ELIT MASTERS participants and spokesperson for ELIT MASTERS.
4. The following are the general requirements for the National Winner:
   1. Represent the Local Market and compete at the ELIT MASTERS Bartender of the Year Global Final;
   2. Work with the Local Market Stoli Group representatives to create a schedule for the following year.
   3. Participate in local and national press efforts throughout the year as requested by Stoli Group
   4. Appear in digital content as requested by Stoli Group throughout the year
   5. Opportunity to travel to other participating countries around the world to educate bartenders.
   6. Participate in ELIT MASTERS National Final each year and act as a mentor to future participants where appropriate.
5. All content  created during the competition (including, but not limited to recipes, cocktail names, pictures, social media posts and video footages) including the ones containing the image of the winner or created with its help or participation, are exclusive intellectual property of SPI Group (including title and intellectual property rights pertaining thereto) and can be used by SPI Group or its affiliates for any purposes and in any media at its own discretion worldwide without any restriction and no additional consideration for 5 years from the date of signature. All rights in such contents will be waive by the winner in favour of SPI Group, without any consideration or restrictions of any kind. SPI Group is also authorized to cite or refer to the winner’s name in any communication in relation to the ELIT MASTERS at the own discretion of SPI Group.
6. The selected National Winner must agree to al Stoli Group codes of conduct
7. Entry in the Programme constitutes an entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to abide by and accept the terms and conditions of these Official Rules. Prize is non-transferable except at the sole discretion of Stoli Group. By accepting the prize, winner waives the right to assert as a cost of winning said prize, any and all costs of redemption or travel to redeem said prize and any and all liability that might arise from redeeming or seeking said prize. Stoli Group reserves the right to conduct a background check of any criminal records of the prize winners and travel companions. To the extent necessary and permitted by law, prize-winners and travel companions shall authorize this background check. Stoli Groups reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify prize-winners and/or travel companion(s) from any prize element, based on the background check. Winner also accepts sole responsibility for any miscellaneous costs relating to acceptance of prize.
8. Programme entry must be original, not have been entered in any other drink recipe competition or violate the rights of other parties, including any intellectual property, trade secret or other proprietary right of any other parties. Programme entry may not be offensive, defamatory, discriminatory, obscene, libellous, reflect poorly on the brands or be inappropriate for use in advertising or for promotional publicity purposes as determined by Stoli Group and/or the Judge(s) in their sole discretion. Programme entry must be unpublished and must be the work solely of the entrant.
9. All the materials, documents, information and data submitted to Stoli Group in connection with this Programme, including the Programme entry and submission (collectively “Programme Entry”) are the property of Stoli Group, will not be returned and cannot be acknowledged. By entering the Programme, entrants represent and warrant that their Programme Entry is their sole, original work is free from any encumbrances or restrictions and that it does not infringe upon the rights of any other party, including but not limited to any intellectual property, trade secret or other proprietary rights of any other party. By submitting a Programme Entry, entrant further represents and warrants that any person(s) referenced has given his or her express written consent to the reference and use as contemplated by these Official Rules and that entrant has obtained written permission for such use from any such person. Submission of an entry grants STOLI GROUP the right to use, publish, adapt, edit and/or modify Programme Entry in any way, in whole or in part, and to use such Programme Entry, and any ideas or concepts contained therein, in commerce and in any and all media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide, including but not limited to STOLI GROUP websites and social media sites, without limitation or compensation to the entrant and without right of notice, review or approval of any such use of the Programme Entry. Submission of a Programme Entry further constitutes the entrant’s consent to irrevocably assign and transfer to STOLI GROUP any and all rights, title and interest in and to the Programme Entry, including but not limited to all intellectual property rights and proprietary rights worldwide. Any content, material or information included in Programme Entry shall not be confidential, proprietary or trade secret. By submitting a Programme Entry, entrant consents to Stoli Group’s use, reproduction and disclosure of the Programme Entry, and ideas, concepts or other materials contained therein, for any purpose, including any commercial purpose. Any Programme Entry that contains third party artistic works, copyrights, trademarks, trade names, logos or similar brand identifying marks, trade secrets or other proprietary rights will not constitute a valid Programme Entry. Each Entrant expressly agrees and consents that Stoli Group may use his/her name, image, picture, likeness, photograph, voice, representation, personal imagery and presence, and other characterization etc. on any marketing materials produced for, by or on behalf of Stoli Group freely, worldwide, for perpetuity, irrevocably and unconditionally, for no additional consideration and not be limited with any reservations or restrictions.

• Each Entrant expressly agrees, undertakes and warrants to be compliant in any of his/her activities made under or in relation to the Competition with all the applicable laws, rules and regulations and bear sole responsibility for the same.
• Each Entrant expressly acknowledge hereby that Stoli Group names, trademarks, service marks, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights and all goodwill associated with or symbolized by Stoli Group are owned solely and indisputably by Stoli Group and its affiliates. Each Entrant further agree that shall not at any time do or cause to be done any act, directly or indirectly, that contests or in any way impairs or tends to impair any part of the right, title and interest of Stoli Group and its affiliates.
• Entrants hereby agree to indemnify and hold STOLI GROUP harmless from and against any third-party claims, actions or proceedings of any kind and from any and all damages, liabilities, costs and expenses, including attorney fees and court costs, arising out of any breach or alleged breach of any of the provision of this Rules, any warranties and representations set forth above as well as his/her full compliance to all the applicable laws in relations to the activities, acts and/or omissions.
• By entering this programme, bartenders and participants are giving STOLI GROUP and its affiliate’s explicit rights to use your photo, an image of your cocktail, cocktail name, and your cocktail recipe for publicity purposes, including social media.
• The selected National Winner will enter into a reimbursed talent agreement (including, but not limited to, terms regarding payment terms, exclusivity, certain number of appearances, etc.) in the format available to view on request.

• This Competition shall be governed by and interpreted as follows:
• For the competition held in the USA – under the laws of the State of New York USA, with the jurisdiction of the relevant court of New York, USA to resolve any disputes;
• For the competition in the rest of the world countries, excluding USA – under the laws of Switzerland, without regard to its conflicts of law’s provisions. The venue for dispute resolution shall be – the Arbitration under the ICC rules, placer of arbitration- Geneva, Switzerland.
• Submission to any other courts is expressly excluded.

• Each year the challenges in ELIT MASTERS are designed to test every aspect of a bartender’s skill, technique and how they work under pressure.
• Some of the challenges require a command of classic recipes and knowledge of the stories behind them, some challenges require spontaneous creativity and inventiveness and being able to interpret new flavours.
• Most importantly your ability to communicate and charm your guests and if necessary, explain your work will be a major skill we will look for, after all that has always been a crucial part of the bartender’s art.
• The judges of the Competition must include at least 1 of each of the following:
  a. Global/National or Market Stoli Group Brand Ambassadors.
  b. Respected bar-industry professionals with and recognised within their own local bar community.
• The Competition can include judges from outside this area of expertise, but bar-industry professionals will be in the majority.

• Scoring System
• Everyone is scored in all the challenges they compete in by the judges.
• There may be points deducted for infringements of the rules or time penalties.
• Everyone is ranked from top to bottom in each Challenge based on the position.
• Judging sheets are available to download form the Local Market Competition Guidelines
• The scoring position gives ranking points, and these accumulate throughout the competition.
• In the event of a tie there will be a single-round cocktail tiebreaker where the tied Finalists must make one classic cocktail and one personal signature cocktail of their own choice for the judges.

• Drinks in any of the Challenges may not contain more than six ingredients, including fruit juices, syrups, bespoke ingredients, drops, dashes. It is acceptable to additionally spray a citrus fruit zest or an aromatic spray over the drink if specified as a garnish and it does not count as an ingredient.
• Recipes must contain a minimum of 30ml (1oz) of ELIT Vodka.
• The total combined alcoholic ingredients must be equivalent to no more than 75ml (2.6oz) at 40% alc./vol. (total alcohol equivalent to less than 36ml/1.2oz at 100% alc./vol.).
• Ingredients may be measured using a jigger or similar measure or freely poured.
• Participants are permitted to use their own bar tools, cocktail shakers or mixing glasses for the creation of the cocktails in all of the challenges – unless otherwise specified.
• The organisers will also have fully stocked bartender kits at all of the venues for the use of the participants.
• The organisers will supply high quality cubed (approx. 25ml/1inch square) and an ice-crusher.
• Please check with the organisers about the availability of block ice. In the event it is not available you can produce and bring your own
• Juicers, blenders and induction hobs and pans will be provided if required
• Drinks may be served straight up over ice, using crushed, hand-cracked, or hand-carved ice at the participant’s discretion.
• Participants are required to make the correct number of servings of each cocktail as defined under the Challenge specific rules.
• Participants will be given time to familiarise themselves with the bar area and prepare equipment and ingredients within the preparation time-limits for each challenge.
• Participants must prepare drinks within the time limits specified in the challenges. Going over-time will result in a point penalty of 5 ranking points per minute.
• Participants serving drinks that appear inedible or working with unhygienic methods may be disqualified from that Challenge.

• All of the main ingredients for your cocktails must be assembled in front of the judges during your presentation time slot.
• Homemade or bespoke ingredients such as pre-mixes, infusions, foams, etc. can be prepared before the challenge but must comprise no more than three of the six maximum allowed ingredients.
• You are allowed to use barrel-aged ingredients, but they cannot comprise more than 30ml (1oz) of the ingredients in any cocktail.

• You may use any kind of glass, cup or other receptacle and props in any challenge.
• Standard glassware will be available for use in all challenges if the contestant does not supply their own.
• No brand name or logo other than the discrete mark of the glassware manufacturer should be visible.
• You may use service-ware items to support any serves that accompany your cocktails where the challenge allows them.

• Recipes, where required must be provided by the deadlines specified in the toolkit otherwise the participant will be penalised.
• Recipes may be adjusted after the deadline within reason (i.e., not substituted entirely) as long as the organisers are notified immediately and agree.
• Signature Recipes entered must be the original creation of the competitor and if a competitor is thought to have obviously plagiarised a known, existing cocktail they may be disqualified.
• All ingredients must be a measured quantity. i.e., squeeze of half a lime” is unacceptable.
• Recipes entered must be expressed in ounces (US) and/or millilitres with the use of ‘dashes’ and/or ‘drops’ limited to bitters, hot pepper sauce and the like

• By entering this competition, participants agree to assign copyright of all content created during the competition (including, but not limited to recipes, cocktail names, pictures, social media posts and video footages) to the Stoli Group.
• Participants and drinks presented during the Competition may be photographed (still, moving images) by the organisers. Stoli Group and its affiliates will be the undisputable copyright holder of all the pictures and video footages. SPI Group or its affiliates may use the pictures and video footages for advertising or any purposes and in any media at its own discretion worldwide without any restriction and no additional consideration for 5 years from the date of signature.

• Drink names including rude, lurid, racial, religious , or minority context, sexual words, or words associated with narcotics or motor vehicles are prohibited and will be disqualified.
• Drink names must not use references to fictional or cartoon characters associated with anyone under legal drinking age.

To overcome language difficulties if you are not confident to present in English you are permitted to have an interpreter to translate during your presentation.

• The judges and Competition organisers reserve the right to have the final decision on any matter relating to the judging of the Competition.
• Participants will be judged according to the criteria set out in the rules and scored out of a potential maximum points that can be awarded by each judge per challenge.

• We will give access to the scores to any participant after the completion of the challenge and all of the totals and scores have been tallied and double-checked.
• All of the challenges have a slightly different balance of scoring points in each category to reflect subtly different requirements.
• The scoring points you earn are converted into ranking points by a percentage process. (see below).
• The ranking point system ensures all judges’ scores carry equal value.
• Every single challenge has the same weight in the overall points system.

• At the Global Finals in Athens, we will have additional challenges. Successful Country winners will be briefed ahead of the finals with all relevant information.