When I was judge in a cocktail competition, there was one point, I was not really happy with.

The score card.

First of all: 2 score cards were on one sheet. This was anything but perfect. Though even more irritating was, that you could only rate a cocktail in three different ways: Appearance, Aroma and Taste - that not enough - you could only rate from good to excellent.

Unfortunately it has to be said, that most recipes weren’t good! So you had to rate still good, when it wasn’t.

Further, without being cocky, if the members of the taste panel weren’t so knowledgeable, I definitely believe, that a completely different drink had been the winner.

This wouldn’t be right - but this is common-practice in competitions! And we can be proud, that it wasn’t like that...

Anyway - the score card wasn’t really for the harum-scarum.

But it is not my intend, to complain, here - it is that I want to improve the deficiencies.

So please see below, a score sheet, which comes more after my idea of “drink -crafting”.

As you can see, still the Taste, as the Characteristics is the most important. In fact both points are take 50% of the overall result! Taste supposed to be pleasant of course; though the character supposed to reflect the personality of the base spirit.

What I’ve actually experienced was, that the fragrance of the drink, were negligible. A lot of drinks smelled fresh [most often due to the intelligent use of  citrus twists] -  non was really impressive - even not the winning drinks. So 5% of the total is fair.

Appearance is also important. It doesn’t mean, that you have to do now surrealistic expressions; though for example Fadli, showed, how you can do a simple but thoughtful and clever garnish: an orange twist in the shape of a leaf! Truly, into the same chapter falls the Garnish Relevance: a garnish supposed to fit to a cocktail!

Both together are making 20% - which comes towards people who are solicitous for details. This is also important for a drink... the sizzle sells the steak!

Originality and Authenticity are two further weighty points. A sum of 25% for both.

Drinks are awarded, which are indigenous, different, clever; and drinks which are having a reference to region, history, bartending roots.

Beyond an Arabic country, you could have another point, awarding sustainability and products regionally sourced. Though in Dubai this is not applicable.

I think the whole scoring is fair and would lead to a better understanding of classic cocktails.

Not only of the juries, which judging most of the times “blind”; though also for the ambitious bartender, who has the will to win! Of course he will try to match his creations to this score card - and that would lead to better drinks!

So what do you think? Does this make sense for you?

Did I forgot some points?