Hotel New Otani's cocktail competition, the "New Otani Hotels Cocktail Competition 2015 'Iki ~Smart~," will be held on August 26th in the Fuyo Room at Hotel New Otani. The event, which began with the aim of improving the skills of young bartenders nationwide and encouraging them to develop original products, is a participatory competition in which attendees taste all the cocktails and vote for the one that resonates most with them to determine the winner. This year, marking the 13th year of the competition, the theme is "Iki ~Smart~," with the aim of rediscovering the traditional Japanese spirit of craftsmanship, attention to detail, and perfection. The event will bring together 19 up-and-coming bartenders who have made it through rigorous preliminary rounds across the country. The contestants' carefully crafted cocktails will be served in easy-to-drink tasting sizes. Visitors are judged not only on the taste of the cocktails but also on the bartenders' skills and conversational abilities. Each booth is designed to allow visitors to enjoy live music and watch the bartenders' techniques up close. Between judging sessions, visitors can enjoy special dishes prepared by the head chef, original sweets by Grand Chef Nakajima Shinsuke, and a buffet featuring seasonal fruits. Numerous beverage makers' exhibition booths are also set up, allowing visitors to sample new products while listening to explanations from each manufacturer. Visitors who vote for the winning cocktail will be entered into a raffle to win restaurant invitations, hotel accommodations, and more. The top three cocktails will be served for a limited time from this fall to next spring at Hotel New Otani Tokyo's Bar Capri, Sky Bar, The Bar, and Kato's Dining & Bar, as well as at New Otani Hotels nationwide.

【Event Information】
"New Otani Hotels Cocktail Competition 2015 'Iki~Smart~"
Venue: Hotel New Otani, Fuyo Room
Address: 4-1 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Date: August 26th
Time: 19:00-21:30 (Registration begins at 18:30)
Fee: 7,000 yen per person