The Cairo Soktails Cocktail Championship — From mystery basket heats to high-stakes grand finals. Precision, technique, storytelling, and professional bartending standards.
The CSCC Cocktail Competition is designed to test each bartender’s ability to create original, technically sound and service-ready cocktails while demonstrating creativity, presentation, storytelling, ingredient knowledge, cleanliness, and professional bartending technique.
The exact cocktail brief and requirements for each stage will be communicated to competitors by the CSCC Organizing Team prior to the relevant round.
1.1 Originality: All cocktails presented during the competition must be the competitor's own creation and must be prepared specifically according to the brief for the relevant CSCC round. A cocktail may not simply reproduce an existing cocktail from another bartender or competition. Competitors may draw inspiration from local, Egyptian, or international cocktail culture, provided that the final cocktail demonstrates their own creative interpretation.
1.2 Competition Serves: Unless otherwise specified in the individual round brief, competitors must prepare four (4) identical serves of their cocktail: three (3) serves for the judging panel, and one (1) additional serve for photography/camera purposes. All four serves should be presented to the same standard.
1.3 Time Limit: Each competitor will be given a fixed preparation time for the relevant round. The Emcee will provide the official countdown before the start of the round. At the start signal, the competitor may begin preparing their cocktails. When the allocated time expires, the competitor must immediately stop working. Any cocktail that is incomplete at the end of the allocated time will be judged only in the condition in which it was presented at the official end of the round. The exact time limit for each stage will be announced in the relevant competition brief.
Competitors may arrange their front-bar workstation according to their preferred working method, provided that their setup complies with CSCC safety and operational requirements. Competitors may pre-ice tins and glassware, prepare garnishes in advance, pre-garnish glassware where appropriate, arrange ingredients and equipment before the start of their round, and use their own approved bar tools and equipment. Any preparation carried out before the official start of the round must comply with the specific rules of the relevant stage. The CSCC Organizing Team reserves the right to inspect any preparation, ingredient, or equipment before the competitor begins.
CSCC sponsor products are an integral part of the competition and must be used in accordance with the requirements of the relevant cocktail brief. Where a sponsor product is designated as mandatory, the competitor must use the specified product in the required quantity.
3.1 Sponsor Bottles: Where CSCC provides sponsor products on stage, competitors may only use the bottles made available by the Organizing Team. Competitors may not replace a mandatory sponsor product with another brand or equivalent product. Where an additional sponsor product is permitted and must be supplied by the competitor, it must be the exact sponsor product specified in the recipe, supplied in its original commercial bottle, clearly identifiable, and comply with all CSCC requirements.
3.2 Competing Products: Competitors may not substitute, replace, or supplement a mandatory sponsor category with a competing product unless the relevant competition brief expressly permits this. The CSCC Organizing Team will communicate applicable sponsor restrictions before the event.
3.3 Competitor-Supplied Products: Unless specifically provided by CSCC, competitors are responsible for supplying all ingredients, garnishes, glassware, and specialist equipment required for their cocktail, and all must be included in the submitted recipe where required.
The cocktail must comply with all ingredient restrictions stated in the relevant competition brief. Unless a stage-specific brief states otherwise: the maximum number of ingredients is six (6), excluding ice; a maximum of three (3) homemade ingredients may be used; simple preparation methods such as juicing do not count as homemade ingredients; all homemade ingredients must be prepared safely; ice is excluded from ingredient counts; and garnishes must be safe for consumption. Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the total alcoholic component of the cocktail may not exceed 75 ml of 40% ABV (80 proof) spirit before dilution.
Competitors are responsible for supplying their own glassware and specialty presentation equipment unless CSCC specifically provides these items. Specialty ice may be used provided the competitor supplies it and maintains its temperature. Excessive or purely decorative elements that do not contribute meaningfully to the cocktail may negatively affect evaluation. Any equipment, ingredient, prop, or presentation element that is not standard competition bar equipment must be approved by the CSCC Organizing Team before the competitor's round.
Competitors are expected to maintain a clean, organised, and professional workstation throughout their performance. Clean working practices, correct measuring, waste minimisation, and safe handling are strictly evaluated. No open fire is permitted on stage except for an approved small culinary torch. Competitors must behave professionally toward judges, staff, and guests; unsportsmanlike conduct may result in score deductions or disqualification.
Competitors must submit required cocktail information (recipe, name, method, concept) within the communication deadline. Each competitor will be scored out of a Maximum of 100 Points across four official pillars: Taste & Flavor Balance (40 pts), Aroma & Visual Appearance (20 pts), Technical Skill & Station Hygiene (20 pts), and Storytelling & Concept (20 pts).
In the event of a tie, the higher Taste & Flavor score ranks higher, followed by Technical Skill, then Storytelling. The CSCC Head Judge has final authority regarding the interpretation and application of competition rules to protect overall event integrity, fairness, and safety.
