Johnnie Walker Ghana celebrates Black Label Global Bartender Challenge winner Survaiva Donkor
Johnnie Walker Ghana has hosted a tasting and immersion event to honour Survaiva Benjamin Donkor, the Africa Region’s champion of the Black Label Global Bartender Challenge.
Donkor, a Senior Bartender at Accra’s Tribeca Restaurant, is set to represent Africa in Scotland, the birthplace of Johnnie Walker, during the Burns Night weekend in January 2025.
The cocktail that won Donkor the competition, The Black Secret, is a blend of Johnnie Walker Black Label, fresh lemon juice, activated charcoal syrup, crème de cassis, coconut liqueur, and fresh pineapple juice.
The Black Label Global Bartender Challenge aims to highlight the superior qualities of Johnnie Walker Black Label and to acknowledge those in the Bartender community who have fervently supported the award-winning Blended Scotch Whisky.
Survaiva’s triumph in the African region is a reflection of his commitment and Ghana’s thriving cocktail culture.
At the event in Accra on Thursday, Yaa Amoah, the Marketing Manager for Spirit and RTDs (Ready to Drink) at Guinness Ghana, highlighted the importance of Survaiva’s accomplishment.
“Winning the challenge for the Africa region is truly worth celebrating. Johnnie Walker Black Label Bartender challenge is a platform for Bartenders to showcase their craft with their own signature cocktails. Survaiva is the only African among a team of Global winners. He has demonstrated what it means to “Keep Walking”.
“This is a life-changing experience. Johnnie Walker is committed to building the capacity of the bartenders through the Diageo Bar Academy and other initiatives in Ghana. We raise a glass to Survaiva and his remarkable story,” she elaborated.
Mr Donkor took this opportunity to express his gratitude to the CEO of Tribeca for his continuous support and encouragement throughout his nine-year career and his success in the challenge.
He expressed his intention to elevate his cocktail to an international brand that would symbolise Africans.
George Otchere, the Brand Ambassador for Guinness Ghana, explained that the Johnnie Walker Black Label was initially crafted over a century ago by the Walker family, who were dissatisfied with the single-note flavours and inconsistent whiskies of their era.
He mentioned that they undertook daring measures to produce a significantly superior Scotch Whisky – meticulously blended to generate the rich, iconic flavour that is still produced today.
“Johnnie Walker Black Label takes the very best whiskies from the Four Corners of Scotland, each expressing the aromas and tastes typical of that region, to create a beautifully balanced liquid celebrated worldwide,” he concluded.