Competitors showed off their flairing skills at the SKYY Flair Global Challenge UAE heat last week. Competitors showed off their flairing skills at the SKYY Flair Global Challenge UAE heat last week.

A Buddha Bar flair bartender has come away triumphant from this year’s SKYY Flair Global Challenge for the UAE.

The Emirates’ regional heat, held last week at CHI at The Lodge in Dubai, saw bartenders from across the country wowing judges with their flairing skills — the art of bar entertainment through the manipulation and juggling of bar tools such as cocktail shakers and bottles.

Competitors were cheered on by a crowd of over 700 people, as the event took place in conjunction with Dubai’s biggest social event for bartenders: the ‘Shakers and Makers’ party, hosted by MMI.

Ricky Abraham Lentey from Buddha Bar at Grosvenor House Dubai saw off tough competition from the country’s best flair bartenders to win the event, earning the national title as well as €1500 (US $2149) prize money.

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As the UAE champion, Lentey will now go on to represent the country at the global finals of the SKYY Flair Global Challenge in Shanghai this October.

Commenting on the WFA-supported competition, which is now in its second year, MMI brand manager for SKYY Michelle Quinn said it had been a great success and she was delighted with Lentey’s win.

“Ricky is a true champion, having dazzled the audience with his remarkable talent and ability in the art of flair,” she said.

“He created great cocktails while delivering a unique style of showmanship that stood out against the other competitors.

“We’re delighted to award Ricky with first place and we look forward to seeing him at the SKYY Flair Global Challenge finals in Shanghai in October.”