Official Competition Rules & Scoring System

Cairo Soktails Flair & Cocktail Championship (CSFCC) — Last Updated: 01.09.2026

The CSFCC showcases professional bartending excellence across two distinct disciplines: Day 1 (The Flair Arena) featuring Exhibition and Working Flair, and Day 2 (The Craft Mixology Stage) featuring the Cocktail Competitions.

PART A — FLAIR COMPETITION

1. Categories & Time Limits

Exhibition Flair: Focuses on creativity, difficulty, showmanship, and music choreography. Time limit: 4 to 6 minutes.
Working Flair: Combines entertainment with practical bar speed, pouring accuracy, and bottle control. Time limit: 3 to 5 minutes.

Exceeding maximum times incurs a penalty of -2 points for every 10 seconds over the limit.

2. Exhibition Flair Scoring (Max 25 Positive Points)

Difficulty of Moves: 10 points (Multi-bottle catches, blind catches, roll-aways, body wraps).
Showmanship & Stage Presence: 10 points (Rhythm, charisma, crowd interaction, musical interpretation).
Cleanliness & Execution: 5 points (Smooth transitions, control, routine consistency).

3. Working Flair Scoring (Max 20 Positive Points)

Pour Accuracy & Speed: 10 points (Correct proportions, pouring accuracy, workflow speed).
Bottle Handling (50% Filled): 10 points (Control, practical movement, consistency with working-level volumes).

4. Flair Penalty Schedule

Incident / Infraction	Deduction
Broken bottle / bottle shatter	-5 points
Catastrophic bottle drop	-5 points
Tin drop	-3 points
Major liquid spill / overflow	-3 points
Dropped tool / prop failure	-1 point
Every 10 seconds over time limit	-2 points

Official Flair Scoring Formula:
Final Flair Score = (Sum of Positive Criteria Points) minus (Total Accumulated Penalties). Scores cannot drop below zero.

PART B — COCKTAIL COMPETITION (DAY 2)

The Craft Mixology Stage runs through a Group Stage heat, a Knockout head-to-head round, and a Grand Final featuring an Aperitif, a Signature Craft Cocktail, and a Twist on a Local/Egyptian Classic.

Cocktail Scoring Breakdown (Max 100 Points)

Taste & Flavor Balance: 40 points (Harmony, integration, sweetness/acidity balance, mouthfeel).
Aroma & Visual Appearance: 20 points (Glassware, garnish craftsmanship, clarity, color).
Technical Skill & Station Hygiene: 20 points (Measuring technique, clean workspace, waste minimization).
Storytelling & Concept: 20 points (Inspiration, heritage connection, theme alignment).

General Provisions

Judges score independently. In the event of ties, higher taste/flavor scores take precedence. The CSFCC Head Judge maintains final authority over rule interpretations to guarantee fairness, safety, and competition integrity.

Contact: csfcc@soktails.com