If you want to know where the best cocktails in the world are made, you now have your answer: Italy.

A concoction called "Elixir of Love" has helped Team Italy to win the 42 Below Cocktail World Cup, which has just come to an end in Queenstown, New Zealand.

The Italians were crowned champions after a week of challenges that tested the abilities of seven teams from around the world in various aspects of "mixology". Challenges ranged from making punch to matching cocktails and food and managing to make a cocktail while racing down a river on a jet boat (actually).

The seven teams had competed in heats in the US and Europe to make it to the final, a week-long "Carnival of the Cocktail", where they were hosted by Kiwi vodka brand 42 Below in the spectacular alpine surrounding of Queenstown.

New York-based judge and bestselling drinks writer David Wondrich said the competition was the hardest he had ever judged.

"The standard of the competitors and the competition itself is like nothing I have ever experienced before. I have been blown away by my week in Queenstown," he said in a media release.

Winning Italian team member Alexander Frezzai said his team trailed the competition all week. "We never thought we would win so we decided we would just have a great party. Our win means so much to Italy. And kia-ora, Queenstown, we may well move here."

If you would like to try it yourself, here is the winning recipe:

Elisir D'Amore
45ml pineapple and black pepper-infused 42 Below
5ml lavender-infused 42 Below
20ml limoncello
15ml orange, lemon and ginger syrup
5ml Chambord
50ml fresh pineapple juice
2 dashes Fernet-Branca

Shake with ice and then strain into a bottle. Serves two.

The victorious Italian team of Danielle Dalla Pola, Alex Frezzai and Luca Sai.