Marie Brizard announces competition winner

French spirits producer Marie Brizard has crowned Denmark-based bartender Aurimas Mulevicius winner of its 32^nd biennial International Bartender Seminar in Bordeaux.

Denmark-based bartender Aurimas Mulevicius has been named winner of Marie Brizard’s 32nd International Bartender Seminar

Having won the Danish regional heat, Mulevicius beat off competition from 29 other finalists from 25 countries around the world.

Over the course of two days, participants were tested on their classic cocktail-making abilities and knowledge of Marie Brizard’s history, while their palates were tested in a blind tasting Marie Brizard liqueurs competition.

Along with entrants from the UK, France, Taiwan and Japan, Mulevicius was selected by a panel of expert judges as one of the competition’s five finalists.

Competition visitors then voted for their favourite cocktail in the competition’s grand finale, where the finalists were required to work under pressure and create 30 signature serves.

Mulevicius impressed with his Quiet Drama cocktail, a mix of VS Cognac Gautier, Marie Brizard Cocoa Blanco, sugar cane syrup, egg white, and lemon juice garnished with star anise and thyme.

Meanwhile, the UK’s Lucy Jane, bartender at NOLA, was awarded third spot and Taiwan’s Chuang Kun-Yen came in second.

Emile Chaillot, consultant for Marie Brizard’s syrups and liqueurs, said: “The final of this competition is unique because the bartenders are required to make cocktails like they are in a real service bar. This set the IBS apart from other cocktail competitions.”

Marie Brizard has been a subsidiary of Belvédère, the third biggest drinks group in France, since 2006. The group recently recently revealed a decline in its year-to-date profits, blaming a “global fall in the wine and spirits market”.