Martinique with Trois Rivières Rhum in pictures
Martinique provided a paradise backdrop for the grand final of the very first Trois Rivières Rhumbellion cocktail competition.
The six finalists of the Trois Rivières Rhumbellion cocktail competitionFrom more than 200 entrants, just six were selected to travel to the Fort de France region of Martinique and compete for the winning title of 2016 Rhumbellion champion.
Vying for first place were bartenders Nicola Battafarano, formerly of Chiltern Firehouse in London; Kelly Ballett of Lulu White, Paris; Thomas Girard of Hexagone, Paris; Cathy Mutis of Kjub, Luxembourg; Filip Stránsky of Anonymous Bar, Prague; and Ben Tyler of Little Red Door, Paris.
After much deliberation, the judges agreed that the worthy winner was Battafarano, who impressed the panel with his cocktail trilogy, called ‘True People’.
Forming the judging panel for the final were Hannah Van Ongevalle, owner and bartender of The Pharmacy, Belgium; Nicolas De Soto, owner and bartender at Mace, New York; Laurence Marot, journalist at Spirit Hunters, Barmag and L’Express; Alexandre Vingtier, founder and writer of Rumporter; Nathalie Guillier-Tual, president of Groupe BBS, owner of Trois Rivières; and Melita Kiely, senior staff writer at The Spirits Business.
However, the trip to Martinique involved much more than just the cocktail competition.
Click through to the following pictures for a full roundup of the Trois Rivières Rhumbellion cocktail competition final in Martinique.
After an eight-hour flight from Paris, numerous cocktails and canapés, the first day in Martinique kick-started with a trip through the hillsides to the Trois Rivières Distillery and La Mauny distillery – the second biggest distillery in Martinique after Saint James Rhum. The distillery is the only one located in the South of Martinique and is capable of producing around three million litres every year. The distillery has two sites – one for production and the warehouses where the rhum is aged. During the tour, the guide explained how hand cut sugarcane accounts for approximately 30% of the sugarcane used and can last for up to a week before being processed. The other 70% is machine cut sugarcane, which delivers shorter stems that must be processed within 24 hours of being cut. Furthermore, the sugarcane juice can only be kept for up to 120 hours and distillation is only permitted from the beginning of January until the start of September.
The tour then moved into the warehouse where the rhum is aged. It was here that the group was given the opportunity to sample the full range of Trois Rivières Rhum, including classic expressions such as Trois Rivières Rhum Blanc 50o, Trois Rivières Rhum Ambré and Trois Rivières Cuvée du Moulin, as well as old signature rhums such as Trois Rivières Single Cask 43o, and extra-old variants including the Trois Rivières Millésime 1995 43o and Trois Rivières Millésime 2000 42o.
We then progressed to take cover from the midday heat (which rarely dipped below 30oC) and enjoyed a buffet-style lunch adjacent to the distillery. After lunch, it was time for the contestants to relax a little in order to feel refreshed for the following day’s competition. Upon arrival back at Le Cap Est Lagoon Hotel Resort and Spa, the group separated between sunbathing on the beach, swimming by the pontoon and even playing a spot of tennis.
Tuesday was dedicated to the competition and after a swift boat ride, the contestants and judges landed at Domaine des Fonds Blancs, which would host the day’s events.
Bartenders were given approximately one-and-a-half hours to design three original cocktail recipes and prepare their presentations.
It’s never easy being first up in a competition, but diligently rising to the challenge was bartender Ben Tyler, of Little Red Door in Paris. Like all other competitors, Tyler had six minutes to prepare and present each cocktail.
Next to take his place before the panel of judges was Filip Stránsky, of Anonymous Bar in Prague, who once again added a touch of magic to his presentation, which was inspired by the past, present and fantasy ideas.
Third to feel the heat of the competition was Thomas Girard, of Hexagone in Paris, who fully embraced the spirit of Martinique enlisting the skills of one of the gardeners at Domaine des Fonds Blancs to cut fresh coconuts during his presentation.
Bartender Cathy Mutis, of Kjub in Luxembourg, took the judges on a real journey with her cocktail creations, starting with a sit-down picnic before heading back to the bar for some beach-themed libations.
As the competition neared its end, it was the turn of Kelly Ballett, of Lulu White in Paris, whose trilogy – titled ‘PS. #LongerLetterLater’, which Ballett used on social media to document her trip to Martinique – comprised three cocktails designed to accompany breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Having watched each of his competitors come and go behind the bar, the competition finished with Nicola Battafarano and his trilogy ‘True People’. Battafarano’s last concoction was his most notable – and perhaps the most notable of the entire competition. The judges were presented with a pre-bottled cocktail, which they were then asked to pour into a jet-black Martini glass. Battafarano then gave the judges specific instructions on how to enjoy his final creation: first sip the cocktail, then have a smoke of a cigar, take another sip of the cocktail, eat dried meal worms to cleanse the palate and finish with another sip of the cocktail and a caper.
That evening, more than 200 guests gathered at the Domaine des Fonds Blancs villa to indulge in an evening of cocktails and canapés, as the winning results were announced. The room was filled with exuberance and excited anticipation. The task was bestowed upon judge Hannah Van Ongevalle to announce the winner, Battafarano, and his prize, which included the entire range of Trois Rivières agricole rhum, a Trois Rivières cask, a rare aged variant of the brand and a four-day all expenses paid trip to his preferred European city. Each of the finalists was also awarded the complete collection of Trois Rivières agricole rhums. Pictured above with Battafarano is Alice Rebillard, of Pain Vain Company, who worked tirelessly with the Trois Rivières team to execute the competition and the entire trip perfectly.
Wednesday was the final day of the trip and the grand unveiling of the highly anticipated ‘surprise’. The Trois Rivières team generously rewarded the contestants, judges and brand representatives with a boat trip around the Fort de France bay. The boats anchored at several spots in the Caribbean Sea allowing guests to swim in the clear blue waters, snorkel, sip rum Punch and bask beneath the glorious 30oC Caribbean sun.
One last stop was made to enjoy an appetizing lunch shaded by palm trees before the trip drew to a close and it was time to return home.
