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Patrón Perfectionists crowns UK bartender
Mike McGinty, owner of Edinburgh bar The Voyage of Buck, has been named World Champion of the first international Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition.
Patrón Perfectionists winner Mike McGinty, owner of Edinburgh bar The Voyage of Buck
After winning the UK finals of the Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition in London, McGinty travelled to Hacienda Patrón in Jalisco, Mexico for the grand final on 24 January 2017.
He battled it out against fellow finalists Brice Martaud of Le Dandy, France; Nicola Ruggeiro of Katiuscia People & Drinks, Italy; Sudeera Fernando of Gold on 27, UAE; Nick Cozens of Eau De Vie, Australia; Marcario Vazquez from St. Regis Hotel, Mexico’ and Fernando Fastuca from Barcelona’s Liquid Club.
Each finalist served their original Patrón cocktail to a panel of judges comprising Lee Applbaum, Patrón’s chief marketing officer; David Rodriguez, Patrón Hacienda’s production director; Stephen Halpin, trade education & mixology manager at Patrón and Sandrae Lawrence, editor of the Cocktail Lovers magazine.
McGinty’s winning cocktail, The Bell of Jalisco, combines Patrón Reposado Tequila with chamomile infused dry vermouth, grapefruit IPA, lemon juice and yellow bell pepper shrub.
“I’m beyond thrilled, what a wonderful way to kick off the year,” he said. “I got my inspiration for my cocktail from understanding the time and effort that goes into the creation of every single drop of Patrón; I really wanted to create a serve dedicated to the men and women that are involved in the creation of this ultra-premium Tequila.
“The name of my cocktail, The Bell of Jalisco, is a reference to the bell peppers that have been used and the belief that Patrón is the ‘belle’ of Jalisco.”
The competition launched in the UK in 2015 and expanded internationally in 2016, opening the entry to bartenders in Mexico, France, Australia, the UAE, Spain and Italy.
Applbaum said: “The pursuit of perfection is a concept which resonates throughout the bartending community and is core to the Patrón brand.
“It’s been great to see how this talented group of artisans have interpreted the Patrón Perfectionists ethos to produce such amazing cocktails.
“These cocktails have proven commercially successful in each of the finalists’ respective bars and the array of flavour profiles showcased demonstrate the true versatility of Patrón.
“The growth of the Patrón Perfectionists Competition internationally is a real testament to the global stature of the brand.”