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France triumphs in 2018 Bartenders Society competition
By Melita KielySaint James rum has crowned French bartender Thomas Fernandez winner of the 2018 Bartenders Society cocktail competition.
Thomas Fernandez (centre) was named winner of the 2018 Bartenders Society cocktail competitionFernandez faced fierce competition from 27 finalists, who competed in the final at the Kube Hotel in Paris.
For his prize, Fernandez received a trip to Martinique to visit the Saint James distillery and its plantation, which was founded in 1765.
Each bartender was tasked with creating a cocktail using Saint James Agricole Rum, plus a mocktail. Both cocktails had to be based on the theme of ‘green street art’, incorporating fresh or dried herbs into their recipes.
The top five bartenders hailed from France, Vietnam and Belgium.
Judges this year comprised global rum ambassador Ian Burrell, Buddha bar’s Matthias Giroud and the Artesian’s head bartender Remy Savage, as well as Saint James cellar master and president of the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée Martinique Marc Sassier, who was invited to judge as a special guest.