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Cointreau reveals Margarita Challenge finalists

Orange liqueur brand Cointreau has named the top 10 finalists in its 2022 Margarita Challenge competition.

Cointreau is on a mission to find the ultimate Margarita

The Rémy Cointreau-owned brand launched its second annual Margarita Challenge last month, with the goal of discovering the best Margarita cocktail in the world.

The competition received more than 500 entries from bartenders around the globe.

To narrow down this impressive pool of entries, each recipe was carefully reviewed by a group of industry experts, including Alfred Cointreau, the sixth generation of the Cointreau family; Rory J Shepherd, creative director of Paris bar Little Red Door; Cointreau master distiller Carole Quinton; Margarita Mum, influencer and stylist; Kevin Sueiro, Cointreau’s international brand ambassador; and Miguel Ángel Mora, winner of the 2021 Margarita Challenge.

After considering criteria such as adherence to the brief, creativity and presentation, the judges selected a shortlist of 10 outstanding finalists:

  • Crocodile Dundee by Grace Rawlins from Australia
  • Daizy Dayze by Alana Jody Durow from South Africa
  • Gaia by Vasilis Sgouromallis from Greece
  • Grandmagery by Lin Pei-Ting from Taiwan
  • Hernán Cortes by Damiano Di Benedetto from Italy
  • Lovely Rita by Jonathan Stanyard from the United States
  • Mannele Margarita by Cesar Debus from France
  • Margarita Sunrise by Domiziana Pola from the United Kingdom
  • Missionary Margarita by Jose Chirinos from Colombia
  • Oasis by Jose Antonio Dominguez from the United Arab Emirates

The competitors will participate in one final challenge, set to take place during Cointreau’s Margaweek celebrations leading up to Cinco de Mayo (5 May).

Then, on Cinco de Mayo itself, the brand will crown one skillful bartender as the Margarita Challenge champion.

The winner will have the opportunity to travel to Paris and the Cointreau distillery in Angers, for a complete ‘Art of the Mix’ experience.

“We had an almost impossible task given the very high levels of originality, diversity and quality present in these reinterpretations of the classic Margarita,” the judges said in a joint statement.

“It was very difficult for us to reach agreement as a jury, but we have, and of course we are particularly proud to promote these recipes, which all put a fresh twist on one of the world’s most iconic cocktails, while showcasing the exceptional talents of their creators.”

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