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Ron Matusalem reveals The Golden Master winner

30 July 2024 By Miona Madsen

Cuban rum brand Ron Matusalem has crowned Eduardo Sánchez as the winner of its inaugural cocktail competition, The Golden Master.

The final of the brand’s first cocktail competition was held in Barcelona, where three finalists from Spain, Germany and Hungary went head-to-head to compete for the win.

Eduardo Sánchez of Kiki Japanese Restaurant in Santa Cruz de Tenerife took home the title of ‘Best Bartender of 2024’ with his cocktail ‘Caminata por la Sierra’, made with Matusalem Gran Reserva 15, red berries, wild herbs, aged red wine vinegar and truffle vermouth.

The cocktail was inspired by the ‘forests and paths of Sánchez’s childhood in the Cazorla, Segura, and Las Villas Natural Park, capturing the essence of the forest trails with edible earth, oregano, and cinnamon’.

“I always dream of getting lost in those forests again. This cocktail is my way of expressing that mixology is and always will be my true path, and I want to thank Ron Matusalem for the opportunity. It has been an honour to present my creation to the jury,” said Sánchez.

The winner was decided by a panel of judges composed of industry professionals, including René Frank, renowned pastry chef and four-time winner of Pastry Chef of the Year; Marc Álvarez, co-owner of Sips bar in Barcelona; and Julian Zorzin, a creative director and multidisciplinary designer.

Along with the win, Sánchez was named the main ambassador for Ron Matusalem during the World’s 50 Best Bars 2024 Gala, for which the brand is an official partner. Sánchez will also design Ron Matusalem’s exclusive cocktail offering for the gala and will have the opportunity to walk the red carpet, where the world’s cocktail industry elite gather each year.

Matusalem The Golden Master was ‘created to provide a platform and a springboard for talent in the art of mixology’.

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