Mike McGinty wins Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition
Mike McGinty from the Voyage of Buck, Edinburgh, has been crowned Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition world champion.
The competition saw over 600 bartenders battle to create the best Patrón cocktail.
McGinty won the UK heat and went through to the finals on 24 January at Hacienda Patrón in Jalisco, Mexico.
He was up against Brice Martaud of Le Dandy in Lille, France; Nicola Ruggeiro of Katiuscia People & Drinks in Giovinazzo, Italy; Fernando Fastuca of Liquid Club in Barcelona, Spain; Sudeera Fernando of Gold on 27 in Dubai, UAE; Nick Cozens of Eau De Vie in Sydney, Australia; and Macario Vazquez of St Regis Hotel in Punta Mita, Mexico.
Each finalist recreated their winning cocktail, which was judged by a panel comprising of Lee Applbaum, Patrón's chief marketing officer; David Rodriguez, Patrón Hacienda's production director; Stephen Halpin, trade education and mixology manager at Patrón; and Sandrae Lawrence, editor of The Cocktail Lovers magazine.
McGinty's winning cocktail, named the Bell of Jalisco, combined Patrón Reposado tequila with chamomile-infused dry vermouth, grapefruit IPA, lemon juice and yellow bell pepper shrub.
He said: "I'm beyond thrilled, what a wonderful way to kick off the year. 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 Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition launched in the UK in 2015 and expanded internationally in 2016.
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."
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