BARDSTOWN, KY – Heaven Hill Brands and Liquor.com announced today the 48 regional semifinalists competing in the 2019 Bartender of the Year competition. Semifinalists will compete in San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, Nashville, Los Angeles, Austin, New York City, and Miami from January 2019 through April 2019.
More than 1,100 original cocktail recipes were entered using Domaine de Canton French Ginger Liqueur, Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur, and Rittenhouse Rye Whisky, as well as new competition brands Dubonnet Rouge Aperitif, Sacred Bond Brandy, and Lunazul Tequila. Entries were submitted online nationwide beginning September 15, 2018. Preliminary entries required two original cocktail recipes, one rendition of a classic recipe, and one relating to an inspiration, along with a short description of how the cocktail represents a deep inspiration to their life.
“Over the past four years the Heaven Hill Brands Bartender of the Year competition has expanded to welcome more contestants into the family, more brands, and more innovation,” said Kate S. Latts, Heaven Hill Brands Vice President of Marketing. “As cocktail culture continues to evolve, we are seeing more regions embrace and elevate the craft, just as the regional semifinalist class of 2019 has done thus far. With this year’s lineup of semifinalists, we look forward to an exciting competition filled with passion and creativity.”
The initial field of competitors was evaluated by three esteemed judges: Heaven Hill Brands National Brand Educator Lynn House, Bar Manager of Clyde Common & Pépé Le Moko Jeffrey Morgenthaler, and Owner/Bartender of Pouring Ribbons Joaquín Simó. The six semifinalists for each region were chosen based on highest rankings combining scores on name, appearance and presentation, balance of flavors, aroma and character, inspiration explanation, creativity, and product knowledge.
Regional semifinalists, listed below, will be challenged on their full range of skills as hospitality professionals. Judges will be looking for the ultimate bartender who displays the total breadth and aptitude all bartenders aspire to embody. The top contestant from each region will go on to vie for the title of Bartender of the Year and $15,000 at Half Mile Farm in Highlands, North Carolina from June 17-20, 2019.
Grounded in the original Bartender of the Year Competition hosted by Domaine de Canton starting in 2009, Heaven Hill Brands resurrected the competition due to strong demand from bartenders worldwide. Harrison Ginsberg of The Dead Rabbit in New York City is the 2018 Bartender of the Year and will return as a guest judge for the finals. Ginsberg joined an impressive rank of past champions, including Nathan O’Neill from the Nomad Bar in New York City who was named Bartender of the Year in 2017, and Abigail Gullo of Compere Lapin in New Orleans who won the inaugural competition in 2016. Visit the official competition website at www.bartenderoftheyear.liquor.com for complete competition details.
Los Angeles, January 14
| First | Last | Account |
|---|---|---|
| Adam George | Fournier | NoMad LA |
| Robin | Wolf | The Hatch Rotisserie & Bar |
| Raul | Pool | Mi Corazón |
| Vay | Su | Republique |
| Brock | Woolsey | Playground |
| Mink | Dang | The Chestnut Club |
Miami, February 11
| First | Last | Account |
|---|---|---|
| Arthur | Boothe | Bitters & Brass |
| Peter | Hannah | Rose & Crown |
| Daniel | Messina | Robinson Cocktail Room |
| Claire | Catotti | Alley Twenty Six |
| Kabir | Akbani | Zuma |
| Shawn | Newman | Prato |
Nashville, February 18
| First | Last | Account |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin | King | Husk Savannah |
| Trip | Sandifer | The Painted Duck |
| Matt | Scott | The White Bull |
| Hunter | Douglas | Hank’s Cocktail Bar |
| Hunter | Johnson | Lucky |
| Alexandra | Anderson | The Lawrence |
Austin, March 4
| First | Last | Account |
|---|---|---|
| David | Jennings | B&B Butcher’s and Steakhouse |
| Justin | Ware | Johnny’s Gold Brick |
| Cesar | Perez II | Murray’s |
| Cory | Newsom | Tipsy Umbrella |
| Michelle | Salgado | Murray’s |
| Alexis | Mijares | Fairmont Austin |
Chicago, March 11
| First | Last | Account |
|---|---|---|
| Rachel Sandra | Johnson | Raised |
| Katie | Renshaw | Etta |
| Sarah | Syman | The Drifter |
| Daniel | Reinisch | Grey Ghost Detroit |
| Jacob | Feitler | The Sugar House |
| Roger James | Fruin | The Peterboro |
Denver, March 25
| First | Last | Account |
|---|---|---|
| Alex | Jump | Death & Co Denver |
| Adam | Chase | Corvino Supper Club and Tasting |
| Mark | Stanford | Truffle Pig Restaurant / Carl’s Tavern |
| Chris | Burmeister | Citizen Rail |
| Keifer | Gilbert | Bitter & Twisted |
| Brock | Schulte | The Monarch Bar |
New York, April 1
| First | Last | Account |
|---|---|---|
| Will | Benedetto | The Wilson |
| Andon | Whitehorn | The Arcadian |
| Michael | Parish | Broken Shaker |
| Christina | Mercado | Grace Vanderbilt |
| C. Parker | Luthman | The Eddy |
| Faith Alice | Sleeper | The Passenger |
San Francisco, April 15
| First | Last | Account |
|---|---|---|
| Jason | Seele | Nick’s Next Door |
| Thi | Nguyen | The Saap Avenue |
| Alicia | Walton | The Sea Star |
| Alison | Kwan | True Laurel |
| Gwendolen | Whiting | Manifest |
| Katharine | Frazier | The Gerald |
About Heaven Hill Brands
Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY-based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams Bourbon; Larceny, Elijah Craig and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Burnett’s Vodkas and Gin; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; The Christian Brothers Brandies; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur; Lunazul Tequila and Carolan’s Irish Cream Liqueur.
Heaven Hill reminds you to “Think Wisely. Drink Wisely.”
CONTACT:
Communications
Heaven Hill Brands
(502) 413-0217
lcherry@heavenhill.com
www.heavenhill.com
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