Alex Boon is preparing to head out to Mexico and the Hacienda Patrón for the Patrón Perfectionists Global Final, and Bars and Clubs wishes him luck in repeating Harrison Kenney’s success in winning the competition last year.
The final runs from March 24 to 30 and Patrón Tequila has revealed the new challenges the 16 global finalists will undertake over the course of the week and the panel of judges who will decide this year’s winner.
The panel of seven judges comprises:
- Ivy Mix: co-owner of Leyenda bar & Fiasco! wine & spirits shop, co-founder of Speed Rack, and author of Spirits of Latin America, joining from Brooklyn.
- LP O’Brien: award-winning mixologist, winner of Netflix’s Drink Masters, CEO and founder LP Drinks and Focus on Health, joining from Washington DC.
- Sandrae Lawrence: founder and editor of award-winning media outlet The Cocktail Lovers magazine and podcast, joining from London.
- Tara Fougner: co-founder and CEO of Thirsty Media, award-winning journalist, community leader and content creator from the Bar World Top 100 Most Influential list, joining from Miami.
- Giulia Cuccurullo: 2020 PATRÓN Perfectionists Global Winner and Head Bartender of Artesian, joining from London.
- Harrison Kenney: 2022 PATRÓN Perfectionists Global Winner and GM of Bar Planet, joining from Sydney.
- Ana Martorell: educator, chef and founder of restaurants Aida and OXA Cocina única, joining from Mexico City.
The global final has historically started with the entry cocktail presentation, as the competition evolves into a fully integrated bartending program as part Academia Patrón’s educational remit, this will be replaced by three different categories.
With their knowledge of flavours and fondness of cocktails, Sandrae Lawrence, Giulia Cuccurullo and chef Ana Martorell will judge Challenge #1: Field to Flavor. Taking place against the backdrop of Patrón Tequila’s agave farmers’ fields, the challenge brief will be shared with the global finalists on the very day, testing their creativity and their ability to thrive under pressure.
Challenge #2 – The Stories We Share – will ask participants to dig into the rich history of Mexico and find what resonates with them to create an inspiring Patrón Tequila cocktail encapsulating Mexican culture and based on Patrón Silver, Reposado or Añejo. Cocktail recipes and their stories will be prepared and submitted in advance and then presented in front of judges Ivy Mix, LP O’Brien and Harrison Kenney at the event at Hacienda Patrón.
The grand finale will consist of a third challenge named Mi Mesa es Tu Mesa (my table is your table, a take on the popular Spanish expression mi casa es tu casa). The seven judges, accompanied by Lauren Mote, Patrón’s Global Director of On-Trade Excellence and head of the Perfectionists program, will judge this challenge.
Championing hospitality and Mexico’s warmest sense of welcoming, Challenge #3 will task bartenders with transforming the judges’ time at the table into a truly unforgettable experience. Thinking how they can stimulate and impress the senses inside and outside the glass, and leave the judges with a lasting memory, the participants will prepare in advance to present a service of a neat serve of Patrón tequila alongside a perfectly paired non-alcoholic side cocktail.
