Tales of the Cocktail Foundation 13th Annual Most Imaginative Bartender Semifinalists Presented by BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin
Top 36 Bartenders Stir Creativity Vie for $25,000 Creative Grant and Mentorship by Creative Visionary
Hamilton, Bermuda (September 3, 2019) – Tales of the Cocktail Foundation announces today the semifinalists of the 13th Annual Most Imaginative Bartender Competition (MIB Competition) presented by BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin. The esteemed cocktail MIB Competition, which seeks out mixologists at the forefront of the industry and provides them with a platform to let their imagination and creativity shine, will kick off the regional stage this September through three (3) competitions held in Nashville (Central), Philadelphia (East), and Portland (West). The 36 semifinalists from across North America will vie for a spot in the top 12 and advance to the finals in February 2020. The MIB Competition will be held in Chicago, the hometown of the 2018 Most Imaginative Bartender, Carley Gaskin. Driven by the belief that everyone is born creative, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is introducing the Canvas Challenge to this year’s program. The new challenge will task the top 12 finalists to discover their artistic potential and showcase their creativity for a chance to win a $25,000 grant prize and a mentorship by a creative visionary.
According to BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Gin Brand Director Tom Spaven, the new challenge is a way to encourage bartenders to take their creativity to the next level as he notes: “Each year, the Most Imaginative Bartender competition brings together a group of boundary-pushing bartenders who use BOMBAY SAPPHIRE as the ultimate tool to stir creativity in a glass. Through the incredible work of past participants, we realize the program is not just a competition, but a forum for expression across many different creative mediums. I’m excited to see how this year’s semifinalists will bring the industry to new heights and explore their passions outside of mixology”.
Throughout September, the semifinalists will participate in an invigorating two-day program, aimed to encourage bartenders to stir creativity outside of the traditional lines of the industry. On the first day, all semifinalists will present their masterpiece in a glass to a panel of judges. Following the MIB Competition portion, the program is introducing a new aspect in an effort to encourage self-expression, in which the semifinalists will participate in an educational activity geared towards exploring new creative mediums. Upon completion, the regional winners will head to England in October for an immersive gin discovery tour at the home of the brand’s BREEAM award-winning distillery, Laverstoke Mill. During the week-long tour all finalists will participate in educational programming that will help prepare them for the finale in February 2020. In addition to the prizes awarded to the final winner, all 12 finalists will collaborate with PUNCH Media for a special cocktail book to debut in 2020.
The 2018 champion Carley Gaskin shared a few words of inspiration for the semifinalists, stating: “The Most Imaginative Bartender Competition encouraged me to explore new forms of self-expression through mixology, while introducing me to a wealth of invaluable resources within the industry. I couldn’t be more excited for this year’s semifinalists to embark on this incredible journey and wish them the best of luck”.
For more information please visit www.mostimaginativebartender.com.
Top 36 Semi-Finalists:
EAST
Edward Hansel – New York
Mark Tubridy – New York
Arianna Shaljian – New York
Solomon Thomas – Philadelphia
Valentino Longo – Miami
Derek Stilmann – Miami
Peter Hannah – Orlando
Cody Henson – Savannah
Niall McCourt – St. Pete
Keyatta Mincey-Parker – Atlanta
Sam Treadway – Massachusetts
Michael Rizk – Quebec
CENTRAL
Maggie Morgan – New Orleans
Terance Robson – Austin
Nikolas Zoylinos – Austin
Alexis Mijares – Austin
Christa Havican – Houston
Marlowe Johnson – Michigan
Tripper Duval – Wisconsin
David Yee – Columbus
Marta Ess – Ontario
Holly Caverly – Ontario
Jayare Wuo – Chicago
WEST
Cameron Holck – Portland
Estanislado Orona – Portland
Lydia McLuen – Portland
Jamie Socci – Portland
Emilio Salehi – San Francisco
Christian Suzuki – San Francisco
Derrick Li – San Francisco
Shaun Dunn – Los Angeles
Alex Jump – Denver
TJ Vong – Denver
Andrew Woodley – Hawaii
Danielle Pingert – Saskatchewen
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ABOUT BOMBAY SAPPHIRE
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® is the world’s number one premium gin by volume and value. BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is created with a unique combination of ten sustainably sourced botanicals from around the globe. The brand’s signature distillation process known as vapour infusion is showcased at the BREEAM award-winning Laverstoke Mill Distillery in Hampshire, England. The vapour infusion process skillfully captures the natural flavors of the botanicals which results in the gin’s fresh, bright taste. BOMBAY SAPPHIRE, which was awarded a gold medal in the 2018 Las Vegas Global Spirit Awards and a double gold medal in the 2017 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, is recognized for crafting the finest quality gin. For more information, please explore www.bombaysapphire.com
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The BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.
For more information please visit
www.mostimaginativebartender.com
