Source: Flor de Cana
For the first time in Canada, Flor de Caña Rum crowned two bartenders as the winners of their Sustainable Cocktail Challenge – a bartending competition in partnership with the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation that celebrates the world’s best sustainable cocktail creations with a grand prize of $10,000.
Representing Ontario from the East Coast is winner Ashley Flynn who wowed the judges with her Country Fair Ribbon cocktail, while Kate Chernoff took the title in the West with her Peachy Clean cocktail. Both Flynn and Chernoff took top prize after competing for the coveted title against 18 bartender finalists from coast to coast.
From July 29 to August 31st, Canadian bartenders were asked to submit an original cocktail recipe to www.flordecanachallenge.com where a judging panel then selected 10 finalists from the East Coast and 10 from the West Coast to compete live.
Source: FDC
East Coast finalists included Eastern Canada: Flynn (@ashhflynn), Ashton Manrique (@ashton_aurelius), Roopa Philar (@roopalooop), Eric Monette (@ericmonette), Luka Gallant (@lukabigoants), Wilson Hanbidge (@coqtailwilly), Clement Bondois (@goodfings), Kevin Llamas (@llamas1679), Rod Redford (@sincealways), Tristan Bragaglia-Murdock (@tristanbradock). Western Canada finalists included Chernoff (@katechernoff), Cari Leslie (@cari.leslie), David Draper (@therealddraper), Domonique Martin (@drinkinhand), Emily Vey (@emveymua), Jason Cheung (@seems_like_jason), Kathryn Sears (@katsears), Mike Norbury (@yyjdrinks), Soren Schepkowski (@big.cocktail.guy), and Taylor Scott (@tay_ski).
The winner from each of the finals, Flynn and Chernoff, were announced on September 23 after battling it out against some of Canada’s notable mixologists and received a cash prize of $1,200 each and will now take part in the North American finals in Nicaragua, competing against the regional winners from the US. The winner from this round will then go on to compete in the global finals for a chance to win $10,000 and the title of “Flor de Caña World’s Most Sustainable Bartender”.
Some of Canada’s best taste experts along with the world’s top spirits professionals have been selected to judge throughout this competition, crowning one sustainable champion in Flor de Caña’s quest for a greener future.
The North American finals will take place in October, followed by the global finals in February 2023. For additional details please visit www.flordecanachallenge.com.
