Edinburgh’s Mike McGinty, manager of The Voyage of Buck, has been crowned world champion at the first Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition in Mexico.
He triumphed against six of the world’s top bartenders at the grand final at Hacienda Patrón, Jalisco, home of Patrón Tequila.
The Scot left judges shaken and stirred with his winning cocktail, The Bell of Jalisco, is a combination of Patrón Reposado tequila, chamomile infused dry vermouth, grapefruit IPA, lemon juice and yellow bell pepper shrub.
Mike 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 inaugural Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition launched in the UK in 2015 and went global last year.
Lee Applbaum of Patrón Spirits International added, “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.”
The Voyage of Buck, owned by Colin Church and Martin Luney of Big Red Teapot, opened in Edinburgh last year.