On Tuesday, September 3, seven bartenders from around the world competed in the global finale of Gin Mare’s Mediterranean Inspiration cocktail competition. Their objective: Develop a Gin Mare cocktail using the ingredient Bergamot—a fragrant bitter citrus fruit. Australia’s Chau Tran from Burrow Bar in Sydney emerged victorious.
Tran competed against the two US national heat winners: Greg Kong of Patent Pending in New York, and Marian Scaturro of Las Almas Rotas Mezcaleria in Dallas. Apopolous and Scaturro competed in Los Angeles, where they created their own riffs on the classic Gin & Tonic. Apopolous made a cocktail of Gin Mare, tonic, overproof rum, saline, and sesame, while Scaturro used Gin Mare, hibiscus syrup, tumeric, basil, and tonic.
With Med Inspirations, Gin Mare reimagined the traditional global cocktail competition by bringing people together over well-crafted cocktails that are inspired by the Mediterranean lifestyle. Competitors also experienced innovative gastromixology via Gin Mare’s ability to be paired well with foods due to its unique botanicals of Spanish Arbequina olive, Italian sweet basil, Turkish rosemary, and Greek thyme.
As the global winner, Chau Tran received a four day Complete and Certified Distilling training via iStill in Amsterdam.
