After months of fierce competition, Yeray Monforte of Dr Stravinsky in Barcelona, Spain, has been crowned the
2018 Global Patrón Perfectionists Cocktail Competition winner.
Yeray’s ‘WIND’ cocktail (below) contained Patrón Silver tequila, eternal youth mixture (orange honey, lemon juice, and olive oil), egg whites, fino wine, spray of Patrón Reposado macerated in bee pollen, three pieces of fresh thyme and a strip of beeswax for garnish.
Also there for the global final was Australia's Abby Wegener, from Hades Hula House in South Australia, who won the 2018 Patrón Perfectionists Australian Final.
Wegener took out the top gong in Oz with her cocktail called 'The Muldejewangk' (pictured below), which contained Patrón Silver, Patrón Reposado, lime juice, Quandong Curacao, desert lime puree and simple syrup.
While Wegener (pictured above backstage before competing) didn't make the top six, she said it was an incredible experience travelling to Hacienda Patrón in Jalisco, Mexico, to compete against some of the world's best mixologists.
How did it feel to be named the Australian Patrón Perfectionists winner so early in your mixology career?
Exciting, overwhelming and down right rad! There are amazing opportunities available from being involved in the Patrón Perfectionist competition and I’m excited to continuing investing energy into my craft.
Abby mixes the Muldjewangk for customers at Josela bar in Guadalajara.
Was this your first visit to Mexico? Can you tell us some of the highlights of your visit?
Having never visited Mexico before I was really excited to experience everything this wonderful country, and it's people, had to offer. I sat in bars, sipping tequila and talking with locals, ate street food and experienced a Luche Libre wrestling match. I did a guest bar spot at Josela bar in Guadalajara (above), that was amazing! And the Mexican propensity to put hot sauce on everything is a lifestyle I'm completely on board with, too! The Patrón Hacienda (below) is also an experience in itself.
What was it like to spend the week with the other finalists?
For me, the initial nerves dissipated pretty quickly and transformed into wonderful friendships. Wandering the endless agave fields, learning more about the processes that go in to every bottle of Patrón, we have all formed a lifetime bond, fixed by this money can't buy experience.
One day we went on a trip to an agave ranch where we watched a master jimador trim and reveal the piña ready to transport to the Patrón distillery.
Then followed planting and tagging our very own agave, which in seven years will become Patrón tequila!
Has the trip given you any insights into cocktail trends for the year ahead?
For myself, I'm super keen to get back to my bar and introduce some of the influences and flavours into my work. As for trends, they come and go but a well-balanced libation will be appreciated forever!
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