Competition was fierce at the 2013 Canadian Cocktail Challenge at Blackbird Public House & Oyster Bar in Vancouver last night but Shane Mulvany, of Toronto, clenched the win with his Brian Lara Swizzle and Banana au Rum recipes.
Mulvany was awarded $5,000 and a trip to Trinidad where he will represent Canada in the 2014 Angostura Global Cocktail Challenge. Mulvany works as the head bartender at The Chase in Toronto’s financial district. He has worked in some of the best cities for cocktails including New York and London and recently won the Hogtown Shakedown at Toronto’s Cocktail Week.
Vancouver bartender, Dale Styner’s recipe, Smashed Apple, won the People’s Choice award after attendees voted on the best beverage of four, one from each contestant.
Hundreds of beverage industry professionals and enthusiasts gathered in Vancouver to watch the four finalists compete. Competitors had only seven minutes to prepare two unique cocktail creations – one with Angostura aromatic bitters and Angostura rum, and another with Angostura aromatic bitters and the liquor of their choice.
Event judges included Trinidad native Wendy Fitzwilliam, former Miss Trinidad and Tobago Universe, David Delaney Jr., 2012 Angostura Global Brand Ambassador and David Wolowidnyk, Bar Manager of Vancouver’s West Restaurant. The judges evaluated each finalist on taste, creativity and presentation.
Angostura aromatic bitters looks forward to continuing to spotlight the brightest mixologists from around the world in their endeavor to create inventive cocktails for generations to come.
