THE LOCALS
COMPETITION
SAGAMORE SPIRIT 2ND ANNUAL
COCKTAIL SHOWDOWN SAGAMORE SPIRIT CHALLENGES BARTENDERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO MIX UP THE BEST RYE WHISKEY COCKTAIL By Sophia DeVito
Throughout the summer, Sagamore Spirit hosted their second annual cocktail showdown, where they challenged bartenders across the country to make the best rye whiskey cocktail. The competition was separated into three regions: West, Central, and East, with one winner chosen from each. The three regional winners will compete for a chance to win in the finals, which will be held live at the Sagamore Spirit Baltimore distillery. With the desire to tap into the top mixologists, Marcus Stephens, EVP of Brand Marketing at Sagamore Spirit says, “We are constantly hearing from our teammates about the talented mixologists they have in their markets, and we wanted to showcase them through a cocktail-centered, national competition.” One of the main requirements of the competition was using Sagamore Spirit Rye Whiskey as the base of their cocktail. The signature rye whiskey has candied dried orange peel and walnut notes, making it a delicious foundation for craft cocktails. Compared to other competitions, Sagamore Spirit takes a different approach. Stephens explains, “To get to the top three contestants in each region, we have fans vote online for their favorite entry. Then, we engage mixology and bar experts from each region to pick the winner in real time.” Stephens adds that the talent and creativity made choosing a winner for each region difficult.
44
CHILLED MAGAZINE
