A combination of Patrón Silver Tequila, rhubarb cordial, a fortified wine blend, tomato water and a salt solution, was the drink that impressed the judges the most at this year’s Patrón Perfectionist finals.
The drink, called the Bridge, was created by Giulia Cuccurullo of the Artesian at The Langham in London.
“‘My cocktail represents a bridge between my past, present and future,’ she said. ‘The tomato and vermouth are quintessentially Italian ingredients, so they reflect my roots, while the lovely acid touch of the rhubarb represents my current home, London. Finally, the core ingredient, Patrón Silver, shines as a nod to my future perspectives, to my journey to the Hacienda.’
The final of the competition, which took place at Hacienda Patrón, Mexico, saw 21 bartenders from around the world compete to create a Patrón cocktail which “embodies the traits of a true Perfectionist”. The judges were looking for “care and dedication, attention to detail, creativity and flair, as well as the ability to showcase their mixology skills through a rich and compelling story”.
Cuccurullo elaborated by saying that the entire competition has been a journey she will never forget. “I am in awe of all my fellow contestants and the incredible skills that they have showcased throughout the whole competition.”
And the story that Cuccurullo told through her cocktail was one that showed how her journey bridged the culture of her home country, Italy, with that of London, where she lives now.
“I feel honoured to be chosen as the Global Winner with a cocktail that brings together my home away from home, the UK, my origin, Italy, and Mexico, the birthplace of Patrón. My cocktail, The Bridge, represents personal stories and bonds and I cannot wait to continue building connections with the help of Patrón Tequila.”
Matthew Sykes, Senior Director, Global Marketing at Patrón Spirits, Bacardi Global Brands added: “Every year the bar has been lifted, with some incredible creations and stories that have blown away the judges all around the world – this year is no exception.
“I am consistently impressed by the innovative ways every contestant manages to truly encapsulate the core values of a Perfectionist, all while creating some simply perfect cocktails.
The Bridge
Ingredients
- 50ml Patrón Silver
- 50ml Rhubarb cordial*
- 30ml Fortified wine blend (2 parts Martini & Rossi Ambrato vermouth to 1 part Cocchi Americano)
- 30ml Tomato water**
- 1ds Salt solution
Garnish with tomato and rhubarb leather***
Instructions
Combine all ingredients with ice in a shaker and throw to chill. Serve over ice in a highball glass and garnish with tomato and rhubarb leather.
*Rhubarb cordial: 1.1kg trimmed rhubarb; 1l water; 450g caster sugar; 10g malic acid. Separate the rhubarb in four bags with water, vacuum seal them, and sous vide for 1 hour at 60C. Squeeze the bags to break the rhubarb, then blend everything together. Centrifuge at 4700 rpm for 20 minutes at -8C or strain with a coffee filter multiple times. Strain, add sugar, heat the juice, and bring the sweetness to 35 on a Brix meter. Add malic acid.
**Tomato water: 3kg cherry tomatoes. Blend tomatoes and strain through a coffee filter to collect liquid.
***Tomato and rhubarb Leather: 150g leftover tomato solids from the tomato water; 220g tomato sauce; 92.5g sugar; 50g water; 20gr pectin NH; 2 full spoons of rhubarb solids; 6g citric acid; 5g malic acid; drop of oil. Blend everything together and bring to 40C. Mix Pectin NH and sugar together, add to the mix then blend. Bring mixture to 90C for 5 minutes. Add malic and citric acids to the mixture and blend again. Allow the mixture to cool down then, while still warm, spread a thin layer on an oven tray covered with cling film. Cook slowly or use a dehydrator at 45C for 4 to 5 hours. Remove from oven or dehydrator while it is still elastic before it becomes too hard.
