Official Cocktail Competition

Death in the South Pacific
By Evan Martin

"I'm really appreciative of the positive feedback the drink has received by so many that I respect in the industry. Being a part of Tiki's full swing revival is a huge honor. It's been a great opportunity and I am excited to have my drink represented at Tales of the Cocktail." ~ Evan Martin, 2010 Official Cocktail Competition Winner

0.75 oz. Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year Old rum
0.75 oz. Rhum Clement VSOP rum
0.5 oz. Grand Marnier
0.33 oz. Trader Tiki's Orgeat Syrup
0.33 oz. Fee Brothers Falernum
3 dashes Absinthe
0.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
0.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
0.5 oz. Fee Brothers Grenadine
0.5 oz. Cruzan Blackstrap rum

Add all ingredients except for the grenadine and Cruzan Blackstrap to a Zombie shell glass and fill with crushed ice. Swizzle the drink well to mix and frost the glass and then pour in grenadine. Overfill the glass with crushed ice and then pour in Cruzan Blackstrap.

Garnish: Take a bamboo skewer and put a brandied cherry through at the very top followed by 1 pineapple leaf (insert through the middle) and then cut off skin from 1 large orange slice and then cut the strips in half. Insert the ends through the skewer having them hang on opposite sides of each other. Then insert the straw through the loop in the bamboo skewer. It should look like a guy hanging off of the drink (cherry=head, pineapple leaf= arms, citrus peel dangling away from each other are the legs)

"The drink's name is a play on Love in the South Pacific and Death in the Afternoon. I found the name fitting as it's modeled after the Zombie (use of absinthe, good amount of citrus balanced by various sweeteners, and needed a name that gave as much warning as the zombie) as well as its color (should be a light tan with a muddy and bloody looking float) and the death in the afternoon's use of absinthe," explains Evan.

"This drink hits all the contest requirements on the nose: It creatively mixes multiple rums, sweeteners, and citrus to 'tikify' the Planter's Punch template; it has a full-bodied, layered, but not overcomplicated flavor; and its garnish shows theatrical flair, cleverly referencing the drink name." Said Jeff Berry, official cocktail competition judge and tiki expert.

Martin's cocktail will be served throughout Tales of the Cocktail, July 21-25 and will be featured in the summer issue of Culinary Concierge and The Tasting Panel magazines and on the CocktailTimes.com and DrinkBoy.com websites.

Our second place cocktail is the Once Upon a Time, created by James Goggin.

Once Upon A Time
By James Goggin

1 oz. (30ml) Old New Orleans rum
.66 oz (20ml) Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year Old rum
.33 oz. (10ml) Myers Dark rum
.66 oz. (20ml) Dolin Blanco vermouth
.66 oz. (20ml) Fee Brothers Falernum
.50 oz. (15ml) white grapefruit Juice
.50 oz. (15ml) lemon juice
2 dashes Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitter's
1 dash Elixir a la Grand Chartreuse
Dash of Egg White
Wray & Nephew Over-Proof Flamed Atomizer Spray

Glass: Tiki Mug or Highball
Add all ingredients (except the spray of Wray & Nephew) and shake like hell, double strain into glass.
Finish by spraying with the Wray and Nephew across a lit match to flame the drink.

James explains: "This is proper Zombie-Tiki style, with a modern New Orleans twist... The rums I chose add definition and get supported by the double bitters. Two different citrus for balance, plus the underrated star falernum to add depth and Dolin for the finish. I added a dash of egg white for that velvet foam which will get a blast of char-grilled banana skins from the flamed Wray."

Local New Orleans bartender of Palace Café, Peter Bogren wins third place with his cocktail Peter’s Planter’s Punch.

Peter's Planter's Punch
By Peter Bogren

1.5 oz. Old New Orleans 3 year old rum
.5 oz cardamom syrup*
3 dashes Fee Brothers Orgeat Syrup
.25 oz Navan vanilla liqueur
1 oz fresh orange juice
1 oz fresh lemon juice

In a pint glass, build rum, cardamom syrup, orgeat and juices, stir and float Navan vanilla liqueur on top. Garnish with orange slice rolled in cayenne pepper and sugar mixture.

• To make cardamom syrup: combine .5 cup water, 1 cup turbinado sugar and 1 Tbsp. cardamom seeds. Boil and strain. Allow to cool.

Tales of the Cocktail has also collaborated with The Liquid Muse Virgin Mixology^® and Fre Alcohol Removed Wines to offer the festival's third annual official non-alcoholic cocktail, which is also tiki inspired punch. The Self-Imposed Prohibition Punch will be the official nonalcoholic cocktail of Tales of the Cocktail and will be served at several of their signature events.

"Self-Imposed Prohibition Punch"
By Natalie Bovis,
Editor of TheLiquidMuse.com,
Author of Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-to-Be and
The Bubbly Bride: Your Ultimate Wedding Cocktail Guide

Serves 10 - 12

1 1/2 cups green tea
2 cups Fre Alcohol-Removed Chardonnay
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup demerara (raw) sugar
½ cup peach juice
Freshly grated nutmeg
Sliced lemons (for garnish)

Pour the sugar into a large heat proof pitcher, slowly add the hot green tea. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Set aside and let cool.

Meanwhile, pour the Fre Chardonnay, peach juice and lemon juice into a punchbowl. Add the sweetened tea mixture. Stir. Add a grating of nutmeg over the surface of the punch. Serve over ice-filled punch cups or wine glasses. Garnish with a slice of lemon on the rim of the glass or surface of the drink.