Global Tequila brand Patrón has unveiled the judging panel for its Perfectionists competition set for later this month in Jalisco, Mexico.

The brand has chosen 7 leaders from different fields within the global hospitality industry as judges, who all share a passion for top Tequila and mixology.

• Ivy Mix, co-owner of Leyenda Bar & Fiasco! wine & spirits shop, co-founder of Speed Rack, and author of Spirits of Latin America, joining from Brooklyn, NY.
• LP O’Brien, award-winning mixologist, winner of Netflix’s Drink Masters, CEO and founder LP Drinks and Focus on Health, joining from Washington DC.
• Sandrae Lawrence, founder and editor of award-winning media outlet The Cocktail Lovers magazine and podcast, joins from London.
• Tara Fougner, co-founder and CEO of Thirsty Media, award-winning journalist, community leader and content creator from the Bar World Top 100 Most Influential list, joining from Miami, FL.
• Giulia Cuccurullo, 2020 PATRÓN Perfectionists Global Winner and Head Bartender of Artesian, joining from London.
• Harrison Kenney, 2022 PATRÓN Perfectionists Global Winner and GM of Bar Planet, joining from Sydney.
• Ana Martorell, educator, chef and founder of restaurants Aida and OXA Cocina única, joining from Mexico City. 

Additionally, the brand has developed new challenges that the 16 global finalists must undertake while at Hacienda Patrón. The historical entry cocktail presentation will be replaced by three different challenges drawing from some elements of the global educational modules rolled during the entry stage last Autumn.

With their extraordinary knowledge of flavours and fondness of cocktails, Sandrae Lawrence, Giulia Cuccurullo and Chef Ana Martorell will judge Challenge #1: Field to Flavor. Taking place against the captivating backdrop of Patrón Tequila’s agave farmers’ fields, the challenge brief will be shared with the global finalists on the very day, testing their creativity and ability to thrive under pressure.

Challenge #2 – The Stories We Share – will ask participants to dig into the rich history of Mexico and find what resonates with them to create an inspiring PATRÓN Tequila cocktail encapsulating Mexican culture based on PATRÓN Silver, Reposado or Añejo. Cocktail recipes and their stories will be prepared and submitted in advance and then presented in front of judges Ivy Mix, LP O’Brien and Harrison Kenney at the event at Hacienda PATRÓN. 

The grand finale will consist of a third challenge named Mi Mesa es Tu Mesa (my table is your table, a take on the popular Spanish expression mi casa es tu casa). The panel of seven, accompanied by Lauren Mote, PATRÓN’s Global Director of On-Trade Excellence and head of the Perfectionists program, will gather on this last occasion.

Championing hospitality and Mexico’s warmest sense of welcoming, Challenge #3 will task bartenders with transforming the judges’ time at the table into a truly unforgettable experience. Thinking about how they can stimulate and impress the senses inside and outside the glass and leave the judges with a lasting memory, the participants will prepare in advance to present a neat serve of PATRÓN tequila alongside a perfectly paired non-alcoholic side cocktail.

Lauren Mote, Global Director of On-Trade Excellence for PATRÓN tequila, commented: “We couldn’t be prouder of having such a stellar line-up of experts joining us from all over the world for what is a much-awaited and first-of-its-kind Patrón Perfectionists global final event. Each one of the judges is a trailblazer in their industry, a vibrant personality whose passion and energy is an inspiration for hospitality professionals, food and cocktail lovers.

“Championing and inspiring people to follow their passions to be the best version of themselves is part of our brand DNA at Patrón, and I am confident that the drive, knowledge, and cultural diversity the judges are bringing to the table is going to ignite further motivation into the participating bartenders.

“I am extremely grateful to all our judges for accepting the task and I encourage the global finalists to make the most of their time with these stars,” Mote continued. “We cannot wait to gather at our Mexican brand home around spectacular Palomas and Margaritas to celebrate the global bar community in a few weeks.”

The PATRÓN Perfectionists Global Final event will take place at Hacienda PATRÓN 24-30 March 2023 and will see the participation of the 16 global finalists below.

To stay up to date with the event and upcoming news, follow Academia PATRÓN – on Instagram and on the portal.

PATRÓN PERFECTIONISTS GLOBAL FINALISTS 2023

• Sweden – Jayde Henderson @jaydehendo
• France – Gabriel Pons @gabrielpons_lisavi
• Spain & Portugal – Denys Cherkasov – @denis_chequebarman
• Germany, Austria & Switzerland – Telmo Pacheco – @telmo.noidea 
• Italy – Andrea Benvegna – @mr.welcome
• UAE – Kaleb Berry – @kalebbarryy
• South Africa – Sabrina Traubner @sabrinatraubner
• Israel – Mor Koral @morko.koral 
• Greater China – Lola Lau @lolasaysgo
• Philippines – Kristina Tubig – @kristinatubig_
• Australia – Alex Boon @doonbocksaint_
• Mexico – Adam Alvarado @adamabam123
• UK – Max Macauley @maxmacauley
• USA – Logan Demmy @pour_the_oil
• Canada – @dasht______
• Wild Card winner (China) – @choni_song

Global Bourbon brand Wild Turkey has announced Warren Zeiders as the headliner for its third annual 101 Bold Nights concert series.

“I’m excited to team up with Wild Turkey to support those who go after their dreams,” Zeiders says. “Beyond the notes and words, music is all about bringing people together and finding your crew. The songwriters and fans all have so many stories and ideas, and I’m happy to partner with Wild Turkey to continue to help bring everyone together.”

As part of the partnership, Zeiders – who recently won his first CMT Music Award – will perform at a series of three concerts hosted by Wild Turkey, in partnership with iHeartMedia, to benefit Spaceflight Records, a nonprofit record label that helps empower emerging artists and music professionals to trust their spirit and advance their careers.

Zeiders embodies the idea behind Wild Turkey’s global campaign and platform, “Trust Your Spirit” – that music-making, much like Wild Turkey’s iconic bourbon-making process, is most authentic when artists trust their instincts and do things their own way.

He was a star collegiate athlete when he released his debut single “Ride the Lightning,” which launched his career overnight.

“We launched 101 Bold Nights as a way to tell the bold stories of artists that share Wild Turkey’s trailblazing spirit, and through this concert series, we’re also able to support emerging musicians who are committed to following their passions,” said Andrea Sengara, Vice President of Marketing, Campari America.

“The idea was inspired by the steadfast dedication and conviction of the people who built Wild Turkey and its legacy. That same passion and commitment exists across all industries, and we’re excited to celebrate it with this initiative. It’s been an honour to partner with musicians, such as Warren Zeiders, who authentically embody Wild Turkey’s bold spirit.”

Fans and music lovers ages 21+ can join Wild Turkey and iHeartMedia for a performance from Zeiders at the first 2024 101 Bold Nights concert in Charlotte, NC on Wednesday, May 29. Fans can enter Wild Turkey and iHeartMedia’s sweepstakes to win tickets to the show by visiting news.iheart.com/101boldnights/.

Additional 101 Bold Nights concerts will be held in Los Angeles and Austin later this year, and Wild Turkey will be curating fan experiences at several more of Zeiders’ existing 2024 tour stops in select markets.

For more information on events, dates, and venues, fans can visit the Wild Turkey website to sign up for the brand’s community newsletter or connect with the brand on Instagram (@wildturkey).

Global Tequila Brand Don Julio has teamed up with Sony Music Latin artists to introduce ‘A Summer of Mexicana‘  to celebrate and highlight inspiring Mexican creatives who live Por Amor.

With the meteoric rise of Música Mexicana, Tequila Don Julio will bring modern Mexico to the mainstage through a series of summer concerts featuring artists, including award-winning singer-songwriter Christian Nodal, as well as performances on Jimmy Kimmel’s Summer Stage and an in-app Spotify program that will encourage further shareability of this growing genre.

“With the introduction of ‘A Summer of Mexicana‘ we continue to toast those who live Por Amor and uphold Don Julio González’s legacy of passion and dedication to craft,” says Karen Harris, Vice President of Tequila Don Julio. “As a brand born from Mexico, we strive to celebrate the rich and vibrant culture of modern Mexico and look forward to spotlighting these talented creatives.”

Kicking off in May, Tequila Don Julio is bringing ‘A Summer of Mexicana’ to life through a series of immersive experiences including:

• ‘A Summer of Mexicana’ Tour: Mexican artists have influenced the music industry as Música Mexicana has become one of the most popular genres among mainstream listeners. Tequila Don Julio and Sony Music Latin artists are coming together for a private concert series this summer featuring some of Sony Music Latin artists hottest musicians who are taking over the charts – making stops in Houston featuring celebrated singer-songwriter Christian Nodal, Los Angeles, and a stop in Chicago during the Sueños Music Festival.
• Jimmy Kimmel Live Concert Series: To further showcase the beauty of Música Mexicana and the Latin genre as a whole, Tequila Don Julio will highlight breakthrough musicians on Jimmy Kimmel Live’s Concert Series, starting with a performance from Christian Nodal followed by talented artists throughout the summer.
• Personalized Playlists: Spotify, the world’s #1 streaming platform, and Tequila Don Julio are bringing Música Mexicana to the center of summer celebrations with personalized playlists custom created according to each listeners preferred vibes. With Latin music now the 4th biggest collection of genres on Spotify, there’s something for everyone – whether lounging poolside or celebrating a night out with your crew.
• ‘A Summer of Mexicana’ Artist Edition: Tequila Don Julio Blanco and Tequila Don Julio Reposado take center stage as Mexican illustrator Dia Pacheco has teamed up with the brand to release the ‘A Summer of Mexicana’ Artist Edition available just in time for Cinco de Mayo and through the summer season. Each carefully drawn box design showcases vibrant symbols of Mexico reminiscent of Pacheco’s own experience growing up in the colorful town of Merida, Yucatán. The limited-edition Tequila Don Julio Blanco and Tequila Don Julio Reposado artist boxes are sold for an SRP of $44.99 and $49.99 for standard 750ml bottles at select retailers nationwide including online at ReserveBar and Caskers while supplies last.

To continue to uplift those who live Por Amor, the Tequila Don Julio Fund is partnering with charity organizations at each concert stop in Houston, Chicago and Los Angeles to support communities of emerging creatives beginning with The Houston Art Alliance, a local arts and culture organization whose principal work is to implement the City of Houston’s vision, values, and goals for its arts grantmaking and civic art investments.

A grand total of $500K will be donated to national and local charities throughout the summer leading up to Mexican Independence Day on September 16^th. To learn more about the Tequila Don Julio Fund visit donjulio.com/fund.

Actress Busy Philipps has teamed up with the award-winning Olmeca Altos Tequila to help US fans have the ‘key’ lime ingredients to make the best Margaritas at home.

Just in time for Cinco de Mayo (and continuing throughout the month of May), the Altos Tequila Emergency HotLime will deliver fresh limes (and other key margarita-making essentials) to the lucky winners’ doors.

If you’ve forgotten your juiciest Margarita ingredient, call the Altos Tequila Emergency HotLime – 888-268-1261 – to enter for a chance to win a Busy approved Altos Margarita Essentials package.

Eligible winners chosen will not only receive juicy limes via mail (thanks to Tropical Fruit Box), but the Margarita Essentials kit will also include Altos Tequila branded swag (cantaritos cups, a bucket hat, lime squeezer) and, of course, all the additional ingredients such as fresh limes and habanero mango honey to make a Busy-inspired Margarita.

“This incredibly fun partnership is one I couldn’t resist! Besides helping make sure people can have fresh limes to make delicious margaritas, I’ll also be surprising some winners and picking up the phone lines to chat,” Philipps says.

Select lucky callers will have a chance to talk about all things Margarita-related with Busy herself.

Busy suggests, “You might want to add the Altos Tequila Emergency HotLime number to your speed dial now.”

“My margarita recipe is simple,” Philipps continues. “A great tequila, like Altos, and fresh limes are a must.  Add a touch of homemade simple syrup and a half-salted rim, and you’re set.  Easy peasy unless you realize you only have old, hard limes or no limes at all.  We’ve all been there.  So, I’m here to help fix that with my friends at Altos Tequila.”

For more information about the Altos Tequila Emergency HotLime and full sweepstakes and participation rules, please visit Emergency HotLime – Olmeca Altos and YouTube. Follow us on Instagram at @altostequila and @busyphilipps.

Mexico City bar Handshake Speakeasy has been named the best bar in North America and the Best Bar in Mexico at this year’s North America’s 50 Best Bars.

Making history as the first bar in Mexico to be named No.1, Handshake Speakeasy narrowly beat out New York City’s Superbueno, who won The Best Bar in Northeast USA 2024 and the title of Disaronno Highest New Entry.

Toronto’s Civil Liberties, No.21, won the title of The Best Bar in Canada for the third year in a row. Puerto Rico’s La Factoría, at No.18, was also recognised as The Best Bar in the Caribbean for the third year.

Overall, the U.S. led the list with 26 bars, followed by Mexico with 15 bars, seven from Canada and two on the list from the Caribbean.

“What a momentous occasion for the Mexico cocktail scene! We give our biggest ¡Felicidades! to Handshake Speakeasy and head bartender Eric van Beek for the team’s incredible work in delivering excellence,” said Emma Sleight, Head of Content for North America’s 50 Best Bars.

“Handshake Speakeasy continues to push the boundaries of the art of cocktail creation as well as always putting service first, so we are pleased to see them crowned the first bar in Mexico City named No.1 on North America’s 50 Best Bars list.

“We also extend our congratulations to all the other incredible bars on this year’s list, which are testaments to how exciting, innovative, and dynamic the North American bar scene truly is,” Sleight continued.

New York continued its lead with the most top bars in the North America list with 12 of the 26 U.S. listees. These included Superbueno (No.2), Overstory (No.3), Martiny’s (No. 4), Double Chicken Please (No.7), Katana Kitten (No.12), Employees Only (No.15), Dante (No.20), Attaboy (No.31), The Dead Rabbit (No.33), Maison Premiere (No.41), new entry Angel’s Share (No.43), and Milady’s (No.44).

Jewel of the South (No.7) was named The Best Bar in the South USA, with Thunderbolt (No.8) named The Best Bar in themiko (No.19) from Chicago was named The Best Bar in the West USA and Ku Midwest.

San Francisco’s True Laurel (No.30), another new entry, won the Kettle One Sustainable Bar Award, with a new entry from Chicago Meadowlark (No.32) taking home the Siete Misterios Best Cocktail Menu Award.

Handshake Speakeasy is joined by Mexico City’s Rayo (No.5), Licorería Limantour (No.9), new entry Tlecān (No.10), Café del Nadie (No.17), Baltra Bar (No.26), Kaito del Valle (No.28), Hanky Panky (No.42) and Brujas (No.45).

Simpl Things in Toronto joins the stellar lineup as Campari One To Watch, and Grand Cayman’s Library by the Sea (No.35) earns the London Essence Best New Opening Award

To view the full list, go to theworlds50best.com