The United Way of Southington, in collaboration with Brescome Barton and Sazerac, hosted the third annual Southington Cocktail Competition at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville on May 20. Sponsored by Southington’s Worldwide Wine & Spirits, Sazerac, Fruitful Mixology, the Dave Mongillo Memorial/Golf Scholarship Fund, the Joe & Kay Calvanese Foundation and Maximum Security, among others, the event showcased the talents of bar teams from more than 20 local venues, with each creating a craft cocktail featuring spirits from the Sazerac portfolio. Guests enjoyed cocktail demonstrations, sampled tastes and voted on their favorites. The winners were: Hawk’s Landing Country Club for Best Overall, First Place; CT Fable – The Underworld for Best Overall, Second Place; GameCraft Arcade for Best Overall, Third Place; and Close Harbour Seafood received an Honorable Mention. In the People’s Choice Best Tasting category, New Mill Restaurant won first place and Ellie’s Farmhouse won second place. The Crafted Cocktail Mobile Bar won first place for Most Creative and also for Best Presentation, while New Mill Restaurant won Best Presentation, Second Place.
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- Competition Judges Taylor Gillaspie, Co-Founder, Drinks Mechanics; Ben Fuller, Spirits & Cocktail Specialist; and Ryan Robinson, Director of Education, Brescome Barton and Worldwide Wine & Spirits.
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- United Way of Southington Board Member Tom Bentz and Amy Magyar.
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- The team from GameCraft Arcade, winner of Best Overall, Third Place.
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- The team from CT Fable – The Underworld, winner of Best Overall, Second Place, with their cocktail, Mayahuel Ritual.
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- Most Creative, First Place, and Best Presentation, First Place: Matt Schneider, The Crafted Cocktail Mobile Bar.
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- Matt Schneider, The Crafted Cocktail Mobile Bar.
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- The team from New Mill Restaurant, winners of People’s Choice Best Tasting and Best Presentation, Second Place.
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- The team from Close Harbour Seafood with the venue’s cocktail, Close by the Sea. The venue received an honorable mention in the Best Overall category.
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- Kristine and Jon Delgado, Fratelli’s Italian Restaurant.
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- The team from The Back Nine Tavern.
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- The team from Craft Kitchen.
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- The team from Morava Restaurant & Bar.
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- The team from Relic Brewing with Taylor Deegan, President, United Way of Southington and Worldwide Wine & Spirits and tastes of their cocktail, The Love Story.
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- A bartender from Anthony Jacks Restaurant with tastes of the venue’s cocktail, The Strawbarb-Tini.
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- Fruitful Mixology’s Zac Lyons and Brandi Cross.
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- Bartenders from Spelunkers with the venue’s cocktail, The Blue Grotto.
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- The team from Smoke & Muddle.
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- The team from Sliders Grill & Bar with tastes of the venue’s Crème Brulee Martini.
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- The team from Smokin’ With Chris with their Hot Lips cocktail.
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- The team from The Manhattan with the judging panel.
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- The team from Ideal Tavern.
Photos by Alejandro Villacorta.
