The 2025 Newport Winter Festival continued its week of festivities with a cocktail competition featuring Bacardi Mango Chile Rum at the Gas Lamp Grille on Feb. 16. Local bartenders created their best tropical drinks using Bacardi Mango Chile Rum as their base spirit for the judging panel. Each entry was judged on its presentation, taste and appeal, with the winning beverage deemed the Best Tropical Drink in Newport. Guests gathered to cheer on competitors and sample each cocktail, with competitors from The Red Parrot Restaurant, Gas Lamp Grille, The Reef and Quiver Spirits represented. The winner was William McCarthy, The Red Parrot Restaurant, with his cocktail, Rubber Ducky at Surfer’s End. Bacardi Rum is distributed in Rhode Island by Southern Glazer’s Beverage Company.
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- The 2025 Newport Winter Festival continued its week of festivities with a cocktail competition featuring Bacardi Mango Chile Rum at the Gas Lamp Grille on Feb. 16.
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- Winner William McCarthy, The Red Parrot Restaurant.
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- Winner William McCarthy, The Red Parrot Restaurant; Tiffany Blank, Gas Lamp Grille; Jon Edgell, The Reef; and Savannah Blouin, Quiver Spirits.
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- McCarthy’s winning cocktail, Rubber Ducky at Surfer’s End, a frozen blend of Bacardi Limón Rum, Bacardi Coconut Rum, guava and passion fruit nectar, fresh pineapple juice, blue curaçao and Coco Lopez.
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- Savannah Blouin, Quiver Spirits showcasing Quiver Spiced Honey Spirit and Bacardi Mango Chile Rum.
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- Competitor Jon Edgell, The Reef.
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- Edgell’s cocktail, Ube Bae.
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- Competitor Tiffany Blank, Gas Lamp Grille.
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- Blank’s cocktail, Ahoy Chamoy, featured Bacardi Mango Chile Rum, Bacardi Reserva Ocho Rum and chamoy sauce.
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- Competition judges Matt Girard, General Manager, MIXX 99.3 and 1540 WADK; Josh Cyr, Bartender, 99 Restaurants; and James Williams Davidson, Viking Hotel.
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- The Red Parrot Restaurant Bartenders William McCarthy and Dustin Sequeira with McCarthy’s winning cocktail.
Photos by Alison Turpin.
