Kai Bar in East Greenwich hosted Heaven Hill Distillery for a first-in-series cocktail competition, the Heaven Hill Triple Crown Bartending Competition, on March 29. The competition, called “The Derby,” included Jen Davis of The Eddy, Kayleigh Speck of The Grange and Durks, Stephanie Merola of The Dorrance, Corey Hayes of Fluke Wine Bar and Kitchen, Jason Kindness of Kai Bar and Matthew Simmons of Ogie’s Trailer Park. Lynn House, National Brand Educator at Heaven Hill Distillery, visited for the evening, serving as a judge, along with Christine Langford of Heaven Hill and Owen Thorpe of MS Walker. The competing bartenders created an original cocktail featuring at least one Heaven Hill product: Rittenhouse Rye, Elijah Craig, Pama Pomegranate Liqueur and Domaine Canton. Davis won the judged competition with Simmons taking the “People’s Choice” award. Round two, called “The Preakness Stakes,” was held in April and round three, “The Belmont Stakes,” is slated in May.
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- Jen Davis of The Eddy creating her cocktail. Davis won first place in the competition.
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- Stephanie Merola of The Dorrance pouring her cocktail.
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- Competitors Corey Hayes; Kayleigh Speck; Jen Davis, First Place Winner; Jason Kindness; Matt Simmons, People’s Choice Winner; and Stephanie Merola.
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- Competitors Kayleigh Speck and Jen Davis with Lynn House, National Brand Educator, Heaven Hill Distillery.
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- Mike Lester, On-Premise Manager, MS Walker; Matt Simmons, Ogie’s Trailer Park and People’s Choice Winner; Richard Fiorello, On-Premise Sales Manager, Heaven Hill.
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- Guests during “The Derby,” held at Kai Bar, the first in a series of three Heaven Hill Triple Crown Bartending Competitions
Photos by Chris Almeida.
