Newport Live Events, in collaboration with Cocktail Wars Newport, hosted a margarita cocktail competition at Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina on Feb. 23. Hosted during the Newport Winter Festival, the Winterfest Margarita Madness competition was sponsored by Un Poco Loco Tequila and was hosted by John Begin, Founder, Cocktail Wars Newport, with Andreia Santos, Founder and CEO, Un Poco Loco Tequila, and Tom Kelly, General Manager, Yagi Noodles and Event Emcee. Three competitors made their best margaritas using Un Poco Loco Tequila as their base spirit for a panel of judges: Brittany Rosenberg Costa, Assistant Coordinator, Newport Winter Festival; David Rosenberg, Director, Newport Winter Festival; and Deb Bailey, Advertising/Administrative Assistant, Newport This Week. The winner was Sara King, Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina. Un Poco Loco Tequila, originally named La Vida Buena Tequila, is a small-batch ultra-premium tequila, made of slow-cooked 100% blue Weber agave and aged in American oak barrels for eight months.
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- Newport Live Events, in collaboration with Cocktail Wars Newport, hosted a margarita cocktail competition at Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina on Feb. 23.
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- Un Poco Loco Tequila is a small-batch ultra-premium tequila, made of slow-cooked 100% blue Weber agave and aged in American oak barrels for eight months.
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- John Begin, Founder, Cocktail Wars Newport; Winner Sara King, Bartender, Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina; Andreia Santos, Founder and CEO, Un Poco Loco Tequila; Tom Kelly, General Manager, Yagi Noodles and Event Emcee; and Mike Rogers, Local Drink Consultant.
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- Competition judges Brittany Rosenberg Costa, Assistant Coordinator, Newport Winter Festival; David Rosenberg, Director, Newport Winter Festival; and Deb Bailey, Advertising/Administrative Assistant, Newport This Week.
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- Andreia Santos, CEO and Founder, Un Poco Loco Tequila.
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- Tom Kelly, General Manager, Yagi Noodles and Event Emcee.
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- Winner Sara King, Bartender, Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina.
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- A pour of King’s cocktail.
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- Tastes of King’s winning cocktail, an Italian Margarita: Un Poco Loco Tequila, amaretto, vanilla syrup and lime juice garnished with dehydrated lime slices.
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- Competitor John Begin, Founder, Cocktail Wars Newport.
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- A pour of Begin’s cocktail, Reposado Sunrise: Un Poco Loco Reposado Tequila, Quiver Spiced Honey Spirit and orange juice garnished with a local rose hip.
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- Tastes of Begin’s margarita, Reposado Sunrise.
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- Competitor Mike Rogers, Local Drink Consultant.
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- A pour of Rogers’ Welcome to the Neighborhood cocktail.
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- A toast with the Welcome to the Neighborhood cocktail by Mike Rogers.
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- The winning cocktail by Sara King, Bartender, Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina, an Italian Margarita: Un Poco Loco Tequila, amaretto, vanilla syrup and lime juice garnished with dehydrated lime slices.
Photos by Laura Widness.
