South Norwalk’s SoNo 1420 American Craft Distillers hosted multiple cocktail competitions across the state on Sept. 19 featuring its Blaze Cinnamon Flavored Whisky. Local bartenders competed in two locations — O’Neill’s Irish Pub & Restaurant in Norwalk and Tomato Joe’s in Rocky Hill — with two winners named from each location. O’Neill’s winners were Eva Spijkers, with her cocktail the Chaitini, and Jesus Marquez, SoNo Sky Bar, with his cocktail KC Cream, taking home first- and second-place prizes, respectively. Tomato Joe’s winners were Duane Sanchez, ATC South Street, and Spencer Carvalho, Quiver Spirits, taking home first- and second-place prizes, respectively. Winners from each competition were set to meet at the finals on Oct. 17 for the series championship at SoNo 1420 American Craft Distillers in Norwalk to be covered in the December issue of the Beverage Journal. Blaze Whisky is an award-winning cinnamon-flavored whiskey, handcrafted in small batches using the finest bourbon “blasted” with all-natural cinnamon sticks with a mash bill of 90% corn and 10% barley, 33% ABV. The distillery’s line of whiskeys, gins, vodkas and ready-to-drink cocktails are self-distributed in the state.

Photos courtesy of Amber Scinto and Ellyn Weitzman, SoNo 1420 American Craft Distillers.