Second Annual Clément Rhum NYC Cocktail Challenge: Part Four- The Finalists

I have to apologize that it took so long to finish writing up this series. I have been in the process of moving and traveling extensively for business.

Well as I you found out in Part Three, I didn't make the finals in the Second Annual Clément Rhum NYC Cocktail Challenge. But I will tell you who the finalists are, as well as the winners and all their cocktails.

I spent almost an hour scouring the streets of NY looking for parking at the busiest time of day, five pm. The VIP party for the competition started at six pm, but I had been trying to get there early so I could take some photos and talk to a few of the finalists before the crushing crowd of other media folks leapt in the the frantic fray, slugging down cocktails and getting in my way. By the time I found legal parking it was just a few minutes before six. I went inside and hob nobbed with a few of the Clément folks who I knew and chatted up some bartender acquaintances who had made it to the finals. One of the judges told me that the whole competition had been a big fight to the finish. They had originally planned to narrow the field down to just a half dozen finalists, but instead had thirteen entrants who were neck and neck right down to the line. The final judging of the Big Thirteen had been done earlier in the day and I found out that it was very close, all were within a few points of each other. What I would have given to be one of those judges!

The judges for the event were some extremely knowledgeable folks and you will probably recognize a few. Brian Flanderhorn, Dale DeGroff, Jack Robertiello, Jerri Banks, Junior Merino, Le Nell Smothers, and Tony Abou-Ganim.

The mixologists were kicking into gear with their assistants, mixing their cocktails madly and starting to pass them out to the clamoring crowd. each had their own area set up forming two long lines which we could proceed to in an orderly fashion. Yeah, right! The media be orderly? I immediately made my way to the far end to one of the barkeeps I knew from the competition, Tad Carducci from the Pluckemin Inn, Bedminster, NJ. Tad had been one of the other out of towners and had been up right after me in the semi-finals. We talked for a bit and then he made me his creation, what he calls the Wise Old Sage Sour. I guess I wasn't the only Sour entrant after all.

The Wise Old Sage Sour knocked me for a loop. No wonder I didn't make the finals! Tad had used the same Rhum Clément Première Canne I had, added some of the Rhum Clément Créole Shrubb, fresh grapefruit juice, a dash of Regan's Orange Bitters, muddled sage leaves, and agave nectar to sweeten it. The garnish was finely chopped pineapple and sage leaves that had been macerating together for awhile. We talked a bit about how each of the ingredients complemented each other and brought different parts of the drink in balance and strengthened the differing aspects, especially the muskiness of the rhum and sage, with the tang of the grapefruit. I never knew how well pineapple and fresh sage went together. The garnish wrapped the whole thing into a tight package. This was a fabulous drink. I jotted down my notes and bravely proceeded to the next table.

From this point on, the order I tried the cocktails jumps around a bit and isn't the order on this list. Each time I went to the table with the least amount of people clustered around it, so I would be able to try to talk to each mixologist briefly, without having to elbow my way through the frenzy. So in no particular order I then progressed to:

Juan Coronado from Sortie in NYC. His cocktail was the Rhumpom and was made with Rhum Clément Premiére Canne, St. Germain, lime juice, and champagne. This too was musky with hints of floral tastes.

Tarcisio Costa from Alfama, NYC and the Cabaocla, made with Rhum Clément Premiére Canne, guava puree, Velvet Falernum, and lime juice. This was a complex drink that I found a bit too sweet, but very good.

Vera Melo & Jerry Amyzial from Naima Restaurant with the Island Breeze made with Rhum Clément Premiére Canne, saffron infused simple syrup, lime juice, mango puree, and grenadine. I thought this was unique and very tasty without too much mango and the hint of saffron.

James Menite from Porter House, NYC and the Clément Rhumm Plumm which was made with Rhum Clément V.S.O.P., fresh plum juice, St. Germain, egg white, and simple syrup. I thought this was an amazing drink with the fresh plum taste coming through.

Ben Rameaka from Devin Tavern, NYC and the Ginger and the Professor, made with Rhum Clément V.S.O.P., muddled lemon grass and brown sugar, lemon sour, topped with ginger ale. The primary flavor was the lemongrass and ginger which masked the Rhum Clément V.S.O.P. a bit too much.

Pichet On from P*ONG, NYC and the Chocolate - Passion Fruit Mojito, made with passion fruit ice, Rhum Clément V.S.O.P., mint, Godiva chocolate liqueur, bittersweet chocolate and a few other ingredients. My notes were a bit confused by this point, but I was still game to continue. I thought that this was just a good drink but too sour and not enough chocolate flavor to it.

Johnny French from Cowgirl, NYC and the Rum Cake Martini. I personally hate when the term martini is used for a cocktail. A martini is gin, vermouth, and bitters. So I was prejudiced at the beginning, but I thought this drink was pretty good, just not the name. My notes are a bit strange by this point but the words Rum Cake?! and YUM are still readable.

Ethan Kelly from Brandy Library, NYC and the Nutty Monk, made with Rhum Clément V.S.O.P., St. Germain, Dumante Liqueur, and pure cane syrup. I thought this was complex with a deep, warm, brownish nut flavor.

Michael Mcilroy from Little Branch and the Le Feu, made with Rhum Clément Premiére Canne, honey, and Compass Box 'Peat Monster' Scotch. This was a drink that was flamed and served warm. I thought it was smoky with a hint of honey, but too much scotch taste in a rhum based drink.

Benjamin Scorah from Dani Restaurant, NYC and the Nazario, made with Rhum Clément V.S.O.P., Rhum Clément Créole Shrubb, Nocello Liqueur, Amaro S. Maria al Monte, and espresso. I thought that this drink was too nutty but this was one of the last drinks I had and Benjamin ran out of some ingredients just as I got there so I can't say fairly what the drink should have been like. I do know my notes on this one make chicken scratches look like fine penmanship. I hope to visit his bar some time to taste the drink properly.

Shawn R. Sugrue from STK, NYC and the Beachcraft, made with Rhum Clément Premiére Canne, maraschino liqueur, fresh made sour, and blackberries. This was a complex drink but as my notes say 'not incredible', whatever that means.

Philip Ward from Death & Company, NYC and the Angry Strawberry Daiquiri, made with Rhum Clément Premiére Canne infused with jalapenos, strawberry, lime juice, and simple syrup. I thought that this was the most unique drink of them all and I liked it quite a bit, to put it mildly. I knew Phil from before this event and have been to Death & Co. many times since. Sometimes accompanied by my fellow blogger, Joe Distefano. Who is another cocktail enthusiast like myself. I love to talk cocktails and cocktail history with Phil because he is very knowledgeable, and he is one of the top mixologists in NYC, if not the world.

Well by this time is was a bit drunk out. I was having a difficult time standing straight and felt like I was in out a stiff breeze. At least I was able to talk coherently and had several great conversations with other writers like Rachel Wharton from The Daily News and Ian Williams from the Tribune. Ian is an acknowledged Rum expert who has written articles and books on the subject. We talked in depth about fussy details of rum and argued enjoyably back and forth. His has quite a wit about him. Then I chatted with Japanese food writer Akiko Katayama, who I had once met briefly during filming of Iron Chef America at the Food Network, where she appears regularly as one of the judges. We talked for a good half hour about dozens of things in our liquor fueled state and she invited me to join her at a sake event she was coordinating a few days later. (Which I later enjoyed as well.)

Finally the drinks were put down and the winners announced.

In First Place was Tad Carducci and the Wise Old Sage Sour. I wasn't surprised with this. I had felt that his drink was the best and was glad the judges agreed.


In Second Place was James Menite with the Clément Rhumm Plumm. I think he definitely deserved second place for his excellent drink.


In Third Place was Benjamin Scorah and the Nazario. I decided then that I really have to make it to Dani to try this drink, since he had run out of the ingredients when I finally got to his table.



Well it was quite a night, to say the least. I look forward to the party going to be held to celebrate the winners some time in early July; I hope I can make it.