Williams wins cocktail competition for second straight year

Mixologist Dwayne Williams is the winner of the Barbados leg of the Mount Gay International Crafted Cocktail Competition for the second consecutive year.

Williams, who walked away with the top prize after going up against five other local mixologists at The Spirited Bar in Holetown, will go on to represent Barbados at the regional finals which will be held on Mount Gay’s 321st anniversary on February 20 next year.

Mount Gay’s Market Manager Anies Jordan said Williams will compete against mixologists from the US Virgin Islands, Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Bahamas, St Martin, The Cayman Islands, Aruba, Antigua and Barbuda, and Grand Cayman in the regional finals.

She said: “Similar to Barbados, each country will host its own local finals where competitors will be challenged with the task of recreating either an old fashioned or Martini cocktail with a twist, utilising either Mount Gay rums or The Botanist, Bruichladdich and Cointreau, three brands which fall under our parent company Remy Cointreau’s portfolio.

“The nine winners will then go up against Dwayne in their bid to claim the grand prize of an all-expenses paid trip to the prestigious 2024 Tale of the Cocktail Trade Conference in New Orleans, where they will have the amazing opportunity to participate in a week of seminars, tastings, networking and special events developed specifically for bartenders, distillers, and other bar and spirits professionals.”

An elated Williams said it felt good to win for the second year and thanked Mount Gay for hosting the competition.

He won with The Turn of Hands, his twist on the traditional old fashioned cocktail.

“Last year’s win definitely boosted my career and even though I did not win the regional leg, it left me eager to compete even more. So this year, I came with the mindset to win the local leg again and now that I have achieved that goal it is time to prepare and practice for the regional finals so that I can make Barbados proud on February 20.”

The other mixologists in the competition were Andrew The Concoctionist Williams and Kerry Shaw who placed second and third, respectively, along with Jamar Stoute, Shane Powlett and Shayne Edwards.
(PR)