SoNo 1420 American Craft Distillers hosted the championship round of its bartending competition featuring its award-winning Blaze Cinnamon Whisky on Oct. 17 at its South Norwalk distillery and tasting room. Three competitors from the August semifinals gathered to create their best cocktails featuring Blaze for a panel of judges. The winner was Ava Spijkers, a retired bartender, with her creation Chaitini, a blend of Blaze Cinnamon Whisky, Earl Grey tea, simple syrup, lemon juice and bitters. The runner-up was Jesus Marquez, SoNo Sky Bar, with his craft cocktail Midnight Breakfast, which featured Blaze Cinnamon Whisky, lemon juice, cinnamon and vanilla syrup in a smoked glass and garnished with bacon wrapped with cinnamon. At 33% ABV, Blaze Cinnamon Whisky is an award-winning cinnamon-flavored whisky, handcrafted in small batches using the finest bourbon “blasted” with all-natural cinnamon sticks with a mash bill of 90% corn and 10% barley. SoNo 1420 American Craft Distillers’ line of whiskies, gins, vodkas and ready-to-drink cocktails is self-distributed in the state.
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- SoNo 1420 American Craft Distillers hosted the championship round of its bartending competition on Oct. 17.
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- SoNo 1420’s Blaze Cinnamon Whisky was the featured spirit of the competition series.
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- Ellyn Weitzman, Director, Marketing and Partnerships, SoNo 1420 American Craft Distillers and Winner Eva Spijkers.
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- Competitors Duane Sanchez, At the Corner; Eva Spijkers; and Jesus Marquez, SoNo Sky Bar.
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- Winner Eva Spijkers.
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- Spijker’s winning cocktail, the Chaitini.
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- Runner-up Jesus Marquez, SoNo Sky Bar.
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- Marquez’s cocktail, Midnight Breakfast.
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- Competitor Duane Sanchez, At the Corner.
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- Sanchez’s cocktail, Future Day Dream.
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- Duane Sanchez, At the Corner; Eva Spijkers; Ted Dumbauld, Founder, SoNo 1420 American Craft Distillers; and Jesus Marquez, SoNo Sky Bar.
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- Competition Judge Dan Rek, Beverage Director, Mecha Noodle Bar; Duane Sanchez, At the Corner; Competition Judge Stephanie Webster, Founder, CT Bites; Ted Dumbauld, Founder, SoNo 1420 American Craft Distillers; Competition Judge Andrew Dominick, Journalist and Photographer, CT Bites and Westchester magazine; Winner Eva Spijkers; Runner-Up Jesus Marquez, SoNo Sky Bar; and Competition Judge Blake Poon, Master Mixologist, SoNo 1420 American Craft Distillers.
