SPIRIBAM, Fine Rum Specialists, recently announced the winners of the Rhum Clément Ti’Punch Cup 2020 U.S. competition. Hosted at The Drifter Hotel in New Orleans by Rhum Clément, the competition was the next phase of the brand’s biennial Ti’Punch Cup campaign, designed to raise awareness and promote the history and culture behind Martinique’s signature cocktail: the Ti’Punch. After several scores of cocktail entries, 16 of the country’s top bartenders competed for a chance to claim the U.S. East and West titles, demonstrating incredible creativity while adding their own personal flair to the iconic cocktail of the French Caribbean. Since being founded in 1887, Rhum Clément has conveyed the unique qualities of Martinique through its portfolio of world-class rhum agricole.
“Seeing the notoriety of the Ti’Punch evolve in the U.S. over the last six years of this competition has been exhilarating, and this year’s edition was a testament to that,” said Kiowa Bryan, National Brand Manager. “The amount of knowledge, creativity and talent these bartenders displayed was truly awe-inspiring. We can’t wait to see our U.S. winners take the global stage in Martinique to show the world their passion for Ti’Punch.”
The Ti’Punch Cup is held globally in 28 countries and all participants must create their own Ti’Punch using lime (or any other citrus ingredient), rhum agricole, sugar (or any other sweetener), and up to two extra ingredients of the participants’ choosing. The winner of USA East, Marco Pastanella of Solomon & Kuff in NYC, dazzled judges with his cocktail: Péyi Martinik. His unique combination of bright umami flavors perfectly embodied the island of Martinique, whose title translates to “the country of Martinique” in Creole. He used the highly impressive throwing technique to incorporate his ingredients, making it a well-executed presentation.
The winner of USA West, Mclain Hedges of Morin/RiNo Yacht Club in Denver, also won with his creation: Ti’Vert (Green Ti). Mclain’s Ti’Vert, a play on the French translation of Green Tea, was created for his French restaurant Morin and quickly became a staple on the menu. This seemingly simple, four-ingredient cocktail is perfectly balanced and cleverly incorporates two very French ingredients, Chartreuse and Rhum Agricole.
The Ti’Punch Cup finals will take place March 13, 2020 at Habitation Clément in Martinique in front of an international jury made up of some of the most notable members of the global spirits industry. Contestants will be challenged in three rounds and judged on their signature cocktail, their knowledge of rhum agricole and the integration of Martinique’s heritage into the cocktail. One lucky winner will claim the official title as the Global Ti’Punch Cup Champion and become a new ambassador of the Ti’Punch. For more information, visit https://tipunchcup.com/.
