We asked for recipes that called for one of these fine products:

 

Bernheim Wheat Whiskey

Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey

Lunazul 100% Agave Tequila

PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur

Dubonnet Rouge

We Gave you a little Guidence: Criteria
gaz will be looking for creativity coupled with simplicity in this competition.  Cocktails should show an understanding of ingredients, and they should also be relatively easy to prepare, so don't go smoking lavender over mesquite chips and infusing Shochu with it, okay?


We Offered Incredible Prizes
Each of the five winners will get a fabulous work of art created by gaz that specifically focuses on each winning cocktail, and it's creator.  The work of art will be one of gaz's spectacular Cocktail Mandalas (see details here).

You Sent Us Myriad Recipes.  Thanks.

And here we have the Winners and Runners Up.

The Winning cocktails will be presented by gaz regan at this year's Manhattan Cocktail Classic.  Be There!

There are no prizes for Runners Up, we're sorry to say, but the quality of lots of the recipes that were submitted was just fabulous, so we thought we'd show them off here.

Congrats to One and All

Gaz’s Big Cocktail Competition, 2010

Bernheim Wheat Whiskey Division

Winner

Friskey Eve

Adapted from a recipe by Forrest Cokely, Hi Time Wine Cellars, Costa Mesa, CA and

Winner of gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Bernheim Wheat Whiskey Division, 2010.

Forrest would like to thank “Evelyn my love and our cat Friskey”

22.5 ml (.75 oz) Bernheim Wheat Whiskey

22.5 ml (.75 oz) Rittenhouse Rye Bonded

22.5 ml (.75 oz) PAMA pomegranate liqueur

22.5 ml (.75 oz) Dubonnet Rouge

1 orange twist, as garnish

Shake over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Shape the orange twist into a heart, and float it on the cocktail.

 

Runner Up

 

Down By Law

Adapted from a recipe by Alex Smith, Smuggler's Cove, San Francisco, & Gather, Berkeley, CA.

Runner Up in gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Bernheim Wheat Whiskey Division, 2010.

15 ml (.5 oz) absinthe, to rince the glass

45 ml (1.5 oz) Bernheim Wheat Whiskey

7.5 ml (.25 oz) Luxardo Maraschino liqueur

15 ml (.5 oz) maple syrup

15 ml (.5 oz)  fresh lemon juice

2 dashes Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6

1 dash Angostura Bitters

Rinse a chilled coupe glass with absinthe.  Shake the remaining ingredients over ice and strain into the prepared glass

 

Dubonnet Division

Winner

Cat's Meow

Adapted from a recipe by Ted Kilgore, Taste by Niche, St. Louis, Missouri.

Winner of gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Dubonnet Division, 2010.

45 ml (1.5 oz) Dubonnet Rouge

15 ml (.5 oz) Grand Marnier

15 ml (.5 oz) fresh orange juice

1 flamed orange zest, as garnish

Shake over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Add the garnish.

 

Runners Up

English Channel

Adapted from a recipe by Blair Frodelius, Good Spirits News, Syracuse.

Runner Up in gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Dubonnet Division, 2010.

 “I was originally inspired to make a Picon Punch using only British or French created ingredients, thus the name of the cocktail,” Blair Frodelius.

45 ml (1.5 oz) Plymouth gin

22.5 ml (.75 oz) Pimm's Cup

22.5 ml (.75 oz) Dubonnet Rouge

3 dashes Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6

1 orange twist, as garnish

Stir over cracked ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass.  Add the garnish.

 

Le Miaou du Chat

Adapted from a recipe by Aaron Butler, Drink and Brattle House Tavern, Boston (with a nod to the cats of France)

Runner Up in gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Dubonnet Division, 2010.

52.5 ml (1.75 oz) Hayman’s Old Tom Gin

30 ml (1 oz) Dubonnet Rouge

7.5 ml (.25 oz) Benedictine

1 dash Fee Brother's Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters

1 lemon twist, as an aromatic garnish

Stir over ice and strain into a chilled champagne coupe.  Twist the lemon over the drink to release the oils, and then discard the twist.

 

Her Majesty

Adapted from a recipe by Kyle Ford, The Savoy Tivoli, San Francisco.

Runner Up in gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Dubonnet Division, 2010.

45 ml (1.5 oz) gin

22.5 ml (.75 oz) Dubonnet Rouge .

22.5 ml (.75 oz) St. Germain elderflower liqueur

 2 dashes Regans' Orange Bitters No. 6

1 orange twist, as garnish

Stir over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Add the garnish.

 

Lunazul Division

Winner

Persephone’s Exiliar

Adapted from a recipe by A. J. Rathbun, Seattle

Winner of gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Lunazul 100% Agave Tequila Division, 2010.

 “A quick note on the name (just in case--though you'll probably have picked this up already). Persephone of course is stuck in the Underworld half the year, thanks to some bad choices involving pomegranate seeds and some serious abducting by Hades. "Exiliar" is Spanish for "exile" and gives a shout out both to the Tequila and to the time Persephone has to spend in the Underworld (and also “Exiliar” sounds a lot like “elixir” which is nice). Hopefully, while she's stuck down there, she has a lot of these cocktails to drink to make her time a little happier.”  :A.J. Rathbun

60 ml (2 oz) Lunazul Blanco Tequila

30 ml (1 oz) PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur

15 ml (.5 oz) freshly squeezed orange juice

2 dashes Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6

Shake over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass

 

Runner Up

8 Degrees

Adapted from a recipe by Scott Marshall, Drink, Boston

Runner Up in gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Lunazul 100% Agave Tequila Division, 2010.

“8 degrees is the latitudinal difference between Caltinasetta, Italy and Jerez, Spain,” Scott Marshall.

30 ml (1 oz ) Lunazul reposado tequila

22.5 ml (.75 3/4 oz) Averna

15 ml (.5 oz) Lustau Fino Jarana fino sherry

15 ml (.5 oz) fresh lemon juice

7.5 ml (.25 oz)1/4 oz. honey syrup

1 dash Fee Bros. Whiskey Barrel aged bitters

Shake over ice and strain into chilled vintage coupe

 

PAMA Division

Winner

Cupid's Revenge Cocktail

Adapted from a recipe by Brent Evans, 17Th Street Social Club, Costa Mesa, Ca

Winner of gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, PAMA Division, 2010.

 “I was fed up shaking Cosmos for a party.  Gary's SFC article about hating Christmas drinks got me going.  Originally called the St. Nick's Cocktail but it's not just a seasonal drink. Hundreds served later, it's a hit around here!” Brent Evans.

45 ml (1.5 oz) brandy

15 ml (.5 oz) Cointreau

15 ml (.5 oz) PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur

15 ml (.5 oz) Luxardo maraschino liqueur

15 ml (.5 oz) fresh lemon juice

splash of champagne

1 maraschino cherry, as garnish

Shake over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Float champagne on top. Garnish with maraschino cherry.

 

Runners Up

Hades' Girlfriend

Adapted from a recipe by Bob Stafford, Washington, DC

Runner Up in gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, PAMA Division, 2010.

1.5oz Evan Williams Green Label Bourbon

.5oz Pama Liqueur

.5oz Cointreau

3 Dashes Regan's Orange Bitters No. 6

1 dash lemon juice

1 flamed orange twist, as garnish

Stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Add the garnish.

 

Shangra-lita

Adapted from a recipe by Blair Frodelius, Good Spirits News, Syracuse.

Runner Up in gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, PAMA Division, 2010.

45 ml (1.5 oz) Pama Pomegranate Liqueur

30 ml (1 oz) fresh squeezed orange juice

22.5 ml (.75 oz) fresh squeezed lime juice

1 tsp simple syrup

2 dashes Tabasco sauce

15 ml (.5 oz) club soda

Shake all the ingredients except the club soda over ice, and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Add the club soda, stir gently, then smile.

 

Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey Division

Winner

The Final Ward

Adapted from a recipe by Philip Ward, Mayahuel, New York.

Winner of gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey Division, 2010.

The classic Last Word cocktail is made with gin, maraschino, Chartreuse and lime juice. Here the whiskey replaces the gin, and Ward changed the citrus from lime to lemon.

20 ml (.75 oz) Rittenhouse rye whiskey

20 ml (.75 oz) Luxardo maraschino liqueur

20 ml (.75 oz) green Chartreuse

20 ml (.75 oz) fresh lemon juice

Shake over ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

 

Runners Up

 

Cocktail Dauphine

Adapted from a recipe by Patrick Donnelly Jr., Oliver’s, Seattle

Runner Up in gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey Division, 2010.

60 ml (2 oz) Rittenhouse rye whiskey

30 ml (1 oz) Dubonnet Rouge

15 ml (.5 oz) Cointreau

7.5 ml (.25 oz) fresh lemon juice

2 dashes Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters

1 orange twist, as garnish

Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.  Add the garnish.

 

Love Potion # 44

Adapted from a recipe by Paul Zablocki, Brooklyn, NY.

Runner Up in gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey Division, 2010.

60 ml (2 oz) Rittenhouse rye  whiskey

30 ml (1 oz) Carpano Antica Formula

15 ml (.5 oz) Strega liqueur

1 orange twist, as garnish

Stir over ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Add the garnish.

 

Pal o' Mine

Adapted from a recipe by Aaron 'Higgins' Harms,The Richardson, Brooklyn NY.

Runner Up in gaz regan’s Big Cocktail Competition, Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey Division, 2010.

“The orange twist adds a lot to this Cocktail- pulling out a rounded body and nice flavors from the ingredients.  Tried the "Pal o' Mine" with a lemon twist and it became a completely different drink,” Aaron 'Higgins' Harms

60 ml (2 oz) Rittenhouse Rye

15 ml (.5 oz) Dubbonet Rouge

15 ml (.5 oz) Cointreau

2 dashes Peychaud's bitters

1 orange twist, as garnish

Stir over ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass.  Add the garnish.

 

This competition is sponsored by the fine folk at Heaven Hill