West of Ireland bartender makes ‘Finest Call’

Owen and his award-winning ‘Price’s Punch’ cocktail, this year’s Finest Call winner.

Owen Hughes (45), Bar Manager at Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, County Mayo, won the ‘Finest Call’ cocktail final, held in the award-winning Exchange Restaurant, in Dublin’s Westin Hotel recently.

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The competition was organised by the Bartenders Association of Ireland on behalf of  Richmond Marketing, distributors of Finest Call here.

Owen’s cocktail, ‘Price’s Punch’ (named after a very large doorman he worked with in Paris), consists of Finest Call Mango Puree, Finest Call Banana Puree, Matusalem 10 Year-Old Rum, dry sherry, fresh lime juice and orange bitters.

The cocktail was inspired by a friendly doorman who Owen worked with in Paris: “His name was ‘Price’, a Haitian by birth” explained Owen, “he used to make these wonderful punches from time-to-time with fresh fruits and really strong Rhum Agricole. So I thought my recipe will be more suited to the European palate and less sweet than Price’s”.

Owen won a Dublin Crystal trophy and a holiday voucher for €850 which he intends using to attend the World Cocktail Competition in Prague this August.

Having already qualified through an online entry process via the BAI facebook group page, all finalists had to prepare their submitted recipe in front of an expert jury and a large audience attending the final. Competitors were asked questions about their cocktail inspiration and the use of ingredients and flavours. Cocktails were judged on appearance, aroma and taste while the bartender was judged on professionalism, personality and hygiene.

Declan Byrne, President of the Bartenders Association of Ireland, commented,  “Owen has a style all of his own and brought a personal touch of class to this competition.

“All of Owen’s many friends in the Bartenders Association of Ireland are delighted for him and wish him continued success.”
At the competition final, Richmond Marketing’s Trade Marketing Manager Joey Shore said that Finest Call had seen “massive growth” in the Irish market in the last two years.

This was the fourth successive year of BAI support from Finest Call.

Winning Cocktail – ‘Price’s Punch’?

by Owen Hughes, Knockranny House Hotel, Westport, County Mayo.

• 3cl Finest Call Mango puree?
• 2cl Finest Call Banana Puree
• ?5cl Matusalem Classico 10 Year-Old Rum?
• 2cl Fresh Lime Juice?
• 1.5cl dry sherry?
• 3 dashes Orange Bitters??

Shake all ingredients and fine strain into a pre-chilled coupe glass and garnish with a mango star flower.?

Owen and his award-winning ‘Price’s Punch’ cocktail, this year’s Finest Call winner.

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