'America's Bartender' Finale Episode Reveals Miami Bartender As U.S. King Of Mixology In Race For "World's Most Imaginative Bartender"

NEW YORK, Nov. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Tonight's final episode of the all-new original miniseries, "America's Bartender," in association with Conde Nast Entertainment (CNE) and GQ, will feature the national winner of the United States Bartenders' Guild (USBG) Bartender Summit, sponsored by BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin and GQ. 

This past September, during a two day program of rigorous cocktail crafting showcasing 46 of the top mixologists from the U.S. and Canada, the miniseries captured the USBG) announcement of Miami's Julio Cabrera of The Regent Cocktail Club as the nation's "Most Imaginative Bartender." With this win, Cabrera will be featured on a promotional cover of 5,000 copies of GQ's December "Men of the Year" issue, alongside his cocktail, the Queen Victoria.

Cabrera said that the experience has been life-altering, "This has truly been an exciting journey.  I'm still trying to process the entire experience. To be singled out among 46 of the most respected and talented bartenders in the country is an incredible honor."

Tonight's finale episode, available on The GQ YouTube Channel will include footage of the top ten finalists competing for the national title. The finals took place at LIGHT nightclub at Mandalay Bay when the each of finalists presented a new and original BOMBAY SAPPHIRE cocktail to a packed house of guests. The judges for the evening included: master mixologist, Tony Abou-Ganim; BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Global Brand Ambassador Raj Nagra; USBG National President David Nepove; and special "blind" guest judge for the evening, Top Chef's Tom Colicchio.

After sampling the cocktails, tallying ballots and taking the popular vote into consideration, the panel reached the unanimous decision that Julio Cabrera, whose Queen Victoria cocktail was made with BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, fresh lemon juice, a cucumber-mint syrup and ST-GERMAIN Elderflower Liqueur, was the nation's "Most Imaginative Bartender."   

Ned Duggan, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Brand Director, said, "In our 7th year as a sponsor of the 'Most Imaginative Bartender Summit,' it has been gratifying to be a part of such an inspiring program that showcases the careers of emerging talent across the U.S. The program also played an undeniably pivotal role in recognizing up-and-coming cocktail cities such as St. Louis and Nashville."

As the special guest Judge, Top Chef's Tom Colicchio added, "We're looking for bartenders that have great style and great imagination - bartenders that can put a drink together that includes all of those things - but also truly represents the flavor of BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin.  I look for people that have interesting combinations, interesting flavor profiles, garnishes that make sense and are appropriate for the drink.  The most important element is to really highlight the spirit, highlight BOMBAY SAPPHIRE."

This year, the "Most Imaginative Bartender" program traveled to 41 American cities and 4 Canadian cities to attract the highest caliber of talent to attend the Las Vegas summit.  Now in its seventh year, the search will journey overseas in May 2014 to crown an internationally recognized leader in bartending. This program has encouraged mixologists around the globe to push the rapidly evolving cocktail culture to its greatest potential. Julio Cabrera will represent his country during the Global Bartender Summit in London next spring - a clear indication of how the Most Imaginative Bartender search has become established within the industry. Having increased from 240 entries and 16 cities since its inception in 2007 to 1,225 bartenders and 45 cities today, the program is proud to shine a spotlight on undiscovered talent around the world using BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin by the nation's leaders of the cocktail culture. By elevating the craft of mixology, the annual program increases consumer awareness and appreciation for the industry.

In 2013, Cabrera and his Queen Victoria cocktail stand as a classic example of the passion and ingenuity needed to be named the nation's "Most Imaginative Bartender."  Tune in today for the Finale of America's Bartender to witness the journey of the top ten finalists of the program as Julio Cabrera is crowned the National Winner.  In addition to being the first behind-the-scenes look at the industry's consummate cocktail summit, the new video series includes ten bonus "how-to" tutorials featuring the competing experts on concocting classic gin cocktails at home.  To watch the latest episodes and America's Bartender updates, subscribe to the GQ YouTube channel, and follow the conversation on Twitter using #MostImaginativeBartender.

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Below is Julio Cabrera's winning cocktail recipe:
Queen Victoria
1.5 parts BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin
0.5 parts cucumber-mint syrup (with a pinch of salt and black pepper)
0.5  parts lemon juice
0.5 parts ST-GERMAIN Elderflower liqueur
Shake well and serve in a martini cocktail glass. Fresh grated black pepper on top.

About the USBG
The United States Bartenders' Guild is an organization of beverage service professionals dedicated to the continued refinement of our craft. Such refinement is achieved through advanced product education; original hand crafted cocktail competitions; and aggressive involvement with other professionals in the beverage industry throughout the country and internationally. It is our intention, desire and main focus to become the most skilled, knowledgeable and professional group of bartenders in the industry. Above all, the United States Bartenders' Guild supports and promotes well-informed, responsible consumption of alcoholic beverages.

About BOMBAY SAPPHIRE
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® gin is the fastest growing premium gin in the world and world's number one premium gin by value.  BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is created with a unique combination of ten hand-selected botanicals, sourced from around the globe. The brand's global essence and signature vapor infusion process impart a refined and perfectly balanced taste, versatile enough for both classic cocktails and exotic recipes.  INFUSED WITH IMAGINATION®, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE is a symbol of the exploration of worldly and sophisticated lifestyles. For more information, please explore www.bombaysapphire.com.

BE BRILLIANT AND INSPIRED. DRINK RESPONSIBLY!

©2013 BOMBAY SAPPHIRE AND INFUSED WITH IMAGINATION ARE TRADEMARKS.
IMPORTED BY THE BOMBAY SPIRITS COMPANY U.S.A., CORAL GABLES, FL.  GIN - 47% ALC. BY VOL

About Conde Nast Entertainment
Conde Nast Entertainment (CNE) is a division of Conde Nast that focuses on the development, production, and distribution of original television, feature film, and digital video offerings based on the company's iconic media brands, which for more than one hundred years have created the world's greatest content for the world's most influential audiences.  Follow us on Twitter @CNE.

About GQ:
GQ is the leading men's general-interest magazine, with a monthly readership of 7 million readers. It is available in print, online at GQ.com, and as an app at iTunes.com. The magazine is published by Conde Nast, a division of Advance Publications. Conde Nast operates in twenty-five countries and is the world leader in exceptional content creation.

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