Austin Mixologist Justin Lavenue Announced As North American Champion Of "9th Annual Most Imaginative Bartender" Competition Sponsored By BOMBAY SAPPHIRE® Gin

NEW YORK, Sept. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On Wednesday, September 2, the United States Bartenders' Guild (USBG) announced Austin's Justin Lavenue as North America's "Most Imaginative Bartender."  The honor was bestowed at the 9^th annual bartender summit, sponsored by BOMBAY SAPPHIRE^® gin and GQ Magazine, after a fiercely competitive two day cocktail-crafting throwdown with 28 of the top mixologists from the U.S. and Canada. Lavenue will be featured both inside and on a special edition cover of 5,000 copies of GQ's December "Men of the Year" issue alongside his winning drink, The Poet's Muse (recipe below).

This year, the "Most Imaginative Bartender" program traveled to 36 U.S. cities and 4 cities in Canada to attract the highest caliber of talent for the Las Vegas Summit.  Now in its ninth year, this program has encouraged bartenders across North America to push cocktail culture to ever-greater heights. The top bartender from the Las Vegas Summit will not only earn glory but clout in the industry, which can open up a myriad of opportunities in the bartending world.

The summit kicked off in Las Vegas on Tuesday, September 1 at Magic Hour Studios, when all 28 bartenders prepared their inspired cocktails for an elite panel of USBG representatives.  During the semi-finals, renowned mixology maven Ivy Mix, USBG Representative Reza Ismaili, along with BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Global Brand Ambassador Raj Nagra picked the seven best bartenders to compete in the final event.  The following night, during the finals at Ling Ling Club inside Hakkasan at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, the finalists each presented a new and original BOMBAY SAPPHIRE cocktail to a packed house of guests as well as the judges for the evening, including Trade Experts Tony Abou-Ganim and Alba Huerta, USBG Representative Reza Ismaili, and "blind" judge for the evening, BOMBAY SAPPHIRE Global Brand Ambassador Raj Nagra.

After an action-packed evening of sampling creations from the top seven finalists, the judges' ballots determined Lavenue's The Poet's Muse (BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, citrus blend, rose/mushroom water, and Poet's Cordial) as North America's most imaginative cocktail.

Lavenue said that the journey to Vegas has been life-altering: "I never imagined that I'd be standing here tonight receiving such an honor. All 28 of us take our craft very seriously, and there were some extraordinary drinks here tonight, so to be selected from the group makes the honor even that much greater."

Ned Duggan, VP, Managing Director for BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, said: "Nine years ago, when BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin first partnered with the USBG for the 'Most Imaginative Bartender Competition,' we couldn't have imagined that interest in the world of craft bartending would have grown so tremendously, both in numbers and in passion. Our goal is to work with the USBG, not just to identify the next generation of innovative bartenders throughout North America, but to provide a platform for them to influence and continue to move this industry forward.  The quality of the bartenders and the cocktails they create has evolved so much in the last nine years, and we're looking forward to seeing what comes next."

Tony Abou-Ganim, trade expert, author and featured mixologist in the documentary "Hey Bartender", one of this year's special guest judges, explained, "On the one hand, the bartenders have to make a unique cocktail that represents their personal style. On the other hand, the drinker has to know that this is a BOMBAY SAPPHIRE cocktail that highlights the 10 botanicals in the gin.  It's a tricky line to walk.  And of course the person making the drink has to be imaginative in terms of the presentation and personal style.  That's a pretty tall order, but Lavenue's The Poet's Muse hit all the marks. It's a great looking drink that was beautifully presented, and most importantly, it tastes delicious.

The "Most Imaginative Bartender" program is proud to shine a spotlight on undiscovered bartending talent across North America while also showcasing BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin. By helping to elevate the craft of cocktails, the annual program increases both consumer awareness of the brand and appreciation for the industry as a whole.

In celebration of this annual program, Conde Nast Entertainment, GQ Magazine and BOMBAY SAPPHIRE will join forces again, for the third year in a row, to produce an all new custom video series. "Where's The Bar?" will follow 5 of the 28 participating bartenders to their hometowns, spotlighting each city's unique cocktail and culinary culture. "Where's The Bar?" will premiere on December 9th on the official GQ video site, and THE SCENE (thescene.com/GQ and air across an eco-system of syndicated partners including YouTube, Apple TV, Yahoo, Roku and AOL.  In addition to a behind-the-scenes look at some of the hottest mixologists today, the series will also feature bonus "how-to" episodes of classic BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin cocktails that viewers can use as inspiration when planning their own holiday celebrations.

For the latest episodes and "Where's The Bar" updates, subscribe to the GQ digital network or GQ on YouTube. Follow the conversation on Twitter using #MIB2015

Visit GQ's Video Site: http://video.gq.com 
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Learn more about the USBG's Most Imaginative Bartender competition:
http://www.mostimaginativebartender.com/

Justin Lavenue's winning cocktail recipe:
The Poet's Muse
2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin
.75 oz. Poet's Cordial
.75 oz. citrus blend
6 drops rose/mushroom water
Garnish with a lime peel

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 GIN
BOMBAY SAPPHIRE^® 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 vapour 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!

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©2015. BOMBAY SAPPHIRE AND ITS TRADE DRESS ARE TRADEMARKS.
IMPORTED BY THE BOMBAY SPIRITS COMPANY U.S.A., CORAL GABLES, FL. GIN - 47% ALC. BY VOL.

The BOMBAY SAPPHIRE^® brand is part of the portfolio of Bacardi Limited, headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited.

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.

About THE SCENE
THE SCENE is the premier digital video storytelling network brought to you by Conde Nast Entertainment.  THE SCENE features the best original programming from over 20 iconic brands.  A window into the worlds of fashion, sports, culture, comedy and more, THE SCENE presents inspiring, celebrated, and unexpected stories that shape our culture, reflect our world and help make your Tuesdays just a little less ordinary.

For more information, follow THE SCENE on Twitter @Scene, Facebook  Facebook.com/TheSceneVideo and Instagram @TheScene

About Conde Nast Entertainment (CNE)
Conde Nast creates the world's best content for the world's most influential audiences, attracting millions of consumers across its twenty industry-leading print and digital media brands: Vogue, Vanity Fair, Glamour, Brides, Self, GQ, The New Yorker, Conde Nast Traveler, Details, Allure, Architectural Digest, Bon Appetit, Epicurious, Wired, W, Lucky, Golf Digest, Golf World, Teen Vogue and Ars Technica.

The company launched Conde Nast Entertainment in 2011 to develop film, television and digital video programming.

For more information on Conde Nast, visit condenast.com or follow us on Twitter @CondeNast and @CNE.

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