Patrón Tequila Announces Global Search for 2017's 'Margarita of the Year'

ATOTONILCO EL ALTO, Jalisco, Mexico, Feb. 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today is International Margarita Day, aptly named because the popularity of this holiday's namesake cocktail continues to accelerate across the world. So to celebrate this worldwide occasion, today marks the launch of Patrón Tequila's 2017 global search for the "Margarita of the Year."

In pursuit of the annual "Margarita of the Year," seven top bartenders from around the world recently gathered at the Hacienda Patrón distillery in Jalisco, Mexico, to create their own interpretations of a perfect margarita, drawing from local ingredients and cultural inspiration. Those seven recipes, showcasing the versatility of Patrón tequila, will be unveiled at International Margarita Day events today in New York, Sydney, London, and Mexico City. And for those unable to attend one of the events, Patrón has partnered with online cocktail delivery service Cocktail Courier to create a convenient kit containing all of the necessary ingredients and garnishes for each of the seven recipes, to help people create the "Margarita of the Year" contenders at home.

After tasting the cocktails, margarita aficionados everywhere are invited to visit MargaritaOfTheYear.com to vote (once daily through April 9) for their favorite.

"The margarita has been the most popular cocktail in the U.S. for years, and for good reason given the tremendous creativity we've seen, particularly in the last several years as culinary and mixology trends have intersected.  What's really quite exciting to see is how much the margarita's reputation has grown globally as local flavors and styles have been integrated into this iconic cocktail," says Lee Applbaum, Patrón's Global Chief Marketing Officer. "Today, 'International Margarita Day,' is a perfect time to begin our 2017 search for the 'Margarita of the Year,' a global celebration of the margarita, perfected by Patrón."

Each bartender selected to participate in this year's "Margarita of the Year" search created their own unique, flavorful cocktail, reflecting their personal influences on what makes the perfect margarita. Those seven contenders are:

• "English Garden Margarita," with green peas and earl grey, created by Sophie Bratt from London
• "Mumbai Margarita," with mango and Indian spices, by New York City's Hemant Pathak
• "Tropicante Margarita," combining mango and fresh avocado, created by Alexander Kady from Denver
• "Coralina Margarita," with red wine and hibiscus, by Mexico City's Riesler Morales
• "Tiki Rita," with grapefruit and tiki spices, by Mindy Kucan from Portland, Oregon
• "Pacific Rim Margarita," with coconut and jalapeño, by Max Greco from Sydney, Australia
• "High Plains Margarita," created with charred pineapple and sage, by Atlanta's Shaun Gordon

The three drinks that earn the most consumer votes will be announced on April 10 as the finalist contenders. Then the winning "Margarita of the Year" will be crowned on April 17, in time for Cinco de Mayo, and the bartender who created the drink will be ceremoniously handed the coveted "Margarita of the Year" trophy to proudly exhibit in his or her bar. (That trophy is currently the possession of the 2016 "Margarita of the Year" winner, Jordan Corney, and on display in his bar in San Antonio, Texas.)

"It's truly amazing to see the countless styles of margaritas and the unique and inventive recipes that are being developed by bartenders across the world," says Corney, who created the spicy 'Rosa Picante Margarita' that was voted last year's winner. "I'm a bit sad to give up my trophy, but at the same time I'm very excited to taste each of this year's 'Margarita of the Year' contenders!"

For this year's #MargaritaOfTheYear search, cocktail devotees from around the globe can get to know the seven margaritas in several ways. The drinks will be featured at Patrón events throughout the season, and on cocktail menus in bars and restaurants (the Margarita of the Year site includes a convenient locator). The site also features videos and interviews from the bartenders' spirited gathering in Mexico, including instructional videos about how to prepare each cocktail. Consumers can also access downloadable recipes, and a full history of the drink's (often debated) history, as well as conversations and stories about the evolution of this very famous classic cocktail.

Then, after exploring each of the margaritas, people can easily vote for their favorite via:

• MargaritaOfTheYear.com, once daily through April 9
• Instagram and Twitter, by hashtagging the name of the margarita (for example: #MumbaiMargarita)
• YouTube, a "thumbs up" on a YouTube video about a specific margarita
• Sharing content across channels (shares and re-tweets equal one vote each)
• Live voting at Patrón-sponsored events over the coming months

"The history and evolution of the margarita is as fascinating as the drink itself, and it's been enlightening to taste over the years so many different riffs on this classic cocktail," says David Alan, Patrón's Manager of Trade Education & Mixology. "The margarita is a unique drink, both rustically simple and extraordinarily versatile – a crowd-pleaser, yet not a one-taste-fits-all experience. Patrón's search for 'Margarita of the Year' brings all of this together in one place."

Click here to download high-res images of the margaritas, the bartenders, and recipe cards.

About Patrón Tequila
From hand-harvesting the highest-quality 100 percent Weber Blue Agave, to the traditional, time-honored distillation process and individual labeling, numbering, and inspection of each bottle, Patrón tequila is crafted with meticulous precision and care. Though Patrón has grown to become one of the most-recognized and respected luxury spirits brands in the world, it is still exclusively produced in the Highlands of Jalisco, Mexico, in the same small batches and with the same commitment to quality and craftsmanship. For more information about Patrón tequilas and liqueurs, please visit www.patrontequila.com.

SOURCE Patron Tequila

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