After greater than 1,700 entries, 30,000 on-line votes and an unbelievable world ultimate, we lastly have a PATRÓN Perfectionists International winner – girls and gents, please be upstanding for Mr Harrison Kenney from Cantina OK! in Sydney. His cocktail, Teal, a fragile steadiness of PATRÓN Silver, fino sherry, pressed celery, kiwi and lime juices with a kiss of vanilla olive oil for a wealthy mouthfeel, ticked all of the bins on the replicability entrance and delivered big-time within the style division too.
Thoughts you, it wasn’t a simple journey. He confronted stiff competitors from the opposite 14 contestants who got here collectively for 5 unforgettable days on the gorgeous Hacienda PATRÓN in Guadalajara.
We caught up with Harrison and UK finalist Kat Stanley-Whyte to present us the low down on your complete competitors, together with a brand new digital format, client votes and the place they discovered perfection in the course of the world ultimate.
Please give us three phrases to explain your highlights of your complete expertise of this yr’s PATRÓN Perfectionists competitors. How have these impacted you personally and professionally?
Kat: Familia, flavour and keenness
It’s arduous to place into phrases how unbelievable this expertise actually was, but when I needed to it might be these three.
Familia: as I’ve made essentially the most lovely friendships by means of this competitors and actually felt welcomed into the PATRÓN Familia.
Flavour: the flavours that had been dropped at this competitors this yr actually solidified the expertise now we have on this business. It was additionally a powerful a part of my mentorship program and enabled me to work with unbelievable individuals reminiscent of Paul from A Bar With Shapes For A Identify to develop flavours I didn’t know I may create.
Ardour: It was an inspiring scenario to be included and surrounded by extremely proficient and passionate bartenders and ambassadors all celebrating the wonders of Agave.
Harrison: Tequila-fuelled fantasy! It’s been a wild journey, it appears like an enormous leap in my profession, in case you had instructed me a pair years in the past I’d compete and win in Mexico I by no means would have believed you. Personally, I’ve made some very shut pals and the world appears like an infinitely smaller place.
Transferring on to the Hacienda PATRÓN, the place did you discover perfection throughout your keep? When you may share just one picture to encapsulate your time there, what wouldn’t it be and why?
Harrison: In every single place! It’s such a fantastic place, perhaps particularly as near the copper nonetheless as attainable. Studying in regards to the manufacturing, tasting and mixing this superb spirit was an expertise like no different. Under is a pic, I name it ‘euphoria delivered.’
Kat: Once more virtually unimaginable to decide on only one! I feel this picture exhibits how individuals from all around the world with the identical ardour can create utter magic and lasting bonds, this isn’t only a competitors, it’s an opportunity to be part of one thing actually particular.
Wanting again on the competitors from nationwide to globals, what stands out most for you and why?
Kat: Arriving on the gates of Hacienda. I cried. I cried rather a lot to be sincere! The nice type of tears. Desires coming true kind tears.
Planting my very own agave was a very particular second. Having my wee title on the gorgeous agave fields of Jalisco will perpetually be in my coronary heart.
Harrison: Undeniably its the worldwide journey. After the previous few years of lockdowns and isolation it was completely surreal to not solely be journey by way of airplane however to be half manner across the globe.
This yr was the primary time the competitors took in a client angle, how, if in any respect did this have an effect on your entry?
Harrison: Nicely I suppose it affected my entry positively, I feel it’s an amazing concept, let the individuals determine!
Kat: This modified the way in which I made a decision to develop my idea. I modified my focus from the drink itself to create an entire new expertise and that was a problem I revered.
How in regards to the on-line voting, how did it work and what did you be taught from the method?
Kat: By means of a blind judging panel, the Prime 30 had been whittled down after which the net voting contributed in direction of the Prime 10 shortlist, so it was a reasonably important factor. It gave me the inspiration to design an internet site that included lots of the drink inspiration and music factor to allow a wider attain. It was one other problem and made it way more of a speaking level within the bar – I liked introducing individuals to the idea of Escape the Field no matter if I bought a cheeky vote or not!
Harrison: Social media is clearly such an enormous a part of the world now, and significantly the business. I suppose I discovered how essential it’s to submit and hold individuals up to date together with your journey, individuals are so invested, I assume even I used to be curious as to what the opposite rivals had been as much as.
What had been your favorite and least favorite elements of the brand new format and why?
Harrison: Actually I liked all of it, you may all the time discover a approach to make issues work in your favour, naturally the least favorite was not having the ability to current to individuals in particular person, it’s a distinct type of connection, or lack there of.
Kat: I liked that this yr it wasn’t all nearly our notion of perfection and that it was about your complete idea and bartender, creating extra of a showcase in flip. There’s all the time the concern with on-line reputation/presence with a voting factor nevertheless it did make me take into consideration the larger image and never simply in regards to the cocktail.
What stands out most for you in regards to the programming of the worldwide ultimate and why?
Kat: With the ability to be part of the PATRÓN manufacturing was undoubtedly the largest stage I’ve offered on to date and it was a bit daunting, nevertheless the second I bought behind the bar that’s residence. The bar is the place I wish to be and it flowed from there. The filming facet is unbelievable and I used to be honoured to have a lot assist from again residence!
Harrison: The schedule main up lets you join with one another but additionally the model, there’s loads of sources you may soak up to the ultimate which is a large benefit. Take me again to the agave subject!
Group is on the coronary heart of PATRÓN, now that you just’ve been to the Hacienda, how did this present itself to you?
Harrison: We spent a complete week singing and dancing, laughing and crying (comfortable tears). It’s like being part of a bar group at first, then you definitely realise you’ve made shut family and friends for all times.
Kat: In every part. From the individuals we met on the distillery who had been insanely captivated with their roles to the agave subject house owners households every part about this journey screamed group and Familia. Each competitor was so welcoming and open to this expertise that having fun with all of it collectively made us a group (miss you Harrison!)
When you had been to enter once more, is there something you’d do in another way and what are your suggestions for these considering of getting into the competitors this yr?
Kat: I don’t assume I might enter once more purely to make sure that extra individuals get to expertise what I bought absolutely the pleasure to. What I might recommend is that it’s not simply in regards to the drink, it’s about you. Your ardour, your dedication, your fashion. That’s the thrilling half!
Harrison: Haha I assume not! However I might say to these getting into, be your self! Benefit from the second, take the time to speak to individuals and absolutely immerse your self within the expertise.
Whereas profitable is the cherry on the cake, what does collaborating within the competitors and making it to the worldwide finals imply to you?
Kat: I’ve stated it earlier than however the PATRÓN Familia is the rationale to compete. With the ability to make connections the way in which we did is one thing that can’t be handed up. It has all the time been my dream to go to Mexico and to expertise it with a model reminiscent of PATRÓN was actually an honour. Fairly actually it’s making it to Hacienda that’s the actual prize. It’s life altering.
What does profitable imply to you?
Harrison: It means I’m impacting the business in a optimistic manner and to me which means every part!
