Eder Sanchez

Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartending Championship 🏆

What an awesome event Monkey Shoulder and Civil Liberties put together last month.
Surely one of the most fun competitions I’ve ever been a part of. Wether it’s a win or a loose, you always win. Not only did I have a blast with my very talented friends, but also made new friends that are killing in the hospitality game. For me, this is what competitions are all about.

Thank you Japan 🇯🇵 Your country, your people, your culture and your food are so inspiring and easily fills people’s souls with goodness. I cannot wait to come back to you again.

Wood Dove in Tuxedo

Patron Reposado
Cafe de Olla- Grapefruit Cordial
Soda
Rimmed with Canela-Sugar-Salt
Garnished with a cordial-candied Paloma-shaped grapefruit peel.

The Paloma is one of the simplest and most popular drinks in Mexico, some would argue that the traditional Paloma is actually a mixed drink as opposed to a cocktail. Traditionally it is made with Tequila, a squeeze of lime and a very popular Mexican grapefruit soda called Sq**rt served in a glass rimmed with salt.
Modern bartenders have elevated this cocktail and made it into a new classic adding their own twist using more elevated techniques as well as fresher ingredients to incorporate the traditional flavours, making a beautifully crafted cocktail.
Another very traditional beverage in Mexico is Cafe de Olla, which is a coffee brewed in a clay pot with Piloncillo sugar (sugar very high in molasses content), Mexican cinnamon and orange peels. It is a beverage enjoyed all across Mexico in a lot of budget friendly restaurants.
I was inspired by a bar which serves certain Reposado Tequilas with a chaser of salted coffee, so I thought it was a great idea to marry these two beverages.
In this case, I wanted to use a very high quality Mexican coffee that will compliment the bright floral notes of grapefruits as well as some spices that will compliment the vanilla and baked fruit notes of Patron Reposado. The idea is to create a synergy of flavours and let every ingredient stick out and being complimented by the rest. Keeping the very familiar structure of the Paloma, where you can taste tequila, grapefruit and bubbles, with a twist that makes the barrel aged characters of Patron Reposado shine.