Daniel Hilton of Kittyhawk in Sydney has been named the winner of the El Dorado Heritage Cocktail Competition Australian regional final.
Celebrating 300 years of craftmanship on the banks of the Demerara River, El Dorado invited bartenders to create a cocktail that honoured their own heritage.
Daniel’s winning cocktail, Legacy & Lace, showcased his personal journey and love of rum, dating back to 2017 when he began working at The Lobo, while also paying homage to the deep-rooted heritage of El Dorado Rum.
Legacy & Lace is a blend of 50ml El Dorado 15 Year Old Rum, 10ml Palo Cortado Sherry, 15ml lemon juice, 10ml burnt coconut caramel, three dashes of Angostura Bitters and 30ml stout.
In a post on Instagram, Daniel said: “This goes out to everyone that mentored me. This goes out to everyone that has let me talk rum. This goes out to everyone who I’ve served a drink to. This is a bucket list item, this is something I have always dreamt of. To visit the place that makes the rum that ignited my passion for rum and hospitality, I couldn’t be more excited. I cried, I still don’t believe it… but I’m off to Guyana to nerd about rum!”
As the winner of the regional final, Daniel will represent Australia on the global stage in Guyana next month.
Mauro Ribeiro, CEO of Expedition Trade, which imports El Dorado Rum from Guyana to Australia, said: “We recently hosted the Australian regional final of the El Dorado Heritage Cocktail Competition at Brix Distillers in Surry Hills, Sydney. The event brought together six talented finalists who each showcased their unique creations in front of an esteemed panel of judges, all competing for a chance to represent Australia in the global finals in Guyana this April.
“The level of competition was so high, which was a testament to the masterful bartending scene in Australia. We were inspired by their level of expertise and passion, really capturing the spirit of El Dorado Rum.”
