As National Finals have drawn to an exciting close over the last few weeks, we can now officially introduce the 2022 – 2023 Global PATRÓN Perfectionist Finalists below. Stay tuned to Academia Patron’s digital and social channels as we get to know each of the Global Finalists in the coming weeks, including their inspirations, home country influences, and aspirations for the finals in Mexico.

As we congratulate this group of bartenders, we reflect on just how far we’ve come. What began with educational opportunities and recipe submissions from around the world has continued to evolve, leading us to this pivotal point in the program and our PATRÓN Perfectionists’ journey.

This new class of PATRÓN Perfectionist Finalists embodies the spirit of creativity that will allow them to thrive as they represent their country on the global stage. From a local market perspective, each participating country has a new group of customers and trade advocates to continue leveraging in the new year, putting PATRÓN Tequila at the heart of drinks culture. The PATRÓN Perfectionists program helps our local team bring these incredible drinks, stories and rituals to excited consumers sitting at the bar or making drinks at home, to introducing new drinkers to our category.

60 Hands Highball Recipe

45ml PATRÓN Silver
15ml Mango liqueur
15ml Verjuice
20ml Lacto fermented mango syrup
60ml clarified mango juice

Carbonate and serve over ice in a highball glass.
Garnish with mango three-ways sphere.

The Inspiration

“The inspiration behind this cocktail was all to do with compounding flavours using basic and advanced techniques to manipulate and ingredient to get the very best flavour from it. I took my favourite fruit, the mango and did exactly this by switching ingredients, fermenting the fruit and clarifying the juice to create a light and bright highball with Patron Silver at the helm. 

For my garnish I created a mango spear suspended in a mango syrup with a fresh ball of mango inside to create a multi textured garnish. Finally just like the Patron sees 60 hands help make every bottle of tequila, my drink also went through many people and their feedback to get it just perfect, so I named my drink the 60 Hands highball.”

The Percussionist Recipe

44ml/1.5oz PATRÓN Silver tequila
22ml/.75oz Black trumpet mushroom gum syrup
22ml/.75oz Lapsang souchong-infused Amontillado sherry
1 Pasilla chilli deseeded in the mortar

Garnish: Black trumpet mushroom gum leather

The Inspiration

“Black trumpet mushroom is an ingredient from northern Ontario available throughout late summer to autumn. I was exposed to this mushroom previously by a forager chef who he used to work with. Timing of the challenge inspired me to choose black trumpet mushroom as my Hero ingredient for the cocktail. 

I also wanted to include my city’s culture into this cocktail as well. Toronto is known for it being the most diverse city in the world, so I carefully chose ingredients that are introduced and exposed to us from different cultures, and it shows in my cocktail as they all work harmoniously. The name of the cocktail, ​“The Percussionist,” refers to the drum roll of introduction for a hero and the excitement the drummer creates with their instrument.”

Coconut Chicken Por Favor Recipe

45 ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
45 ml Cocounut chicken cordial
30 ml Verjus
60 ml Soda water

Garnish with calamansi and sand-ginger flavored rice crisps

The Inspiration

​“Shenzhen is a city in China well known as the fastest and the most comprehensive city. As for food, I thought, coconut chicken must be the most iconic food in Shenzhen. It’s simple, as its key ingredients are basically fresh coconut water and chicken, and it cooks so fast. Those coconut chicken restaurants often include other local iconic dishes from around the city. They are perfect for Shenzhen citizens and their life styles, whose every second must be fully lived. There are so many restaurants that come and go, but coconut chicken restaurants are always standing on. It’s the dish that warms people’s hearts, and it’s simply perfect to represent Shenzhen.”

Patxa MaMa Recipe

40 ml PATRÓN Silver
20 ml Patcharan sloe cordial
20 ml Verjus
3 drops First oyster water
50 ml Blood orange soda 

Garnish: Oyster leaf

Inspiration

“For this cocktail, I was inspired by the meeting the family of my Basque companion. The French Basque Country is a land filled with knowledge. I had the chance to discover their knowledge and common rituals. To show my appreciation for what I learned, I created a cocktail highlighting their regional products such as the wild sloe and oysters from the park of Hendaye that marry perfectly with Patron Silver’s sweet and slightly peppery notes. And what better way to end on a festive touch, as the drink celebrates Bayonne with a topping of blood orange soda.”

Pine-Pineapple-Apple-Pine Recipe

60ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
60ml Dry Apple Cider
120ml Stone Pine Needle Tepache*

Method:

Pour PATRÓN Silver Tequila, cider, and pine needle tepache and stir with a bar spoon to mix.

Garnish:

Tajin rectangle rim

*Stone Pine Needle Tepache
1L Swiss Pine needle tea (used 100g per Litre)
125g Panela Sugar (or Pilocillo)
6 cloves
Let ferment for 4 days, filter then carbonate.

Make an infusion with dried pine needles, add pilocillo sugar and let it cool. Cut a very ripe Victoria baby pineapple in cubes (with skin) and add a cinnamon stick, one dried pasille chile and 6 cloves. Let it sit in a jar with a cloth on top and let it ferment for 6 days. Strain everything and spin the filtered tepache in a centrifuge to remove the sediment. Then carbonate the tepache for extra bubbles to carry the mouthfeel further.

Inspiration

​“My hometown hero ingredient of choice was Swiss stone pine needle (“Pinus Cembra”) from which I made an intense tea and used it to make tepache instead of using water. It pairs well with the pine, apple and pineapple notes on the Silver Patrón. It is served in a recycled glass hi-ball (just like the Patrón bottle) with a touch of dry cider to add that astringency and a Tajin rectangle rim for that savoriness and intensification of flavor.”

Cornerstone Recipe

45 ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
5 leaves Rocket
30 ml White Grapefruit Juice
30 ml Citrus vinaigrette
Garnish: Grated yogurt stone

*Citrus vinaigrette: In blender, blend olive oil, lemon juice, orange peel, honey, salt and pepper until it emulsifies.

Freeze a coupe glass and then coat it with a grated yogurt stone for garnish.

In a shaker muddle rocket leaves. Pour in PATRÓN Silver, white grapefruit juice, citrus vinaigrette. Add ice cubes and shake. Double strain.

Inspiration

“As a bartender and a food person, I have always considered mixology an integral part of the culinary field, affected by the local culture, climates, politics, etc. Searching for the perfect cocktail for PATRÓN Perfectionists, I asked to bring to the center some primary products consumed and developed by the native communities of the area throughout history.
Palestinians still practice traditional food habits based on local staple products such as – olive oil, goat milk, citrus, and plenty of foraged herbs. 

In my cocktail, the combination of the rocket, olive oil, and citrus enhances the natural herbal-peppery notes of the patron silver. The emulsion of the ingredients into a vinaigrette gives a rich-silky texture, like the spirit itself. ​“Yogurt stone”, sometimes referred to as ​“the parmesan cheese of the middle east” is my umami agent — graded on the glass. (a condiment made by dehydrating yogurt into a hard stone-like cheese)”

EVO Recipe

40 ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
25 ml Lime juice
25ml Sugar syrup
15ml Oroloso Sherry
20ml Taggiasca olive juice

*For the homemade taggiasca olive juice:
Blend 1 part of pitted Taggiasca olives with 2 parts of olive brine and fine strain everything. Place in a bottle with label, quality check and store in the fridge.

Inspiration

“EVO is a tribute to the olive tree and the product which is so iconic to Italy and the Liguria region: extra virgin olive oil. This element is the foundation of local cuisine that keeps on providing inspiration and beautiful memories of childhood for me. The cocktail celebrates this core ingredient by enhancing flavors through its different components and connecting tradition with innovation. 

Having lived many years abroad and discovered a huge array of flavors and local traditions has helped me appreciate the heritage and ingredients of my homeland even more. So, for the PATRÓN Perfectionists Hometown Hero challenge, I designed EVO, which stands for Extra Virgin Olive Oil — a protected product from an appellation of origin in Liguria — but also stands for the evolution that connects this ingredient to other faraway countries and a global community of bartenders sharing the love of authentic flavors such as tequila.”

Salo Salo Recipe

40ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
30ml Carabao and coconut milk liqueur
5ml Fino sherry
4 drops Saline solution

Cocktail Method: Stir & Strain
Garnish: Walnuts
Glassware: Coupe glass

*Carabao and coconut milk liqueur
200ml Vodka
200ml Carabao Milk
60ml Coconut Milk
200g White Sugar
30ml Orange Juice
30ml Lemon Juice
10g Lemon Juice
20g Orange Peel

Filter using coffee filter.


Inspiration

“Food shapes the way Filipinos live. Aside from the food itself, there are priceless memories shared with whoever you’re dining with, which makes it more special. Perhaps we can all relate with the thought of inviting people, even strangers, during fiestas to dine together, or being given food to bring home after a party. Or, when you buy ice cold beer from a convenience store, people won’t hesitate to approach you and invite you to a table of pulutan and buckets of beer.

I created this drink to remember what Filipino Salo- Salo made me feel. I chose Tibok Tibok as my Hometown Hero because kakanins are always present in Filipino celebrations and it is believed to make friends and families stronger and tighter together with its sticky texture.”

Wilderness Recipe

55ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
35ml Cordial ​“la Tereta” (rosemary, honey, saffron, jalapeños, wood)
10ml Peach liqueur
3 drops saline solution

Glass: Old-fashioned
Garnish: Jalapeño and rosemary shaped as mini agave

Inspiration

“Wilderness cocktail is inspired by the jungle and its gifts. Nature is an integral part of our life, without its flora we would not exist. The jungle world is a creative spirit, with its herbs, trees, flowers, fruits and plants — all together they give harmony to our world. Humanity is doing creative work using the ingredients invented by nature which allow us to feel our primary essence. Wilderness cocktail takes us to a world of wild and natural flavors, with ingredients of Spanish origin.”

Green Rocket Recipe

40ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
20ml Lime juice
Spiced Sparletta cream soda*
White cacao and coconut cream foam*

Glass: Highball
Garnish: Charred pineapple dust*

Method: Build the Patrón Silver, fresh lime juice in a highball glass, add cubed ice and top with the spiced cream soda leaving a space for the coconut cream and white cacao liqueur foam then garnish with a light dusting of charred pineapple dust.

*Spiced Creme Soda
300ml Sparletta creme soda
2x Star anise
1x Cinnamon quill cracked
lx Nutmeg cracked
2x Thai Lime leaves
250g SugarHeat dry spices
Add creme soda and sugar to pot
Cook until sugar is dissolved
Dilute syrup with water

*Carbonated coconut cream and white chocolate foam
200ml coconut Cream
75ml White Cacao liqueur
Shake with a spring or use a milk frother to create a foamy texture

*Charred pineapple dust
Dehydrate pineapples
Char until black
Break down in a mortar and pestel

Inspiration

Sparletta creme soda is a cotton candy vanilla soft drink that every South African has connected to a fond memory. It’s often referred to as the ​‘Green
Ambulance’ and enjoyed the day after a lekker jol (South African slang for a great night). For some, it is more than just a mystical hangover cure. This neon green mixer has become a South African staple — its shocking color and flavor appeal to all in a kid’s creme soda float or a ​‘Green Mamba’ for the grown-ups. 

Creme soda sparks up a carefree innocent time of one’s life. It reminds you of how simple and bright everything was when you were younger. Then eventually as you grow older you and your outlook on life shift. Its green colour inspires those who dare to try something out-of-the-ordinary. Try the Green Rocket. It’s an elevated Patrón creme soda float with a South African twist.

Sour Said the Fox Recipe

30ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
15ml Benedictine DOM
5ml Galliano L’Autentico
25ml Verjus
25ml Rowanberry cordial*

Garnish: Pickled rowan berries

*Rowanberry Cordial
500g Rowan-Berries
1L Water
200g Sugar

Put the berries into a large freezer bag and use a rolling pin to mash the berries. Then transfer to a pot and add 500ml of water. Bring to a boil and let reduce to half. Then add the rest of the water to the pot and let reduce again until there is 500ml of liquid. Let cool and filter through a cheesecloth. Then combine the sugar with the liquid until sugar is fully dissolved.

Inspiration

“Sour Said the Fox comes from one of my first memories of Sweden. One day after football practice, I picked a berry from a tree. It was a rowanberry, a berry that is notorious for being very sour. The cocktail is an echo of this memory utilising the sourness of the rowan-berry, introducing vanilla tones to create an element of nostalgia and served in a Swedish guksi. This cocktail invites you to a trip down memory lane.”

Milk of the Desert Recipe

40 ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
60 ml Laban punch*
1 Cardamom pod

*Laban punch
300ml Laban
30 ml white cocoa liqueur
150 ml coffee liqueur

Combine the coca blanc and the coffee liqueur then slowly pour the Laban in, allowing it to split. Allow to rest in the fridge for 24 hours then pass through a wet coffee filter.

Inspiration

“For this drink I was inspired by the deep and historic traditions of the UAE. The main inspiration is Laban, a traditional fermented yoghurt drink from the middle east. It originated out of a need to keep milk for longer in the heat of the desert and is made by allowing milk to ferment for several days in a clay pot and churning it. This sweet and savoury drink is not only refreshing under the hot sun of Dubai but has been proven to help gut health and boost the immune system due to the natural enzymes and healthy bacteria. 

This drink was traditionally consumed with every meal, not only cooling the person down, but aiding with digestion due to its naturally probiotic properties. As a result, I wanted to make a light and refreshing digestif style drink that can be enjoyed at the end of every meal. 

One of my favourite things is to explore making milk punches with alternative dairy options, so the Laban was a perfect fit. The second inspiration came from the rich coffee culture found within the UAE, so combining the Laban with coffee liqueur and Cacao Blanc just made sense to me. Then, while looking through the pantry this year, I saw that another local ingredient was listed: cardamom. Traditional Arabic coffee is usually made from lightly roasted coffee beans infused with a mix of fragrant spices like cardamom, ginger, cloves, and saffron. So by stirring down the drink with a fresh cardamom pod I was able to give some of those iconic flavours that you associate with this amazing style of coffee.”

The Forgotten Fruit Recipe

40ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
10ml Fino sherry
2.5ml Scottish Wild Absinthe (SweetDram)
150 ml Sunset soda clarified with Pectinex and ascorbic apple juice, and carbonated 

Inspiration

“Apples are in abundance in my neighborhood, but rarely do I see them utilised. All over Scotland, streets and orchards are littered with fallen apples, most of which will waste away. Seeing this first-hand inspired me to go out and unearth the best Scottish apples and showcase their exceptional flavour. 

My chosen apple, the sunset, came from Cyrenians farm, an organic community orchard that grows over 20 different Scottish heritage varieties. They tackle the cause and consequences of homelessness. Purchasing apples from them allowed me to put back into the community. The idea was to showcase the purest expression of the apple, as if you had picked it right off the tree and bitten into it. That perfect sweet and sour liquid that just isn’t replicable. I wanted something savory, juicy and smashable — the Paloma’s challenger if you will.”

Super Malo Fabulous Recipe

45ml (1/​½0z) PATRÓN Silver Tequila
22.5ml (%0z) Aromatised \Vermouths \ Fortified \ Madeira
22.5ml (40z) *Hot Chicken Spiced Green Apple Oleo
30ml (1oz) Champagne

*Hot Chicken Green Apple Oleo
200 g Fresh Green Apple Juice
150 g Green apple pulp
225 g White Sugar
10 g Hot Chicken Spice
10g Arcor

When juicing green apples add acid to both the juice container and pulp containerto prevent browning. Compress the apple pulp, hot chicken spice, and sugar with vacuum sealer. If a vacuum sealer is not available then place in a ziplock and muddle. Rest for 1 hour, mix with apple juice until sugar is dissolved. Strain out the pulp and refrigerate for up to one week.

Inspiration

“The traditional service of tequila with citrus and sal de gusano had me thinking about one ingredient, Nashville hot chicken. Malic Acid plays such an important role in tequila production, Look up (Crassulacean acid metabolism) apple and madeira provide ample malic acid. Champagne is going to be the body of the drink tempering all of the spice of the hot chicken, the buttery malolactic brings it all together.”

Himno Recipe

45ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
20ml Lime Cordial
10ml Crème de Violette
1 bar spoon Absinthe
20ml Homemade Fermented Coconut Rice Wine*

Shake & Fine Strain
Garnish: Rice Paper

*Soak 500g sticky rice in coconut water for 8 hours. Blend the coconut water after soaking with coconut flesh together and put in the bottom of the pot, then put soaked sticky rice above it. Use low heat to steam the rice for 30 minutes. Let cool down to about 35 degrees. Put 3g of yeast and mixture of coconut with sticky rice together and stir, leaving a hole in the middle. Ferment for 48 hours. Add another 500g of mixture of coconut and ferment for 24 hours. Boil the fermented liquid in order to sterilise. Keep in fridge for 2 weeks. You can serve a small bowl of fermented sticky rice to your guest while awaiting the cocktail. 

Inspiration

The inspiration of Himno comes from Choni’s own understanding of PATRÓN. Wanting to approach cocktail creation from a different angle, Choni designed a cocktail that not only has a unique flavour but also touches different aspects of life with a vision to make the drink spread out positive energy and resonate with people. 

Every ingredient of Himno encompasses an important learning in life: 

1. Life has many aspects (like Absinthe).
2. The ordinary is the foundation of all greatness (Lime Cordial).
3. the importance of human rights (Crème de Violette).
4. The importance of gratitude (Homemade fermented Coconut Rice wine).
5. commitment to social responsibilities (PATRÓN).

These five learnings are like the five-line spectrum, and Himno is the song Choni has written to in honor of life, wishing more people can find a personal Himno for a sustainable development.

Bee My Hero! Recipe

45ml PATRÓN Silver Tequila
10ml Honey-Lavender syrup
20ml Manzanilla Sherry
5ml Tartaric Acid

Garnish: White chocolate with nuts and lavender
Glassware: Sidra mini T glass 8 Oz
Ice: Cubed Ice

Inspiration

Bee my Hero! is the reflection of the elegance, purity and hard work required to create PATRÓN tequila as well as honey. The cocktail combines and balances these two hero ingredients that are so strongly linked to nature and the Mexican land. Looking after nature and respecting traditions is what this creation celebrates.