Celebrity Mixologists Pick Winner In First Ever

NEW YORK, March 28, 2006 - Though more than a dozen bartenders representing the city's top restaurants and lounges competed head-to-head in the inaugural Rhum Climent Cocktail Challenge, only one can boast creating New York's most innovative and creative cocktail. The winning entry was the Le Bissap Martini by Cristophe Ouedraogo from the African/Moroccan inspired restaurant Les Enfants Terribles.

Using Rhum Climent V.S.O.P. Rum, Ouedraogo combined the ultra-premium spirit from Martinique with Cointreau, fresh orange juice, guava juice and a dash of Bissap juice (boiled and reduced African flower) to invent a light and refreshing cocktail that combines traditional ingredients with a taste of the exotic. He wins an all-expense paid trip for two to Habitation Climent, Rhum Climent's historic distillery in Martinique.

Rhum Climent Cocktail Challenge finalists utilized one, or a combination, of three distinct rums from the historic Climent portfolio -- Rhum Climent Premihre Canne, Rhum Climent V.S.O.P. Rum and Rhum Climent Liqueur Criole Shrubb. Featured cocktails in last night's event represented leading venues such as: Per Se, Milk & Honey, BED NY, Tribeca Grand Hotel, Blue Ribbon, Little Branch, Barmarche, Modern, Sortie, Park Blue, Les Enfants Terribles, Cafi Centro, and Stitch. The entrants in the Rhum Clement Cocktail Challenge had their cocktails judged by renowned mixologists George Delgado and Jerri Banks as well as Jim Walsh, sommelier of the host venue City Hall Restaurant.

"This extremely successful event was a great forum for New York's most elite bartenders to show their creativity when working with ingredients normally behind the bar," said Ben Jones, U.S. Brand Manager for Rhum Climent. "I was incredibly impressed with the versatility of the cocktails and how each competitor created something completely unique."
Placing second was the Spring Fling by Clark Clark of Barmarche, which includes Rhum Climent V.S.O.P. Rum, cucumber, strawberry lemon juice and sugar. Placing third was Chad Solomon from Milk & Honey. His Creole Club Cocktail mixes Rhum Climent Premihre Canne and Rhum Climent Liqueur Criole Shrubb with lime juice, Angostura bitters and orange bitters. The cocktail is topped off with star anise and grated nutmeg.
About Rhum Clement
The world's most intriguing style of rum is A.O.C certified Rhum Agricole from Martinique, the luxury niche of the ultra-premium rum category. Rhum Climent presses only the best hand-selected sugarcane to extract fresh, free-run cane juice to distill the world's purest form of natural rum. Rhum Climent is crafted in strict observance of guidelines set forth by the Appellation d'Origine Contrtlie; and more importantly, according to the time-honored traditions inherited from Homhre Climent, the father of Rhum Agricole.

Climent V.S.O.P Rum is a superb alchemy of pure, natural rum from sugarcane juice matured in the world's finest oak barrels and orchestrated by the Cellar Master gives Climent V.S.O.P. Rum its brilliant mahogany color, roasted cocoa bean aroma and illustrious smooth and mellow character.

Essential for the best cocktails, Climent Premihre Canne is ultra-pure, natural rum distilled from fresh, free-run cane juice of select sugarcane varieties from Habitation Climent. A combination of time-honored Climent expertise with volcanic terroir and a tropical appellation lend the rum its exotic bouquet, crisp fruit-driven palate, terrific body and a well-balanced clean finish, all essential elements for making the best cocktails. Climent Premihre Canne is essential fore the best cocktails.

Climent Creole Shrubb (Liqueur d'Orange Martinique) is a perfect blend of white and aged rums married with macerated Criole spices and sun-bleached bitter orange peels. Criole Shrubb bursts with luscious aromas and the lush flavors reminiscent of Martinique.

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