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-Tia Maria launches coffee training programme ‘The Academy’ -

Friday 20^th June, 2017: Coffee lovers around the world are now enjoying their favourite drink from morning cup through to evening cocktail, as the global love for coffee booms.

Tia Maria is leading this trend with the launch of the Tia Maria + Coffee Project and a selection of new serves that unite coffee culture and cocktail hour. Coffee connoisseurs can now sip on cocktails unlike anything they’ve ever tasted before, thanks to new recipes crafted by renowned mixologists and expert baristas.

No other liqueur can make a coffee cocktail quite like Tia Maria, an exotic infusion of natural vanilla and the finest fresh Arabica coffee beans roasted to perfection, complemented with a touch of Jamaican rum. Tia Maria is made using a blend of 100% Arabica coffee, among the best in the world, providing strong character, a full-bodied taste, and a sweet tendency. The beans are expertly roasted, ground and left to macerate to produce this exceptional coffee liqueur.

As part of this Tia Maria + Coffee Project, Tia Maria is launching a new on-trade initiative, The Academy. As a coffee training and education programme, The Academy is designed to help managed outlets, independent bars, and coffee shops perfect their coffee cocktail serves.

The Irish Tia Maria Academy will kick off next Tuesday 20^th June with a coffee cocktail immersion and masterclasses taking place in the cool and funky Two Fifty Square roastery and coffee bar in Dublin. Bartenders, baristas, bloggers and media in attendance will be treated to a sumptuous tapas lunch while sipping on tasty Tia Maria cocktails. Tia Maria brand ambassador, fashion and lifestyle blogger, Love Lauren, along with top mixologists and baristas, will then open up the world of coffee cocktails. There will be some hot topics up for discussion such as the growth of the speciality coffee business and people’s changing attitude towards good quality and craft coffee and coffee cocktails, and how the role of a barista and bartender has evolved. Guests will also get creative as they work with the mixologists in attendance to create new and interesting Tia Maria coffee cocktails.

Kate Barry, Tia Maria Ireland Brand Manager, commented “With the taste for coffee at an all-time high, coffee cocktails have never been more popular and Tia Maria is certainly happy to be leading the charge. We are excited to launch The Academy next Tuesday in Dublin and encourage all bartenders in the area to join us in this day of celebration and learning with us. We may even put their expert cocktail skills to the test and see what new Tia Maria coffee cocktail creation they can dream up of.”

For more information on the Tia Maria + Coffee Project and mouth-watering Tia Maria coffee cocktail recipes visit www.tiamaria.com or keep up to date on social media channels Instagram and Facebook\tiamariadrink

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Heering Classics is an annual, global cocktail competition to Celebrate the classic cocktails and to challenge bartenders around the world to create their own interpretation of a modern classic cocktail. This year the Heering Classics is part of the 200 year Anniversary of Cherry Heering and a platform to increase bartender’s knowledge by providing education and inspiration, showcasing their talent and expand their international network. Heering has today presence in more than 100 markets in the world and working closely with some of the best bartenders and venues globally, part of the program is to get people together, to learn from the best and to connect people from all over the world in the global cocktail community.

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Mr. Ilario Alberto Capraro, Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort, The Island, Waterford won the title of National Cocktail Champion 2017. His winning Long Drink called The Boss (named after his wife) was made using 15ml Grey Goose l’Orange Vodka, 40ml St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, 30ml fresh lime juice, 6 fresh mint leaves and topped up with 40ml Möet & Chandon Champagne. Add lemon zest for aroma.

Ilario will now go on to represent Ireland in the Long Drink competition at the World Cocktail Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark 15^th – 21^st October 2017.

Mr. Andy O’Hara, CEO, Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd. was personally on hand to offer his congratulations and present Ilario with the National Cocktail Champion 2017 trophy.

Alan Kavanagh, Brand Advocacy & Training Manager for Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd. complimented the new format of the competition, created by Declan Byrne, President, Bartenders Association of Ireland which required finalists to prepare a selection of classic cocktails as well as their own signature long drink mixture while simultaneously engaging with the live audience at CATEX. This is the innovation that enables the BAI to move forward and Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd are particularly delighted to support the National Cocktail Championships in this our 150^th Anniversary.

This year the Bartenders Association of Ireland invited a panel of special guests to judge the Championships over the three days including:

• Pepe Dioni, Vice President of the International Bartenders Association
• Oliver Murtagh, Irish Guild of Sommeliers
• Alan Kavanagh, Brand Advocacy & Training Manager for Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd.
• Paul Lambert, The Blind Pig Speakeasy
• Former National Cocktail Champions
  • Eddie Rudzinskas 2015
  • Roberto Espinosa 2002 & 2004
  • Martin Meade 2010
  • James Langan 2008
• Conor Myers, Bacardi Legacy Irish Winner 2017

National Cocktail Champion
Mr. Ilario Alberto Capraro, Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort

The Boss

15ml Grey Goose l’Orange Vodka
40ml St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
30ml fresh lime juice
6 fresh mint leaves
Shake in a cocktail shaker with ice. Serve in a long glass with crushed ice and a sprig of mint.
Top up with 40ml Möet & Chandon Champagne. Add a zest of lemon for aroma.

Following the second day of competitions, a BARTENDER AWARDS dinner took place in the Blind Pig Speakeasy, Dublin attended by the competitors and guests.

BARTENDER AWARD WINNERS

Best Hotel Bartender Award
Ilario Alberto Capraro, Waterford Castle Hotel & Golf Resort, Waterford

Best Restaurant Bartender Award
Roberto Garcia, Fire, Restaurant, Dawson St, Dublin

Best Pub/Gastro Pub Bartender Award
Owen Hughes, Wiley Fox, Dublin

Best New Bartender Award (Junior)
Michael Gamble, Hudson Rooms, Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, Dublin

Best New Bartender Award (Senior)
Sebastian Rosinski, The Lodge at Ashford Castle, Mayo

Best Technical Bartender Award
Michael Gadzala, Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Waterford

Best Art Deco Bartender Award
Michal Liz, Side Car Bar, Westbury Hotel, Dublin

Best D.N.A. Bartender Award
Ariel Sanecki, Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Waterford

The National Cocktail Championships concluded on Thursday 23^rd February with the 4^th National Hospitality Student Cocktail Challenge. This competition was also organised by the Bartenders Association and sponsored by Edward Dillon & Co, Ltd.

This competition was supported by:

• Athlone Institute of Technology
• Dublin Institute of Technology
• Letterkenny Institute of Technology
• Waterford Institute of Technology

NATIONAL HOSPITALITY STUDENT COCKTAIL CHAMPION
Aleksandra Wisniewska, Waterford Institute of Technology

Zestea

50ml Hennessy Cognac
20ml Chambord Liqueur
5ml Yuzu Syrup
5ml Peach Ice Tea
10ml fresh lemon juice

2^nd – Kaythlyn Leahy, Waterford Institute of Technology

3^rd – Wiktoria Kwaitkowska, Athlone Institute of Technology

This was a special year for all stakeholders involved in the Championships as 2017 marks the:

• 150^th Anniversary of Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd
• 45^th Anniversary of the Bartenders Association of Ireland
• 10^th Anniversary of the National Cocktail Championships taking place at CATEX

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The Boss

The winner of the National Cocktail Championships 2017

« ‹ 1 of 4 › »

National Cocktail Champion 2017
Mr. Ilario Alberto Capraro, Waterford Castle Golf/Resort

The Boss
1.5 cl Grey Goose Orange Vodka
4 cl St Germain Elderflower Liqueur
3 cl Fresh Lime Juice
6 Fresh Mint Leaves
4 cl Moet & Chandon Champagne
1 Essential Oils from Lemon Peel

Garnish: Fresh Mint Springs and dehydrated blood orange

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The National Cocktail Championships will take place at CATEX, 21st - 23rd February 2017 and will be followed by a New Bartender Award dinner in Dublin City Centre.

Entries are now being accepted on the official entry form here>>>

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"Amber Elixir is the perfect after dinner drink or evening sipper. It brings a soft touch of herbal notes blended with red fruits with an elegant spiciness of ginger. The combination is filled with aromas and freshness of orange peel bringing memorable experience and delicate touch of smoothness with every sip" - said Mr. Lis.

Amber Elixir
Riga Black Balsam 3,5 cl
Sloe Gin 1,5 cl
Ginger Liqueur 1,5 cl
Cherry Bitters - dash
Orange peel & Maraschino cherry

Riga Black Balsam (Latvian: Rīgas Melnais balzams) is a traditional Latvian herbal liqueur made with many different natural ingredients mixed in pure vodka, giving a 45% abv (90 proof) drink. It can be had as it is, on the rocks or mixed with schnapps, akvavit, or vodka, or warm, in tea, coffee or black currant juice, or mixed with soda water or a soft drink, or in any variety of cocktails. It is also occasionally enjoyed as a topping on ice-cream. The drink itself is black and very bitter, but with a distinct sweetness.

Riga Black Balsam is available from Amber Beverage Group . The traditional recipe was created by Abraham Kunze, a pharmacist living in Riga, and is based on a composition of 24 different plants, flowers, buds, juices, roots, oils and berries prepared in oak barrels. It is sold in ceramic handmade flagons. Over time, Riga Black Balsam has been acknowledged also internationally, as it has received more than 30 awards at international fairs.

Black Balsam is also used in traditional medicine. It is considered to be a good cold remedy and is used to treat digestive problems.^[1][2] It has been made in Riga since the middle of the 18th century. According to legend, Empress Catherine the Great of Russia, became ill during a visit to Latvia, but was cured after drinking Riga Black Balsam.

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Mr. Ariel Sanecki, senior bartender at the Cliff House Hotel, Ardmore, Co. Waterford won a Silver Medal in the ‘Bartenders Choice’ competition at the World Cocktail Championships 2016 held in the Imperial Hotel, Tokyo, Japan from 16th – 21st October 2016.

Ariel’s winning cocktail named ‘Elegance’ is made with Finlandia vodka, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, pink grapefruit, peach syrup. Shaken and strained into chilled coupe glass, a light spray of Irish whiskey vapour for aroma and garnished with a selection of seasonal fruits and purées.

Ariel, who is originally from Mielec in Poland, has been working at the Cliff House Hotel for the past eight years and has won several awards for cocktail making, imagination and bartending skills during this time.

He qualified to represent the Bartenders Association of Ireland in Tokyo by winning the National Cocktail Competition which was sponsored by Edward Dillon & Co. Ltd. and took place at Food & Bev Live in the Citywest Convention Centre last February.

‘Bartenders Choice' is a new competition introduced in the World Cocktail Championships in 2015 to allow bartenders the freedom to introduce their own creativity, designs and trends into cocktail making. Traditionally the competitions follow strict rules and guidelines for cocktail making in competition but the ‘Bartenders Choice’ has less restrictions.

Speaking on stage in Tokyo, Mr. Sanecki said he took inspiration from the head chef at the Cliff House Hotel who taught him that customers taste first with their eyes and then with their palette. His aim was not just to make a drink that tastes great but wanted to create an experience for the guest in the way this drink is served. I combined all my customers favourite flavours into one beautiful cocktail. This is a cocktail with class which is why its called “Elegance”.

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