By Latrishka Thomas
A 39-year-old Villa man beat 10 other mixologists to cop a spot in the finals of the International Mount Gay Cocktail Competition slated for August.
Kanto George took a chance entering the contest over the weekend based on a friend’s encouragement.
The participants had to create an original cocktail using no less than 2oz of either Mount Gay XO or Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum.
George, a mixologist at the Jumby Bay Resort, made a cocktail he dubbed ‘Paradise’.
“My presentation of the cocktail, along with the taste and how balanced the cocktail was, made me outshine the competition,” he told Observer.
He said that this win was especially significant because, “I have been doing competitions for a while but was never able to capture the first place until Saturday”.
George walked away US$500 richer and with the opportunity to represent Antigua and Barbuda in the finals in Barbados which will take place on August 16.
He said that his plan is “to go out and execute my presentation flawlessly”.
The expert bartender will be making a modified version of ‘Paradise’.
If George emerges winner, he will be given an all-expenses paid trip to London for RumFest, billed as the world’s only premium rum festival.
The second-place winner of Saturday’s competition was Atino Spencer of the Cocobay Resort.
Ashley Henry of Rokuni Restaurant nabbed the third-place spot.