The Jefferson Hotel Mixes Things Up With A World Class Cocktail Competition; Bourbon Steak's Duane Sylvestre Toasted!

Duane Sylvestre won the inaugural Quill Cocktail Competition at The Jefferson.

NORTHWEST -- Not since the Corcoran's much celebrated Artini event earlier this year have Washingtonians experienced such a collaborative display of mixology as was demonstrated at The Jefferson on Sunday afternoon.

There, in the elegantly appointed rooms that make up the legendary hotel's Quill bar and lounge, a new biannual cocktail competition was born that pitted some of the District's top bartenders against one another in a friendly battle to create the area's best new specialty cocktail.

The game was as follows: A half dozen of the city's most recognized bartenders were invited to participate in the competition (a larger number of candidates from a wider geographic area might be considered for the next one). To ensure a completely level playing field, Quill -- the hosting bar and lounge -- would abstain from competing in the challenge.

The only firm rule was that one pre-selected spirit had to be used as the base for all drinks created for the contest. For this weekend's event, that base spirit was Heavy Water Vodka, a personal favorite of The Jefferson's owner.

Each bartender was responsible for the tools, glassware, and ingredients that he would use during the contest. All such components would be loaded onto a large tray prior to the competition's start and be carried into the main bar when needed. Additionally, all bartenders were each asked to prepare 60 oz. of their respective creations without garnish to be presented for tasting purposes to the audience.

On a personal note, I was delighted to witness all of the contestants joking with one another, tasting each other's libations, and even sharing ingredients and tools as they were getting ready, thereby demonstrating the level of camaraderie among the group.

At approximately 2 p.m., both guests and judges started to arrive at the hotel. While chatting with one another and admiring the Jeffersonian-inspired decorations and furnishings that line the walls of Quill, they were free to sample some of the host bar's own specialty cocktails and canapés.

Ever since The Jefferson had re-opened in 2009 after 2.5 years of renovations, the luxury property had enlisted the services of world-renown bartender Massimiliano Matté to spearhead development of Quill's cocktail menu. And on Sunday, after close to a year of experimentation and refinement, the fruition of Massimiliano's efforts were on full display as guests were treated to a variety of test tube-sized glasses of his creations, including:

• Watermelon Mojitos: Consisting of fresh watermelon, lime, mint, sugar, Bacardi Carta Blanca white rum, and soda water.
  
  
• Mango Caprioskas: Consisting of fresh Mexican mango, lime, sugar, vodka, and black pepper.
  
  
• Aperol Sonics: Consisting of fresh pink grapefruit, lime, gin, Aperol Italian Aperitivo Liqueur, and soda water.
  
  
• Non-Alcoholic Seasoned Watermelon Drinks: Consisting of fresh watermelon, lime, oranges, and salt.
  
  
• Non-Alcoholic Rosemary & Lemongrass Iced Tea: Consisting of fresh, organic rosemary, fresh lemongrass, lime, and lemon.
  
  

Yet Massimiliano's most innovative drink was saved for just prior to the start of the competition as he started to prepare plates of Liquid Nitrogen Gin & Tonic! Made up of small slices of fresh ginger topped with tonic water that had been frozen using a stream of liquid nitrogen, these smoky bites provided guests with a commanding signal that they were in for a very special afternoon...





And then the competition was on! With The Jefferson's General Manager, Franck Arnold, serving as Master of Ceremonies, the competition's distinguished panel of judges was introduced to the audience:

• Nycci Nellis from TheListAreYouOnIt.com.
  
  
• Missy Frederick from the Washington Business Journal.
  
  
• Jenn Larsen from WeLoveDC.com.
  
  
• Erin Hartigan from Tasting Table and Daily Candy.
  
  
• Lynne Breaux, President of the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW).
  
  
  

The contestants were then individually invited to bring their respective trays to the bar and prepare five drinks for the judges. Afterwards, each bartender explained the inspiration behind his creation to the audience (see videos below) and fielded questions from the judges and guests alike.

As the judges retired to the hotel's wood-paneled reading room to have their score sheets tallied, Xavier Herit -- the bartender from the iconic three Michelin Star-rated restaurant Daniel in New York -- took command of the bar during his very first visit to D.C. Honoring The Jefferson's commitment to hospitality, Xavier prepared dozens of his signature "White Cosmopolitans" for the audience and his fellow bartenders using ice-encrusted orchids he had packed in dry ice and brought all the way from the Big Apple.




Alas, while six entered, only one bartender was to emerge victorious that day. And Duane Sylvestre from the Four Seasons Hotel's Bourbon Steak restaurant and lounge in Georgetown took the top prize with his "Stained Glass" cocktail, inspired, in part at least, by a sunburn:




Duane won a $500 cash prize, an overnight stay at The Jefferson complete with a 7-course tasting menu dinner (including wine pairings), and his "Stained Glass" cocktail will be featured on the menu at Quill for the next two weeks.

The motto at Quill is "elevating the cocktail culture of Washington, D.C." With the success of its first mixology competition, we think Quill is well on its way!

-DPS

Adam Bernbach, Bar Manager at Proof and Estadio
"Timba"

Carlton McCoy, Assistant Manager and Sommelier at Sou'Wester
"Ecto-Cooler"

Sal Aldana, Bartender at CityZen
"Basil Maiden"

FIRST RUNNER-UP: Clinton Terry, Head Bartender at PX
"Sous Vide Sandia"

Patrick Owens, Head Bartender at Jaleo
"Stockholm Syndrome"