Tequila Casa Dragones hosted the grand finale of their prestigious cocktail bartender competition, Jamming Sessions 2024, in their breathtaking home in the UNESCO heritage site of San Miguel de Allende in celebration of the art of mixology. Bartenders throughout Mexico and the U.S. were challenged to create an original Casa Dragones Blanco cocktail inspired by "The Spirit of San Miguel" and submit a video for their Jamming Sessions submission. Handshake Speakeasy (named #1 World’s Best Bar by World’s 50 Best 2024) then recreated all the recipes, tasted them and narrowed them down to eight finalists.
The Jamming Sessions cocktail competition was hosted in the exquisite courtyard of Casa Dragones’ award-winning home La Casa Dragones. After two rounds of competition, Mexico-based David Montes, bartender at Candil Agave Bar in Zadún Ritz-Carlton, was crowned the winner to hold the title of Champion of the 2024 Casa Dragones Jamming Sessions.
David’s winning cocktail, Recreo (inspired by La Casa Dragones' address), is made with Casa Dragones Blanco, prickly pear cordial, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and dill, and was selected by a panel of esteemed judges, including mixologists from North America’s 50 Best Bars such as José Luis León from Licorería Limantour in Mexico City (#32 on The World’s Best Bars List) and Fabiola Padilla from Bekeb in San Miguel de Allende #27 on North America’s Best Bars List). For the final round, bartenders showcased Casa Dragones Blanco’s tasting notes by creating a “house cocktail” that could be served at La Casa Dragones’ private events. The judges evaluated each cocktail on the following criteria: presentation, ingredients, originality, and inspiration.
After being named 2024 Champion, Montes shared, “It was an honor to be recognized by Casa Dragones, a spirit I’ve admired for years, and by Bertha herself.” He continues, “Being in San Miguel and experiencing the beauty of La Casa Dragones provided natural inspiration for the Recreo.” First and second-place winners receive cash prizes while the winner is welcomed back for a Bartender Residency in San Miguel de Allende for 2025.
“We’re very proud to support and honor our bartender community,” says Bertha González Nieves. She adds, “These talented mixologists share our passion for crafting signature cocktails, and we’ve loved seeing how La Casa Dragones in San Miguel de Allende has inspired their creativity.” Through Jamming Sessions, Casa Dragones inspires the confluence of ideas in the bar world, continuing to unite an international community of bartenders while fostering connections over a mutual love for tequila and Mexico.
For more information on Casa Dragones, visit casadragones.com and to stay updated on future opportunities, events and happenings, follow @casadragones.
ABOUT CASA DRAGONES
Founded and led by CEO Bertha González Nieves, the first female Maestra Tequilera, Tequila Casa Dragones is a small batch producer known for its ultra-premium sipping tequilas. Launched in 2009 in Mexico, Casa Dragones has four uniquely smooth tequila expressions. Casa Dragones Joven has a complex, smooth taste that is perfect for sipping and pairing with food, while Casa Dragones Blanco’s crisp, agave-forward taste is perfect for craft cocktails and on the rocks. Casa Dragones Añejo Barrel Blend is the result of aging their tequila in two styles of new wood casks, then blending to achieve its distinctive, rich character. Their most recent expression, Casa Dragones Mizunara, 100% Blue Agave Reposado sipping tequila, is the first tequila rested exclusively in Mizunara casks, a rare oak native to Japan and traditionally used for aging Japanese whiskies. Casa Dragones’ mission is to be part of the tequila producers shaping the industry for the future through innovation, modern, sustainable production and Mexican craftsmanship. The name Casa Dragones is inspired by the legendary Dragones cavalry who ignited Mexico’s Independence Movement of 1810. La Casa Dragones in San Miguel de Allende is the historic 17th century stables of the cavalry, now transformed into a luxurious four-bedroom home and showcase of Mexican design. San Miguel de Allende, Casa Dragones’ spiritual home, is also home to Casa Dragones Tasting Room, also known as the “World’s Smallest Tequila Bar.” Casa Dragones is available online at www.casadragones.com and throughout the U.S., Mexico and select markets in Europe.
ABOUT JAMMING SESSIONS & THE BARTENDER EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Jamming Sessions originally debuted in 2015 in San Miguel de Allende as an event that paired chefs and bartenders together in order to “jam” and create collaborative cocktails. Transformed to focus primarily on the bar community, Jamming Sessions is the flagship cocktail competition of Casa Dragones’ Bartender Exchange Program, an initiative designed to foster an international community of industry professionals, bartenders and mixologists that share a passion for Mexico and tequila. Launched in 2020, the Bartender Exchange Program celebrates the interchange of knowledge, experience and expertise between bartenders from Mexico, the United States and the rest of the world.
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