Hilltop Kitchen Barman Wendell Bagby Wins at First-Ever Tacoma Craft Cocktail Mix-off

Wendell Bagby of Hilltop Kitchen poses with Ian MacNeil, founder of Glass Distillery, who donated a bottle of an unreleased spirit from Glass Distillery as part of the prize package.

 

Submitted by Provenance Hotels

Bartenders pose with Glass Distillery founder Ian MacNeil at the closing of the Tacoma Craft Cocktail Mix-Off.
Bartenders competed in Tacoma’s first-ever Craft Cocktail Mix-Off.

Shakers down! The first-ever Tacoma Craft Cocktail Mix-Off at Hotel Murano came to a convivial close last night as Wendell Bagby of Hilltop Kitchen took home both the Best in Bar award given by the esteemed judges and the People’s Choice Award, chosen by secret ballot by the attendees of the event on August 6, 2015.

Mr. Bagby’s winning cocktail was the Wendell Smash, a summery concoction featuring Seattle’s Sun Liquor Silver Rum, Seattle’s Oda Chili Pepper Vodka, Zestful Gardens Cordial and orgeat.

Tacoma’s top bartending brass brought their “A” game with a wide variety of craft creations. Colin Smith of Dirty Oscar’s Annex offered up the Wanderlust, a cocktail using Bainbridge Heritage Organic Gin from Bainbridge Island; a lemon, peach and raspberry cordial, blueberry lavender honey syrup, rhubarb bitters and an egg white. Bite Restaurant’s own Karen Nieto mixed up the Broadway Berry, a champagne cocktail featuring a house seasonal berry simple syrup and incorporating cherry, apricot and orange flavors.

Judges Bennish Brown (left), President and CEO of the Tacoma CVB and Allen Cox, Editor in Chief of Northwest Travel Magazine, sample the bartenders’ creations amid the crowd at the Tacoma Craft Cocktail Mix-Off.
Judges sample the bartenders’ creations amid the crowd at the Tacoma Craft Cocktail Mix-Off.

Jason Alexander of Tacoma Cabana mixed up the Midsummer Night’s Sling, a riff on a Singapore Sling that included a punch, Heritage Gin, Heritage Rye and ginger. Kricket Callgahan-Wissler of The Forum created the Smoked Cherry-Walnut Bourbon Sour, using JP Trodden Whiskey of Woodenville along with Beaumont Cherry Juice, walnut bitters and her own smoked cherry citrus bitters. Ms. Callgahan-Wissler finished the cocktail off with a perfume of real smoke.

Allen Cox, Editor in Chief of Northwest Travel Magazine; Bennish Brown, President and CEO of the Tacoma Regional CVB and Ian MacNeil, founder of Glass Distillery graced the judges table. The panel visited each bartender’s station, asking questions and observing technique while the competitor prepared each a cocktail. Bite Restaurant’s own Chef Matt Stickle was Master of Ceremonies, detailing the audience on each bartender’s background and technique.

Wendell Bagby of Hilltop Kitchen poses with Ian MacNeil, founder of Glass Distillery, who donated a bottle of an unreleased spirit from Glass Distillery as part of the prize package.
Wendell Bagby of Hilltop Kitchen took home judge’s and people’s choice awards.

About 90 event-goers snacked on appetizers from Bite Restaurant and enjoyed cocktails while observing the competition, and then visited each station for a sample-size version of each specially-created beverage. Each guest was given a ballot to cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award.

The People’s Choice Award was a gift basket provided by Heritage Distilling, while the Best in Bar awards was a two-night stay at Portland’s Sentinel, a sister hotel to Hotel Murano.