Kuala Lumpur set the scene for the MONIN Cup APAC Finals 2018 on 24th October in the glitzy Deep Blue bar on the top floor of Face Suites, where 13 finalists from across Asia Pacific battled it out for a position in the top three heading to the Worldwide Final in Paris in December.
The competitors included:
- Ayano Yoshimoto, The New Otani – JAPAN
- Kelham Waterfield, The Duke of Clarence – AUSTRALIA
- I Gede Mas Agung Satria Wibawa, Finns Beach Club – INDONESIA
- Dedsakda Thianthong, Vesper Cocktail Bar – THAILAND
- Ivon Soon, Berjaya University – MALAYSIA
- Son Seok Ju, Coffee Bar K – SOUTH KOREA
- Chang Yue Shuen, Antidote – SINGAPORE
- La Tat Hoany Duy, The Light House Bar – VIETNAM
- Nyan Min, The Envoy Bar & Restaurant – MYANMAR
- Thiy Kimhiv, Les Cocktail Bar – CAMBODIA
- Ronald Ahlen DC Pelayo – Raffles and Fairmont Hotel Makati – PHILIPPINES
- Hafizuddin bin Sedik @ Dino, Consultant at Haus bartending – MALAYSIA
- James Campbell, Betty’s Function House & Bar – NEW ZEALAND
At the end of a long day, Nyan Min from Myanmar took first place, with Son Seok Jun from South Korea as first runner-up, and our own ‘Dino’ Hafizuddin bin Sedik clinching second runner-up.
Judging the event was Isadora Chai, head chef of Bistro à Table; Tron Young, founder of the Bar Awards; Holly Graham, editor of DRiNK Magazine Asia; Adam Bursik, bar manager of Origin Bar; as well as the famous Hidetsugu Ueno, founder of the highly awarded Bar High Five in Tokyo.
Competitors went through two rounds, first was Mix Your Origins, where all 13 bartenders recreated the drinks that won their national MONIN Cup competitions using their local ingredients together with MONIN’s versatile products and flavours. Check them out below:
Japon de Sucre – Ayano Yoshimoto, JAPAN
10ml Le Frappe de MONIN Matcha Green Tea
15ml MONIN White Chocolate syrup
10ml MONIN Salted Pistachio syrup
20ml Suntory HIBIKI Japanese Harmony
20ml soy milk
Garnish: Matcha powder, pistachio, MONIN White Chocolate sauce, gold leaf, maple leaves.
Last Call – Kelham Waterfield, AUSTRALIA
15ml MONIN Honeycomb syrup
45ml Brix Light Rum, Queensland infused banana
15ml Australian homemade sweetened milk
20ml Australia Mr Black Coffee Liqueur
Pinch of Murray River pink salt
Garnish: large banana and honeycomb
Seduction – I Gede Mas Agung Satria Wibawa, INDONESIA
50ml Le Fruit de MONIN Passionfruit
10ml MONIN Falernum syrup
40ml vodka
30ml calamansi puree
15ml tamarind juice
30ml orange juice
10ml fresh galangal juice
120ml honey
3 whole eggs
45l fresh ginger juice
Garnish: ratna flower
Fon (Rain) – Dedsakda Thianthong, THAILAND
15ml MONIN Pina Colada syrup
30ml Thai white spirit
5ml Japanese vermouth
50ml coconut water
45ml jasmine oolong tonic
3 drops citric acid
2 drops saline solution
5-6pcs Thai lemon basil
Garnish: Thai lemon basil leaf and water jelly
Bayu Kenyalang – Ivon Soon, MALAYSIA
10ml MONIN Spicy Mango syrup
5ml MONIN Elderflower syrup
30ml Bambangan juice
30ml Sarawak tuak
30ml gin
15ml calamansi juice
5 drops spicy sesame oil
1 egg white
2pcs kaffir lime leaves
Garnish: edible flowers
Harmonin – Son Seok Ju, SOUTH KOREA
15ml MONIN Cucumber syrup
10ml Le Fruit de MONIN Yuzu
30ml Tanqueray no.10 gin
30ml Korean cold noodle meat stock
10ml fresh lime juice
2 dash celery bitters
Garnish: cucumber and pomegranate
Lucky Bee – Chang Yue Shuen, SINGAPORE
30ml MONIN Cucumber syrup
45ml Bombay Gin
30ml Alfresh pink guava juice
25ml Alfresh lime juice
15ml Aquafaba
Garnish: bee hive white chocolate and chocolate bee
Twilight – Le Tat Hoang Duy, VIETNAM
20ml Le Fruit de MONIN Peach
15ml MONIN Osmanthus syrup
45ml rum
30ml passionfruit juice
10ml lime juice
Garnish: jasmine flower
Corn Mojito – Nyan Min, MYANMAR
45ml Captain Morgan Dark Rum
45ml Bayanegra red wine
10ml MONIN Mango fruit mix
10ml MONIN Passionfruit syrup
5ml vanilla syrup
15ml fresh lime juice
5pcs local fresh mango
Garnish: orange peel and mint leaves
Kampot Mary – Thy Kimhiv, CAMBODIA
15ml MONIN Cinnamon syrup
45ml vodka
15ml fresh lemon juice
Black pepper
Fresh cucumber
Pinch of salt
Garnish: fresh cucumber, cinnamon stick, and fresh mint leaves
Puso – Ronald Ahlen DC Pelayo, PHILLIPINES
20ml MONIN White Chocolate syrup
10ml MONIN Vanilla syrup
30ml Bourbon whiskey
30ml brewed coffee
30ml fresh mango juice
1-2 sprig tarragon leaves
Garnish: white chocolate marble, tarragon leaves, mango cubes, vanilla stick, and chocolate bitters.
Kiss Me Later – Hafizuddin bin Sedik @ Dino, MALAYSIA
15ml MONIN Caramel syrup
10ml MONIN Popcorn syrup
4bsp Le Frappe de MONIN Matcha Green tea
50ml vodka
20ml durian liquor
50ml half and half
Garnish: glutinous rice
Nesian Voyager – James Campbell, NEW ZEALAND
30ml MONIN Watermelon syrup
30ml MONIN Peach Tea syrup
30ml spiced rum
30ml coconut cream
30ml lemon juice
Garnish: dehydrated banana
After this round was the mystery box challenge, where the top six bartenders would continue to create a cocktail using pre-selected surprise ingredients. Based on the scores from the first round, I Gede Mas Agung Satria Wibawa (Indonesia), Son Seok Ju (South Korea), Chang Yue Shuen (Singapore), Nyan Min (Myanmar), Hafizuddin bin Sedik @ Dino (Malaysia), and James Campbell (New Zealand) progressed through to the next challenge.
Thinking quickly on their feet, the six bartenders disappeared to build their new cocktails, which produced some interesting results – see for yourself:
Watermelon Smash – Chang Yue Shuen, SINGAPORE
6pcs watermelon
25ml lemon juice
30ml toasted marshmallow
60ml Nusa Cana rum
25ml Le Fruit de MONIN Pineapple puree
Garnish: marshmallow
Mangga Pedas – Hafizuddin bin Sedik @ Dino, MALAYSIA
20ml MONIN Spicy Mango syrup
20ml fresh lime juice
4pcs chopped red chilis
5pcs kaffir lime leaves
50ml Nusa Cana rum
Garnish: red chili slice and kaffir lime leaves
Love Potion no.1 – I Gede Mas Agung Satria Wibawa, INDONESIA
45ml London no.1 gin
30ml MONIN Lychee Fruit Mix
15ml MONIN Yuzu Fruit Mix
10ml lemon juice
2pcs kaffir leaf
Garnish: dried orange
Kiwiana – James Campbell, NEW ZEALAND
50ml MONIN Kiwi Fruit Mix
20ml lemon juice
30ml gin
Whole egg white
Tonic top up
Garnish: dried pineapple
Burma Breeze – Nyan Min, MYANMAR
45ml London no.1 gin
10ml MONIN Pink Grapefruit syrup
10ml MONIN Hibiscus syrup
20ml fresh lemon juice
3 curry leaves
Garnish: curry leaves and hibiscus
Fire M – Son Seok Ju (SOUTH KOREA)
45ml London Dry Gin
15ml MONIN Apricot Brandy syrup
15ml MONIN Orange Spritz syrup
5ml MONIN Habanero Lime syrup
30ml fresh orange juice
Garnish: orange and thyme
Ultimately the top three spots went to Hafizuddin bin Sedik @ Dino (Malaysia), Son Seok Ju (South Korea), and Nyan Min (Myanmar), in ascending order. They will represent their respective countries on the 11th and 12th of December at the Global Finals in Paris.
- T -