Vehí takes Gin Mare crown

Manel Vehí of beach bar Boia Nit in the Girona province of Spain, has won the fifth Gin Mare Mediterranean Inspirations cocktail competition at the Vila Mare in Ibiza, Spain.

Vehí triumphed against five other international competitors to win a prize of €4,500, with second place Mirco Turconi of Mag Café in Milan, Italy winning €2,500, and Daniel Oliver Warren of Strait & Narrow, Lincoln, UK, taking third place and a cheque for €1,000. 
 
Vehí’s winning cocktails were: Gin Kontos: Gin Mare, 1724 tonic water with seaweed and fennel and garnished with oyster and lemon zest; Cinque Terre: Gin Mare, carrot juice, coconut milk, lime and Ras el Hanout; and Azahar: Gin Mare infused with Madagascar peppers, rhubarb juice and a combination of teas made with Azahar water.
 
The judging panel was formed of Jorge Balbontín, brand development manager of Vantguard; Jonathan Armengol, gastronomy critic; Gareth Evans, bar manager of Blind Pig at Social Eating House; Lachlan Deab Miller, winner of the Australian/Asiatic Mediterranean Inspirations; Stuart Bale, mixologist at Strange Hill and chef Ramón Freixa.