COINTREAU ANNOUNCES SOUTH AFRICA WINNER OF THE 4TH EDITION  OF ITS MARGARITA CHALLENGE

April 2024 — Following the resounding success of the 2023 edition, which commemorated the Margarita’s 75th anniversary and garnered over 1,200 recipe submissions globally, this year’s Margarita Challenge introduced a fresh theme: capturing the essence of the bartender’s city.  

The Margarita, a cocktail icon unchanged since its creation by Margaret Sames in 1948, is traditionally made with Cointreau, blanco tequila, fresh lime juice, and a salt rim. This timeless drink has inspired countless variations over the years, but, as Sames once famously said, “A Margarita without Cointreau is not worth its salt.”  

For this edition, bartenders around the world were tasked to craft Margaritas that sublimated the original recipe with flavours reminiscent of their home towns. This fusion aims to celebrate global cultures and identities, inviting participants to incorporate local ingredients, methods, and storytelling into their concoctions and encouraging innovation and individuality. With the latest iteration of the Margarita Challenge, Cointreau, the iconic orange liqueur brand established in 1849, continues to champion creativity, modernity, and craftsmanship in the cocktail world.  

This year’s edition of the challenge saw expectations exceeded and records broken, with 79 markets involved, 2086 recipes gathered and 15 markets organising a local competition.  

To determine the winner of the South African leg of the challenge, 10 finalists came together over the course of two events – at the Time Out Market in Cape Town on 12th April and Sin + Tax bar in Joburg on 14th April – to impress the judges with their skill. The finalists from around South Africa were: Richie Nahkala; Albre Marais; Liam Gustafson; Eugene Komane; Simphiwe Ndaba; Liam Jukes; Nicole Wasserfall; Thabiso Mabanna; Jason Bezuidenhout; and Fortune Munyonga.  

Announced as the ultimate champion of the 10 was Albre Marais (@albre_marais) from Insur(gin)ce in Memel (@insurgince). His winning cocktail ‘Jardin au Verre’ wowed the judges with its originality and for capturing the spirit of Cointreau while demonstrating innovation and creativity. Combining 45ml Priquila (Prickly Pear Reposado Style Spirit), with 30ml Cointreau, 20ml Raspberry Shrub and 15ml Green Peach and Brandy Cordial, his cocktail offered a fruity twist on the time-honoured favourite.  

He is thrilled to have been chosen as SA’s winner, and will be vying for a spot at the Global Finals in the ‘Wild Card’ or ‘Rookie of the Year’ slots, the winners of which are hand selected by a global jury.

“I’m proud to have been selected as South Africa’s winner – we have a vibrant bar scene and I think our welcoming culture brings a unique approach to bartending. I’m keen to show this off to a global audience and judges,” he says.  

 Caitlin Hill, Remy Cointreau On-Trade Portfolio Ambassador for the AMEI region and one of the event judges says of the standard of entries: “We had a lot of entries for the region – there’s been remarkable interest shown. And a really high level of mixology across the entrants. We’re really happy to name Albre as the ultimate SA winner, and look forward to seeing what he does next, hopefully up against some of the world’s best!”

The 10 global finalists will be announced in May, with the grand finale set for June 2024, and the Grand Prize winner to be crowned in June 2024.  These elite contenders will compete in France, experiencing three immersive days of French art de vivre in Paris and Angers.

Following three intense challenges, the winner will be announced, securing a trip for two to France and a sponsored tour to promote their innovative Margarita in a Cointreau-curated selection of top cocktail bars.  

For more info on the Global Margarita Challenge and to follow the finals please visit https://www.cointreau.com/ 

@cointreau  @cointreau_za   

#CointreauChangesEverything #MargaritaChallenge

For more information and to organise interviews please contact emma@narrativepr.co.za  For images please see here.  

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About Cointreau 

Iconic orange liqueur creator and cocktail pioneer, Maison Cointreau was founded in 1849 in Angers, France. The brand’s heritage as a liqueur distiller lives on today at the heart of more than 500 cocktails, including the original Margarita and Cosmopolitan. Cointreau liqueur’s distinctive character is the result of the meticulous selection, harmony, and distillation of sweet and bitter orange peel essences, a task entrusted to Maison Cointreau’s Master Distiller, Carole Quinton. Unique and boasting exceptional organoleptic qualities, it’s a staple for bartenders and at-home cocktail enthusiasts around the world.

Visit www.cointreau.com and follow them on Instagram for more. 

By:Sanele Makubo

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