The National Cocktail Championships and Bartender Awards were held on February 9th last in Limerick. Hosted by the Bartenders Association of Ireland, the awards recognise the expertise of Ireland’s mixologists.

Among the winners on the night was Adare Manor, which picked up an unprecedented six awards. Resident mixologist Aerial Sanecki received three awards including the overall National Cocktail Champion gong. Finbarr Collins was recognised for Best Cocktail Garnish, Skirmantas Lelys received the award for Best Junior Bartender, and Aaron Flynn managed 2nd place in the National Students Cocktail competition.

Ariel’s cocktail, Japanese Garden, features an unusual mix of ingredients – Star of Bombay Gin, sake, fresh lime, rice milk, yazu puree and matcha green tea syrup, served in a round glass bowl. He joined the Adare Manor team in August 2017 for the reopening of the hotel following extensive refurbishment, tasked with creating new and exciting ideas for the grand opening.

We are delighted for Ariel, Skirmantas, Finbar and Aaron, and the wider Adare Manor team. Ariel’s passion and reputation for crafting the perfect cocktail and his boundless creativity inform his work at Adare Manor,” said General Manager Paul Heery. “From new twists on traditional favourites to ever-changing menus of seasonal cocktails, many of Ariel’s creations feature special ingredients sourced from Adare Manor’s own gardens and grounds. Ariel and his team have a lot of interesting cocktails, which they will exclusively unveil to Adare Manor guests over the months ahead.”