DON JULIO STARBACK 2024

BARTENDER Magazine is grateful to be a part of the Starback 2024 Competition sponsored by Don Julio.  This was our second year being a part of the competition and it was huge success!

This year, we did eight total stops around the country where one winner would bartend Hollywood’s Biggest night with Global Bartending Champion, Charles Joly!  One finalist from New York, Chicago, Tampa, Phoenix, Columbus, Atlanta, San Francisco, and Austin would compete in the finals in NYC!

This year’s competition was not only bigger but also had new fun and engaging rounds for each competitor to showcase their creativity with Don Julio Tequilas.

For the first round in the regionals, the competitors had to make a “Daytime style” cocktail using Don Julio Rosado, which was a great way to kick off the competition.  Next, they were asked to make a cocktail with the newest member of the Don Julio Family, Don Julio Alma Miel!  Finally, their last drink had to be a “high-energy” cocktail featuring Don Julio 1942!  After these three cocktails were made our amazing judges at each location tallied up the scores and named a winner.

These winners were: 

Ivan Toxqui, NYC
Santiago Cobar, Chicago
Ki Choe, Tampa
Brenda Juarez, Phoenix
Michael Ching, Columbus
Orestes Cruz, Atlanta
Dakota Davis, San Francisco
Bridget Kimbell, Austin

Each of these amazing finalists was flown to NYC to compete at the World Famous, Dead Rabbit!

For the finals, our amazing finalists were tasked with three final rounds and judged by an incredible crew.  BARTENDER Magazine’s own, Jackie Foley, Charles Joly and the 2023 Starback Winner, Tia Barrett!

The stage was set and round one challenged each competitor on their speed and efficiency as they had to make a Don Julio Blanco Marg, Don Julio Repo Paloma, and a Don Julio Anejo Old Fashioned.  For round two, the finalists were able to showcase themselves in the glass as they were allowed to use the full Don Julio Portfolio to make their own original cocktail.  Finally, to prep them for the grand prize, they were asked to make an award-worthy cocktail using Don Julio 1942.  The judges tasted some incredible cocktails throughout the finals but there could only be on winner and Orestes Cruz from Atlanta was crowned the Starback 2024 Winner!

Thank you to everyone who helped bring this to life and to all who competed and judges around the country.  We at BARTENDER are so grateful to have met so many amazing people during this competition and hope to see them all again very soon.  Special thanks to Adrienne Smith, Lisa Petrella, Charles Joly, Tia Barrett, The Hunter PR Team and Don Julio Brand Team at Diageo.