The Maison Hennessy Selects Two Malaysian Bartenders As Grand Prize Winners in #HennessyMyWay Cocktail Challenge

Bartenders from Around the World Competed for a Coveted Place in Top 5. The world’s most luxurious cognac has selected their final winners of the #HennessyMyWay 2022 challenge. Amongst the Global Top 5 are, not one, but two bartenders representing Malaysia – Rolend Ten of Backdoor Bodega, Penang, and Chloe Tan of Cabinet 8 by JWC in Johor. 

The Maison Hennessy Selects Two Malaysian Bartenders As Grand Prize Winners in #HennessyMyWay Cocktail Challenge 

Receiving over 500 entries worldwide, the judging panel shortlisted 40 winners to compete for a lucrative spot in the Top 5. A tasting session took place in Cognac, France at the Maison Hennessy by a panel of judges including Hennessy Global Brand Ambassador, Jordan Bushell. Renaud Fillioux de Gironde, 8th generation Hennessy Master Blender, also involved in the tasting session aligned with the panel judges on their selection of the five winners.

Chloe Tan, Cabinet 8 by JWC

“Our Malaysian bartenders have performed exceptionally in the final stage of the competition, and we are thrilled to see their hard work pay off. Seeing two of the five spots taking home the grand prize being homegrown talents is a difficult feat to accomplish,” says Nausicaa Charrier, Marketing Director of Moët Hennessy Diageo Malaysia & Singapore.

“That simply reflects the immense talent amongst the Malaysian bartenders - both men and women bartenders. They take their craft seriously and perform on a level that is on par with the world when it comes to creating expressive cocktails, adds Charrier.

Chloe Tan also emerged as the only lady bartender to earn the coveted Global Top 5, putting another feather in the cap to affirm Malaysia’s talent pool in creating expressive cocktails.

Rolend Ten, backdoor Bodega

Rolend Ten, of Backdoor Bodega, who previously won for his aperitif highball “Cassa(no)va Highball”, continues his gastronomic experience with a two-ingredient digestif called “The Hennessy Co(r)nnection”. The sweet and buttery taste of the corn is the perfect pair to enhance the fruity caramel notes of Hennessy VSOP. His winning cocktail also features an innovative servicing ritual that involves making ‘ketupat’ out of strained corn puree solids, and a crisp and nutty corn cob tea to cleanse the palate as a finisher.

Chloe Tan from Cabinet 8 by JWC’s continuation of the winning refreshing and fizzy, chocolate truffle topped “See Trust” is aptly called “Loco Coco”, celebrating the local cacao from her hometown of Pahang, Malaysia. Served in a cacao husk, the cocktail is zero waste incorporating all parts of the cacao fruit. “Loco Coco” tastes of delicious smoky melting chocolate with notes of honey and a hint of citrus to compliment the dark chocolate and toffee notes of Hennessy XO.

Winners will each receive 2000 EUROS in addition to the 1200 EUROS won at the previous stages of the competition. They will also receive a luxury trip of their choosing to either a Hennessy experience in Cognac, France, or a VIP NBA experience.

Watch Rolend and Chloe create their winning Hennessy sustainable cocktails here https://bit.ly/HennessyMyWay3

Enthusiasts can head over to the respective bars, Backdoor Bodega in Penang and Cabinet 8 by JWC in Johor to try the winning cocktails and follow Hennessy Malaysia’s official Facebook page for exciting updates:  https://www.facebook.com/HennessyMalaysia/

#HennessyMyWay #HennessyMY Drink Responsibly