Santa Teresa Rum, Venezuela's Oldest Rum Producer, Announces 12 Finalists of the First-Ever "Sip a Nightcap" Cocktail Competition

12 Ace Bartenders Spotlight Santa Teresa "1796" Solera Aged Rum as the Star Spirit in Their Nightcap Cocktails to Win a Trip to Venezuela

News provided by

Hanna Lee Communications, Inc.

Aug 20, 2013, 02:40 ET

NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Santa Teresa, Venezuela's oldest rum producer with a family heritage dating two centuries, today announces the 12 bartender finalists of its first-ever "Sip a Nightcap" Cocktail Competition. The competition is hosted by Hanna Lee Communications, Inc., an award-winning agency specialized in spirits, food, wine, and lifestyle PR and social media marketing. The star of the competition is Santa Teresa "1796" Solera Aged Rum, a premier sipping rum that shines as the base spirit of nightcap cocktails.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130820/FL66860 )

The 12 finalists are, in alphabetical order: Brian Miller (formerly of Death & Co), Dev Johnson (Employees Only), Juan Coronado (ThinkFoodGroup), Kelvin Uffre (Maison Premiere), Lucinda Sterling (Middle Branch), Meaghan Dorman (Raines Law Room), Moses Laboy (American Whiskey and Los Americanos), Nana Shimosegawa (Angel's Share), Nick Nistico (American Cut NYC), Robert Krueger (Extra Fancy), Tonia Guffey (DRAM) and Will Peet (The NoMad and Gin Palace). They will compete at the competition finals in New York City on August 27, 2013 at Lafayette, owned by chef/restaurateur Andrew Carmellini.

The final competition will be judged by distinguished spirits/cocktail luminaries: Dale DeGroff (The Museum of the American Cocktail), Michael Neff (The Rum House and Ward III) and Leo Robitschek (The NoMad Hotel and Eleven Madison Park); Alberto Vollmer, Chairman and CEO, Santa Teresa Rum and a fifth-generation member of the family behind the distillery; and Nestor Ortega, Master Distiller, Santa Teresa Rum. Prizes include a weeklong educational trip to Venezuela, as well as cash prizes.

"We were humbled by the number, quality and creativity of the recipe submissions. I think we struck a chord with bartenders by offering a competition with a nightcap theme," says Vollmer, Chairman and CEO, Santa Teresa Rum. "As Venezuela's oldest family-owned rum producer, we're delighted by the contestants' use of Santa Teresa '1796,' which is such a great sipping rum to wind down the night. I'm looking forward to seeing the finalists in action in New York later this month. Given the level of talent competing, I'm sure they'll bring their A games!"

"This first-ever nightcap cocktail competition has awakened bartenders to the possibilities of this tipple and inspired them to create a new generation of late night sippers. We see Santa Teresa '1796' Rum being on the forefront of the nightcap's revival," says Hanna Lee, president and founder, Hanna Lee Communications. "Let's all sip a nightcap!"

A nightcap is generally an aged spirit sipped neat or a straightforward cocktail made with such a spirit. It takes its name from an actual antique article of clothing used to keep sleepers' heads warm at night, which these cocktails purportedly do as well. They are also a seamless way to "cap off" a night's festivities.

About Santa Teresa Rum
Santa Teresa is Venezuela's oldest producer of award-winning blended and aged rums and its rum-making heritage extends for more than 200 years. Independently owned and operated by the fifth generation of the Vollmer family, the company is committed to producing best-of-class rums in a way that sustains the social fabric of its local communities. Hacienda Santa Teresa, the estate where the company's rums are produced, is located in the Aragua Valley, Venezuela's most revered area for cultivating sugarcane. Master Distiller Nestor Ortega takes a very traditional approach to his craft and believes there are no shortcuts to creating quality rums. In the U.S., Santa Teresa sells a range of blended and aged rums, including Santa Teresa "1796," its flagship sipping rum; Santa Teresa Selecto and Santa Teresa Gran Reserva, which are premium mixing rums; as well as Santa Teresa Claro, a fine blend of aged and young rums. Santa Teresa Rum leads the market in its native Venezuela. Ranked the Top 5 best-selling super-premium rum producer worldwide by the IWSR, the company exports to Spain, Italy, Chile, the U.K. and the U.S. For more information, please visit www.ronsantateresa.com, "friend" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/santa.rum and follow us on Twitter at @santateresausa.