Lexus CFW Pre-Party/Charleston’s Next Top Cocktail Competition
The Lexus Charleston Fashion Week pre-party/ Next Top Cocktail competition at Republic was one for the books this year! There was amazing food, gorgeous fashions and of course delicious cocktails.
We love every thing about Charleston Fashion Week but we are the “Curly Ladies who talk Cocktails Daily, so we want to spend time talking about the 6 cocktails that were up for the title of Charleston’s Next Top Cocktail.
The first two cocktails were presented by Steven Huddleston of Prohibition. The Ciroc Mango cocktail called, the “Charleston Washout” was a beautiful blue color and was garnished with palmetto leaves that represented the Holy City. It’s was a beautiful cocktail and it tasted just as good as it looked!
His second cocktail made with Crown Royal Vanilla, was named “Early Morning Roll Call” included barrel aged cold brew coffee, chocolate walnut bitters, Crème de Cocoa and Tolerance liqueur; garnished with 3 barrel aged coffee beans. It was just like all of Steven’s cocktails…. Yummy and creative!
Ryan Welliver of Cocktail Club created a coconut milk based cocktail called “Kid that Can’t Read Good”. The Ciroc Mango cocktail brought savory sesame seed oil and sweet flavors together with ease! He also used these wonderful geisha glasses that were perfect for his Asian inspired cocktail. 
Keith Gasque of Cherrywood BBQ, made a Ciroc Spicy Mango Mule. The sugar-cured jalapenos paired well with the mango notes from the vodka… and we love ANYTHING with spice. It was a Moscow Mule with a makeover.
Mimi Welmeth of the Cocktail Club made this incredible cocktail with Crown Vanilla called “The Red Stiletto” and it was as sexy as it sounds. This drink also included a house made brandied cordial, lemon juice, and was topped with lavender & thyme foam. The lavender flower and thyme garnish were the perfect accent to such a beautiful, aromatic and delicious cocktail. 
Last, but certainly not least, Katie Daniel of Poogans Smoke House curated a Crown Royal vanilla cocktail named the “Charleston Crown Affair.” This spirit forward cocktail included local Amaro and tart cherry saffron bitters. It was very balanced and garnished with an orange crown and brandied cherry. It felt like sipping royalty. Haha!
After the cocktails were made, the bartenders made special samples of each drink for the guests of the party… Nice touch!
The 5 bartenders worked really hard on their presentations. It was obvious because the judges had to deliberated for quite some time choosing the winners. (But, it had to be done!)
The pre-party was a success! There were emerging designers that will be participating on the runway, gorgeous designs, and of course cocktails on cocktails on cocktails!! The judges had a hard time choosing from all of those fantastic drinks the bartenders created but the winner can’t be announced until Fashion week which is March 14-18, 2017. See you then! #charlestonfashionweek
www.crownroyal.com www.charlestonfashionweek.com www.republicreign.com www.ciroc.com
