Licor 43 Bartender and Barista Challenge 2024

This year, 2024, was the eighth edition of this annual competition, which invites bartenders and baristas around the world to showcase their professional skills and creativity in the art of pairing Licor 43 liquor and coffee. It was also the first year in which the global competition final was held in the brand's hometown of Cartagena, Spain. And in another first, a strong educational focus ran across the two days with a series of industry-leading workshops and seminars on topics as diverse as cocktail clarification techniques from 2022 winner Yefferson Avila, Alternative Flavour Creation from Iain McPherson and coffee techniques from Merijn Gijsbers.

The competition was once again hosted by Gavin Wrigley, Director of Education at the European Bartender School, and on the judging panel were
Ian McPherson - Innovator of the Year 2024, and owner of Panda & Sons cocktail bar
Chris Leavitt - 14 year bar industry veteran turned content creator and consultant
Merijn Gijsbers - Former World Barista Champion, authorized SCA trainer and independent Barista Consultant
Gabriela Wong - the 2023 Licor 43 Bartenders & Baristas Champion

We had the pleasure of joining the competitors and judges in Cartagena to experience the competition up close. Many thanks to everyone involved and congratulations to all the finalists for winning their national heats and giving it their all at the global final!

Winner - Julia Engel, Germany

Julia wins a trip to a BCB fair, as well as being invited to take her place on next year's judging panel and become the Licor 43 Coffee Master 2024.

With: A Day In Life
20 ml Licor 43 Original
20 ml Bokma Oude Friesche Genever
15 ml Hörner Pinot Noir Rosé 2021
30 ml Candy Crush hand brew filter coffee DAK Coffee Roasters
4 drops 20% salt solution
2 dashes Cardamom bitters
Cocktail preparation: Add ingredients into shaker, throw all ingredients with ice and fine strain into chilled rocks glass with big cut ice cubes. Squeeze orange zest over glass, discard, enjoy.

Coffee Preparation:
Coffee used: Candy Crush Filter Coffee
Method of extraction: Hario V60-01 Dripper
Gr. Of dry coffee used: 15g
Gr. Of liquid produced: 250ml
Water temperature: 94ºC
Extraction time: 3 minutes

2nd place- Jiri Malis, Estonia

With: Red & The Joe
17.5 ml Licor 43 Original
30 ml Cold brew
20 ml Godo Shusei La Tomato
7.5 ml Koch Elemental Mezcal Joven
1 Basil leaf
Cocktail preparation: Build all ingredients in a mixing glass, stir, serve & garnish, make people happy.

Coffee Preparation:
Coffee used: Paper Mill Roastery La Ilusion, light roast
Gr. Of dry coffee used: 100g
Gr. Of liquid produced: ~830 ml
Water temperature: room temperature
Extraction time: 24 hours
Amount of pours: 1 pour

3rd place - Mike Vander Horn, USA

With: Pilè Pasiòn
30 ml Licor 43 Original
30 ml Lustau Oloroso Sherry
22.5 ml Passion fruit Liqueur
5 ml Ginger Liqueur
30 ml King's Coast Coffee Roaster's Choice (Costa Rica Tarrazú San Diego Anerobic)
45 ml Fever Tree Light Tonic
Cocktail preparation: Add first 4 ingredients to a shaker tin with two ice cubes and whip shake. Double strain into a highball glass over a clear ice spear. Top with fresh brewed (and chilled) espresso and tonic water and serve with a straw.

Coffee Preparation:
Coffee used: Costa Rica San Diego Anerobic SHB green coffee beans, dark roasted
Method of extraction: French Press Method
Gr. Of dry coffee used: 18g
Gr. Of liquid produced: 42 ml
Water temperature: 93ºC
Extraction time: 21 seconds
Amount of pours: ~8 Double Shots for 4 cocktails

Finalists

Jean Paul Poblet, Peru

With: Mirabilis Reloaded
45 ml Licor 43 Original
15 ml Grand Marnier
45 ml Cold brew
45 ml Zumo de Naranja (Naranja semi acida)
30 ml Kraken Spiced Rum
2 seeds Habatonka
Cocktail preparation: Garnish the side of the glass with Habatonka and ground coffee, shake all ingredients with ice, strain and serve.

Coffee Preparation:
Coffee used: La Bonita, light roast
Gr. Of dry coffee used: 200g
Gr. Of liquid produced: 250g
Water temperature: 6ºC
Extraction time: 24 hours
Amount of pours: 1 pour

Andres Felipe Kisic, Colombia

With: Au-ra
30 ml Licor 43 Original
60 ml Cold brew
30 ml Coconut water
30 ml Dry vermouth
30 ml Amontillado sherry
Cocktail preparation: Add all cold ingredients to a mixing glass, pour into a siphon, and inject two charges of co2. Cool, serve and decorate

Coffee Preparation:
Coffee used: The coffee is produced by Johan Vergara at his farm, Las Flores. It is an Arabica variety, specifically a Gesha Honey with a medium roast
Gr. Of dry coffee used: 80g
Gr. Of liquid produced: 850-900 ml
Water temperature: 1ºC
Extraction time: 48 hours

Daniel Lopez, Mexico

With: A Day In Life
30 ml Licor 43 Original
30 ml Natural organic yogurt
30 ml Espresso coffee
15 ml Mezcal espadin/tobala 400 conejos
Cocktail preparation: Add all the ingredients to a shaker, mix with a little mixer in order to emulsify all the ingredients enhancing flavors and aromas, and to give texture to the cocktail, add crushed iced into the Jicara glass, and serve the cocktail without any strain. Put on top 3 pieces of cacao flower and a bamboo straw.

Coffee Preparation:
Coffee used: Arabica coffee from Pluma Hidalgo Oaxaca, medium roast
Gr. Of dry coffee used: 8-9g
Gr. Of liquid produced: 30ml
Water temperature: 75ºC
Extraction time: 23 - 25 seconds
Amount of pours: 1 pour

Ricardo Sousa, Brasil

With: Cartagho
60 ml Licor 43 Original
40 ml Lore Espresso Brasil (Coffee)
20 ml Apple Juice
30 ml (Pink) Dragon Fruit Puree
Cocktail preparation: Shake all ingredients with ice, strain over a chilled coupe glass, garnish with 3 half-moon green apples.

Coffee Preparation:
Coffee used: L'Or , medium dark roast
Gr. Of dry coffee used: 25g
Gr. Of liquid produced: 100ml
Water temperature: 86ºC
Extraction time: 3 minutes
Amount of pours: 5 pours

Josue Chavarría Arguedas, Costa Rica

With: Caficultura
40 ml Licor 43 Original
15 ml Fortified rosé wine
90 ml Cold brew (nitro)
2 ml Rose water perfume
Cocktail preparation: Add Licor 43, wine into a highball glass, fill with ice, add cold brew. Garnish with peppermint cacao and rosewater perfume

Coffee Preparation:
Coffee used: Metropoli, Arabica, varietal H15, medium roast
Gr. Of dry coffee used: 83g
Gr. Of liquid produced: 1000ml
Water temperature:3ºC
Extraction time: 16 hours
Amount of pours: 11 pours

Daniel Diaz, Guatemala

With: Life In The Trópics
30 ml Licor 43 Original
7 ml Simple citrus syrup
7 ml Amaro Averna
22 ml Mezcal
52 ml Cold Brew
15 ml Lemon juice
Cocktail preparation: Shake all ingredients with ice, double strain. Pour into a old fashioned glass with ice cube and garnish with lemon zest.

Coffee Preparation: Cold Brew, inmersion method. 24 hours using 400 ml of water for each 50. Filter and pack.