Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/113109
World Cup ��� muddled fruit cup (3 cucumber slices, 2 lime Luttmann���s new book, called How to Be Brazilian (he���s not actually Brazilian, but married a Brazilian woman and hence is Brazilian by proxy), promotes the Brazilian lifestyle. Meanwhile, Leblon���s aged expression, Leblon Reserva Especial launched last year and won Best Cacha��a at the 2012 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Luttmann���s third product, Cedilla A��a�� Liqueur, is making a splash in the mixology community (see the feature story in our January issue). For the World Cup, Leblon is launching a fun bartenders��� competition called the Leblon World Cup. The bartender team of 11 people (the same number as in a soccer team) will be mostly from the U.S., but will also include some international members. As Luttmann says, ���The Brazilians are coming.��� Leblon at The James Miami mixologist Christopher Hudnall is an expert at infusing Brazilian spirit���both the beverage and the mindset���into inventive cocktails. Hudnall prepared several of his concoctions in The��James��Club Bar at Miami���s uberpopular The��James��Royal Palm in South Beach. Luttmann selected The James as an ideal venue for Leblon because it so closely embodies in Miami what the brand represents in Brazil. Built in 1939 and the irst hotel��to welcome guests when Miami became a tourism destination, The James��� where no design detail was overlooked and homage is still paid to the hotel���s Art Deco history���is all about what���s hot in Miami, especially the bar scene. That attracted Mixologist Christopher Hudnall with his LeblonLuttmann, who knows based cocktails at The James in Miami. all about sweating the details, when he selected the property to showcase Hudnall���s cocktails. ���The James was the perfect backdrop to illustrate Leblon cocktails. ��� Hudnall believes the benchmark set by Leblon accounts for why the brand is storming its way around Miami and other urban U.S. destinations. ���Leblon has set the bar for the standard of cacha��a, he says. ���And while ��� a majority of bartenders correlate cacha��a with the Caipirinha, which is exactly right, they shouldn���t close their creativity when it comes to Leblon. I���ve experimented with Leblon-based twists on the Manhattan, the Old Fashioned, the Negroni, the Moscow Mule, champagne cocktails, the French 75 and even the Bloody Mary. ��� The mixologist has created signature recipes for Leblon that he hopes will inspire bartenders across the globe to think outside the box. ���We hope more bar chefs will use Leblon in cocktails, whether they���re making Brazilian versions of familiar drinks by substituting Leblon for the base spirit, such as a Brazilian Margarita or a S��o Paulo Cosmo, or inventing their own. ��� All recipes courtesy of Christopher Hudnall. wedges, 2 lemon wedges, 1 orange wedge, 3 blackberries) ��� 1 oz. Leblon Cacha��a ��� 1 oz. Pimms Cup No. 1 ��� �� oz. house-made spiced syrup ��� �� oz. Cedilla A��a�� Liqueur ��� ginger beer, to top ��� backberry, mint sprig and powdered sugar for garnish ��� Muddle the fruit cup in a mixing glass, and add remaining ingredients besides ginger beer. Add ice, shake well,and strain into a Collins glass illed with crushed ice while pouring in the ginger beer. Cap the top of the cocktail withmore crushed ice, and garnish with a blackberry, mint and powdered sugar dusting. Mai Tai Batida ��� 1�� oz. Leblon Reserva Especial ��� �� oz. Leblon Cacha��a ��� 1 oz. condensed milk ��� �� oz. house-made orgeat ��� �� oz. Aperol ��� 4���5 mint Leaves ��� mint sprig and �� a strawberry for garnish ��� Combine all of the ingredients in a blender with ice, and blend for 10 seconds. Pour into a snifter, and garnish with mint and strawberry. Brazilian Old Fashioned ��� 1 raw sugar cube ��� 2 dashes Angostura Bitters ��� 1 dash orange bitters ��� 2 oz. Leblon Reserva Especial ��� splash soda water ��� rosemary sprig and orange zest for garnish ��� In an Old Fashioned glass, soak the sugar cube in bitters and add a splash of soda water. Add Leblon Reserva Especial and stir. Garnish with rosemary and orange zest. ���Spice on a Vine��� Caipirinha ��� 4 red grapes, muddled ��� 4���5 lime wedges ��� 1 raw sugar cube ��� �� oz. simple syrup (for volume) ��� 2 oz. Leblon Cacha��a ��� torched star anise, torched cinnamon stick and red grape for garnish ��� Muddle the grapes, lime wedges and sugar cube with simple syrup. Add Leblon Cacha��a and ice, and shake vigorously. Pour into a rocks glass and garnish with torched star anise, cinnamon and a grape. march 2013 / the tasting panel / 99