Notiq Rupture wins Hpnotiq Bartender Competition

Photo by Michael Beckerman

Winning bartender Vince Martinez with a few Hpnotiq girls

​Vince Martinez of Maloney's Tavern nabbed first place at the Hpnotiq bartender competition Tuesday night at Suite Two Hundred, beating out eight other local bartenders. Each had to create a drink that featured Hpnotiq, a liqueur made from a blend of vodka, cognac and tropical fruit juices. 

Martinez got top scores in creativity, presentation, technique and overall taste with his Notiq Rupture concoction.

Here's the winning recipe: 1.5 oz. Hpnotiq, 3/4 oz. raspberry vodka, fresh muddled pineapple,  3 oz. basil seed juice, served on ice in a tall Gibraltar glass and garnished with three Gushers.

The basil seed juice created a layer of tiny, gelatinous balls at the bottom of the glass, and the Gushers candies garnish was another winning touch. Deidre Sappington of LoHi SteakBar came in second with her Hyp-Monkey, a variation on a banana daiquiri made with Hpnotiq, fresh muddled bananas, simple syrup, rum lime juice and Grand Marnier.

Alli Powell, a bartender from 5 Degrees, came in third but was a crowd favorite with her Smurf Berry Shot that included Hpnotiq, a splash of pineapple juice, a splash of Blue Caracao and Raspberry Pucker at the bottom.