The results are officially in for the Passport to Flavor Showcase, and after a highly competitive field of creative cocktail submissions, we are proud to announce that Steven Cartagena has been selected as this year’s winner with his stunning cocktail creation, Enchanted Gold.
We would also like to extend our sincere apologies for the delay in announcing the final results. During the voting process, we encountered a technical issue involving the vote counting system that required a complete manual review to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the final standings. After carefully sorting through the results, Steven Cartagena emerged as the official winner.
First Place: “Enchanted Gold” by Steven Cartagena
Inspired by his Colombian heritage and Miami upbringing, Steven created a cocktail designed to represent culture, identity, and pride through flavor and presentation.
According to Steven:
“I’m originally from Miami but my background is from Colombia. I really wanted to bring a Colombian Hispanic taste to represent my roots. The mint represents the Amazon rainforest and the vegetation of green, while the gold flakes represent the gold and the yellow in our flag and what it means to us.”
The result is a visually striking and flavor driven cocktail that balances tropical fruit, citrus, rum, and rich berry notes with elegance and creativity.
The Winning Recipe: Enchanted Gold
Ingredients
1.5 oz Ron Zacapa
0.75 oz lemon juice
0.5 oz agave
1 oz raspberry simple syrup
0.5 oz cranberry juice
0.5 oz pineapple juice
0.5 oz Pama Liqueur
Method
Add ice to a shaker tin and measure all ingredients using a jigger. Begin with the raspberry simple syrup, followed by agave, cranberry juice, pineapple juice, PAMA Liqueur, and finally the Ron Zacapa rum. Shake vigorously for approximately 8 to 10 seconds.
Fill a tall Collins glass with shaved ice and strain the cocktail over the ice. Garnish with mint sprigs arranged as “mint trees,” two frozen raspberries, and a finishing touch of gold flakes.
A Celebration of Creativity and Culture
This year’s Passport to Flavor Showcase highlighted the incredible creativity, storytelling, and craftsmanship that cocktails can represent. Each finalist brought a unique perspective and inspiration to their drink, showcasing how mixology continues to evolve as both an art form and a cultural expression.
Congratulations again to Steven Cartagena on an outstanding and well deserved victory. We also want to thank every participant who submitted a cocktail and everyone who participated in the voting process.
Stay tuned for future showcases, competitions, and events from Empire Mixology.
Final Standings
First Place
Steven Cartagena — Enchanted Gold
Second Place
Soren Lindgaard — Nordic Orchard
Third Place
Anthony Sgroi — Rabo de Galo
