Cointreau finds its Thai champion

Attapon Desilva has won the right to represent Thailand later this year in La Maison Cointreau, Asia’s first regional cocktail-making competition.
The makers of the 165-year-old French spirit hosted a launch party for the global competition at the Sofitel Sukhumvit’s Le Bar that featured a preliminary round for seven Thai bartenders, all vying to stand up for the homeland on the world stage.
Attapon Desilva of Sugar Ray earned the chance to represent his country with a pair of Cointreau-based cocktails called After Glow and Nocturne. The judges awarding points for skill and creativity included top executives of Remy Cointreau International, Mixsultant, Louis Vuitton, the Ritz Carlton, the St Regis, the Mandarin Oriental and the Sofitel itself.
The crowd featured many stylishly attired celebrities who are fans of the tangy orange liqueur, among them Rusrin Jumsai Na Ayudhya, Thitikhun Yoovidhya, Kaerika Chotivichit, Vathu Hongladarom and Kingkan Salakonthanavat.
Addressing the mob at the outset were master mixologist Richard Gillam, the self-described “mixsultant” Joseph Boroski of Bangkok’s Bar & Hospitality School, and Parisian-born Elisabeth Tona of R?my, an arbiter of French taste.
After the intense competition and the declaration of the champion, DJ Aopsher from Maggie Choo and Vogue Fashion Night Out cracked up the tunes for a wild after-party. Swank refreshments like Romaine Caesar shots with Parma ham chips and scallop martini with lemongrass and coriander made the rounds along with cocktails specially created by Boroski.
Cointreau originated more than a century and a half ago in Angers, deep in the heart of France’s Loire Valley. In every familiar amber bottle is a perfect balance between sweet and bitter oranges and an incredible strength of character.
Combine Cointreau with fresh lemon or lime for a Cointreau Fizz or create your own variants of the Margarita, the Cosmopolitan, the White Lady and the Sidecar.