Nothlev impressed the judging line-up with his Sweet Effort cocktail, which consisted of Altos Plata Tequila, sherry, rhubarb, lime, egg white and grapefruit.
Nothlev reduced the waste products in his cocktail by drying and crushing the spent rhubarb and mixing it with salt to create his garnish.
“Coming to Mexico and learning about its street food culture, Altos’ sustainable values and, of course, Tequila has been a life-changing experience,” said Nothlev.
“This experience has given me so much inspiration for the coming year and I can’t wait to begin spreading the word about Tequila, Altos and The Tahona Society.”
After winning his local The Tahona Society Cocktail Competition heat in Denmark in August, Nothlev travelled to Mexico to compete with 24 other finalists, where he claimed victory after a week of challenges.
Nothlev is now The Tahona Society Global Ambassador and will be given the opportunity to host educational The Tahona Society programmes for fellow bartenders around the world in the coming year.
Head judge and co-creator of Altos Tequila, Dré Masso, said: “In the end, only one bartender could win and we chose Jeppe as he demonstrated imagination and a clear link to Altos Tequila’s values of brotherhood and sustainability – congratulations Jeppe.”
The top four contestants will return to Mexico next year to create a limited edition Altos Tequila bottling with maestro tequilero, Jesus Hernandez.
To assist their preparation for the finale and career beyond the competition, contenders were schooled in various areas key to running a modern, successful bar business, such as sustainability and global drinks trends, hosted by leading figures in mixology including Kelsey Ramage, ex Dandelyan bartender and winner of The Tahona Society Cocktail Competition 2016.
Sweet Effort ingredients:
- 50ml Altos Plata
- 10ml Pedro Ximénez Sherry
- 30ml rhubarb syrup
- 30ml lime juice
- Dash of egg white
- Grapefruit lemonade
