The Last Slinger Standing Bartending Competition Was a Rapid-Fire Delight

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By Melissa Fossum

Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at 10:37 a.m.

Melissa Fossum Anais Quintela of Culinary Dropout prepares a Templeton Rye and Cointreau cocktail. 1/46

Melissa Fossum Eric Harding of Elvira's wins the first round with this Templeton Rye and Cointreau cocktail. 2/46

Melissa Fossum David Clark of Hotel Congress is eliminated in the Azuñia Blanco Tequila and Kyla Kombucha round. 3/46

Melissa Fossum Submissions for the Azuñia Blanco Tequila and Kyla Kombucha round. 4/46

Melissa Fossum John Wilhelm from Toro at The Scottsdale Princess shakes things up during the Don Q Oak Barrel Spiced Rum and Lunetta Prosecco round. 5/46

Melissa Fossum John Wilhelm's creation for the Don Q Oak Barrel Spiced Rum and Lunetta Prosecco round. 6/46

Melissa Fossum Last year's winner, Carla Gilfillan of Hotel Albuquerque, came to defend her title. 7/46

Melissa Fossum Carla Gilfillan of Hotel Albuquerque prepares a Maison Rouge and Banana Reàl-infused syrup cocktail. 8/46

Melissa Fossum Maxwell Berlin of Glai Baan eyeballs his Maison Rouge and Banana Reàl-infused syrup cocktail. 9/46

Melissa Fossum Stephen Winchell of Colorado's Brooklyn's on Boulder prepares a Gran Centenario Tequila and AZ Bitters Lab cocktail. 10/46

Melissa Fossum The submissions for the Gran Centenario Tequila and AZ Bitters Lab round. 11/46

Melissa Fossum Brenon Stuart from UnderTow prepares a Reyka Vodka and Rekorderlig Spiced Apple Cider cocktail. 12/46

Melissa Fossum Keifer Gilbert of Bitter & Twisted poses for a dramatic photo after preparing his Stranahan's sherry cask single malt whiskey and Giffard Caribbean Pineapple cocktail. 13/46

Melissa Fossum Keifer Gilbert of Bitter & Twisted throws his hands up after finishing his Stranahan's sherry cask single malt whiskey and Giffard Caribbean Pineapple cocktail. 14/46

Melissa Fossum Joshua James of Clever Koi wins the Stranahan's sherry cask single malt whiskey and Giffard Caribbean Pineapple round with this beautiful drink. 15/46

Melissa Fossum Scott Gardner of Salt Lake City's Water Witch prepares a Los Amantes Mezcal and Passoa Passion Liqueur cocktail. 16/46

Melissa Fossum Matt Graham of Las Vegas' Herbs and Rye prepares a Los Amantes Mezcal and Passoa Passion Liqueur cocktail. 17/46

Melissa Fossum Scott Gardner of Salt Lake City's Water Witch wins the Los Amantes Mezcal and Passoa Passion Liqueur round with this cocktail. 18/46

Melissa Fossum Before proceeding to the quarter finals, the judges compete in a gin-off. 19/46

Melissa Fossum A judge prepares a Hendrick's Gin cocktail for the gin-off. 20/46

Melissa Fossum Chanel Godwin-McMaken of The Henry prepares her Famous Grouse Smoky Black Whisky and Caffe Borghetti Espresso Liqueur cocktail for the quarter finals. 21/46

Melissa Fossum Eric Harding of Tucson's Elvira's prepares a Caffe Borghetti Espresso Liqueur Famous Grouse Smoky Black Whisky and Caffe Borghetti Espresso Liqueur cocktail for the quarter finals. 22/46

Melissa Fossum Eric Harding prepares his Famous Grouse Smoky Black Whisky and Caffe Borghetti Espresso Liqueur cocktail for the quarter finals. 23/46

Melissa Fossum Chanel Godwin-McMaken's submission for the Famous Grouse Smoky Black Whisky and Caffe Borghetti Espresso Liqueur cocktail round. 24/46

Melissa Fossum Eric Harding's submission for the Famous Grouse Smoky Black Whisky and Caffe Borghetti Espresso Liqueur cocktail round. 25/46

Melissa Fossum Carla Gilfillan of Hotel Albuquerque tests her ingredients. 26/46

Melissa Fossum Lyndsi Hastings-Mundy of UnderTow prepares a Tequila Chamucos and Peychaud cocktail. 27/46

Melissa Fossum Carla Gilfillan wins the Tequila Chamucos and Peychaud round with this cocktail. 28/46

Melissa Fossum Tyler Dunn of Tucson's Abuela's Cocina Mexicana flips the bird to heckling friends. 29/46

Melissa Fossum Tyler Dunn cracks up after his middle finger salute. 30/46

Melissa Fossum Derek Mattson of Jade Bar and La Bocca preps a Janneau Grand Armagnac and Rosé cocktail. 31/46

Melissa Fossum Tyler Dunn wins the Janneau Grand Armagnac and Rosé quarter final round. 32/46

Melissa Fossum Middle fingers abound. 33/46

Melissa Fossum Scott Gardner of Salt Lake City's Water Witch prepares a Fonseca Bin No. 27 Port and St George Green Chile Vodka cocktail. 34/46

Melissa Fossum Carla Gilfillan of Hotel Albuquerque prepares a Tullamore Dew and Linie Aquavit cocktail. 35/46

Melissa Fossum Chanel Godwin-McMaken of The Henry works on her Tullamore Dew and Linie Aquavit cocktail. 36/46

Melissa Fossum Chanel Godwin-McMaken of The Henry wins the semifinals with her Tullamore Dew and Linie Aquavit cocktail. 37/46

Melissa Fossum Tyler Dunn prepares his cocktail for the Amaro Montenegro and Bols Genever semifinal round. 38/46

Melissa Fossum Joshua James of Clever Koi prepares his Amaro Montenegro and Bols Genever cocktail for the semifinal round. 39/46

Melissa Fossum Tyler Dunn throws his hands up after finishing a challenging cocktail. 40/46

Melissa Fossum Joshua James of Clever Koi wins the Amaro Montenegro and Bols Genever semifinal round. 41/46

Melissa Fossum Tyler Dunn congratulates Joshua James on moving to the finals. 42/46

Melissa Fossum Joshua James of Clever Koi gets a little too close to his smoker during the final round. 43/46

Melissa Fossum Joshua James smokes his cocktail for the final round. 44/46

Melissa Fossum A contender in the final round. 45/46

Melissa Fossum Chanel Godwin-McMaken of The Henry is thrilled to complete her cocktail during the finals. 46/46

The Last Slinger Standing Bartending Competition Was a Rapid-Fire Delight

Arizona Cocktail Weekend wrapped up with the annual Last Slinger Standing bartending competition, which pits bartenders from the Southwest against one another. The competition was bracket-style, with competitors facing off one-on-one for each round, with each victor moving on to the next round. After hours of competitive rounds, Joshua James of Clever Koi was crowned the winner. Check out our photos from the Last Slinger Standing competition at Young's Market on Monday, February 19, 2018.

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