I would like to take part in the ANGOSTURA Annual competition again and win it for the third time. Winning for two consecutive years was very special, and I’m challenging myself to make it three!

It was an honor to be named “Hotel Bartender of the Year” and one of the “Most Interesting People in Rum” by Caribbean Journal in 2014, and I’d love to be on their list of people known for creating delicious rum cocktails again.

This year, I would also like to start new projects at Mango’s 101 Rums Bar here at Four Seasons Resort Nevis. I would love to create new cocktails and rum flights.

I believe my biggest accomplishment in the rum industry is receiving two important awards from the Caribbean Journal for my work with rums.

I take pride in using local, culinary flavors in my cocktails and I’ve done that with my favorite drink – the “Spicy Island Turtle.” The recipe is: mango puree, mango pepper hot sauce, lemon juice, rosemary (that we grow right at Four Seasons Resort Nevis’ herb garden), infused Naked Turtle Rum with a rimmed glass of half brown sugar and half jerk spice. It’s a favorite of our guests.

Spicy Island Turtle. By Kendie Williams, Mixologist / Serves 1

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ oz Naked Turtle Rum (white rum)
• 1 oz mango puree
• ½ lemon, squeezed
• 1 oz sugar cane syrup
• 2 drip mango pepper hot sauce
• 6 leaves of rosemary, muddled
• Caribbean jerk spice
• Brown sugar
• Fresh mango wedge
• Fresh rosemary

Method:

1. Rim martini glass with brown sugar and half with Caribbean Jerk spice.
2. Muddle the rosemary.
3. Combine rum, mango puree, lemon, sugar cane syrup, mango pepper hot sauce, the muddled rosemary and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake until cold.
4. Strain into the brown sugar- and jerk-rimmed martini glass.
5. Garnish with fresh wedge of mango and fresh rosemary.

I see that the rum industry has come a long way with all of the different types of flavors and aged rums available. Rum “martini-style” cocktails have added a new dimension to rum consumption.

In five years I see the rum industry continuing to expand because of our customers’ taste preferences for rum-based cocktails. Consumers are more sophisticated in their selection of rum-based cocktails, and that will continue to create more demand for rum.

Info at: Four Seasons – Nevis