The city of Wilmington, Delaware, has announced a much anticipated signature cocktail to call its own – THE WILMINGTON. The city, home to 46th President Joe Biden, in partnership with Aviation American Gin, dedicates the drink to make a historic cocktail imprint at this milestone moment. THE WILMINGTON made its debut one week prior to the Presidential Inauguration.
The "It's Time Wilmington" campaign, in partnership with Aviation Gin, hosted the cocktail competition open to bartenders, mixologists and everyday cocktail connoisseurs from the city of Delaware and beyond. Competition criteria included the inclusion of Aviation American Gin and the inspiration of all that Wilmington has to offer. More than 25 submissions from across the nation showcased the best of this progressive city including historical references, Delaware state colors, the state flower – the peach blossom, the state fruit – the strawberry, comedic entries and more.
Newly elected Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride made the official dedication at a virtual ceremony hosted at Le Cavalier at the HOTEL DUPONT. "I'm honored to make this historic dedication in my hometown at the start of my first term as a Senator. Supporting our "It's Time" campaign with innovative programming is essential to foster our city's entrepreneurial spirit. Congratulations to our imaginative winners," said McBride.
Aviation Gin mixologist, Natasha Velez and their team of experts reviewed all entries and awarded the winning recipe to cocktail enthusiast couple Kate Gantner, a staff civil engineer, and Fazal Vandal, a web developer. The couple, Trolley Square residents, are both University of Delaware 2017 alumni. They were inspired by Delaware's heritage as home to the nation's first commercial peach farm. Their subtle peach theme submission was the winning entry given its simplicity – highlighting both peach and Aviation Gin botanicals in an elegant complementary taste profile – and its ease of replicability at home and in bars.
"We are beyond proud that a great American city like Wilmington chose an American craft spirit such as Aviation Gin to be the featured spirit in a newly minted namesake cocktail. All of the submissions were impressive and really showed off the flair and passion that Wilmington has to offer," said Adrian Molina, Sr. Brand Manager Aviation Gin.
THE WILMINGTON WINNING RECIPE
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1.5 oz Aviation Gin
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.75 oz Peach Infused Simple Syrup
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1oz Lemon Juice
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Freshly Ground Cinnamon Garnish
Wilmington, Delaware's largest city, feeds off the energy and connections of good people, the economic impact of entrepreneurial businesses and the potential of what's next. The city, with its prime Mid-Atlantic location, is open to new experiences, believes in continuous learning from others and celebrates diversity and change.
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