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Three orange slice and a lime wedge make a fitting Tall Ship-shaped garnish for the cocktail competition. (Credit: Kendall Stark)

Orange slices shaped like the sails of ships and drinks resembling “firecracker” popsicles were just a few highlights of the Tall Ships Cocktail contest Wednesday night, when 10 Greenport mixologists faced off at Noah’s in Greenport to create the official cocktail of the 2015 Tall Ships Festival.

The winner of the competition was Dan Dhoctor of Soundview Restaurant in Greenport, who created “The Marquis de Lafayette,” which he said was a “dark and stormy with a French twist.” The drink featured rum, ginger beer and a citrus garnish crafted in the shape of a Tall Ship.

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“It’s an honor because my drink will now represent Greenport,” Dhoctor said. “Its name is an ode to the Marquis de Lafayette, who is a really important figure in the history of the United States.”

Marquis de Lafayette was a French aristocrat and military officer who assisted George Washington during the American Revolution. In March 1780, Lafayette departed for America aboard the Hermione, a replica of which will arrive in Greenport this July.

The award for “most creative” cocktail went to Noah Schwartz of Noah’s in Greenport, who created “Noah’s Tropical Storm” — a refreshing summer drink featuring grilled pineapple, aperol, lime juice, and basil, among other ingredients.

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Peter Clarke, president of the Greenport Business Improvement District, noted that Noah’s is the official caterer of this year’s Tall Ships Challenge, while Greenport Harbor Brewing Company and Kontokosta Winery will provide the official ale and wine for the event.

Other participating bartenders represented Front Street Station, Claudio’s, Claudio’s Clam Bar, The Market, Brix and Rye, Blue Canoe, First and South, and La Cuvee.

Some crowd favorites from the competition included the “Vitamin Sea,” crafted by First and South’s Sarah Phillps. It featured orange, lemon, and peach juice mixed with vodka. Another popular drink was the “Jack-Block Daiquiri,” made by Brix and Rye’s Evan Bucholz. It included Jamaican rum, watermelon falernum, and rainwater madeira.

Melissa Martin, one of the event’s judges, said the superior consistency, drinkability, and presentation of all the cocktails made it especially difficult to choose a winner.

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“I loved that all the contestants used local ingredients — the Sag Harbor Rum, the Greenport Summer Ale — and just the fact that they all had a good balance of flavor,” she said.

Nikki Fioere, who works at First and South, said she thought the event was a huge success.

“I think it’s great that people decided to come out and support local products,” she said. “And now we can all enjoy a unified cocktail during the Tall Ships Challenge.”

See more photos below.

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The contestants.
The contestants.

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