Pacific Resort’s Rupeni Mataitoga took out the Rarotonga’s Innovative Cocktail Championships held on Friday at the Islander Hotel.

Mataitoga’s winning drink named “Pear of Gins” was a concoction of infused spices with Tanqueray gin and Disaronno liqueur.

The description used on Friday said the gin was infused with pear and cinnamon, “with a hint of rosemary to get it spiced up”.  

It was served in an ice sphere on a bed of crushed ice in a fancy martini glass, “poured over some Disaronno ice cubes infused with star anise cinnamon and some pear mash”.

The cocktail was finished off with some freshly squeezed mandarin ni hao ma juice.

Mataitoga said he’s been training for most of his adult life working in hospitality and said being a mixologist “it’s a craft you never stop improving”.  

“It wasn't just the drink it was also how I would serve it in and what I would pair with.

“When creating a drink, it's not just about the ingredients, it's also about presentation and the story behind the drink.”

He said the drink in the ice sphere made it stand out.

“The sphere was no easy feat but it all came together just like I pictured it.”

Mataitoga said he worked on the cocktail overnight for it to be ready for the competition.

He said it was important for a mixologist to have a pallet for flavours to imagine them in your mind before putting it in a drink.

“Like a chef would in a kitchen, a mixologist will do in the bar.”

General Manager of Pacific Resort, Ani Thompson said the team was ecstatic about Mataitoga’s win.

“He just is really proving to be a champion all round,” she said.

“He's been setting a great example for the rest of the team in achieving, with his athletics side and then of course his passion, which is cocktails.

“I think he was up until midnight the night before, so he really takes it quite seriously, we were really thrilled to see that he came out on top.”

Thompson said two others from the resort joined the competition inspired by him.

“He's a natural leader, a great example for the rest to follow and just super creative.”

Mataitoga is coming up six years of work at Pacific Resort and has moved up the ranks from barman to maitre.