Bar Patuá’s mixologist Glen Corales was this month recognised as the “Hennessy MyWay 2026 Hong Kong & Macau Champion” during the regional final held in the South Korean capital of Seoul, being the sole finalist from Macau, integrated resort operator MGM said in a statement yesterday.
Bar Patuá is located at MGM COTAI.
Corales, who was born and raised in the Philippines, won the event with “Tea Ceremony 125”, a reimagining of the classic “French 125”, the statement noted.
With the win, the statement said, Corales is set to compete in the Hennessy MyWay 2026 Global Final slated for November in France, adding that he has become the first Macau bartender to “advance to the global stage of this prestigious competition”.
The Filipino has lived in Macau for a decade, joining MGM in 2023 and has since become part of Bar Patuá’s core team, the statement said.
According to the statement, the recent final challenged participants to interpret the theme of Past and Future, with Corales crafting his award-winning drink using grains of rice, a staple in Chinese and Filipino cuisines, highlighting a blend of cultures.
The drink also pays tribute to his favourite childhood drink, Kapeng Bigas*, a traditional Filipino non-caffeinated rice coffee. The statement added it is paired with Hennessy V.S.O.P., while its syrup and garnish are crafted using toasted grains of rice.
It also takes inspiration from the traditional “Long-Spout Copper Kettle Kung Fu Tea Dance” he discovered at MGM’s Five Foot Road restaurant, according to the statement.
Corales previously secured his Top 5 qualification with his sustainability-focused cocktail, “TRACE”, the statement said.
Ahead of the finals, he will perform guest shifts across Asia to promote Macau’s cocktail culture.
*Literally “rice coffee”
In this undated handout photo, mixologist Glen Corales (centre) poses with his trophy at Bar Patuá in MGM COTAI. – Photo provided by MGM yesterday
