Since he began curating cocktails in 2017, self-taught mixologist and Tin Lizzy’s Cantina bartender Jeremy Hayes (a.k.a Midtown Jay) has carved out his niche in the city’s competitive mixology landscape. The Atlanta Native has been named the Most Prolific Bartender by the Mixologist of The Year Awards (MOYA), a Rellies Hospitality-helmed cocktail competition sponsored by A$AP Rocky’s Canadian whisky brand Mercer + Prince.

Founded in Atlanta in 2014, the competition showcases innovative, accomplished mixologists and bartenders in nine cities nationwide, including Atlanta, Miami, Chicago and New York. Selected out of 88 contestants spread throughout seven U.S. states, Hayes garnered acclaim for his inventive, whisky-based winning cocktail.

“During my process, I’ll think of a concept that ties in with the brand,” says Hayes. “So, in this case, we’re talking about the Mercer + Prince brand, which was founded by A$AP Rocky. I’m very New York-influenced when it comes to music and my favorite A$AP Rocky song is ‘A F*cking Problem.’ When I was working on creating the drink, I took something from every one of the rappers that are featured in the song and I made a component of the drink linked to that rapper.”

Drawing inspiration from A$AP Rocky’s iconic, adrenaline-fueled anthem, “A F*cking Problem,” featuring Drake, 2 Chainz and Kendrick Lamar, Hayes’ signature elixir combines Heirloom Pineapple Amaro, jerk carrot demerara syrup, ackee plantain shrub, Creole bitters and lemon juice. The drink’s finishing touch is Mercer + Prince whisky, aged for four years and twice-distilled with Japanese Mizunara Oak, highlighting notes of baked apple and cinnamon.

“Rihanna and A$AP Rocky’s dad are from Barbados so I made a plantain and ackee shrub,” says Hayes. “Two Chainz wears a lot of jewelry and we measure diamonds with carats, so I came up with a jerk carrot demerara syrup. One of my favorite Drake songs is ‘Diced Pineapples,’ so I added the pineapple amaro. What really ties it all together is the Creole bitters, inspired by my favorite Kendrick Lamar song, ‘The Recipe.’ So now that I had chosen all of the components, I just had to perfect the character of the drink.”

Crowned “your favorite bartender’s favorite bartender” by his clientele, Hayes credits his industry mentors, the Mercer + Prince brand and his favorite musician, A$AP Rocky, as driving forces during the cocktail curation process.

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of Mercer + Prince Canadian whisky
• ½ ounce of lemon juice
• ½ ounce of Heirloom Pineapple Amaro
• ½ ounce of jerk carrot demerara syrup
• ½ ounce of ackee plantain shrub
• 2 dashes of Creole bitters
• Dehydrated jerk plantain garnish
• Serve in a golden goblet with a king ice cube

See also: The 10 Best Martinis In Atlanta