Three bartenders. Three cocktails. Four judges. One winner.

Tonight's Travel + Leisure Beverage Arts Challenge 2007 at The Halekulani marks the end of several months of competition by more than 250 bartenders from across the country, all of whom design drinks at Travel + Leisure magazine-endorsed hotels nationwide.

Their mission? Create an original cocktail recipe incorporating Grand Marnier, whose maker is co-sponsoring the competition.

The concoctions underwent several rounds of judging, including an all-important tasting by world-renowned master mixologists Dale DeGroff and Anthony Giglio. Finalists have been flown to Hawai'i for the final round of competition — and a shot at the lofty title of Grand Mixologist.

DeGroff, who famously re-mixed the Halekulani's cocktail menu a couple of years back and is often titled "King of Cocktails," and Giglio winnowed down the 250 cocktails to a "10 best" list. The three finalists were voted in by readers of Travel + Leisure online.

The Challenge finalists are Patricia Richards, from the Wynn Las Vegas; Matt Martinez, from The Beverly Hills Hotel and Bungalows; and Sierra Lesjack, from the Four Seasons Hotel San Francisco.

The trio will show off their mixing skills one last time tonight at a winner-takes-all competition and DeGroff-hosted cocktail reception at The Halekulani's Hau Terrace from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission of $65 per person includes two cocktails and hors d'oeuvres.

DeGroff and a panel of Honolulu judges chosen by the mixmaster will judge tonight's final competition.

The three Challenge finalists and DeGroff also are scheduled to get behind the bar of the resort's Lewers Lounge from 8 to 10 p.m. tomorrow; there's no charge for admission to this tasting, beyond the cost of the specialty drinks.

Reach Derek Paiva at dpaiva@honoluluadvertiser.com.