Shingo Gokan from the USA has been announced the winner of the 2012 Bacardi Global Legacy Cocktail Competition. Gokan, from New York, won with his drink ‘Speak Low.’ Gokan was chosen from eight finalists from around the world after a spectacular finale which took place at the Bacardi distillery new San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“This is the best week I’ve ever had, this is the best night I’ve ever had, thank you so much,” said Gokan.
Gokan was the final competitor of the night and he left the audience in tears as he shared his personal story of not being able to return to his friends and family at home in Japan when the earthquake struck in 2011. His drink and its presentation were inspired by his grandmother’s Japanese tea ceremony.
“It was everything about Shingo, the simplicity of the drink, his abilities behind the bar and his emotional connection with the audience, he made us all cry,” said Bacardi Global Brand Ambassador David Cordoba.
Gokan only just completed his cocktail in the allocated ten minutes, his fellow competitors leapt up to help him clear his bar so he wouldn’t be penalized for exceeding the set time limit. As part of his prize, Gokan will visit the Bacardi distillery in Mexico as well as travel to five different countries to present his drink.
The competition was judged by an international panel of the industry’s most influential people, including two Bacardi master blenders, Maestro de Ron, Jose Sanchez Gavito and Maestro de Ron, Luis Planas. They were joined by Bacardi Global Brand Ambassador David Cordoba, ‘Ambassador of Aloha’ Stanislav Vdrna, and last year’s competition winner Marc Bonneton of France.
‘Speak Low,’ Gokan’s legacy cocktail, will now sit alongside some truly iconic drinks, like the Original Bacardi Cuba Libre, Original Bacardi Daiquiri and the authentic Bacardi Mojito. Winning the BGLCC is the chance of a lifetime for the bartender.
The eight finalists were whittled down from a group of 26 truly talented bartenders who spent the past week in Puerto Rico learning about the history of Bacardi Rum, visiting the distillery in Catano where it is crafted, sharing their skills and techniques with fellow mixologists, and learning bartending philosophies and expertise from some of the industry’s most influential tastemakers.
This year’s competition is part of global celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of Bacardi and its legendary Bacardi rum. Throughout 2012, the family-owned company will commemorate the historical landmark with a series of one-of-a-kind parties and special promotions.
