The winner of the Bacardi Superior Rum Global Legacy Cocktail Competition was announced at an event in Barcelona, Spain, for profession bartenders hosted by Bacardi. the competition final was held in the Oval Room of the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC) in Barcelona.
The winner, Marc Bonneton of France was selected from hundreds of contestants overall and 10 finalists from Belgium, France, Germany, India, Mexico, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States. The event was attended by Seamus McBride, Bacardi Limited President and CEO, who announced the winner at a gala dinner at the MNAC.
“In creating your submission, some of you may have spent time thinking about what makes a legacy cocktail,” said McBride to the bartender finalists. “I believe it is this—a cocktail so drinkable, so enjoyable, and so memorable, that it stands the test of time. We are here to celebrate the continuation of outstanding contribution to cocktail culture. To the men and women who made cocktail drinking pleasurable and less unforgiving and who used the cocktail hour to relax with friends. Throughout Bacardi history, from as far back as 1862 with the creation of Bacardi Superior, a spirit created to change the way alcohol was consumed and by whom, barriers to enjoying time with friends have been broken. Cocktails no longer were mixed simply to mask the harsh-tasting alcohol of the time, but to be sippable and enjoyable. Thank you for contributing to this important legacy.”
Bonneton’s Bacardi Fizz will now become part of the legacy of Bacardi original cocktails, standing with the likes of other legendary drinks such as the Bacardi Mojito, the Bacardi Daiquiri, the Bacardi Cuba Libre and the Bacardi Pina Colada.
“The inspiration to create this cocktail came when I was looking for a signature drink for my new bar in Lyon,” said Bonneton. “We have a classical approach to cocktails and are inspired by recipes that have been passed down through the years. With my legacy cocktail I pay tribute to Henrico C. Ramos, who created his on cocktail (Twist on a Gin Fizz) for the opening of the Imperial Cabinet in New Orleans, 1888. By switching the gin for Bacardi Superior rum and the orange blossom water for Green Chartreuse (a product local to Lyon) I obtained a very different cocktail but with a similar aromatic structure and distinct texture. Following the example of the Cosmopolitan (which is a twist on a rum cocktail from the ’30s), I hope the Marco’s Bacardi Fizz will thrill and stimulate people around the world, making it a new classic.”
Bar Business Magazine was granted exclusive access to the competition as well as the mixology training leading up to it. A full feature of the event will be in the May/June 2011 issue.
