United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) crowned Gn Chan in San Francisco as the national finalist of the fifth annual USBG Legacy Cocktail Showcase sponsored by BACARDÍ® rum. Chan will receive an all-expense paid trip to San Francisco, Calif., and the opportunity to share his innovative creation on the global stage as the United States representative in the Legacy Global Cocktail Competition. Chan was one of six national semi-finalists from across the country, winning with Venceremos his inventive BACARDÍ Superior cocktail.
The USBG Legacy Cocktail Showcase sponsored by BACARDĺ showcases the best in the cocktail trade, providing a stage from which the bartenders from across the country can share the innovative cocktails they’ve hustled to create. Participants are challenged to create the next generation of classic rum cocktails that will stand the test of time, using BACARDĺ Superior or BACARDĺ Gold rum. Classic cocktails are defined by their balance, flavor, quality of ingredients and aesthetic appeal, as well as their enduring popularity and the story behind them.
Winning Cocktail: Venceremos
1.5 parts BACARDÍ Superior
.5 part Coconut Liqueur
.8 part Pineapple Juice
.5 part Cucumber Juice
.2 part Lime Juice
1 dash Sesame Oil
Combine all ingredients and shake. Strain into a rocks glass with one large ice cube and garnish with a pineapple leaf.
This year’s USBG National Legacy Cocktail Showcase was judged by 2015 finalist Ran Duan; Ivy Mix, founder of “Speed Rack”; David Nepove, “Mr. Mojito” and the Director of Mixology for Southern Wine and Spirits of California as well as the National President of the United States Bartenders’ Guild; Marcovaldo Dionysos, a San Francisco bartending legend.
“Gn Chan’s winning cocktail and presentation embodies the untameable spirit of BACARDÍ – it’s clear that there is nothing in the way of his passion to create a truly enduring and classic cocktail,” said Fabio Di Giammarco, Global Vice President for BACARDÍ rum. “We are excited to see him advance to the Legacy Global Cocktail Competition in San Francisco in April where he will present in front of a judging panel representing some of the most influential experts of the international bartending and spirits community. This competition is one of the world’s largest and unique events that welcomes bartenders and industry colleagues into the BACARDÍ family.” The Legacy Global Cocktail Competition will hold its 2016 Grand Final on Sunday, April 24, in San Francisco, Calif.. A panel of some of the modern day legends of the drinks industry, including Dale DeGroff, Jim Meehan, Ian Burrell and Julie Reiner, will help decide who takes home the coveted title.
“The Legacy Global Cocktail Competition is eight years old this year,” says judge Dale DeGroff, “and in April we will see 36 of the world’s top bartenders come to the US to compete for their drink to capture a place in cocktail history. BACARDÍ rums have been a part of cocktail culture for decades; through this competition they are bringing another new face to what is becoming a global community of excellence. As a finals judge I am looking forward to travelling to San Francisco in April and celebrating with BACARDÍ the on-going revival of the cocktail bartending profession.”
The competition seeks to uncover a new generation of cocktails that will endure to become the classics of the future and receives thousands of entries. With 36 global competitors in this year’s final, the winner of each national final will travel to San Francisco to compete for the title. BACARDÍ has an unrivaled heritage of mixed drinks, and has been the choice of bartenders and rum lovers for more than a century. The winner of Legacy Global Cocktail Competition will see their own cocktail creation take its place alongside other iconic cocktails including the BACARDÍ Daiquirí, BACARDÍ Mojito, BACARDÍ Cuba Libre and many more.
The Legacy Global Cocktail Competition recognizes and nurtures the talent of passionate, innovative bar professionals. The winner’s reward will be truly unique. Franck Dedieu from France was the winner of the global title in April 2015 with his drink ‘Le Latin.’ His win has so far taken him to twelve countries, serving his drink at huge industry gatherings such as ‘Tales of the Cocktail’ in New Orleans and ‘The Berlin Bar Show.’
“Winning the global title last year was really something huge for me,” says Franck. “As a young bartender I literally grew up mixing this rum, meeting so many inspiring bartenders and friends through my relationship with it. The Global Final on April 24 will conclude four days in San Francisco during which the group of talented finalists from around the world at a range of educational workshops tailored to hone their skills, before they present their own original interpretation of a modern Legacy cocktail in the competition.
The judges in San Francisco will be:
Grand Final Judges
Dale DeGroff – Industry legend and founder of the modern ‘cocktail revolution.’
Julie Reiner – New York bar owner, celebrated mixologist and industry mentor.
Jose Sanchez Gavito – Maestro de Ron BACARDÍ.
Franck Dedieu – 2015 Legacy Global Champion.
Semifinal Judges
Martin Cate – Rum expert in San Francisco.
Tom Walker – 2014 Legacy Global Champion.
Ivy Mix – Founder of ‘Speed Rack’ and 2015 American Bartender of the Year.
Ian Burrell – Renowned rum ambassador from the UK.
Judging the bartenders on their drink’s promotional campaign
Jim Meehan – Bartender, journalist, and author of The PDT Cocktail Book
Enrique Comas – 6th generation member of the Bacardi family & BACARDÍ Senior Manager Trade Advocacy for Latin America & Caribbean.
Nadine Iacocca – Marketing Director, BACARDÍ rums.
Since 1862, the untameable spirit of BACARDÍ, the world’s favorite and most awarded rum, has been at the forefront of cocktail culture, sustaining its legacy as the mixing spirit of choice in the world’s most celebrated cocktails. The Legacy Cocktail Competition was founded in 2008 to challenge the great bartenders of the modern era to create a cocktail that will stand the test of time, become their signature drink and be remembered long into the future.
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