Legacy, the renowned BACARDÍ cocktail competition returns this May in Mexico City. The event is more than a contest for an ultimate champion; instead, it hopes to create legendary cocktails that will stand the test of time and become well established industry classics.
For mixologists and cocktail bartenders around the world, Legacy is a well respected and serious competition. Creating the winning cocktail not only earns you serious industry cred, but gives you a fighting chance having your drinks established as a legendary cocktail, among the ranks of a Mojito, Daiquiri or Cuba Libre.
The competition begins with national and regional stages before the final global event. This year, 5 talented Canadians have made it to the regional finals. The competitors, Jeff Savage, Max Coubes, Justin Shiels, Will Irvine and Olivia Povarchook, hail from coast to coast and their cocktails include incredible ingredients like Averna Amaro, coffee syrup, and Fino Sherry.
Judged by an esteemed panel of industry experts known for years of bartending experience and refined palettes, the winning BACARDÍ® Legacy cocktail will become released quietly for a few months while its success is evaluated. This process ensures it has the greatest potential in joining the ranks of a Legacy Cocktail, ensuring it stays with the company’s archives for generations to come.
Our Canadian representatives have created incredible drinks we can serve at any party and with a bar cart full of classic BACARDÍ® spirits, we’ll be looking to these for inspiration at our next event. Here they are all, tried and tested by the Sidewalk Hustle crew.
Justin Shiel’s Fino Colada is a refined take on the classic Piña Colada for the modern sophisticated drinker, comprised of Bacardi 8, Fino Sherry, milk and pineapple coconut cordial.
recipe
375ml Bacardi 8
250ml Fino Sherry
150ml lime
800ml Pineapple Coconut Cordial
150ml Homogenized Milk
Next up we have the Original Sin by Olivia Povarchook, a bitter and potent creation inspired by the classic rum and coke.
recipe
45 ml Bacardi Ocho
15 ml Averna amaro
7.5 ml amaretto
8 dashes Angostura dash citric acid solution
Will Irvine’s La Connexió presents a unique blend of Bacardí Ocho Años, Italian Aperitif Wine, and Mezcal – think strong and delicate with roots in the Bacardi Family history.
recipe
2 oz Bacardí Ocho Años
1/2 oz Italian Aperitif Wine
1/8 oz Espadin Mezcal
3 dashes Lime Bitters
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 dashes Rose Water
Next up is Max Coubes, who has created the anti-winter cocktail La Equidad, guaranteed to warm your insides, fitting as the mixologist hails from Montreal, known for its notorious winters.
recipe
2 oz Bacardi Ocho
0.5 oz coffee syrup
0.5 oz lime
6 feuilles de menthe
This next drink has strong literary roots. Calgary’s Jeff Savage created A Love Remembered pays homage to the romance between actress Ava Gardner and author Ernest Hemingway. Rumour has it that after Gardner swam naked in Hemingway’s pool in the 1950s, he refused to have the water changed.
recipe
2 oz Bacardi Superior
0.5 oz Martini Bianco
0.25 oz Maraschino Liqueur
Barspoon Citric and Malic Acid Solution*
2 Dashes Grapefruit Bitters