Bacardi Legacy unveils new competition format

Bacardi has implemented a raft of changes to its Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition ahead of the ninth edition in 2017.

Entries for the competition will close on 11 September

For the first time, bartenders are free to use the brand’s eight-year-old expression Bacardi Ocho as well as the its flagship Bacardi Carta Blanca and Bacardi Carta Oro rums.

Bacardi will host ‘stage one’ recruitment seminars throughout July and early August before entries close on 11 September.

Regional heats will then be held in each country, with three regional winners (five in the UK and Germany) selected to compete against each other at the Bacardi Legacy Northern European final on 8 November.

From the each country, just one winner will emerge, securing a place in the global final. They will then embark on a five-month promotional campaign to promote their drink ahead of the competition, which will take place in Berlin in Spring.

Metinee Kongsrivilai, Bacardi brand ambassador in the UK, said: “Bacardi has been at the heart of cocktail culture since the very beginning; rum classics such as the Mojito and Daiquiri that grace bars all over the world today simply wouldn’t have been created if it wasn’t for Don Facundo Bacardi Masso creating his revolutionary rum, Bacardi Carta Blanca, back in 1862.

“Just as Don Facundo’s creation has inspired past generations of bartenders, we want to continue his legacy and inspire today’s bartenders to challenge themselves and create a legacy of their own.

“We’re thrilled with the changes we’ve made to the competition for 2017 – having just one most promising from each country allows each brand ambassador to give their full support to their competitor in the run-up to the Grand Final, and given the personal and supportive nature of the competition, this is incredibly important to us.”