SA bartenders urged to ‘be part of the legacy,’ as Bacardi announces Legacy Cocktail competition

Forty of the world’s most innovative and exceptional bartenders will compete for the global title as the Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition opens entries on 20 June for its 2020 global finals. One spot will be taken by the winner of the new Wildcard entry channel – bringing the opportunity to create a lasting legacy and join the Bacardi Legacy Gran Familia to more bartenders than ever before.

All bartenders can enter the competition by visiting www.bacardilegacy.com. Thirty-nine countries will be represented in next year’s final but, until now, bartenders could only enter if they worked in a participating country. Those who do not will, from this year, be able to submit their original Bacardi rum cocktail recipes for selection to go through to regional rounds at which they will compete with each other under the same process as all other competitors, before a Wildcard final will decide who takes the 40th spot to compete in Miami.

“I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be finally making this announcement because I know how many bartenders around the world have been waiting for this. As more and more bartenders see the incredible opportunities competing in Legacy offers, we get countless inquiries from them asking how to take part. It’s always been gutting to have to say that they can’t because their country isn’t participating – so we just knew we had to come up with a creative way to make the competition open to as wide a field as possible. The Wildcard is finally here, it opens the competition up now to over 100 countries, and I can’t wait to see what the bartenders who enter it will bring to Bacardi Legacy,” said Dickie Cullimore, Global Ambassador, Bacardi rum.

The Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition is one of the world’s largest cocktail competitions and receives thousands of entries each year. Bacardi rum has a long historical association with classic cocktails and bartenders are drawn to the challenge to create an original cocktail that will likewise stand the test of time, become established in the industry and leave a legacy. Competing in the competition offers not only a career-defining opportunity to create the next Bacardi Legacy cocktail but also an induction into the ever-growing Bacardi Legacy Gran Familia – an invaluable network of support and shared knowledge.

“Bacardi Legacy is not just a competition, it’s much more. It may sound cheesy but really, it is not just a competition. It is a gateway to let the world know your story. It is an opening door for you to enter an adventure that may change your life. My life changed after I entered Bacardi Legacy,” said Nicole Fas, 2019 runner-up from Puerto Rico.

The 2020 Global Finals will be held from 1 – 7 May in Miami, USA – a city with a long-standing association with Bacardi rum. During this time, the 40 finalists will immerse themselves in a week of education and competition, rubbing shoulders with some of the true legends of the bartending world at some of the city’s finest venues and night spots before the 2020 Global Champion is announced at the Grand Final on Wednesday, 6 May.

 “Remember that apart from it being a competition, it is also a place where you’ll meet the world’s best bartenders and many new family members. Enjoy every second of it because it could be the beginning of a whole new chapter in your life. Trust me, it changed my life and I know it has done the same with many others. It is truly the best competition in the world that showcases drinks and bartenders. Being a part of La Gran Familia is something truly unique,” said 2017 global champion, Ran van Ongevalle.