Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/26650
COMPETITIONS The three New York City winners will advance to the National Finals: (left to right) Tomas Delos Reyes of The Standard Hotel, Bryan Matthys of Compose and Roberto Fuentevilla of Painkiller. The judges deliberate (left to right): Dale DeGroff (aka King Cocktail), Francesco Lafranconi of Southern Wine & Spirits and Tony Abou-Ganim, author of The Modern Mixologist. Bacardi Brand Master Apprentice Juan Coronado looks on. Bacardi Reinvents the Golden Era THE LEGACY OF THE COCKTAIL IN NYC New York Legacy of the Cocktail Winners EL ALCALDE DAIQUIRI 1 oz. Bacardi Solera ■ ■ ■ ■ 1 oz. Bacardi Superior ¾ oz. Coco Lopez ½ oz. fresh-squeezed lime HEAD IN THE CLOUDS 2 oz. Bacardi Superior ½ oz. Bual madeira Bual ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ½ oz. Bénédectine ¼ oz. Nonino Amaro 1 barspoon St. Elizabeth All Spice Dram DOWNTOWN by Tomas Delos Reyes of The Standard ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 1½ oz. Bacardi Superior ¾ oz. Aperol ½ oz. lemon juice 1 tsp. superfine sugar mist and rinse of Laphroaig by Brian Matthys of Compose by Rob Fuentevilla of Painkiller W ith no end in sight for the still-strong classic cocktail craze, Bacardi Superior Rum sponsored a Legacy Cocktail Showcase in New York City to ring out the old year and ring in the new. Bacardi called upon mixologists to create a new rum classic in the New York leg of the U.S. Legacy of the Cocktail Competition. Dale DeGroff, Francesco Lafranconi (Southern Wine & Spirits) and author Tony Abou- Ganim judged entries from 23 of NYC’s finest cocktail lounges. Bartenders were required to use seven ingredients and were judged for technical skills, presentation, balance of flavors and ingenuity. Juan Coronado, Bacardi’s Brand Master Apprentice, said the event wanted to do more than mirror the ongoing cocktail trend: It celebrated Bacardi’s legacy in the golden era of vintage cocktails, as well as its capac- ity for reinvention. “We’re looking for the next classic cocktail in this competition—follow- ing the styles of the past. We’re looking for a cocktail that can sit next to the Mojito and the Hemingway,” said Coronado. Bacardi, Coronado noted, has been the number-one rum in the world. “We have reached parts of the globe no one else has, and there’s [bartend- ing] talent all over the world.” This is the third year of the competition but the first time it has been held in the United States. Rob Fuentevilla from Painkiller, Tomas Delos Reyes from The Standard hotel and Bryan Matthys from Compose mixed the winning cocktails. “Tomas created a cocktail that was velvety, pristine and easy to drink; Rob’s had different layers and was easy to replicate; and Bryan created a drink that would appeal to ladies as well as men,” Coronado said. The NYC winners became eligible for the National Finals held in Miami. The eventual winner in the U.S. will advance to the Global Finals in Stiges, Spain. —Lana Bortolot march 201 1 / the tasting panel / 57 PHOTO: ROB LOUD FOR BACARDI PHOTO: ROB LOUD FOR BACARDI