Sydney bartender finally takes to the world stage in BACARDÍ Legacy

By Editor on March 31, 2021

The postponed 2020 BACARDI Legacy Global Final will go ahead virtually this year with Australia’s champion Adam Dow looking forward to finally representing his country in June.

The BACARDI Legacy Cocktail Competition is one of the world’s largest cocktail competitions and receives thousands of entries each year. As finalists prepared to bring their original BACARDÍ Legacy cocktails to the global final in Miami last May, the week-long event could not go ahead due the COVID-19 pandemic, which has seen the hospitality industry largely shuttered in many areas across the globe.

Dow, from Sydney’s Dead Ringer bar, won the National Title in February 2020 for creating the The Golden Rule cocktail. His drink was judged not only against its ingredients and methods used to create a stunning cocktail for the ages, but also the expertise in promoting the drink to the public. In the end, his slick presentation skills and the delicious flavour won the judges over (full recipe below).

“The BACARDI Legacy Competition has become an iconic, calendar event for the bar industry globally and I can’t wait to represent Australia later this year at the finals,” Dow said.

“BACARDI has been a staple for me and the venues I’ve worked in for many years and something I’m really comfortable and familiar using on a regular basis. It’s a great product and company to work with and I’m really proud of the cocktail I’ll be taking to the world stage.

“For the finals, I’m focusing on impressing the judges with my ease and simplicity of my BACARDI cocktail, The Golden Rule. The Golden Rule says that you should treat others as you’d wish to be treated. But famed American restaurateur Danny Meyer wrote in ‘Setting the Table’ that it’s not a blanket rule in hospitality – more, it’s about treating others how they wish to be treated.

“As we’re moving virtually for the competition this year, the judges will be tasting my cocktail made by top bartenders in London which is pretty crazy! I think it’s great the competition is going ahead and in this new online format, it shows people that these cocktails don’t need to be over the top and can be made anywhere in the world, anytime. The presentation is a short one so I’ll be focusing on the inspiration behind the drink, its relationship with the BACARDI family history, and just making a great drink!”

The Bacardi Legacy El Coco grant

The re-worked format of the competition will also offer all 40 global competitors the opportunity to secure a $US5000 grant, in addition to competing for the global title.

The grant will fund each competitor’s time to devise and develop a project or enterprise that supports the industry’s recovery, following the huge impact that the pandemic has had across the bartending world.

The competitors will then be invited to bring their original ‘Legacy’ cocktails to the world and compete for the global title in a live-stream virtual competition, with judges based in London and the winner announced on June 30, 2021.

National Advocacy Manager for BACARDÍ Australia, Georgina Mann says, “The changes that have been made to the competition ensure it’s fair for all 40 competitors from around the globe and I’m so excited for Adam to represent Australian on the global stage. Bacardi Legacy has always been about creating a modern classic to stand alongside the classic daiquiri and mojito however now the ‘El Coco’ Grant is completely new and a fantastic way that we’re able to support the competitors to bring their passions to life. I can’t wait to see the amazing ideas from competitors around the globe and to support Adam throughout this process.”

Dow added: “The introduction of the El Coco Grant is a great one, it’s awesome to see BACARDI, a family-owned business giving back to the industry like this. It goes without saying that it’s been a tough year for hospitality folk so to create an initiative such as this not only pays homage to the history of BACARDI but also is one way of future proofing the people behind the bar which I think is pretty cool.”