On Sunday, some 23 local mixologists gathered at the Angel Orensanz Foundation for the first New York iteration of Bacardi's "Legacy of the Cocktail" competition. Described by the rum brand as a way to "inspire today's generation of young and creative bartenders to begin the second 'golden age of cocktails,'" the event put daiquiris crafted by contestants like Steve Schneider of Employees Only and Lani Kai's Joe Swifka in front of a judging panel comprised of Dale DeGroff, Southern Wine & Spirits' director of mixology Francesco Lafranconi, and The Modern Mixologist author Tony Abou-Ganim. To help publicize the endeavor, Bacardi also invited about 300 members of the press.
Bacardi kicked off the U.S. leg of its three-year-old international tournament this year with contests staged in Dallas and Chicago on November 15 and will host the national finals in Miami in February, before bringing together all finalists for the last round in Sitges, Spain, in April. For the New York affair, the organizers looked beyond the city's plethora of bars and restaurants for neutral grounds to assemble the competitors, opting for the Lower East Side's former synagogue and dressing it with scenery that harked back to Bacardi's Cuban heritage. Alleys, street markets, and the brand's own vintage ads served as inspiration for the event's producer, Miguel Calvo, who also mixed new and old elements to spotlight the purpose of the competition.
For the spirits brand, hosting bartender battles in New York made perfect sense, explained Bacardi brand master apprentice Juan Coronado. "New York is home to the top restaurants, chefs, bars, tastemakers, and mixologists who are authorities in the industry," he said. "I was beyond impressed with the standard and scope of the competition entries."
As the focus of the event was largely on the competitors and their creations, Calvo used decorations that wouldn't clutter the space. Tables for the mixologists stood around the perimeter of the venue's main floor, while a street food cart filled with fresh fruit from the nearby Essex Street Market and serving chicharrónes (pork crackling) sat in the center. The gilded altar served as the stage for the pianist and DJ, who played a mash-up of music throughout the evening; the walls were hung with posters of vintage ads; and checkered-cloth-covered café tables and chairs occupied the rear of the space.
Chosen for their cocktails' balance and complexity of flavor, the three winners announced at the event were Painkiller's Roberto Guentevilla, Bryan Matthys of Compose, and the Standard New York hotel's Tomas Delos Reyes.
