New Canadian Champion Emerges from BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition

BACARDÍ® rum, the world's most awarded rum, announces the 2016 champion of the Canadian BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition: Giancarlo Quiroz Jesus, which represents the second year in a row that a Vancouver contestant wins this national title. Jesus will move on to San Francisco, California to represent Canada at the Global Legacy Competition on Sunday, April 24. As with many contestants in the past, this competition is an opportunity for Jesus to propel his career in the industry to a whole new level.

Also read, Canadian Bartender Crowned Beefeater MIXLDN 2015 Champion.

The Legacy Cocktail competition engages the world's most inspiring, innovative bartenders worldwide and challenges them to create a future classic cocktail that will be replicated by rum enthusiasts for years to come.

Over 100 special guests and industry spectators descended upon the competition at Casa BACARDÍ, the event's secret location at The Warehouse Studio, Vancouver's oldest building and home of its first City Hall. There, eight regional finalists took to the stage with their versions of a new classic cocktail including Toronto's Oliver Stern with the Catalan Cobbler; two Montreal hopefuls Jason William Griffin with his drink Aurum II, and Andrew Whibley with the Riviera Cocktail; Halifax's Shane Beehan with his cocktail the Mark of Distinction; Vancouver natives Roland Mueller with the Librety, and Giancarlo Quiroz Jesus with his winning cocktail, El Ritmo; Calgary's Rod Redford with the Jenning's Morning Fizz and Edmonton's Tyler Gushaty with his creation, Northern Touch.

Jesus takes home the Canadian grand prize for what judges describe as a combination of many winning factors: a unique and well-balanced cocktail; a confident, poised and polished presentation, and a high-level of professionalism that will translate on the world stage.

This year's esteemed panel of judges included: Mike Shum, BACARDÍ Canada Brand Ambassador and 2015 BACARDÍ Legacy Canadian champion; Lee Peppinck, BACARDÍ Canada Brand Ambassador and Director of the Canadian Professional Bartender's Association (CPBA); David Wolowidnyk, Bar Manager of CinCin Ristorante and Co-Founder CPBA, and Camper English, award-winning cocktail and spirits writer.

"This entire event, from beginning to end, brings the most top tier talent in the world of bartending together. There's so much these competitors can learn from and share with one another," says Trevor Burnett, Canada's National Brand Ambassador for the House of BACARDÍ Rums. "Canada has earned a name for itself in this industry and we're excited to keep building on that each year with our finalists."

About BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition: The Legacy showcase has grown to become a world-renowned event, with nearly 40 countries represented across the globe competing to produce the next BACARDÍ Legacy cocktail that will sit alongside the Original BACARDÍ Mojito, the Original BACARDÍ Daiquirí and the Original BACARDÍ Cuba Libre. The global winner will receive year-long support to further his/her career as a bartender by creating experiences tailored to meet his/her goals. For one year, the global winning cocktail will be served by the winning bartender at some of the finest bars in the world.

SOURCE Bacardi Canada Inc.