Fourth Generation Bartender Wins Australian 2016 BACARDÍ Legacy

Fourth generation bartender, Andrew Bennett from The Classroom in North Perth, is the winner of this year’s BACARDÍ Legacy Australia Cocktail Competition. Bennett won the competition on Tuesday night against fellow contestants Peter Hollands and Igor Pachi, and will now go on to represent Australia in the global finals in San Francisco in April.

The winning cocktail was The Seventh Art - a concoction of BACARDÍ Carta Blanca, Yellow Chartreuse, lemon juice, sugar syrup, salt and an unusual addition of popcorn, inspired by Bennett’s fond memories of holidays spent at the cinema with his family.

Since the QLD finals in September, Bennett has been sharing his recipe far and wide, marketing and promoting his Legacy and place in the competition, including negotiating partnerships with Cobs Popcorn, Village & Event Cinemas and getting his cocktail to appear on television on the Today Show and The Living Room.

“It is a humbling experience to have won. I actually wrote two defeat speeches, not a victory speech”, Bennett said on his win.

“I’ve had the pleasure and honour of going shoulder to shoulder with two of the finest marketers, future bar owners and two of the best people - Peter Hollands and Igor Pachi.”

Bennett and his Legacy cocktail will now go up against 46 other competing nations at the BACARDÍ Legacy Global Competition on 20 April.

BACARDÍ Global Brand Ambassador Dickie Cullimore says he believes The Seventh Art has the potential to be a Bacardi Legacy Global classic, putting Bennett in good stead for finals, and over the next two months Bennett will continue to promote his cocktail to give him the best fighting chance. You can support Bennett by visiting his bar or bars listing his cocktail, as well as by checking out his Facebook page.

Good luck Andrew!

The Seventh Art

50ml BACARDÍ Carta Blanca

10ml Yellow Chartreuse

20ml Fresh lemon juice

15ml Sugar syrup

Handful of popcorn

Pinch of salt

Method: Muddle popcorn in Boston shaker and combine all liquids with ice before shaking hard for ten seconds. Double-strain into a chilled glass and garnish with a small ramekin of popcorn beside.

Image L-R: Senior Brand Manager - BACARDÍ Trademark Fraser Lockwood, Igor Pachi, Andrew Bennett, Peter Hollands and Bacardi Lion Managing Director Denis Brown.

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