By Stefanie Collins, editor BARS&clubs
Last night saw Dave Kerr of Melbourne’s The Beaufort & Ike’s announced as the 2017 winner of the Bacardí Legacy Australia Cocktail Competition final.
Hosted at Kittyhawk’s new event space, the final was judged by a panel including Andrew Bennett (2016 winner) and Fred Siggins (2014 winner), along with the Steve Schneider of Employees Only, who came all the way from Singapore for the occasion.
The three judges evaluated the cocktails according to their name, inspiration, aroma, taste, appearance, ingenuity, innovation, refreshment, product knowledge, technical skills and presentation flair. According to the judges, it was a combination of Kerr’s cocktail recipe and his stage presence – “oozing with confidence and charisma” – that won the judges over.
Brand manager for Bacardí, Sean Blackburn said: “Their tireless dedication was obvious, their passion for their own Legacy saw them living and breathing passion for their cocktail and the brand, solidifying their voice in the industry.”
Steve Schneider was likewise impressed by the three cocktails on show, saying: “The calibre of the competition only gets higher every year.”
Kerr’s cocktail, The Viento, is the very first Australian Legacy winning recipe to contain Bacardí Ocho, which is a new addition to the competition for 2017.
Next for the 2017 champion is the Global Final in Berlin, Germany where Kerr will represent Australian against 39 other competing nations during the week-long competition commencing 18 May. In the lead up, Kerr has two more months of promotional work to give his cocktail the best fighting chance.
The Viento Recipe:
Ingredients:
30ml Bacardí 8
20ml Bacardí Carta Blanca
10ml Coconut Oil
30ml Fresh Strawberry Juice
25ml Fresh Lemon Juice
15ml Agave Syrup
Method: Combine all ingredients in shaker before shaking hard for 10 seconds. Double strain into cocktail glass.
Garnish: Strawberry Head
"The Viento, or ‘The Wind’ in Spanish, explores the fun and frivolity of drinks that dominated the noughties. It breathes new life into drinking in a modern context that is increasingly defined by seriousness and complexity. Utilising modern processes and on trend ingredients, the depth of flavour matches today’s refined palate. Cold pressed strawberries combine with coconut oil to deliver an incredibly fresh drink with a delightful mouth-feel and a resonance to a carefree place in time."