The Hunt for the Next Bacardi Legacy

I’ve been to bars but I never tried bar hopping till now. I am going to five bars to try out five Bacardi Legacy cocktail drinks from five finalists. I got to attend last year’s finals night but this is the first time I got to talk to the creators of the new original cocktail drinks.

 

Alliuss Abrazado prepares his "Rosa de Ron"

Bacardi Legacy is a yearly event where the competing mixer creates a drink and a story to back it up. Here’s a trivia. Did you know that the cocktail drink popularly known as the Rum and Coke is a Bacardi Legacy cocktail drink called Cuba Libre? During the time of the Spanish-American War, when the American forces were stationed in Cuba, a Captain Russell ordered Bacardi Gold rum and Coke on ice with a lemon wedge and found the taste pleasurable. It was an instant hit that it became their drink for camaraderie with the Cuban revolutionaries and they toasted “Cuba Libre!” (Free Cuba!) this ignited their thirst for victory and independence.

 

Larry Guevarra and his "La Mision"

My first stop was Bar Mathilde for Larry Guevarra of Alley for his creation, La Mision. Larry has an interesting story that I can totally relate. Like me, Larry also came from the seminary but didn’t finish it which is why he named the drink La Mision. Yes, priests do drink alcohol. The one they drink in the Communion is real wine. Larry used Bacardi 8 because it looks like infinity which represents the Divine.

 

Orman Bag-ao's "Rain Or Shine"

The cocktail entry that I really fancied was Rain Or Shine by Orman Bag-ao of Long Bar. I find it refreshing with carrots with it instead of lemon. Orman explained that this unique drink draws his inspiration from his native Davao.

 

Kenneth Bandivas's Sonreir

The other drinks that was also represented was Sonreir by Kevin Bandivas (Prisma), Rosa de Ron by Alliuss Abrazado (Buddha Bar), and Nos Unimos by Ralph Allen Santos of Bitters. The purpose of this bar tour is to showcase the cocktail drink entries and get feedback from the bar patrons and post online their favorite Bacardi Legacy drink.

 The five cocktail mixers will be gathered in Twelve Monkeys in Makati on March 16 as they will be judged who will be sent to the international leg of Bacardi Legacy will be on May in Berlin, Germany just like last year when Richie Cruz was sent abroad last year for his creation El Tindero. This is the second time the Philippines is sending a representative but most of the entries from different countries are represented by Filipino cocktail mixers.

Besides Mathilde, we also went to The Curator, Penthouse, 8747, OTO Bar and Exit Bar. I am glad I am still walking straight after having eight shots of Bacardi Legacy cocktail entries at five bars. For post event updates, follow this blog and like L.E.N.S. blogs on Facebook.

Nos Unimos by Ralph Allen Santos.