March 28, 2024

Leeds bartender presents winning ‘El Beso’ cocktail at BACARDÍ® Legacy Cocktail Competition, Northern UK heat

Oliver Pluck from East Village

A bartender from Leeds has won the third regional heat in one of the most prestigious cocktail competitions in the world, BACARDÍ Legacy, the competition which challenges the industry’s top bartenders to create the next classic cocktail that will stand the test of time.

Oliver Pluck from East Village (and previous UK BACARDÍ Legacy finalist of 2015), competed with some of the north UK’s top mixologists at Liverpool’s 81 LTD bar where the competition took place. He was announced the third winner of the BACARDÍ Legacy regional heats, impressing the judges with his ‘El Beso’ cocktail, made from BACARDÍ Carta Blanca Rum, Martini Aperativo, Sexy Bitters, pink grapefruit, sugar and absinthe.

Adam Day from Peggy’s Bar in Manchester was chosen as this heat’s runner up with his ‘El Novato’ cocktail, made from BACARDÍ Carta Blanca Rum, Apricot Brandy liqueur, French Rosé Wine and Peychaud Bitters. Each runner up from across the competition will be put into a pool and one will be chosen as a wild card to compete in the UK final next month.

Metinee Kongsrivilai (UK Brand Ambassador for BACARDÍ Rums) commented: “We’re very excited to be back in Liverpool this year. The calibre of entries has been as high as ever and we are delighted to announce Oliver Pluck as our winner from this region once again. 

“It was a difficult task deliberating as this region presented us with such great personalities alongside innovative and well-balanced drinks. Oli showed us that he’s taken several learnings since he was last involved, presenting us with a drink that was delicious, moreish and with a unique inspiration that put a smile on the judges faces.”

Oli will compete in the UK Final in November in Amsterdam. He will go head to head with five other finalists from across the country for a place in the global final and 10th anniversary of BACARDÍ Legacy in Mexico City, the Latin metropolis fast becoming renowned as a cocktail capital and home of one of BACARDÍ’s distillery. The global final will take place in May 2018.

BACARDÍ Legacy challenges bartenders to create a ‘legacy’ cocktail with the greatest potential to establish itself as a classic alongside the pantheon of BACARDÍ Legacy cocktails such as the Mojito or Daiquiri. BACARDÍ continues to inspire and challenge the best in the industry to create enduring cocktails throughout the Legacy cocktail competition.

The first two regional heats took place in Belfast and Edinburgh last week. The final heat will take place in London on the 25th October.


Oliver Pluck’s winning recipe for ‘El Beso’ can be found below:

50ml BACARDÍ Carta Blanca Rum

15ml Martini Aperitivo

12 drops Sexy Bitters

60ml Fresh Pink Grapefruit

15ml Sugar Syrup

Absinthe Rinse

Rinse glass with Absinthe. Shake with ice, double strain and serve straight up in a coupette. Garnish with a dehydrated grapefruit slice.