Bacardi, the largest privately held international spirits company in the world, hosted the third annual Art of the Pour cocktail competition this past weekend as part of the City of Hamilton’s Taste of Bermuda Festival.

Held at the iconic Bacardi global headquarters on Pitts Bay Road, this year’s event welcomed more than 500 guests for an evening of cocktail creativity.

This year’s theme, Havana Nights, paid tribute to the rich heritage of family-owned Bacardi, founded in Cuba in 1862.

The event transformed the Bacardi headquarters into a vibrant celebration of Havana’s culture, music and timeless charm, challenging participants to push the boundaries of creativity through innovative cocktails, captivating presentations and unique guest experiences.

Eight of Bermuda’s leading hotels, restaurants and bars competed for top honours, with a $10,000 grand prize at stake.

Participating establishments included The Loren, Rosewood Bermuda, Palmetto Beach Club at Fairmont Southampton, The St Regis, Wahoo’s Bistro & Patio, Rock & Barrel Gastrobar, Harry’s Restaurant & Bar and Rosedon Hotel.

A Bacardi spokesman said each hotel brought its own interpretation of Havana Nights to life, showcasing the talent, passion and innovation that continue to elevate Bermuda’s hospitality industry.

Five participants from the Bacardi Shake Your Future programme, a global initiative providing free professional bartender training to unemployed and underemployed young adults.

Jalen Harvey, commercial manager at Bacardi said: “The level of creativity and talent on display was exceptional, with some of Bermuda’s finest bartenders pushing the boundaries to deliver truly unique cocktail experiences.”

He said Bacardi was proud to continue creating world-class experiences that celebrate Bermuda’s vibrant hospitality industry, bring our community together and showcase the artistry behind every cocktail.

The competition recognised excellence across several categories, including the return of the Most Creative Cocktail Award and the introduction of a special Immersive Experience Award, recognising the establishment that delivered the most unique and memorable experience for the judging panel during pre-event visits.

This year’s winner of the best $10,000 Best Overall Cocktail prize was Israel (Izzy) Bennett of Rosewood Bermuda, with her winning creation, La Reina del Bat.

The entry was inspired by the story behind the iconic Bacardi bat symbol, the cocktail paid tribute to Doña Amalia Bacardí Moreau, wife of the Bacardi company founder. Seeing bats in the rafters of the original distillery, it was Mrs Moreau who recognised them as a symbol of good health, good fortune and family unity and chose the bat as the logo.

Ms Bennett was also a participant in Cohort 4 of the Bacardi Shake Your Future programme.

Bacardi said her achievement highlighted the impact of the programme.

Other winners included:

Most Creative Cocktail: The Rosedon Hotel Siempre Libre created by Aaron Mattis-Robinson

Best Restaurant & Bar Cocktail: Wahoo’s Bistro & Patio — Dos Legados created by Jahzuena Bradshaw-Douglas and Dante Petty

Best Hotel Experience: Palmetto Beach at Fairmont Southampton — Rum Row created by Dae Paynter

Immersive Experience Award: Wahoo’s Bistro and Patio