El Dorado Rum, one of the world’s leading rum brands, produced by Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), hosted the global finals of the inaugural El Dorado Rum Heritage Cocktail Competition, in Guyana from Tuesday, August 20 to Thursday, August 22.
This announcement was made in a DDL release yesterday. It also informed that there was a first round of the competition which provided bartenders from the United States, United Kingdom, Ontario Canada, and Guyana, with the opportunity to capture their journey and interpretation of the brand’s heritage, which dates back to 1670.
Following regional heats conducted in these countries, five outstanding finalists emerged and they competed in the global cocktail finals, showcasing their exceptional creativity and mixology skills with El Dorado Rum. These bartenders are Mike Dojcsak (Ontario, Canada), Flavio Francis (Georgetown, Guyana), Jonathan Sierra (Bristol, UK), Jamie Wolfe (California, USA) and Daniel Reiger (New York, USA).
The release explained that these five competitors will be judged on two cocktail submissions: 1) They must recreate their cocktail from the regional heats; and 2) whilst in Guyana they must develop a second serve using ingredients from the local market. This cocktail must be made using one of the the three El Dorado Single Stills: El Dorado Single Still Enmore (EHP), El Dorado Single Still Port Mourant (PM), or El Dorado Single Still Versailles (VSG).
The winner of the Grand Final will receive US$5,000, along with a collection of rare El Dorado Rums
According to the release, the finalists taking part in the Global Finals were presented with an all-expense paid trip to Guyana to the renowned Diamond Distillery, home of El Dorado rum and the last remaining distillery in Guyana. The Global Finals aims to provide finalists with an opportunity to be immersed in the Guyanese culture, lifestyle, and heritage, ahead of presenting their final creations in front of a panel of esteemed judges.
Chairman of DDL, Komal Samaroo, remarked, “The Global Cocktail Finals is a platform to celebrate not only the incredible talent of these bartenders but also the rich history and craftsmanship of Demerara Distillers and El Dorado rums that have been passed down for several generations.” He also expressed his appreciation to the participants, and the hope that they would carry a piece of Guyana’s vibrant cultural heritage back with them.
The Global Finals of the El Dorado Rum Heritage Cocktail Competition was tasted and judged by renowned industry professionals, Sandrae Lawrence, co-founder of award-winning publication “The Cocktail Lovers”; Sly Augustin from “Trailer Happiness”; and Sharon Sue-Hang-Baksh, Master Blender of Demerara Distillers Limited, the release added.
