Wowing the judges with his exceptional creativity, and skills, Mike Dojcsak, representing Bar Sazerac in Ontario, Canada, emerged the victor at the El Dorado Rum Heritage Cocktail Competition held on Thursday at the Demerara Distillers Limited’s (DDL) Demerara Rum Heritage Centre, Diamond, East Bank Demerara, a DDL release announced
It explained that the competition, which attracted top bartenders from around the world, was a celebration of the art of cocktail making and the unique flavours of El Dorado Rum. The first round of the competition provided bartenders who hailed 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 the aforementioned countries, five outstanding finalists emerged and subsequently competed in the global cocktail finals, showcasing their exceptional creativity and mixology skills with El Dorado Rum. These bartenders were Mike Dojcsak (Ontario, Canada), Flavio Francis (Georgetown, Guyana), Jonathan Sierra (Bristol, UK), Jamie Wolfe (California, USA) and Daniel Reiger (New York, USA).
At the Global Finals the competitors were judged on two cocktail submissions: the first required them to recreate their cocktail from the regional heats and for the second submission, they were tasked with developing a serve using ingredients from the Guyanese market and made with one of the El Dorado Single Still Rums (El Dorado Single Still Enmore, El Dorado Single Still Port Mourant, and El Dorado Single Still Versailles)
In a tightly contested competition, Dojcsak impressed the judges with his cocktail creations, showcasing an innovative blend of ingredients, a harmonious balance of flavours, and a tribute to both the heritage of El Dorado Rum and his own cultural roots. The judges also assessed visual appeal, taste/balance of flavour, creativity and originality, brand synergy and suitability, and cocktail names.
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.
According to DDL, the El Dorado Rum Heritage Cocktail Competition marks a “significant” milestone for the brand as it continues to engage with the global bartending community and celebrate the timeless appeal of its world-renowned rums.
