United States Bartenders' Guild® Legacy Cocktail Showcase Sponsored by BACARDI® Rum Selects National Winner for Global Stage

CORAL GABLES, Fla., Feb. 27, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- United States Bartenders' Guild (USBG) crowned Nick Nistico as the U.S. winner of its third annual BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition in Miami. Nistico will move on to the final Global Showcase in Puerto Rico in April. Nistico emerged from a field of eight national semi-finalists from across the country, winning with Nistico's innovative Garden Gimlet cocktail, fusing BACARDÍ Superior rum, lemon, simple syrup, dried caraway seed, red bell pepper puree, fresh arugula, and a bell pepper slice sprinkled with sea salt to produce the next BACARDÍ Classic Cocktail.

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Now in its third year in the U.S., the USBG Legacy Cocktail Showcase is a chance for the best contemporary mixologists to create a balanced, appealing and enduring drink that will become as celebrated as historic cocktails such as the authentic BACARDÍ Mojito and authentic BACARDÍ Daiquirí, inspired by BACARDÍ rum, the world's most awarded spirit.

The USBG national competition was judged by BACARDÍ Senior Brand Master, William Ramos; the Global Winner of 2012 USBG Legacy Cocktail Showcase, Shingo Gokan; USBG Vice-President, Frank Martucci; and James Beard Award-winning chef, Michael Schwartz.

The eight finalists were narrowed down from a group of 50 truly talented mixologists from around the country who competed in their respective local regions, including Boston, New York, Chicago and Miami, over the past five months. Competing in the challenges gave the bartenders the opportunity to share their skills and techniques with fellow mixologists, and learn bartending philosophies and expertise from some of the industry's most influential tastemakers.

"Every year, the BACARDÍ Legacy Cocktail Competition discovers so many outstanding recipes from exceptional mixologists, and the competition seems to be pushing the creative limits of competitors each year," noted Kevin Oglesby, brand director, rum at Bacardi U.S.A., Inc.

The USBG competition has grown to become a world-renowned event, with regions from the United States, United Kingdom, Africa, European Union and Asia participating in 2013. The national winner will advance to the USBG Global Showcase in Puerto Rico, hosted by industry leaders and held in front of a specially invited audience of leading bartenders, bar professionals and media.

About United States Bartenders Guild

The USBG is a group of Beverage Specialists that enjoy networking and learning more about the industry. We currently have 34 Chapters throughout the U.S. and are growing rapidly.  Our initiative is to help our members advance in the profession by offering new spirit launches, bartending techniques seminars, networking lunches and cocktail parties.   Many of these events give members the opportunity to meet and interact with top industry professionals.  We also conduct many exclusive Cocktail Competitions where competitors are judged on both taste and technique. To learn more or become a member, go to www.usbg.org and click Join the USBG!

About BACARDÍ Rums

In 1862, BACARDÍ revolutionized the spirits industry when founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó began producing his remarkable light-bodied, smooth rum – BACARDÍ, the world's favorite rum brand. The unique taste of BACARDÍ rum inspired cocktail pioneers to invent some of the world's most famous drink recipes including the Mojito, the Daiquirí, the Cuba Libre, the Piña Colada, and the Presidente.  BACARDÍ rum has won more than 500 awards for quality and taste making it the world's most awarded rum, as well as the most awarded spirit of all time.  Today, BACARDÍ rum is produced in Puerto Rico, following the production legacy set forth by Don Facundo – crafted in a five step distillation process, mellowed in American white oak barrels, and filtered five times for unparalleled quality and smoothness.  www.Bacardi.com

SOURCE United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG)