James Irvine’s winning BACARDÍ Legacy cocktail, Bocado

Bocado

  • 50 ml BACARDÍ Gran Reserva 8 Años Rum
  • 10 ml Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth
  • 10 ml Palo Cortado Sherry
  • 12.5 ml De Kuyper Creme de Bananes
  • 3 Drops Rosemary Oil
  1. Stir all ingredients (except rosemary oil) in a mixing glass filled 3/4 full of quality ice.
    Once chilled and diluted, strain into a chilled cocktail glass with a single, dense (preferably spherical) piece of ice.
  2. Garnish with 3 drops of rosemary oil, creating a drizzle effect.
  3. Glassware: Skyscraper coupette


James Irvine is no stranger to BACARDÍ Legacy, having made the national final in the competition’s first year in Australia back in 2014 — this year, he has been crowned the Australian champion and will go on to compete against the best at the global final in Mexico City in May.

For Irvine, it’s important that his Legacy drink can be replicated around the world and for his campaign to pay tribute to those who inspire him.

“There’s so many people I look up to, and it spreads beyond just the bartender as well,” he says. “There are chefs, graphic designers, pretty much everything that goes into the end product that we do on a day to day basis.”

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And what about that rosemary oil? It helps the “body, mouthfeel, and texture of the drink,” he says. “Playing around with oils is really good for that; and also, it’s a flavour bomb. Rosemary as an ingredient is used synonymously across cultures, whether it’s mum’s roast or a midnight Cuban sandwich.”