SINGAPORE — Five bartenders from Singapore will be competing for the chance to represent the country in its first entry to the Bacardi Legacy Global Cocktail Competition. Russell Cardoza of Tippling Club; Alvin Au Yong of Library; Peter Chua of 28 Hongkong Street; Vijay Mudaliar of Operation Dagger and Ricky Paiva of Manhattan at Regent Singapore will be coming up with new Bacardi-based cocktails for the competition, which will be judged on March 11.

This is the seventh year of the competition and the finals, which will take place in Sydney this May, is one of the few competitions where bartenders here have an opportunity to showcase their skill on a global platform.

“Bacardi Singapore has decided to be part of it as we felt that Singapore is ready for this level of competition and our talents here are on par with the rest of the world,” said Caryn Cheah, Trade Ambassador, Bacardi-Martini Singapore. She added that the winning cocktail will have to be versatile, simple — it has to use ingredients easily obtained anywhere in the world and simple enough to be replicated by other bars around the world — and yet complex in terms of taste. An appreciation for rum is also on the rise here.

“Rum has already been trending in Asia in the last year and rightfully so,” said Chua, who has come up with a cocktail called Sugar Man. Chua also made history by becoming the first Singaporean to make the final six at last year’s Diageo Reserve World Class Global Finals, and believes rum spirits are great for the tropical climate like Singapore.

“In my opinion, everything about rum, from its origins to the drinks that it is commonly associated with, fits in with our climate,” said the 26-year-old finalist. “It has a sweeter flavour profile that is more forgiving to first time drinkers than other spirit categories.”

Fellow finalist Alvin Au Yong, who is offering a cocktail called The Eastern Remedy, added: “As there are less regulations governing (the production of) rum compared to other spirits, the availability of different styles of rum have also grown.”

While the bartenders hold varying views on the impact of cocktails with Asian sensibilities on the country’s cocktail trends, they agree that there is a significant shift in the market’s choice of drinks. “There is a massive difference from when people ordered fancy-looking and sweet cocktails in the past,” said Cardoza, whose drink is called Smashing Good Thyme. “Nowadays, they are more specific about the flavours and style of the drinks they prefer.”

Suffice it to say, the five competing cocktails are proof of this delectable maturity. The judges didn’t only consider the craftsmen’s presentation skills and product knowledge, but also assessed their creations for aroma, balance of flavours and character appeal, and even took into account the inspiration and story behind their recipes.

Those who like their tipple can also have a say in determining the eventual winner. Each finalist will have to present their marketing plans prior to the mix-off at the bar at Raffles Hotel on March 11, said Cheah.

“Points are scored when their cocktail gets sold in a bar, featured in the media, or when it is promoted at industry trade shows or on social media,” she added. “Points from promoting their drinks will be tabulated along with their performance at the finals.”

Check out what cocktails the bartenders have prepared at http://tdy.sg/todayfood.