Bacardi FUTURE ICONS Season 2: Bartending Challenge 2027

Bacardi has launched the second season of FUTURE ICONS, a bartending competition that challenges entrants to reimagine the classic cocktails of tomorrow using brands from the Bacardi portfolio. The Grand Final will take place in Singapore in March 2027, with bartenders from 14 countries taking part.

The launch follows what Bacardi describes as a successful debut year. Zachary Tan won the individual title in the inaugural season, while Teeradon Apidajsak, Ruben Kolosa and Patis Wattanakal were named the inaugural team champions. Tan and the team champions went on to the Spirit Trail, a journey through Europe hosted by Bacardi.

Bacardi says the programme reflects an ongoing commitment to supporting bartending talent, and to creating a competition experience shaped by what bartenders value most. The Grand Final is built around a week of learning, mentorship and community rather than competition alone.

The competition begins with local entries in each of the 14 participating countries. Bartenders are asked to master a classic cocktail and create a future classic of their own, using a brand from the Bacardi portfolio. Following the National Finals, the winning bartender from each market earns a place at the Grand Final. There they compete alongside peers from across the region for individual and team honours.

In Singapore, four figures from the international bar scene will mentor the finalists over five days of learning and competition. They will then decide on both an individual champion and a winning team. The group comprises:

Sandrae Lawrence, co-founder of The Cocktail Lovers magazine
Shingo Gokan, co-owner of Sip & Guzzle in New York, which was named The Best Bar in North America 2026
Margarita Sáder, co-founder of Barcelona’s Paradiso, which was named The World’s Best Bar in 2022
Zachary Tan, the current FUTURE ICONS champion

“FUTURE ICONS reflects our commitment to supporting the on-trade and helping bartenders build rewarding, long-term careers. More than a competition, FUTURE ICONS is a platform for learning, connection and growth. Participants have the opportunity to work alongside industry legends, gain hands-on mentorship, exchange ideas with peers from across the region and challenge themselves in new ways. That’s what makes the program so special, and we’re excited to welcome the next group of FUTURE ICONS finalists to Singapore in a few months.”
Roger Edmonds, vice president of marketing for Asia, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) at Bacardi

After the Grand Final, all champions will travel with Bacardi on the Spirit Trail. The immersive journey through Europe visits the homes of several Bacardi brands, which are presented through culture, connection and story.

The participating countries are Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.

For the venues that employ these bartenders, FUTURE ICONS is as much about the bar as the individual behind it. The most direct benefit is skill. A bartender who spends five days alongside operators from award-winning bars returns with techniques, ideas and a wider perspective. These can feed into the bar’s own menu, training and service.

The competition format also works as a development exercise. Entrants must master a classic cocktail and then build a future classic of their own, which takes research, testing and refinement. A bar team can learn from that process together, whether or not the finished drink reaches the menu.

There is a people argument as well. Bar owners and managers invest time in training their teams, and a visible pathway can help that effort. The route runs from a local competition to a regional final, and potentially to a trip through Europe. It gives bartenders a reason to build their careers and gives employers a reason to back them. That reflects the intent in Edmonds’s reference to helping bartenders build rewarding, long-term careers.

Peer connection matters too. Participants exchange ideas with counterparts from across the region, and Malaysia is among the 14 markets taking part. For a bar team in Malaysia, that means exposure to how bartenders in Japan, India or the UAE approach the same classics. That exchange can widen the range of drinks a local bar offers.

The team honours add another dimension. Drinks in a working bar are made by a team, and a competition that rewards collaboration mirrors how venues actually run.

The programme is built around the Bacardi portfolio, so entries will feature the company’s brands, and each bar will weigh how that fits its own menu and philosophy. For many venues, though, the draw is the chance to see a member of the team learn from respected names in the trade and bring that learning back to the bar.