Celebrating Future

For the brands in the Bacardi family, 2023 is proving to be quite the year. From the anniversary of the Daiquiri to a celebration of the founding of Martini & Rossi, to the reopening of the groundbreaking Palais Bénédictine, cocktail and spirits fans have much to celebrate.

The Daiquiri Divine

Did you know that rum is a key ingredient in the two most sought-after cocktails in the world? First, the Mojito, and in second place, the Daiquiri. The story goes 125 years ago, an American engineer working near the town of Daiquiri, Cuba, invented the drink that would become so closely associated with Bacardí. Just a few simple ingredients make it a go-to for bartenders around the world, Bacardí rum, lime, and sugar coming together for the perfect light, refreshing drink.

Prohibition helped make nearby Cuba a popular travel destination and soon, the Daiquiri became widely popular among American tourists. In the 1930s and 1940s, it became a symbol of sophisticated drinking. Rachel Guerin, Bacardi Heritage Curator says, “It was once so widely known that Bacardí rum was the original spirit in the Daiquiri cocktail that many Americans simply began to ask for a Bacardí Cocktail.” Today, the drink continues to stand the test of time due to its simplicity. For a more complex take, Guerin suggests switching up the type of rum using Bacardí Spiced or Reserva.

Today, Martini & Rossi vermouths are proving versatile even as drinking habits change, whether as a low ABV option or introducing non-alcoholic brands like Martini Floreale and Martini Vibrante. “Typically, consumers only think that vermouth can be used in cocktails like a Martini,” says Anna Scudellari, Martini Heritage Curator, “but with low ABV sipping becoming increasingly popular, bartenders are starting to pour vermouth over ice with soda water and consumers are loving it for a light, pre-dinner aperitif.”

MARTINI & ROSSI CULTURE

Founded in 1863, Martini & Rossi epitomizes Italian cool and vermouth culture. The brand joined the Bacardí company thirty years ago, and this year marks its 160th anniversary.

Over the years, Martini & Rossi has been a key driver of interest in the Italian lifestyle worldwide. Its innovative advertisements and marketing included partnerships with famous twentieth-century artists like Jean Droit, Leonetto Cappiello, and Andy Warhol. The launch of Terrazza Martini cocktail parties and aperitivo hours brought celebrities and influential guests together to further the brand’s exposure. The company even launched the Martini Museum of Wine in 1961, the first wine museum in Italy.

Bold B N Dictine

Due to its aromatic herbal profile, Bénédictine enjoys popularity in a wide range of cocktails, including the Vieux Carré and the Singapore Sling.

The story of Bénédictine stretches back to the 16th century, with the recipe said to have been created in 1510 by Benedictine monk Dom Bernardo Vincelli at the Abbey of Fécamp in Normandy, France. The manuscript was kept there for centuries until the French Revolution in 1792, when the monks were expelled and the abbey closed. Decades later, the recipe was rediscovered by a young Fécamp resident named Alexandre Le Grand. In 1863, he recreated it as a sweet liqueur, which he named Bénédictine in honor of the monks.

This year, Bénédictine marks the 150th anniversary of the Palais Bénédictine, which opened its doors in 1873 adjacent to Le Grand’s distillery. The collection gathered religious items from the Abbey of Fécamp and illustrated the brand’s roots. Sebastien Roncin, French Brands Heritage Curator, calls this one of the earliest examples of spirits tourism. Since opening, millions of visitors have passed through the doors of the distillery and museum. To celebrate this year’s anniversary, the museum has been reimagined to better connect the collection of religious items and the brand. “In this new museum space, we will unveil what visitors of the past 150 years have never been able to see: the old manuscript from the Abbey of Fécamp, containing the original recipe,” says Roncin. “The recipe itself will, of course, remain secret!”

Recipes

EVERDENE, THE ENTERTAINMENT HUB AND ALL-DAY DINING SPACE LOCATED AT VIRGIN HOTELS, NYC, IS THE EPICENTER OF COOL. ACCORDING TO DENNIS O’CONNOR, DIRECTOR OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE, EVERDENE’S DRINK PROGRAM IS THEMED AROUND ICONIC VIRGIN RECORDS AND ALBUMS, USING PLAYFUL NAMES TO EXPRESS THE WHIMSICAL NATURE OF THE COCKTAILS. “WE ALSO AIM TO BE VISUALLY APPEALING AND TO INCLUDE PLAYFUL PRESENTATIONS SUCH AS PINK PEPPERCORNS AND CILANTRO TO INTRODUCE A CHEEKY VERSION OF CLASSIC COCKTAILS LIKE THE MARGARITA,” HE SAYS.

Who Do You Think You Are

INGREDIENTS

1 oz. Cazadores Blanco Tequila

1 oz. Illegal Mezcal

1 1⁄2 oz. pineapple juice

1⁄2 oz. Agave

1 slice serrano

1 handful cilantro

4 pieces whole pink peppercorn (for garnish)

PREPARATION

Add all ingredients to shaker with ice, shake, pour over cubed ice in rocks glass, garnish with cilantro and peppercorn.

Fast Love

INGREDIENTS

2 oz. Sipsmith London Dry

3⁄4 oz. lavender pea flower cordial

3⁄4 oz. lemon juice

2 dashes Fee Foam

1 sprig dried lavender/pea flower (for garnish)

PREPARATION

Add all ingredients to shaker with cubed ice, shake, pour into coupe.