Summer season is rum season, so we were more than happy to welcome the warmest season with an evening with Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum. With the Captain, you don’t need to be a professional bartender to create a delicious, spiced-up cocktail. To prove this, Captain Morgan partnered with comedian, actor, and host Tone Bell and influencer, host, and author Drew Afualo for the Battle of the Badtenders contest. This competition turns ordinary individuals with zero mixology experience into capable bartenders who can make classic crowd-pleasing cocktails using Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum.
Whether it’s a tropical Piña Colada, a minty mojito, or the timeless cola with Captain Morgan, the possibilities for delightful cocktails are endless, and you don’t need mixology lessons to make them. Captain Morgan stays true to its roots while spicing things up with a fresh new look that showcases its elevated liquid. The brand is enhancing its trademark taste with even more delicious ingredients, providing loyal fans and new consumers with countless cocktail possibilities.
As we got ready for the official competition, we enjoyed a variety of delicious Cap Morgan cocktails including Captain Colada, Captain on the Rocks, and more with the option to spice it up with rim options (vanilla sugar, tajin, or warm spice mix) and garnishes (dried pineapple, cherries, mint, or candied orange peel).
Captain Morgan invited all “badtenders” aged 25 and above to share their attempts at crafting a delicious cocktail on Instagram or Twitter. To enter the contest, participants posted an original cocktail creation using Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum (or a non-alcoholic alternative), along with the hashtag #BadtenderWorthyContest, tagged and followed @CaptainMorganUSA on Instagram or @CaptainMorganUS on Twitter.
Three finalists, Sabrina Patruno, Juan Felipe Diaz, and Sophie Gustaveson, were chosen to take their best cocktails to the next level at the first Captain Morgan Battle of the Badtenders event in NYC. The winner received a grand prize of $10,000 and the prestigious title of the Ultimate “Badtender.” The winning cocktail and the Ultimate “Badtender” will also be featured in a limited-edition Cocktail Courier kit. The finalists went had to create cocktails in two rounds. The first round had them make a classic cocktail with a twist from the ingredients they were surrounded by either creating a Pina Colada, Daiquiri, or Mojito.
Round one saw Sophie up first with a Mojito, then Juan with an interesting cherry & lime Daiquiri we’d love to try, and finally Sabrina with an orange flavor take on the Pina Colada. This round eliminated Juan Felipe Diaz, who unfortunately spilled his ingredients and had to start over, losing precious time. This left a battle between Sabrina Patruno and Sophie Gustaveson.
Round two brought out a mystery ingredient box and the two contestants had to utilize at least three of the mystery ingredients, along with Captain Morgan, of course. We thought Sabrina was the one to beat because she was experimenting with great flavors from the start, but unfortunately, she missed a very important ingredient in the final round (the Captain Morgan Rum), which ultimately led to Sophie Gustaveson being crowned the “Ultimate Badtender.”
Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum is now available in a 750mL bottle with an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 30% and at a retail price of $15.99. So, grab a bottle, get creative, and maybe you can join the next Battle of the Badtenders for a chance to become a cocktail enthusiast with Captain Morgan.
