Barceló Rumtenders Competition 2026

The Barceló Rumtenders Competition returns in 2026, inviting bartenders to showcase their creativity in an international cocktail competition dedicated to the premium rums of Ron Barceló.

The competition consists of three stages: the National Competition, the Digital Qualifier, and the Global Final, which will take place in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.

Timeline

Applications
Until 11 September 2026
Online

National Competition
Athens, Greece
Late September 2026
The Greek National Final is scheduled to take place in late September 2026. The exact date will be announced soon.

Digital Qualifier
Online

Global Final
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
15–19 February 2027

Competition Format

The competition is divided into three consecutive stages.

1. National Competition

The first stage takes place at national level. Participants create a cocktail using one of the Ron Barceló rum expressions and present it to the judging panel. The winner of the Greek National Final advances to the Digital Qualifier.

2. Digital Qualifier

The winner of the Greek National Final progresses to the second stage of the competition.

For this stage, participants must create a new cocktail, different from the one presented in the National Competition, and showcase it in a vertical video of up to 45 seconds.

All winning videos will be published on the official @ronbarcelo.global Instagram account. Each post will also be shared as an Instagram Collab Post with the official Ron Barceló Instagram account of the respective country. Whenever possible, the participant's personal Instagram account will also be included as a collaborator, helping maximise the post's organic reach and engagement.

3. Global Final

Participants who qualify through the Digital Qualifier will travel to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, where they will take part in a multi-day programme of experiences before the Grand Final.

Throughout the week, finalists will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of Ron Barceló by visiting the brand's distillery and museum, discovering the Dominican Republic through curated experiences, and connecting with hospitality professionals from around the world.

The Global Final consists of three demanding rounds, designed to test participants' cocktail-making skills, their understanding and representation of the Ron Barceló brand, and their digital communication abilities.

Finally, the finalists will present their cocktails before an international judging panel, which will select the three overall winners of the Barceló Rumtenders Competition.

Key Competition Rules

Participants are required to create an original cocktail that complies with the competition specifications.

Cocktail Name

The cocktail name must be original and must not include registered trademarks or references to underage or excessive alcohol consumption, alcohol strength or effects, dangerous or anti-social behaviour, sexual content, sporting, educational or religious events, medicinal claims, or any suggestion that the cocktail can improve or alter a person's physical or mental condition.

Recipe Specifications

The recipe must contain no more than 4 oz of alcohol in total and must use one of the Ron Barceló rum expressions available in the participant's country, without including any other rum brand.

Each cocktail may contain a maximum of eight ingredients or elements, including the rum and garnish. Any component that contributes colour, aroma or flavour is considered an ingredient, while any garnish or element that affects the cocktail but is not declared in the recipe will be considered an additional ingredient and will result in a penalty.

Ingredients should be commonly available and widely used in high-end cocktail bars.

Up to two homemade ingredients are permitted per cocktail, provided they are accompanied by a complete recipe and preparation method. Homemade syrups and shrubs may contain no more than two flavours (excluding their basic ingredients), while any ingredient used to modify the texture of the cocktail also counts as one of the two permitted homemade ingredients.

Homemade rum blends, rum infusions, rum pre-batches and clarified rum preparations are not permitted. The use of tobacco, mushrooms, or any narcotic or psychotropic ingredient is also prohibited.

Equipment

Each participant is responsible for bringing their own ingredients (such as bitters, syrups and other preparations), as well as their own serving glassware. Barceló will provide only basic glassware and a limited selection of essential ingredients.

Prizes

In addition to the unique experience of competing in the Global Final, the top three participants will receive:

🥇 First Place

• USD 1,500 cash
• 4 cases of Barceló Imperial
• Level 1 Spirits Certification (online programme, in English)

🥈 Second Place

• USD 1,000 cash
• 3 cases of Barceló Imperial

🥉 Third Place

• USD 500 cash
• 2 cases of Barceló Imperial

How to Participate

To secure your place in the Barceló Rumtenders Competition, express your interest using one of the following methods:

• Send a direct message to @concepts_greece on Instagram.
• Send an email to info@concepts.gr with the subject line "BARCELO RUMTENDERS COMPETITION".

Good luck!