Bacardi has developed what it claims is the only Wine & Spirit Education Trust-approved (WSET) accreditation dedicated to agave spirits, available as part of a Patrón-branded ‘platform’ for bartenders.
The platform, Agave Masters, has been designed “to deepen agave knowledge and strengthen the global bar community”, Bacardi said. The agave spirits accreditation is available exclusively on the Agave Masters platform and is free to members (membership is also free).
Alongside the WSET course, Agave Masters features a competition element, educational aspects such as masterclasses & articles and opportunities for networking. Winners of the first Agave Masters competition will be taken to Mexico for a four-day ‘global summit’, including a trip to the Patrón brand home in Jalisco.
Bacardi’s agave on-trade global director & GM of Hacienda Patrón, Lauren Mote (top), said: “There is truly nothing quite like the hospitality and bar community. Our industry is shaped by the people who create, make, and manage the drinks and experiences we all enjoy.
“At Patrón, we want to continue to be a genuine partner to those within it, creating opportunities to learn from one another, build relationships and develop their craft. Through those moments, we’re also able to share the stories behind Patrón from the great lengths we go to in making our tequila with just three ingredients to the dedication of the people behind every bottle to achieve results that are simply perfect.”
Last month, Bacardi expanded its ingredient-led marketing push for Patrón in the US with an out-of-home element. The activation, which started to appear in the country late last month, plays on Patrón’s use of three ingredients as the “tequila industry permits the use of additives up to 1% of the weight of the product in the formulation of 100% Weber Blue Agave aged tequilas”.
