Rules

The fine print

Rules & Regulations

Sustainable Sips Cocktail Showcase Presented by BARTENDER® Magazine and Cuervo®

Official Rules, Eligibility Requirements and Competition Guidelines

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR PARTICIPATE. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

The Sustainable Sips Cocktail Showcase competition (the “Competition”) period opens on April 7, 2027 and will close on November 20, 2027 (the “Competition Period”).

The Competition is sponsored by Proximo Spirits, Inc./Cuervo, hereinafter referred to as the “Sponsor” and “Cuervo.” Bartender Media LLC is hereinafter designed as the “Organizer” and “BARTENDER Magazine.”

Participation in the Competition constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules and to all decisions made by Sponsor, Organizer or their designated representatives, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Competition.

Eligibility

The Competition is open only to:

Professional bartenders currently employed within the hospitality industry;
Individuals who are twenty-one (21) years of age or older at the time of entry;
Legal residents of the applicable event market and/or surrounding approved region;
Individuals legally permitted to participate in alcoholic beverage-related promotional activities pursuant to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.

Employees, owners, officers, members, directors, contractors or agents of the Sponsor and Organizer, their parent companies, divisions, subsidiaries, affiliates and advertising and promotional agencies of each of the foregoing, wholesalers, distributors, retailers and any other entity that develops, produces or distributes materials for or related to this Competition, and any immediate family member (e.g., spouses, parents, siblings, children and each of their respective spouses) or households (whether related or not) of any of the above are not eligible to participate or win the Competition.

For the avoidance of doubt, employees of independent retailers are eligible to participate, provided they are not involved in the purchasing decisions or other business or operational decisions of any alcohol beverage retail licensee and are not otherwise affiliated with Sponsor, Organizer or involved in the administration of the Competition.

Competition is void where prohibited or restricted by law.

Sponsor reserves the right to verify eligibility at any time.

How to Enter

Review all Official Rules, requirements, and Competition guidelines made available through the registration platform and/or event communications.
To enter, a single representative must register their team (consisting of up to 3 individuals) via the designated registration link for the applicable market. Team names must not include, reflect, or reference the name of any establishment or account. While team members may share employment at the same venue, the team participates solely as an independent unit and not as a representative of that account.
Develop and submit one (1) original margarita-inspired cocktail recipe featuring Cuervo Tradicional® Reposado Tequila.

Submitted Cocktail Recipe Requirements

Submitted cocktail recipes must:

Reflect entrant’s personal bartending style and creativity;
Incorporate practical sustainability-driven techniques, methods, or ingredients;
Be suitable for live event execution and high-volume service environments.

Required Cocktail Components

Each submitted cocktail must include:

Cuervo Tradicional Reposado Tequila. For the avoidance of doubt, this applies only for the purpose of this Competition and does not affect the purchasing decisions or other business or operational decisions of any alcohol beverage retail licensee.
A citrus component;
A sweetener component.

Verbal Presentation Requirements

Entrants must prepare a brief verbal presentation or explanation addressing:

The inspiration behind the cocktail;
Sustainability practices and methodologies utilized;
Operational viability within a bar, hospitality, or live-event setting.

Sponsor and Organizer reserve the right to reject, disqualify, or remove any submission deemed inappropriate, non-compliant, unsafe, impractical, misleading, or otherwise inconsistent with Sponsor’s brand standards or applicable law.

Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis and is capped at four (4) teams per market.

Competition Details

Registration and submission are fully digital: Teams must first complete the online registration form, followed by submitting their recipe via email as outlined in the submission guidelines.

Four (4) teams (“Competitors”) will be invited to participate in a live showcase event within the applicable market.

Competitor Requirements

Competitors will be required to:

Prepare a pre-batched version of their submitted cocktail;
Serve samples of the cocktail during the live Competition event;
Participate in judging, interviews, presentations, photography, videography, and related promotional activities.

The “Expert’s Choice” winning team from each market (as selected by the judging panel and attendee votes) will advance in its entirety to the National Finals. At the finals, a panel of judges from Proximo Spirits and Bartender Magazine will evaluate the advancing teams to determine the overall national champion.

Sponsor and Organizer reserve the right to modify event dates, formats, locations, judging criteria, participation requirements, or Competition structure at any time without prior notice.

Prize details are subject to change and may require execution of additional releases, affidavits, tax documentation, or eligibility verification.

Cocktail Requirements

Submitted cocktails must comply with all of the following requirements:

Must be margarita-inspired in style and flavor profile.
Must utilize Cuervo Tradicional Reposado Tequila.
Must contain no more than 1.5 oz of Cuervo Tradicional Reposado Tequila per serving.
Must incorporate sustainability-focused practices, which may include:
- Low-waste preparation;
- Repurposed ingredients;
- Efficient batching techniques;
- Local sourcing initiatives;
- Reduction of single-use materials; or
- Scalable operational practices.
Must be executable within a live hospitality, trade-event, or bar environment.
Must be reasonably scalable and replicable for high-volume guest service.
Must comply with all venue, health, safety, and responsible service standards.
Must not contain prohibited, illegal, unsafe, or otherwise restricted ingredients or preparation methods.
Must be original work and must not infringe the copyright, trademark, privacy, publicity or other personal or proprietary rights of any person or entity.

Sponsor reserves the right to request recipe modifications to ensure operational feasibility, safety, legal compliance, or alignment with brand standards.

Judging Criteria for Expert’s Choice at Each Applicable Market Event

Cocktails will be evaluated by a judging panel designated by Sponsor using the following weighted criteria:

Sustainability in Practice — 30 Points

Evaluation of how effectively the cocktail incorporates realistic, practical, and operationally viable sustainability methods.

Margarita Integrity & Balance — 25 Points

Evaluation of cocktail balance, flavor profile, and proper integration of citrus, sweetness, and Cuervo Tradicional® Reposado.

Execution & Technique — 15 Points

Evaluation of bartending skill, preparation, batching methodology, presentation, and execution.

Menu Viability — 15 Points

Evaluation of the cocktail’s practicality for inclusion within a bar or hospitality beverage program, including scalability, ingredient accessibility, and operational feasibility.

Storytelling & Sustainability Narrative — 15 Points

Evaluation of entrant’s ability to clearly communicate the inspiration, sustainability approach, and conceptual story behind the cocktail.

All judging decisions are final and binding.

Prizing

Market Winners

Expert’s Choice

One (1) team will be selected by the judging panel during the applicable market event. Each market’s Expert’s Choice winner shall receive a cash prize of $3,000, awarded by Bartender Magazine, and a feature on Bartender Magazine’s Instagram account.

People’s Choice

One (1) team will be selected based on votes submitted from all attendees of the applicable market event. Each market’s People’s Choice winning team shall receive a cash prize of $2,000, awarded by Bartender Magazine, and a feature on Bartender Magazine’s Instagram account.

National Winner

Following the completion of all regional rounds, each regional winner will advance to the National Finals of the José Cuervo Sustainability Challenge. The National Finals will be judged by a panel selected by BARTENDER® Magazine.

All winning cocktails from Expert’s Choice in each applicable market will be judged and evaluated by a panel of esteemed industry professionals using the same criteria:

Challenge: Has the bartender team met all the challenge requirements to create a sustainable margarita cocktail using Cuervo Tradicional?
Craft: How well are the ingredients of the cocktail recipe compiled? Has the bartender demonstrated precise sustainable technique?
Flavor: How flavorful and balanced is the submitted cocktail?

All judging decisions are final and binding.

The National Winner will win a trip to Mexico to visit the La Rojeña Distillery. All flights and hotel accommodations are paid for by Bartender Magazine.

All federal, state, and local taxes, fees, and surcharges on any prize are the sole responsibility of winner of the prize. Winners of prizes with a value of $600 or more will be issued an IRS Form 1099-MISC early in the year following the year in which prize was awarded for filing with his/her federal and state tax returns. Sponsor complies with all tax reporting requirements. The amount of any tax liability will vary depending on winner’s tax bracket.

Publicity Release

By participating, entrant grants Sponsor and its designees the irrevocable right to photograph, record, film, reproduce, publish, distribute, edit, adapt, display, and otherwise use entrant’s name, likeness, voice, biographical information, cocktail recipe, photographs, video footage, and related materials in any media now known or hereafter developed worldwide, in perpetuity, without additional notice or compensation, except where prohibited by law. This grant includes all entrants and winners and applies to any Competition-related content or materials submitted or created.

Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights

Entrants agree to assign the exploitation rights of their recipes, photographs, video clips and cocktail names to the Sponsor of the competition, namely Proximo Spirits, Inc. and their affiliated or related companies. Each entrant accepts and agrees that the present authorization and assignment are given for free and that they will not claim any kind of compensation.

Limitation of Liability

While every reasonable effort will be made, the organizer cannot guarantee the safe return of glassware, equipment or any product supplied by a competitor. Therefore, competitors are advised to house their tools and products in bags/boxes, which enable them to efficiently gather and hold their equipment and ingredients immediately after competing.

ALL ENTRANTS AGREE THAT THE SPONSOR, AND ITS AFFILIATES, AGENCIES AND REPRESENTATIVES OR ENTITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPETITION SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR CLAIMS, LOSSES, LIABILITIES, EXPENSES OR INJURIES OF ANY KIND RESULTING IN ANY WAY FROM ENTRANTS PARTICIPATION IN THE COMPETITION, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE USE OF THE PRIZE, ANY DELAYED, LOST, MISDIRECTED, OR DAMAGED ENTRIES, OR ANY COMPUTER, ONLINE SERVICE, COMMUNICATIONS OR OTHER TECHNICAL MALFUNCTIONS THAT MAY OCCUR.

ALL ENTRANTS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE SPONSOR AND ORGANIZER MAKES NO WARRANTY OF ANY NATURE, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED REGARDING THE PRIZES, WHETHER WITH RESPECT TO FITNESS FOR PURPOSE, SATISFACTORY QUALITY, DESCRIPTION OR NATURE OF THE PRIZE OR OTHERWISE.

By participating, entrants agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor, its affiliates, agencies, distributors, retailers, event partners, venue partners, and representatives from and against any claim, liability, injury, loss, damage, cost, or expense arising from participation in the Competition or acceptance/use of any prize or promotional opportunity.

Sponsor assumes no responsibility for:

Lost, late, incomplete, inaccurate, delayed, or misdirected submissions;
Technical failures or platform interruptions;
Human error;
Event cancellations, postponements, or modifications;
Any injury or damage related to participation in the Competition.

Responsibility/Code of Conduct

The Sponsor and Organizer make a commitment to promote their products in a responsible way. Excessive drinking is dangerous for health; alcoholic beverages should be consumed with moderation. Competitors who are determined by the Sponsor or Organizer to be practicing or promoting any form of irresponsible drinking, including “shots,” will be disqualified and may be asked to leave the venue.

Any participants must comply with local regulation in respect to alcoholic beverage laws, during and after the competition. Competitors must conduct themselves in a safe manner and any action considered by the Sponsor or Organizer to endanger fellow competitors, judges or spectators will result in instant disqualification and possible ejection from the competition.

Sponsor or Organizer reserve the right to disqualify any entrant who, in its sole discretion, is found to be tampering with the entry process, acting in violation of these Official Rules, or engaging in unsportsmanlike, disruptive, or unsafe behavior.

General Rules of Participation

By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor and Organizer, which shall be final, and waive any right to claim ambiguity in the Competition or these Official Rules.

All federal, state and local laws apply. All federal, state or other tax liabilities arising from this Competition will be the sole responsibility of the prize winners.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY A PARTICIPANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE COMPETITION MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION, AND SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK ALL AVAILABLE REMEDIES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

In the event of a dispute, the decision of the Sponsors and Organizer shall be final and binding. All entries will become the Sponsor’s property and will not be returned.

License and Release

By participating and/or accepting a prize, entrants, winners, and guests acknowledge and agree that this Competition is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, Facebook or Twitter or any social media platform and agree to release and hold harmless such platforms and Sponsor, and its affiliates from any and all liability for loss, harm, damage, injury, cost, or expense whatsoever, including, without limitation, property damage, personal injury, and/or death that may occur in connection with, preparation for, travel to, or participation in the Competition, or possession, acceptance, and/or use or misuse of prize or participation in any Competition-related activity, including, but not limited to, any claims based on publicity rights, defamation or invasion of privacy, and merchandise delivery.

Entrants who do not comply with these Official Rules or who attempt to interfere with this Competition in any way shall be disqualified.

There is no purchase or sales presentation required to participate. A purchase does not increase odds of winning.

Use of Information

The information that you provide in connection with the Competition may be used by Sponsor, its affiliates and partners in accordance with its Privacy Policy, which may be updated from time to time without notice.

Disputes/Choice of Law

Except where prohibited, each entrant agrees that this Competition shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules. By entering, entrants consent to the jurisdiction and venue of the appropriate federal, state and local courts located in New York or any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Competition or any prize awarded.

General Conditions

Sponsor and Organizer reserve the right, in its sole discretion, to cancel, suspend, modify, or terminate the Competition at any time for any reason, including fraud, technical failures, legal compliance concerns, force majeure events, or any other factor beyond Sponsor’s reasonable control that impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Competition.