Puerto Rican bartender Rafael López won first place and the Jigger de Oro at the Cardenal Mendoza Gold Jigger Cocktail Competition 2026, held in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. The grand final took place Thursday, October 29 at La Favorita, where López competed against Miguel Ángel Vargas of Spain and Navyla Chamlati of Mexico with his cocktail 'Aunque naciera en la luna'.
The competition, organized by Cardenal Mendoza, drew 180 registered participants this year, up from 104 in the previous edition; 30 were selected as semifinalists before the three finalists. The final had two rounds: in the first, contestants had seven minutes to prepare and present three servings of their original cocktails to the judges. In the second, a Mystery Box round, finalists created a new drink using surprise ingredients that had to include at least one Cardenal Mendoza product.
The jury comprised Borja Cortina of bar Varsovia in Gijón, Margarita Sader of Paradiso in Barcelona, and Manu Iturregi of Residence in Bilbao. The judges awarded the top honor to the Puerto Rico representative. The program also included a visit to the Sánchez Romate bodegas, and the competition highlights the versatility of Brandy de Jerez in contemporary proposals.