Jacob Pepin Named Canadian Winner of The 2026 Bols Cocktail Battle

Lucas Bols today announced Jacob Pepin as the Canadian winner of the 2026 BOLS Cocktail Battle for his original cocktail, Elder Lady. Pepin will represent Canada at Cocktail Fever, a global bartender experience hosted by BOLS in Amsterdam.

Inspired by this year's "Neon Nights" theme, the competition invited bartenders to create original, visually striking cocktails featuring BOLS Liqueurs and inspired by an iconic party decade. Entries were evaluated by an expert panel based on flavor, originality, technical execution, visual presentation and storytelling.

Pepin's Elder Lady earned the competition's highest Canadian honor by combining BOLS Melon and BOLS Elderflower liqueurs with golden honey, acid-adjusted pineapple and a float of Empress 1908 Gin.

"Jacob's Elder Lady demonstrates how a talented bartender can transform the flavor, quality and versatility of BOLS Liqueurs into a cocktail that feels original, contemporary and memorable," said Ignacio Llaneza, Vice President of Marketing, USA and Canada, Lucas Bols. "We are proud to celebrate his achievement and have him represent Canada's dynamic bartender community at Cocktail Fever in Amsterdam."

A Young Bartender With A Passion For Technique

At just 23 years old, Pepin has already developed a thoughtful and technically driven approach to bartending. After spending much of his early hospitality career in kitchens, he moved behind the bar approximately three years ago.

Elder Lady was the first original cocktail recipe Pepin committed to paper. He spent approximately 18 months refining the drink, balancing its ingredients and experimenting with acid-adjusted pineapple juice to create brightness without relying on additional citrus.

Pepin was particularly drawn to BOLS Elderflower for the balance between its sweet and floral notes and to BOLS Melon for delivering fresh fruit character without becoming overwhelming. He had already begun incorporating more BOLS products into his bar program before entering the competition.

The 2026 Canadian Winner and Finalists

Winner: Jacob Pepin - Elder Lady

Runner-Up: Zoe Bates

Third Place: Nick Incretolli

Jacob Pepin’s Winning Cocktail

Elder Lady

Created by Jacob Pepin, Canadian Winner

Ingredients:

• 3/4 oz BOLS Melon Liqueur

• 3/4 oz BOLS Elderflower Liqueur

• 3/4 oz golden honey syrup (1:1)

• 1 oz pineapple juice adjusted to lime acidity with citric and malic acid

• 1/2 oz Empress 1908 Gin, floated

Preparation: Shake the first four ingredients with ice and pour into a glass. Fill with fresh ice and float the Empress 1908 Gin on top.

Cocktail Fever in Amsterdam

Cocktail Fever is an immersive two-day experience bringing together 2026 BOLS Cocktail Battle winners from participating countries around the world. The program will include training at the BOLS Cocktail Academy inside the House of BOLS, a visit to the Lucas Bols distillery, exclusive seminars and masterclasses, cultural experiences in Amsterdam and opportunities to connect with bartenders from across the global cocktail community, including BOLS Global Brand Ambassador Ivar de Lange and Master Distiller Monique ten Kortenaar.

The BOLS Cocktail Battle was supported in North America by CHILLED Magazine and Difford's Guide, providing participating bartenders with industry exposure across editorial, digital and social channels.

Following the success of the 2026 competition, the BOLS Cocktail Battle will return to Canada in 2027. The new theme, entry dates and competition details will be announced at a later date.

To learn more about the 2026 winners and receive updates about the 2027 BOLS Cocktail Battle, visit Neon Night Party Cocktail Battle