Rebecca Ardman and Michael Sanz Named U.S. Winners of The 2026 Bols Cocktail Battle

Lucas Bols today announced Rebecca "Becca" Ardman of Boston and Michael "Mike" Sanz of Los Angeles as the East and West Coast winners, respectively, of the 2026 BOLS Cocktail Battle. Ardman earned top honors with SPF-U, while Sanz won with Fire and Ice. The two champions will represent the United States 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.

Ardman and Sanz rose to the top of a talented field based on the flavor, originality, technical execution, visual presentation and storytelling behind their cocktails. At Cocktail Fever, they will join BOLS Cocktail Battle winners from around the world for education, cultural experiences and global bartender-community connections.

"Rebecca and Michael captured everything the BOLS Cocktail Battle represents: exceptional flavor, originality, visual excitement and a memorable story," said Ignacio Llaneza, Vice President of Marketing, USA and Canada, Lucas Bols. "Their cocktails demonstrate how the quality and versatility of BOLS Liqueurs can inspire completely different creative expressions. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and have them represent the U.S. bartender community in Amsterdam."

Two Winners, Two Distinct Creative Perspectives

Ardman's winning SPF-U began with the memory of a quiet beach at sunset, the scent of tanning oil and salt in the air, the warmth of the sand and the desire to make the day last a little longer.

The layered cocktail combines BOLS Banana Liqueur and BOLS Blue Curacao with Partida Tequila, Frangelico, lemon and vanilla, finished with pineapple-cinnamon foam. Less than 48 hours before the deadline, Ardman abandoned an earlier concept and committed to the more personal idea that ultimately became SPF-U.

Sanz brought a chef's perspective to the competition. Inspired by the contrast between fire and ice and by the connection between culinary and cocktail creation, he paired BOLS Blue Curacao and BOLS Elderflower Liqueur with gin, lemon, lavender bitters and chile-spiced hot honey.

The 2026 U.S. Winners and Finalists

U.S. EAST

Winner: Rebecca "Becca" Ardman - SPF-U

Runner-Up: Carlos Flores

Third Place: Nicole Greenwell

U.S. WEST

Winner: Michael "Mike" Sanz - Fire and Ice

Runner-Up: Kate Brown

Third Place: Azalea Barr

The Winning Cocktails

SPF-U

Created by Rebecca Ardman, U.S. East Coast Winner

Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz Partida Tequila

• 3/4 oz BOLS Banana Liqueur

• 1/2 oz Frangelico

• 1/2 oz fresh lemon juice

• 1/4 oz BOLS Blue Curacao

• 2 drops vanilla extract

• Pineapple-cinnamon foam

• Cinnamon stick, flower and freshly grated nutmeg for garnish

Preparation: Combine the liquid ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake and fine-strain into an antique coupe glass. Layer the pineapple-cinnamon foam on top and garnish with grated nutmeg and a flower. Torch a cinnamon stick and carefully position it in the foam.

FIRE AND ICE

Created by Michael Sanz, U.S. West Coast Winner

Ingredients:

• 1 oz BOLS Blue Curacao

• 1/4 oz BOLS Elderflower Liqueur

• 1 1/2 oz gin

• 1/2 oz chile-spiced hot honey syrup

• 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice

• 1 oz egg white

• 3 dashes lavender bitters

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a shaker and dry-shake without ice to develop the foam. Add ice and shake again until well chilled. Double-strain into a chilled coupe glass.

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.

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 the United States 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.