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In 2009, Diageo’s first ever World Class Cocktail Competition took place in London following a global process, which whittled 6000 bartenders from 24 countries down to 18 finalists. This September, World Class saw winners from 44 countries across 6 continents competing in Shanghai. Over 190 challenges, seminars, tastings, experiences and guest shifts took place during the week, before Canadian Keegan McGregor was ultimately selected as the Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year 2024. He is the 15th addition to the World Class Hall of Fame since the competition’s inception. That the World Class ecosystem has not only endured over this period, but flourished, and evolved to encompass so much more than the competition itself is no mean feat. Indeed, 400,000 bartenders have been trained by and competed in World Class in that time.
The original idea behind World Class in 2009 was as simple as a desire to promote the best talent within the bar industry and foster a great relationship between these people and Diageo’s brands. It remains an opportunity for the best in the industry to shine in front of their peers and high calibre judges, such as Eric Van Beek (co-owner of Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City) whose venue was just ranked first in the world by 50 Best Bars. The core aim is to bring together the best of cocktail culture from around the world and have them showcase their skills with Diageo brands in their hands.
The World Class Hall of Fame have gone on to achieve remarkable things within the industry, from opening iconic bars, such as Bannie Kang’s SideDoor in Singapore, to touring the world as keynote speakers, to creating incredible content. 2017 winner Kaitlyn Stewart, now has her own consultancy brand and is about to release her first cocktail book encouraging her audience to drink better, not more (she also has a huge following on social media (over 273k on Instagram, @likeablecocktails)). 2010 winner Tim Philips Johansson even joined Diageo as Johnnie Walker’s Global Brand Ambassador in 2021.
The secret to the longevity of World Class is twofold, attributable to both the consistency of the platform and the community it has fostered. From competitors, to judges, to the Hall of Fame made up of previous winners, the connection made possible by World Class is unparalleled. Aristotelis Papadopoulos, for example, winner of the inaugural World Class Global Final, considers himself a member of the ‘World Class Family’ and has attended every World Class Global Final since his win to continue participating, mentoring, and learning from the next generation. This year in Shanghai, Erik Lorincz, 2014 winner and owner of internationally acclaimed London bar, Kwānt, explained: ‘Only World Class could bring everyone back together like this’. This sentiment encapsulates the magic of World Class – its ability to draw together a community of talented and passionate individuals who encourage and inspire others to take bold leaps in this industry.
At the heart of World Class, participants are nurtured, mentored and connected with the best and brightest in the industry. As World Class Global Senior Brand Manager, Kevin Delaney says, ‘You don’t need to win World Class to win World Class’. It’s an opportunity unlike any other in the business, where competitors are exposed to the best of the industry throughout their journey and grow as a long-term member of the World Class community. Keegan McGregor, who began his World Class journey six years prior to winning, echoed this, commenting on “the Camaraderie amongst the competitors” in Shanghai this year, which was “both inspiring and…kept [him] going”.
The strong sense of community which permeates the World Class platform is underpinned by the consistency of the enterprise. World Class has endeavoured to remain a constant support to bartenders, and to shine a light on the exceptional talent within the industry. Even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic when many brands cancelled their programs, World Class pivoted to run an online competition rather than take a break for a year. This commitment to always being there for the trade has helped the team to build and maintain their reputation as the most respected, as well as the largest, bartending competition globally.
Responsibility for World Class sits with Julie Bramham, Global Marketing Transformation Director & Managing Director, Luxury. She believes World Class can play a unique role in Diageo’s luxury strategy as it provides the opportunity to foster partnerships with the most influential bartenders and venues around the world, placing our brands at the heart of their serves, venues, and content. The program can create brand advocates and partners in future industry leaders and a chance to learn from their unique insights and skills. She says: “World Class enables Diageo to situate our brands at the forefront of luxury thought leadership and creative execution across the on trade and experiential...we have a crown jewel at our disposal here that can deliver exceptional brand building and advocacy across several brands simultaneously – who wouldn’t want to make the most of that opportunity?”
Julie says that Diageo’s belief in bringing the very best of cocktail culture to people around the world, and encouraging people to drink better, not more, will remain at the core of the World Class mission. The team treat this foundational principle as a ‘North Star’, and will continue to ensure that it informs the direction that World Class takes. She anticipates the program evolving to better connect bartenders around the world when they are not physically present at the global final, through the continuation of education and mentorship throughout the year. “However, the World Class Cocktail Festival will continue to celebrate the best of cocktail culture, and the competition will always remain at its heart, pushing the next generation of bartending talent to show us who they are and revealing tomorrow’s trends and classic cocktails”.
Thinking ahead to next year’s competition, she says: “I can’t wait to see how this all unfolds in Toronto, 2025.” It’s a feeling that we all share!
Diageo World Class: https://www.diageobaracademy.com/de-de/home/world-class-ger