Business
World Class by Diageo India Reveals Its 2026 Top 100 Bartenders
World Class India by Diageo has announced the Top 100 shortlisted bartenders for its 2026 edition, offering a snapshot of where bartending across South Asia stands today, and where it is headed next. Bringing together talent from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the shortlist reflects a bar community that has grown more confident over time, shaped by sustained investment in education and skill-building through platforms such as World Class.
About this update from Diageo Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"The Top 100 sees its strongest Tier 2 representation yet, with Pune leading the mix and other cities such as Kochi, Coimbatore, Trivandrum, Indore and Dehradun well represented alongside metros","length":193,"tagName":"p","attribs":{}},{"type":"text","content":"Ingredients that stood out in this year's shortlist were Banana, Jaggery, Toasted Rice, and Mushroom","length":104,"tagName":"p","attribs":{}},{"type":"text","content":"Sours emerged as the most common starting point, followed by Highballs, Old Fashioneds, and Rob Roy-style cocktails","length":115,"tagName":"p","attribs":{}},{"type":"text","content":"Stirred, built, and long drinks feature prominently, and women make up 14% of the total shortlisted list","length":104,"tagName":"p","attribs":{}},{"type":"text","content":"BANGALORE, India, Jan. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- World Class India by Diageo has announced the Top 100 shortlisted bartenders for its 2026 edition, offering a snapshot of where bartending across South Asia stands today, and where it is headed next. Bringing together talent from India, Nepal and Sri Lanka, the shortlist reflects a bar community that has grown more confident over time, shaped by sustained investment in education and skill-building through platforms such as World Class.","length":487,"tagName":"p"},{"type":"image","alt":"World Class by Diageo India","displaySize":"","headline":null,"caption":"World Class by Diageo India","className":"","disableSlideshowImg":false,"size":{"original":{"width":400,"height":225,"url":"https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/4611895da2d25884b337ef33fa6cfe95"},"resized":{"url":"https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/lRIE15JgMJcmrpoq0VJ8SQ--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTM5NztjZj13ZWJw/https://media.zenfs.com/en/prnewswire.com/4611895da2d25884b337ef33fa6cfe95","width":400,"height":225}},"href":"https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2867893/World_Class_India.html","hrefExternal":true,"rel":"nofollow"},{"type":"text","content":"At this stage of the competition, bartenders were challenged to start with a classic cocktail and reinterpret it through their own lens, using Johnnie Walker Black Label as the base. What emerged from these submissions is a clear picture of how today's bartenders are thinking, grounded in classic structure, yet expressive in flavour and technique, while also drawing more on local ingredients...