World Class India by Diageo has revealed its Top 100 shortlisted bartenders for the 2026 edition, featuring the “strongest representation yet” from Tier 2 cities led by Pune. The competition, which brings together talent from India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, saw participants reinterpret classic cocktails using Johnnie Walker Black Label as the base spirit.
The geographic spread shows significant growth beyond metro cities, with locations including Kochi, Coimbatore, Trivandrum, Indore and Dehradun well represented in the shortlist.
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Women now comprise 14% of the Top 100, marking the highest female participation in the platform’s 12-year history.
From over 800 entries, bartenders gravitated toward specific classic formats. Sours emerged as the most popular starting point, followed by Highballs, Old Fashioneds, and Rob Roy-style cocktails.
Regional preferences varied, with North India and Nepal favoring Sours, South and East India choosing Highballs, West India opting for Rob Roy-style cocktails, and Sri Lanka preferring Old Fashioneds.
Standout ingredients across submissions included banana, jaggery, toasted rice, and mushroom. Bartenders also incorporated traditional sweeteners like honey, spices including cardamom and turmeric, and tropical fruits such as guava and litchi.
“It has been encouraging to see the diversity of talent coming through this year’s Top 100, particularly from tier 2 cities and among women bartenders,” said Anchal Kaushal, Vice President, Customer Marketing, Diageo India.
“World Class plays an important role in supporting this kind of long-term growth through education, mentorship, and global exposure,” Kaushal added. “Seeing how this talent is already shaping up has been exciting, and we’re looking forward to how the competition unfolds.”
The competition now moves to four Regional Finals scheduled between January 29 and February 11 across Gurgaon/Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, and Mumbai.
These events will narrow the field to 16 finalists who will compete at the National Finals. The eventual winner will represent the region at the Global Finals in September 2026.
World Class Cocktail Festivals are planned for Mumbai and Gurgaon in February and March respectively, offering consumers opportunities to experience the cocktails and talent from this year’s competition.
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