THE PINNACLE OF BARTENDING IS BACK- DIAGEO RESERVE KICKSTARTS THE 14TH EDITION OF WORLD CLASS IN INDIA, POISED TO SHOWCASE INDIAN MIXOLOGY AT ITS FINEST
- Celebrating the skills and craftsmanship of bartenders worldwide, World Class is designed to highlight the world of great drink experiences with key focus on the people behind them
- World Class India begins the hunt to crown its Bartender of the Year who will go on to represent India at the global finale to be held in São Paulo, Brazil
BENGALURU, India, May 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — The world’s biggest and most prestigious bartending competition, World Class, is back. Diageo Reserve announces the 14th edition of World Class and has opened for entries in India. The best bartenders in the nation will compete against one another in a series of challenges to eventually be crowned the World Class India Bartender of the Year 2023.
Every year, the World Class India competition attracts applications from all over the country. The participants get to engage in a series of local and national challenges embedded in cultural and culinary trends leading up to the World Class India Finale in July. Focussing on tenants such as reinventing classic cocktails, sustainability and ingredient storytelling, competitors are given the space to showcase craftsmanship and innovation as they take on challenges in service of creating an exceptional consumer experience. The competition also allows them to get creative with Diageo’s finest and flavourful spirits including Tanqueray, The Singleton, Johnnie Walker, Talisker and for the first-time, Don Julio and Godawan.
The competition will host regional events followed by the national finals that will take place in Gurugram on the 1st -2nd of July, where the nation’s top 12 bartenders will be narrowed down to 6 finalists before the 2023 World Class India Bartender of the Year is crowned. India’s World Class winner will then represent the country at the World Class global finale, being held in São Paulo, Brazil in September.
Speaking on the commencement of World Class 2023, Shweta Jain – Chief Business Development Officer Luxury, Reserve, Craft Diageo India, said, "Diageo’s World Class is a mission to inspire people to drink better and create unforgettable experiences in the process. Whether at home or in a bar, World Class encourages consumers to think and care about fine drinking in the same way they care about fine dining. As this season kicks-off, World Class invites the modern Indian aesthete to experience and interact with the best of bars, bartenders and the trade community via the Cocktail Week and upcoming Cocktail festival. #AGlassOfWorldClass is THE opportunity to sip, savour and celebrate some of our finest spirits that dovetail into exceptional experiences."
As part of World Class India, consumers are also invited to discover great drink experiences by way of the World Class Cocktail Week and Cocktail Festival. The Cocktail Week which is slated to take place between 19th May – 28th May will allow consumers to sip on decedent cocktails across the country’s Top 100 bars. In addition to sampling creations by India’s Top 100 Bartenders, consumers can also sign up for exclusive brand immersions giving them a taste of the finest spirits Diageo Reserve has to offer. Moving closer to the finale, the season of World Class India comes to crescendo with the World Class Cocktail festival slated for July 1st and 2nd. The 2-day affair will honour the art of cocktail making via immersive experiences, international bar pop-ups, cocktail workshops, and an exceptional deep dive into the finest spirits from Diageo’s Reserve portfolio.
Commenting on creating unique cocktail experiences to consumers with the finest Diageo Reserve brands, Evonne Eadie, Head of World Class, Trade & Social Advocacy · DIAGEO India, said, "Creating refined and memorable drinks that are not just delicious but also tell a story is nothing short of art. We are really excited about the talented mixologists coming in this year and the level of skill the competition is set to showcase. World Class has come a long way to provide the perfect platform for bartenders to showcase their craft not just within the trade industry but to the discerning consumer as well. "
With #AGlassofWorldClass at the centre of each experience, these experiences strive to encourage modern consumers to upgrade their own drinking experiences by educating them about what, where, and how they consume spirits.
About World Class
World Class is on a mission to inspire people to drink better and create unforgettable experiences in the process. Whether at home or in a bar, WORLD CLASS encourages consumers to think and care about fine drinking in the same way they care about fine dining.
World Class has supported, trained and inspired over 400,000 bartenders, across 60 countries, for over twelve years, while partnering them with the world’s finest spirits – the Diageo Reserve collection. World Class is also the authority on the drinks industry whom consumers look to for the information on the latest drinks, trends, cocktail recipes and industry insight.
About Diageo Reserve
Created in 2004, Diageo’s Reserve division focuses on the global luxury opportunity, bringing together brands built on strong heritage, craftsmanship and authenticity. This luxury portfolio consists of Johnnie Walker Blue Label, Ciroc, Don Julio, Tanqueray No. TEN, Ketel One vodka, Zacapa, Bulleit and a fine collection of Single Malts. The Reserve portfolio accounts for 16% of Diageo’s total sales and has grown by 7% this financial year.
About Diageo India
Diageo India is the country’s leading beverage alcohol company and a subsidiary of global leader Diageo PLC. The company manufactures, sells and distributes an outstanding portfolio of premium brands such as Johnnie Walker, Black Dog, Black & White, VAT 69, Antiquity, Signature, The Singleton, Royal Challenge, McDowell’s No1, Smirnoff, Ketel One, Tanqueray and Captain Morgan.
Headquartered in Bengaluru, our wide footprint is supported by a committed team of over 3145 employees, 47 manufacturing facilities across states and union territories in India, a strong distribution network and a state-of-the-art Technical Centre.
Incorporated in India as United Spirits Limited (USL), the company is listed on both the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) in India. For more information about Diageo India, our people, our brands, and our performance, visit us at www.diageoindia.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, http://www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practices.
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