About World Class
World Class is the largest and most prestigious bartending competition the world's bar industry has seen. However, World Class is much more than a mere cocktail competition.
Congratulations to Cameron Attfield, the 2019 World Class GB winner. Find out more about the GB finals and Cameron's win here.
Reserve Brands is the part of Diageo tasked with nurturing the company's premium brands so by default they operate in the higher echelons of our industry. It is the good folk at Reserve who are behind World Class. They see this as a vehicle "developed to educate and inspire bartending talent to create exceptional cocktails, service and experiences."
By encouraging and supporting the improvement of bartending standards around the world, the rationale is that better bartending will lead to better drinks and so offer a better opportunity for their luxury brands. Presently, World Class operates in some 50 countries and bartenders from all these markets are invited to participate.
Many hundreds of bartenders compete in each country and concludes with one winner. Continuing with the Olympic analogy, that winner, the World Class Bartender of the Year, is best compared to the winner of the decathlon due to the number of different bartending disciplines tested. Winning a national World Class final is a career changing achievement. Being crowned the global World Class Bartender of the Year is life changing.
Ketel One Vodka
The Dutch refer to their pot stills as 'ketels', thus this vodka is named after the Nolet's original 1864 'Distilleerketel #1' which is still used in the
Ron Zacapa 23
Ron Zacapa is famously aged in warehouses one-and-a-half miles above sea level among soaring Guatemalan mountains and active volcanoes. Launched in 1976,
Tanqueray No. Ten
Launched in 2000, Tanqueray No. Ten Gin is based on the traditional Tanqueray botanical recipe but with unusual extras such as camomile and fresh grapefruit.
Ciroc Vodka
Cîroc was created by Jean-Sébastien Robicquet, a charismatic Frenchman who grew up between Cognac and Bordeaux. Given his origins, it is perhaps not
Don Julio Reposado
Launched in 1989, this 100 per cent agave reposado is aged for eight months in recharged American white oak casks previously used to age bourbon whiskey.
Bulleit Bourbon (45%)
Marketed as being the 'frontier whiskey', this Kentucky straight bourbon was launched in 1987 by Tom Bulleit, the great-great grandson of Augustus Bulleit,
Haig Club Grain Whisky
Unveiled in London 8th April 2014, the launch of this whisky by Diageo lit up the global news networks. Not due to its being one of the few mainstream
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Launched in 1992 as the whisky for connoisseurs, this even more premium version of the already deluxe Johnnie Walker has a proportion of malts as old as
Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve
Launched in 2011, Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is a blend of malt and grain whiskies include including casks of Clynelish single malt whisky. In the
Johnnie Walker Platinum Label
Launched in 2011 to replace the Johnnie Walker 18 year old Gold Label, Johnnie Walker Platinum Label is a blend of malt and grain whiskies matured for
Talisker 10 Year Old
Talisker was sold as an 8 year old single malt until 1989 when the 10 year old was realised as one of the Classic Malts. Talisker 10 year old is aged predominantly
The Singleton of Dufftown 12 Year Old
Aged in a high proportion of European oak casks, Singleton from Dufftown replaced the now-defunct Singleton of Auchroisk which was first launched as a
