After six successful seasons, Monkey Shoulder, the free-spirited blended malt owned by William Grant & Sons, kicked off the seventh season of the ‘Ultimate Bartender Championship’ (UBC). The fourth city round of the championship culminated at Post Card in Hyderabad, witnessing over 70 talented bartenders from the city mixing, moving and shaking things up to claim the coveted title.
Hosted & judged by Monkey Shoulder India’s Brand Ambassador and Chief Monkey Officer, Gaurav Sareen, the event saw a gush of energy from a zealous group of bartenders paving their way through five exciting mixology challenges. The top finalists from Hyderabad, Gaurav Pandey from Anthem and Prashant Kumar from Aidu emerged with flying colors and will now compete with other city-round finalists at the grand finale.
This year’s UBC theme – Bartender Rumble, is inspired by WWE’s Royal Rumble, where only one bartender will reign supreme as the champion. The competition focuses on essential skills like ingredients, mixing, pouring, nosing, and nailing the perfect serve. The championship is structured to test the upcoming bartenders in India and ascertain proficiency in all aspects of bartending — as indeed, it’s skills that pay the bills.
Commenting on the return of Ultimate Bartender Championship, Kapila Sethi Kad, Head of Marketing, William Grants and Sons India, said,“Every edition of the Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship has showcased the growing quality of talent in the bartending community of India. Unlike any other conventional bartending championship in the country, it brings together the best in the business, celebrates their skills, and empowers them to learn from the best. The city round in Hyderabad witnessed some of the best bartending talent from the city. We at Monkey Shoulder are thrilled to continue supporting the bartending community across cities in India by providing them with a fitting platform, with the 7th edition of the Championship.”
Speaking about the Hyderabad city round, Gaurav Sareen, Brand Ambassador Monkey Shoulder India said, “India’s bartending scene is booming with skills, and there has been a noteworthy surge in cocktail culture. Bartending is becoming an emerging profession not just for international but also for local talent. With the Ultimate Bartender Championship, we aim to acknowledge and reward the skills of these champions. Every year we see participation growing, making it one of our biggest markets. We are excited to see what other cities have to offer.”
