Jameson names finalists in Black Barrel competition
Pernod Ricard-owned Jameson Irish Whiskey has revealed the 10 finalists of its Black Barrel Bartender Series competition after receiving a record-breaking number of entries for 2025.
Reprising the competition for its fourth year, Jameson encouraged its global bartender family to submit a unique cocktail creation featuring Black Barrel Irish whiskey that also championed their local cultures and communities through ‘processes, ingredients and beyond’.
Entries to the competition were open from 13 January to 17 February, after which the applications were judged by a panel comprising Millie Tang of De Vie, Claudia Cabrera of Kaito Del Valle in Mexico City, and Danil Nevsky, founder and CEO of Indie Bartender.
This year’s competition saw a record-breaking 20% increase on entries from 2024, spanning diverse regions across the globe. For the first time Argentina, Nigeria, China and cruise ship-based bartenders are represented among the 24 regional winners chosen by the judges, all of whom will get to attend a three-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Midleton Distillery, Ireland to attend the Jameson Hosts Global Summit curated in collaboration with award-winning bartender and mentor for 2025, Remy Savage.
However, only 10 finalists have been selected to compete in the grand final at the Jameson Hosts Global Summit on 1 September 2025, where they will present their cocktails in a blind taste test to two separate panels of industry judges and mentors.
The 10 finalists are: Stefan Codrea of Galileo in Barcelona, Spain; Kadek Puspa of After Rock in Bali, Indonesia, Assel Abdimavlenova from Agora cocktail bar in Kazakhstan; Akın Özcan from Instanbul’s Cheerz Caddebostan, Turkey; Arthur Jeršov of Stalker Rotermanni in Estonia; Yu Kajitani from Dublin’s Daruma; the UK’s Matt Smith from The Brain Jar – Old Town in Hull; Shreya Basu of Banng in Gurugram, India; China’s Tiger Liang from Bar Cmyk; and Georgia Gresham of Before + After in Brisbane, Australia.
Speaking on this year’s entries, Tony O’Brien, Jameson global advocacy manager, commented: “I’m always blown away by the creativity and skill of bartenders worldwide, but this year has been the most diverse and vibrant series yet. We received entries from more countries than ever before with bartenders creating really interesting and truly distinctive drinks, that showcase their passion for their locality and culture.
“Jameson Black Barrel is an exceptional blend of our best select batch whiskeys, matured in different barrel types and expertly aged to deliver a rich and sublimely smooth taste, and intensified aromas of butterscotch, fudge and creamy toffee. Its blend of sweetness, spice, and toasted wood makes it the ideal base spirit for cocktails, allowing bartenders to explore incredible flavours pairings, something we’ve seen in abundance in this year’s competition. We can’t wait to welcome all our winners into the Jameson family at the Jameson Hosts Global Summit this September in Ireland, where our judges are super excited for the final taste test. It’s going to be some final.”
The final 10 are competing to win one of three €5,000 (US$5,153) cash prizes and access to leading industry figures for the Jameson Black Barrel Bartender Series Mentorship Programme, which aims to provide guidance and support to aspiring bar professionals seeking to enhance their skills and knowledge personally and professionally in the wider bar community.
Industry expert Savage will lead mentorship sessions on designing a cohesive brand identity, offering insights on bar concept creation, branding, and creative storytelling to help winners refine their unique vision.
In addition, Eleni Nikoloulia, drinks journalist and World’s 50 Best Bars academy chair, will focus on the notion of establishing a brand globally, providing expertise on building an international reputation and media positioning, while competition judge Nevsky will share strategies on developing a strong digital presence, content creation, and audience engagement to help winners amplify their reach in the industry.
Each mentor will host one-on-one sessions, beginning with an in-person meeting at the Jameson Hosts Global Summit, followed by virtual sessions in the months after the competition.
Savage said: “Mentorship is an essential part of the bartending industry – it’s how we grow, share knowledge, and push creative boundaries. We’re all thrilled to continue working with the next generation of bar professionals, helping them refine their concepts, brand identity, and creative direction.”
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