William Grant’s youthful whisky brand, Monkey Shoulder’s Ultimate Bartender Championship 2018 travelled to nine cities and looked at 550 contestants before identifying the winner in Vedant Mehra, who won this India Grand Finale of the Ultimate Bartender Championship held at The Electric Room, Lodhi Hotel. The competition brought together the most talented bartenders of the country who had won the regional rounds of the championship. Commenting on his win Vedant said, “ I am over the moon to win this biggest competition possible! For me, it is a very big achievement to be the best amongst the best of India! The ultimate bartender championship by is an amazing initiative by Monkey Shoulder for taking exposing us to international standards of bartending and taking us to global platforms such as the Athens Bar Show.” Vedant will win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Athens Bar Show, a coveted place in the world’s most prestigious Industry event. The national winner also rides home a customized 500 CC Motorcycle.
The 2018 season of ‘Ultimate Bartender Championship’ India leg, began in Mumbai, and was followed by Pune, Goa, Bangalore, , Hyderabad, Kolkata, Delhi, Gurgaon, and Chandigarh. This competition creates a healthy platform to egg-on young bartenders to enhance and show-off their bartending ‘skills that pay the bills.’ The eve of the contest saw the top 30 bartenders take over the best of bars of Delhi and NCR region with a treat of some finest cocktails on the spot. The championship concluded today with the India Grand Finale hosted by the Monkey Shoulder Global Brand Ambassador, Joe Petch over a fun filled session on bartending skills of ingredient mastery, combining and blending, pouring with accuracy, nosing and stock taking. The India Grand Finale participants were tested on their unique techniques, insights, speed and skills behind the bar.
Commenting on this championship, James Pennefather, MD William Grant & Sons India, said, “We are committed to empowering our friends in the bartender community to deliver memorable consumer experiences. A high energy industry event, it promises to lift all bartending parameters that make it an epic competition.We are delighted to see the tremendous success of the India season 2018. This competition truly resonates Monkey shoulder values of versatility and free spiritedness which has made it a preferred drink with bartenders around the world.”
