Havana Club Cocktail Maestros advance on Cuba
The top contenders for Havana Club Cocktail Maestros have completed the first challenges on their way to Cuba.
The regional heats followed the national finals, which featured more than 550 bartender duos from 25 countries. These were whittled down to 22 teams.
The Asia-Pacific national final took place simultaneously with the regional heat. The event was held in Shanghai at SIP Supernova 2025, during an exclusive Havana Day at the Fosun Foundation.
Ten teams went head-to-head in the Cuban Mode challenge, creating cocktails inspired by Havana’s ‘resourceful spirit’ using homemade elements and local ingredients.
Simone Caporale guided the event.
The three shortlisted teams were also awarded points in their challenges, which will carry over to the competition held in Cuba.
Meanwhile, in Europe, 15 shortlisted teams were examined by judges Maria Kontorravdis, Ian Burrell and Stefan Adrian.
During the three-day event in October 2025, the teams showcased technique and created European interpretations of Cuban-inspired mixology.
During the first Liquid Harmony challenge, the teams from Portugal and France earned a ‘dramatic’ tie for first place.
Meanwhile, the Americas regional finals were held in Bogotá in November, with teams from Colombia, Mexico, Cuba and Canada competing.
The judges were Ángel Solórzano, Luna Orellano and Noah Matthies.
All teams have now gathered their first points on their journey to Cuba, where the finalists will gather in April.
Alfredo Guerra, global brand ambassador for Havana Club, said: “Across every region, we’ve seen bartenders pour their culture, their talent and their corazón into this competition.
“Cocktail Maestros is all about community – a celebration of creativity, hospitality and the stories that bring people together. We’re incredibly proud of the spirit shown across Asia, Europe and the Americas, and it’s inspiring to see Havana Club resonate so strongly with the bartending community around the world.”
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