Diageo World Class crowns US Bartender of the Year
Philadelphia’s Alexis Ortega has claimed the title of 2026 US Bartender of the Year and will advance to the global final of Diageo World Class.
Ortega is the head bartender at Static Bar in Philadelphia. He took the crown after triumphing in the US national finals among 15 participants.
He said: “World Class challenged me in all the best ways, pushing me to think on my feet, trust my instincts and bring my perspective as a storyteller behind the bar.
“I’m grateful for the amazing community of peers who want to see you grow, succeed and raise the craft together. Representing the US at the global finals is an incredible honour, and I’m ready to bring that same energy and a little dancing to the world stage.”
The US national final took place in Chicago, on 11-13 May and marked the start of Diageo’s new partnership with Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF).
Joining Ortega in Chicago were Gonzalo Ramos, Kai Lucas and Kyler Nolan from New York; Chicago’s own Elliott Reibert and Taylor Jamison-Parrish; and Jason Briseno and Michelle Freed from Los Angeles.
Other finalists were: Becky Rose (Aurora, Colorado); Bridget Ramsey (East Brunswick, New Jersey); Colin Williams (New Orleans, Louisiana); Jeff Banks (Decatur, Georgia); Mackenzie Helem (Seattle, Washington); Peter Hannah (Kissimmee, Florida) and Sierra Knight (Cincinnati, Ohio).
During the competition, the finalists were first tasked with three challenges of both creativity and technique.
The first stage saw finalists make a Ketel One Vodka cocktail inspired by their personal heritage and bartending journey, as well as ‘the next trending coffee cocktail’ with Mr Black Coffee Liqueur. An eight-minute speed round of six cocktails capped off the round.
The five highest scorers moved on to the final stage, where they faced two more challenges using Tequila Don Julio Blanco and Tanqueray No. Ten.
Ortega’s winning cocktails were the First Call (a shaken mix of Mr Black, Don Julio reposado, grapefruit syrup and saline, topped with grapefruit soda and garnished with a grapefruit wedge) and Bella Vista Melon (a combination of Tanqueray, chamomile bitter bianco, concentrated honeydew melon, centerbe and melon liqueur, garnished with a compressed melon).
The judges said Ortega’s inventive flavour combinations and narrative-driven cocktail creation helped him claim the win.
“The level of talent on display this year reflects just how exceptional the US bartending community continues to be,” said Erin Creighton, director of marketing for on-premise at Diageo.
“What made this moment even more exciting is that it marked our first season alongside the TOTCF, where our commitment to elevating this community and creating meaningful opportunities for bartenders to grow really shone.
“Alexis brought his distinct perspective and a precision to craft, and we’re proud to see him carry that momentum forward as he represents the US on the road to the global finals.”
Executive director of TOTCF, Charlotte Voisey, added: “The US finals were an incredible showcase of what we set out to build in our first season presenting World Class sponsored by Diageo – a programme that celebrates craft, community and the individuality of each bartender.
“From the very first challenge, Alexis demonstrated not only skill, but a real sense of identity behind the bar. As we continue to support this talented group of finalists at Tales of the Cocktail 2026 this summer through our Tales Scholarship program, we are focused on creating more opportunities that champion bartenders and invest in their growth well beyond the competition.”
Ortega will be joined in the global finals by India’s champion Karan Dhanelia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) champion Sharfin Auni. Great Britain’s champion will be decided next month (June).
The global finals were originally intended to be held in Dubai, but the current conflict in the Middle East has forced the competition to relocate to Scotland.
Diageo has said it is committed to bringing the finals back to Dubai in 2027.
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