Diageo World Class final heads to Toronto
The global final of Diageo World Class 2025 will be held in Toronto, marking the first time Canada has hosted the bartending competition.
From 27 September to 2 October, the Diageo World Class global final will bring together leading bartending talent from more than 50 countries around the world to compete for the title of World Class Global Bartender of the Year 2025.
“Hosting the World Class Global Final in Toronto is a true milestone moment for Canada’s cocktail community,” said Michael Armistead, national on premise, reserve & sponsorship manager at Diageo Canada.
“This is our chance to show the world the calibre of talent, innovation, and hospitality that defines our country. With its world-renowned hospitality scene and rich, multicultural culinary landscape, Toronto offers the perfect stage to spotlight the craft, creativity, and culture of modern bartending and hospitality. We’re excited to bring the World Class experience to Canadians nationwide.”
The competition, now in its 16th year, aims to unite tastemakers, up-and-coming bartending talent, and best-in-class luxury spirits from Diageo’s extensive portfolio, to inspire people to drink better — not more — and savour unforgettable experiences.
Finalists representing their nations this year include Emanuele Mensah of London’s Connaught Bar, representing Great Britain, Tryson Quek of Side Door representing Singapore, and Navjot Singh, from New Delhi’s speakeasy bar Lair, representing India.
With four global winners from past competitions, Canada is the best-performing nation in the competition’s history. Notable Canadian winners include Kaitlyn Stewart (2017) and Keegan McGregor, who won the 2024 title.
This year, Kate Chernoff of The Highwayman in Halifax, Nova Scotia, is representing Canada at the global final.
Since launch, World Class has championed approximately 500,000 bartenders, offering them year-round training, mentorship, and a global stage.
The competition is described as ‘more than a showcase’, capturing how cocktails have evolved into a reflection of culture, creativity and regionality through the voices of bartenders from more than 50 global markets.
This year’s global finals will see the world’s best bartenders compete in a series of ‘rigorous’ challenges designed to test the five pillars of a World Class bartender: hosting, craft, flavour analysis, knowledge, and World Class advocacy.
Over the course of the week, competitors will be pushed to demonstrate precision, creativity, and storytelling, all while showcasing their mastery of ‘iconic’ Diageo Reserve brands such as Johnnie Walker, Don Julio, Ketel One, and Tanqueray No Ten.
The World Class global finals will be a celebration of the people that are the ‘beating heart of the hospitality industry’.
To toast the milestone, Diageo World Class will be hosting a nationwide celebration that will see a lineup of immersive cocktail experiences across Canada.
Highlights include the World Class Festival Roadshow, which will see international talent team up with top Canadian bartenders to host ‘unforgettable’ nights in Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, and Halifax from 24 September to 3 October.
Then, from 26 September to 2 October, the World Class global final will take place at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel in Toronto. The week-long celebration will include cocktail labs, curated tasting events, and exclusive guest shifts by top international bartenders.
In July it was announced that The United States Bartenders’ Guild will not present World Class in 2026 after 12 years working with Diageo on the global cocktail competition.
Related news
Brown-Forman Q1 hit hard by Canada
