Norway’s Felice Capasso crowned best bartender 2025
Felice Capasso of Norway has been named the winner of Diageo World Class 2025 at the global finals in Toronto, Canada.
In its 16th year, Diageo World Class saw bartenders from 51 countries take to the stage in Toronto for the world’s most coveted bartending title.
Capasso, of Nedre Løkka in Oslo and founder of Sesto Senso Academy, a centre for wine and spirits education, stood out among the other competitors by presenting a series of signature serves that showcased his passion for bartending across several cutting-edge challenges.
One challenge saw the competitors tasked with reinventing classic serves using Johnnie Walker Black Label. For this round, Capasso uniquely presented serves better known for their gin base, but swapped in Johnnie Walker Black Label for an unexpected twist, including a serve named Top Notes that was inspired by the classic French 75.
For the Don Julio 1942 challenge, Capasso took inspiration from an original AI artwork to create an accompanying apéritif serve that captured the spirit of the origins of Tequila, while for The Singleton’s multi-sensory cocktail challenge, he crafted a custom record sleeve inspired by the iconic song That’s Amore, evoking the warmth of a Napoli street corner smile. Paired with his signature cocktail ‘Between Us’, he delivered an experience that is said to have ‘captivated’ the judges.
Alongside the title, Capasso has won an an all-expenses trip to next year’s global finals, mentorship from top talent, and a year-long schedule of all-expense paid travel to Diageo markets around the world. He will also be featured as a guest bartender at top tier venues, leading bartender training, and hosting events.
Capasso said: “Winning World Class is not just a dream come true. It is a goal I have worked tirelessly to achieve. It’s living proof that if you want something and you work for it, and you never, ever give up, no matter what – you can achieve it. By winning I know that I am taking on a responsibility which I plan to take seriously, promoting education in spirits and inspiring other bartenders who want to progress in the industry.”
Kevin Delaney, global head of World Class, said: “World Class is the ultimate toast to the people who are the beating heart of the hospitality industry. The best bartenders create cocktails at the highest level of craft whilst having their finger on the pulse of the trends of today, tomorrow and the future.
“We have celebrated and nurtured the careers of over 450,000 bartenders through the World Class programme and tonight is the pinnacle moment of celebration for this incredibly special community. We welcome Felice into the Diageo family and congratulate the outstanding efforts of all our brilliant participants.”
The competitors were put through their paces by a diverse expert panel of bartenders and bar owners from some of the world’s most famed venues, including Eric Van Beek of Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy, Monica Berg, co-owner of London’s Tayēr + Elementary, and Ago Perrone, director of mixology at London’s Connaught Bar.
Perrone said: “World Class is such a special occasion, bringing together some of the world’s most creative and driven bartenders. Its impact on the industry is tangible, not only in driving innovation but also in inspiring and nurturing generations of rising talent. Year on year, the competition gets tougher, as a testament to the progress of our cocktail industry.
“Congratulations to Felice for such an outstanding performance and all the best for the new career journey ahead!”
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