Great Honkaku Shochu and Awamori winner named
Miley Kendrick of the Domino Club in Leeds won The Great Honkaku Shochu and Awamori Contest 2026.
The competition, now in its fifth year, was organised by the UK Bartenders’ Guild (UKBG) in partnership with the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association.
Kendrick was said to have connected well with the judges and impressed them with her performance, with her drink being excellently made and with a meaningful story.
The final was held on 9 March at The Caley Bar in Edinburgh, with award-winning mixologist Zach Sapato hosting the event.
Kendrick’s winning cocktail, ‘What’s The Story with Awamori?’, featured Yokka Koji Awamori, paired with oyster shell-infused dry vermouth, lemon bitters and a rinse of smoky Scotch.
She said: “It was an absolute honour to present at the UKBG The Great Honkaku Shochu and Awamori Contest, even better to take home the win when being judged by three of my personal industry inspirations.
“The best competitions are ones that form connections, and I’m glad to have fostered old and new connections with my fellow bartenders and can’t wait to meet more people in Japan and, of course, drink more shochu.”
Miley’s prize was an educational trip to Japan.
Lucinda Parry from 1820 at The Johnnie Walker Experience in Edinburgh was the runner-up, with her cocktail, the Maboroshi Fizz.
Third Place went to Sam Chatterji from Bittersweet & Old Poison Distiller in Edinburgh for his cocktail Queen of the Bloom.
“Congratulations to Miley for securing first place, an incredible achievement in a competition where the level of talent was truly outstanding,” said Claudia Carozzi, UKBG president.
“We are honoured to continue our collaboration with the JSS in growing awareness and appreciation of this category in the Western world.
“Every year, we see the standards rise, the bartenders’ knowledge deepen, and the level of interaction during the classes increase.
“The number of entries this year was remarkable, and the overall standard was exceptionally high – so much so that selecting only 10 finalists became impossible. For this reason, we decided to extend the shortlist to 12.
“The creativity, passion, and commitment demonstrated across all entries were truly inspiring. For me, everyone who took part is a winner.”
The judging panel comprised: Kaitlin Wilkes, co-founder of The Ada Coleman Project; Nicky Craig, general manager of Panda & Sons in Edinburgh; and Hiroyasu Kayama, owner of the Bar Benfiddich.
Finalists’ cocktails were assessed on name, technique, look and appearance, aroma and taste, and their ability to showcase their knowledge of the honkaku shochu and awamori category.
The final was preceded by three live seminars in January, held in Edinburgh, Birmingham and London. Samuel Boulton, a sake and shochu educator and previous competitor, held seminars, sharing his knowledge and cultural insights on the category for bartenders taking part in the competition.
Recordings of the seminars are available on the UKBG website.
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