Diageo's World Class Cocktail Festival has taken over the city! Visit all the participating bars and get a chance to win hot prizes.
A sighting of Diageo’s World Class Cocktail Festival in Singapore can only mean one thing – the search for the World Class Bartender of the Year is underway! For the uninitiated, the World Class Bartender of the Year is an international showdown of bartenders from all over the world. And this year, it’s welcoming the audience to the action! I embarked on a bar hop to check out this year’s competition, and I’m mighty impressed with what the bars in Singapore have to offer! Read on for more details about Diageo’s takeover of the city and how to support your favourite watering holes.
Diageo World Class Cocktail Festival: Details at a glance
Best for: Imbibers looking for new limited-time drinks; an excuse for friend groups to bar hop through the city; competitive spirits up for a challenge with fantastic prizes
When: 24 February to 31 May 2026
Price: Cocktail prices vary with each venue, generally between $23 to $28
Where: Diageo World Class Cocktail Festival 2026, multiple locations including Puffy Bois, Atlas, Nighthawk, Restaurant Born, and more
What is the Diageo World Class Cocktail Festival
The World Class Bartender of the Year is one of the biggest and best-known global bartending competitions. Since its inception in 2009, this annual affair has been running for 17 years and sees countless talents from over 180 countries. The competition awards technique-driven bartenders, elevating the art of mixology, bartending, and cocktail culture. Singapore is no stranger to World Class, and has even seen winners in the 2019 and 2025 editions!
This cocktail festival is organised by Diageo, one of the leading alcoholic beverage companies in the world. You might recognise the brand for its portfolio of spirits like Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Tanqueray, Zacapa, Don Julio, and more.
This year, the brand embarks on one of the most ambitious activations we’ve seen yet. A total of 21 bars across the city will showcase limited-time cocktails featuring five of Diageo’s finest spirits. You can even cast your vote for your favourite bars and have a say in the competition results!
Need inspiration? Here’s my bar hop!
A record-breaking 21 bars are participating in this year’s bar crawl! Each bar offers unique experiences and renditions of cocktails, so you definitely won’t get bored as you discover each one. Need an idea of where to start? I covered about three bars in a little under two hours during my bar hop.
I started my evening at Night Hawk to visit senior bartender Sam Pang, where he handed me my World Class cocktail of choice and cocktail passport, which he kindly stamped for me. Sam’s take on each World Class cocktail focuses on elevating spirits, without masking their flavour. I recommend the Flow ($25), featuring Don Julio reposado tequila, Sam’s riff on a spicy margarita. And for a boozier hit, try the Resolution ($25), a martini made with Tanqueray 10.
A short walk later, I found myself at Restaurant Born. The establishment has expanded past its dining room to bolster its drink pairings. Originally part of Taiwan-based Indulge Experimental Bistro, Ellen Su now takes the bar helm at Born. At the time of my visit, prices hadn’t been finalised, but I imagine drinks landing between the $26 to $30 range. Her riff on an espresso martini was a fan favourite with my crew!
And not too far away is Puffy Bois, famed for its no-frills pizzas and amazingly executed drinks. Bartender Mate Csizmadia takes a more playful spin on his cocktails, with extra fun names! The Velvet Thunder ($26) may be familiar to any Brooklyn 99 fans out there. It’s fruity and spiced, not too sweet, while still expertly accentuating the Johnnie Walker Red Ruby blended scotch whisky.
Drink your way to fun prizes
If I haven’t convinced you to take part in this massive bar hop, then maybe the hot prizes Diageo is offering will! For every bar you visit, be sure to get your passport stamped and keep your receipts handy because you can win fun rewards for every milestone. And the person who completes all 21 bars can even win a 2D1N staycation worth $1,000!
5 stamps collected: Score a selection of merchandise from Johnnie Walker, Don Julio, The Singleton, Zacapa, and Tanqueray.
10 stamps collected: A $50 dining voucher at Side Door, home to 2019 and 2025 World Class winners Bannie Kang and Tryson Quek.
15 stamps collected: A $100 dining voucher to Side Door, and a bottle of Johnnie Walker, Don Julio, The Singleton, Zacapa, or Tanqueray!
If you catch us around town collecting stamps for the Diageo World Class Cocktail Festival, say hi!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the World Class Cocktail Festival?
It's a city-wide celebration of cocktail culture, happening in tandem to the World Class Bartender of the Year awards. It invites guests to explore creative drinks and special limited-time menus from the bars participating in the competition.
Which bars can I visit?
Bars competing in this year's World Class Bartender of the Year include:
- 28 Hongkong Street
- Atlas
- Ce La Vi Singapore
- Gibson
- HighHouse
- Jigger & Pony
- Last Word
- Lavo
- Lobby Bar at the Singapore Edition
- Manhattan
- Mett Singapore
- Night Hawk
- Nutmeg & Clove
- Plume
- Puffy Bois
- Restaurant Born
- Sago House
- Side Door
- Sushisamba
- Tess Bar & Kitchen
- Woobar
How do I redeem prizes?
Be sure to get your cocktail passport stamped and save your physical receipts, and email them to diageo@accela.asia
Do I need a ticket to attend?
No tickets are required! Simply visit any of the participating bars to collect your cocktail passport and enjoy the limited-time competition drinks.
How long will it take to visit all 21 bars?
Depending on how quickly you drink and what area you're in, it can take around a week to visit all the bars as they are scattered across Singapore. I recommend starting in the Duxton and Tanjong Pagar area as it has the biggest cluster of participating bars.
