Inside The World’s Biggest Cocktail Competition – World Class 2024

Planning the final of one of the world’s largest bartender competitions is no easy feat, nor is choosing the host city among the amazing capitals and locations across the globe. Yet few places can compete with the vibrant, bustling metropolis that is Shanghai. And that is precisely why it was chosen to host this year’s much-anticipated Diageo World Class 2024 final.

The World Class competition is known far and wide for bringing forward the most amazing bartenders across the globe and giving them a chance to shine on the global stage. The competition has kickstarted countless careers, and turned talented young mixologists from bartenders to influencers, opinion leaders and entrepreneurs. Country winners often thrive in their own home markets post-competition, while global winners reach fame few mixologists ever manage to.

Sure, today World Class is a globally renowned competition, with a state-of-the-art app showcasing the schedule and activations, large global partnerships surrounding sustainability and inclusion, and much more – however, it wasn’t always so. Now in its 15th year, the week takes us through the competition’s history and showcases the growth and origins, with past winners judging, hosting seminars, and taking part in guest shifts across the city’s vibrant bar scene. This year’s final in Shanghai truly casts a light on just how far World Class has come, and how it has helped change the global mixology scene. Let’s delve it.

World Class – Enter Shanghai

To understand the competition one must first understand the rules. World Class begins long before the final, beginning locally, in numerous countries across the globe. A series of challenges and competitions unveil the champion in each country, and the one destined to compete in Shanghai for a chance at becoming the global winner. Forty-four bartenders have arrived in Shanghai to compete and each day consists of a number of challenges – each one slowly eliminating the contestants.

In Shanghai, the energy within the W Hotel on the Bund can barely be contained. Bartenders, media, brand owners, enthusiasts and influencers the world over are here to witness and celebrate the new champion. By day, brand events, tastings, seminars and debates are held across the hotel. By night, previous World Class champions and other renowned mixologists do guest shifts in different iconic bars across the city, making the nights just as colorful as the days, with a lot of networking, experimentation, and most importantly, a lot of fun. After all, isn’t that what bartending is all about? Speak Low, Odd Couple, and COA Shanghai are just several of the bars under the spotlight this year. For ease, each and every event can be found on the World Class app, allowing guests to create their very own itinerary.

World Class has now clearly become a culture, but it wasn’t always so. Speaking to the Diageo Chief Marketing Officer, Cristina Diezhandino, we are taken through the growth and expansion of World Class over the 15 years since its inception, and the impact the competition now has on the global hospitality sector.

‘Even though we are here focusing on the final,’ says Diezhandino. ‘World Class really starts from every corner and small city across the world. The amount of people affected and the impact this has on the hospitality sector in quite substantial. It forms connections, friendships, partnerships, professional opportunities and having our brands be at the heart of this is something really really positive for us.’

‘The essence of World Class is to make drinks and mixology be as relevant as, perhaps the world of food has been. Which is a good benchmark for us.’

World Class Champion 2024

The week has been a whirlwind of excitement, cocktails, and timeless connections. Bartenders have battled fiercely and only the best have prevailed to the final day, at the end of which, the champion will be unveiled. Challenges have tested the bartenders in the worlds of technology, sustainability, local ingredients and connection. Judges from across the world, all experts in their field, have worked hard to pick out the very best. Now we reach the final day; eight contestants remain, the eight best bartenders in the world. And they face the hardest challenge yet.

Each of the eight finalists must create their very own bar and, put simply, the most original, efficient and exciting bar wins. In the main hall, the bars are packed, and each bartender has infused their personality and craft into their bar. China allows guests to customize their cocktail through an app on a screen. The United Kingdom creates a flashier bar, while the cocktails at the Australian stand sell out almost instantly. Every single bar is spectacular, and each one is battling to win. The nicest part here – the eight finalists must select others that didn’t make it through to the final round, to assist in their bars. This enforces the importance of building relationships throughout the competition. And just like that, the drinks sell out, the bars shut down, and it is time to move out to the W terrace – with Shanghai lit up in the background – and find out who is the World Class 2024 champion.

This final arrives and the winner is announced – Canada’s Keegan McGregor is named the World Class champion of 2024 and not only that, the host city of World Class 2025 final is announced too – Toronto. All in all, a big year for Canada.

It’s been a fantastic week, and the contesters and attendees all celebrate the end of World Class 2024 on this final night. As we wrap up, we look to the future and what the coming years hold for the competition.

‘Something we have worked on greatly is to have the final of World Class be impactful for the city it is hosted in. Working with local bars and businesses connects people and allows for this exchange of cultures and experiences that is really special and something we want to grow,’ says Diezhandino on what the future holds for World Class.

On the final night, I manage to speak to Kevin Delaney, the Global Senior Brand Manager of World Class. As World Class is Delaneys full focus and responsibility he touches on what is to come. As he puts it – ‘World Class is my baby. It’s all I do – all day, every day. Full focus, and it takes full focus.’

Delaney touches on what the future holds – ‘One of our main focuses is to continue to build on ways to connect our community around the world. After 15 years we have some many bartenders, judges, influencers, owners – and we want them to keep talking, to stay connected and to keep educating. We want then to keep talking about trends in their markets, bounce ideas off each other, brainstorm, and sharing knowledge. This way we all continue to grow as a community, as a whole.’

Delaney and Diezhandino also mention a strong focus on equity and inclusion and last but not least, sustainability. Two big initiatives for the team. This is very much relevant in packaging – only days after the final the lightest Johhnie Walker bottle, Blue Label Ultra, was announced!

World Class ends with a whirlwind of positive emotions, new relationships created and old ones nurtured. This year ends as huge success. Canada, let’s see what you have for us in 2025.