The World's Best Bartenders Are Coming to Sydney for Diageo World Class 2020

Sydney will play host to the best bartenders in the world next year, when the 11th annual Diageo World Class Bartender of the Year Global Final heads Down Under.

If you haven't heard of it, the competition pits the best bartenders from over 60 countries against each other. Apart from the main tournament, the competition includes a week-long festival of pop-ups, collaborations and tastings. So, while nothing has been announced just yet, expect Sydney to be buzzing with exciting one-off events come next spring.

Launched in 2009, the competition boasts some notable local winners, including Bulletin Place's Tim Philips-Johansson (2012) and, most recently, Lûmé's Orlando Marzo (2018). This year's World Class, held in Glasgow, featured another Aussie finalist: Alex Boon — the lauded bar manager at the Melbourne instalment of The Speakeasy Group's famed Viking-inspired restaurant Mjolner. Bannie Kang of Singapore bar Antidote took out the top gong for 2019.

Bulletin Place by Cesar Echeverri

The competition comes to Sydney at an exciting time, too, with Sydney's lockout laws set to be scrapped in the CBD early next year and the City of Sydney planning to introduce 24-hour trading in the area. The CBD is also home to an exciting lineup of new bars — including Maybe Sammy, Employees Only, Prince of York, Cantina OK! and Double Deuce Lounge — which have all opened in the last twelve months, and join world-class stalwarts like Bulletin Place, The Baxter Inn, The Lobo Plantation and PS40.

The 11th annual Diego World Class Bartender of the Year Global Final will take place in Sydney in 2020. For more information and to stay up to date, head to the website.

Top image: World Class 2018 winners, Orlando Marzo and Alex Boon.