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This was a night that raised the bar! The most talented youngsters in the country came together at the grand finale of ABD (Allied Blenders & Distillers) Maestro’s inaugural bartending competition in association with Tulleeho Beverage Academy. From inventive pours to exceptional mixology, the bartenders brought their creativity to the forefront at IFBE, Mumbai, showcasing how India’s cocktail culture is evolving into a more experimental and sophisticated experience.
And that evolution is making its way into the wedding world, too. As couples move beyond conventional bar menus, cocktails are increasingly becoming an integral part of the wedding experience—from signature drinks inspired by the couple’s story to regional ingredients, theatrical presentations and personalised cocktail stations. The rise of skilled bartenders and a more adventurous drinking culture is giving wedding celebrations an avenue for self-expression, transforming the bar from a service station into an experience in itself. This competition was the best example of that!
The search for the most talented bartenders began by ABD Maestro a few months ago, and it spread across seven cities in India. The finalists showcased a combination of technical skill, creativity and individuality, reflecting the breadth of talent emerging across the country. Their cocktails were not merely about flavour; they were about storytelling and a willingness to experiment.
Right from the afternoon on the final day, contestants whipped up cocktails with flair—some using even five ingredients—which judge and well-known mixologist Shatbhi Basu hailed as being no mean feat. “We had conducted a long search to find the best names, and it came down to the finalists we see today. It was heartening to see how the bartenders are all passionate about what they do and are excited to try new things,” she remarked.
Added Vikram Achanta, Founder and CEO of Tulleeho, “It was challenging from ‘concept’ perspective. The kind of creativity we saw on display, like adding five elements to a drink, was totally different. We also heard about the bartenders’ journeys, their ideas and their quirks and nuances, and it has all been so interesting.”
Talking about the current scene he added, “From a global perspective, I feel, we are second to none today. Judging from menus I see across the country and competitions like this, that look at local ingredients, we see more of us exploring what we have in our backyard and tapping into that. And this is also something that resonates with our consumer from a palate perspective. Hopefully, if more of us start doing that more actively and tapping into our wealth from a produce perspective, more cocktail menus will bloom.”
The grand finale was a celebration of the evolving Indian cocktail culture with several factors coming into play. With the bartenders pushing the boundaries of what a drink can look, taste and feel like, plus homegrown ingredients and regional flavours to inventive techniques, and theatrical presentations, it threw light on one thing—how cocktails are becoming as much about the experience as the pour itself and how the talent emanates from anywhere.
Talking about this growing cocktail scene, Bikram Basu, Chairman of ABD Maestro, shared, “If you are to look at cities where you would have earlier expected a cocktail culture to emerge, things are changing. Take Hyderabad, for instance, which is currently booming on the cocktail scene. You have a lot more new outlets coming up there, and all of them are concept cocktail bars. So, what typically would have remained a metro-centric phenomenon, today—thanks to the fact that you have bartenders who are celebrities—cocktails have become concepts of their own, and more Tier 2 cities are now joining the party. This is where the next set of bar maestros are going to come from. Indore is another such city that is becoming big, so is Guwahati.”
He added, “What’s also interesting is the appreciation and usage of very core Indian ingredients. In our round 1 too, the kind of ingredients we saw, like kokum or a Naga basil—which I had never heard of—is insane!”
What made the competition particularly compelling was the diversity of stories and perspectives behind the bar. For many of these young bartenders, the journey into mixology represents more than a career, it is an opportunity to build a voice. Winner of the event, Yumit Kumar, from The First Floor won the inaugural Grand Gold Maestro title at the competition for his original cocktail inspired by the five elements of nature—Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space.
Talking to Manifest, the thrilled bartender, shared his mantra: “My secret to a good cocktail is that it has to be palatable. If you can’t balance it, just work on the temperature part as that plays an important role. I also feel if we do more with Indian ingredients, it will attract more global exposure for India,” he said.
The other two Gold Maestro titles went to Delbert D’Costa of Mofo, Goa, and Sandesh Thalang of Sidecar, Delhi.
As the inaugural event drew to a close and glasses were raised to toast the night’s success, it marked the beginning of a promising new era in modern bartending.