After eight city rounds, more than 1,000 participants, and a closely contested season across the country, Monkey Shoulder recently crowned Tanish Arora from Cobbler & Crew (Pune) as India’s Ultimate Bartender Champion (UBC) 2025.

The national finale in New Delhi brought together 20 standout finalists from leading bars across India, each competing for the title, the glory, and the opportunity to represent India on the international stage.

This year’s UBC showcased the speed, precision, composure and craft that define world-class bartending. Built on the Bartender Rumble format, the competition tested critical real-world skills across knowledge, pouring accuracy, nosing ability, table service and the perfect serve.

The rounds were designed to evaluate not just technical capability, but the agility and sharp instinct required behind a busy working bar. By the time the final five stepped behind the stick for the last battle, the room had already witnessed the intensity, stage presence, and creativity that have become synonymous with UBC.

Tanish will now represent India in Tokyo at the first-ever Regional Finale, held alongside the iconic DMC World DJ Championship in Japan. The international stage is expected to bring together some of the most exciting bartender talent from across Asia-Pacific.

Commenting on the result, Kapila Sethi, Head of Marketing at William Grant & Sons (India) said: “Consumers in India are seeking richer, more premium experiences when they step into bars, and this shift is redefining how they engage with the world of spirits. At the heart of this change are bartenders, creators shaping the future of cocktail culture.”

The UBC programme has evolved into one of the most recognised skill-building and talent discovery platforms for India’s bar community. Each year has seen deeper representation from new cities, specialty bar formats, and younger bars pushing inventive ideas in technique and flavour.