After seven successful editions, Monkey Shoulder, the free- spirited blended malt by William Grant & Sons, kicked off the eighth edition of the ‘Ultimate Bartender Championship (UBC). The second city-round of this year’s championship took place in Kolkata, culminating at Little Bit Sober, Kolkata.
The Kolkata leg saw a high-energy turnout with over 130 talented bartenders showcasing their skill, speed, and craft across five mixology challenges. With the Bartender Rumble format, participants were tested on essential bartending skills from pouring and nosing to mixing techniques, product understanding, and crafting the perfect serve, all designed to evaluate real-world agility and bar expertise. The top finalists from Kolkata – Surajit from Olterra, Anil from ATM Bar & Ishardeep from Highland Nectar – ITC Sonar, emerged with flying colors and will now compete with other city-round finalists at the grand finale.
This year, the championship is being hosted by Pankaj Balachandran, a respected name in India’s bar community and a friend of the brand. Pankaj brings deep industry insight and energy to the UBC stage as this edition’s special guest host.
Commenting on the new season, Kapila Sethi Kad, Head of Marketing, William Grant & Sons India, said: “The Monkey Shoulder Ultimate Bartender Championship is our way of recognizing talent and creating meaningful opportunities for the bartending community across India. With the 8th edition, we’re excited to take things to the next level as the national winner will now go on to represent India at the regional finale in Tokyo. It’s a proud moment to see the platform grow, and Kolkata has set a fantastic tone for the season ahead.”
Speaking about the Kolkata round, Pankaj Balachandran, Host – UBC 2025, said: “Coming back to UBC as a special host this year has been a full-circle moment for me. Monkey Shoulder is a brand loved by bartenders and I am elated to see the overwhelming number of applicants, and the sheer level of talent this year! Monkey Shoulder has truly evolved UBC into a celebration of the craft, and I’m excited to be part of this journey again, witnessing how far the community has come.”
The championship will continue with upcoming city-rounds in Goa, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Gurugram, with the India finale scheduled in September and the winner heading to Tokyo to compete on a global stage at the DMC World DJ Championship, Japan.
