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After months of high-pressure challenges, Zana Möhlmann of Manhattan has been crowned Singapore’s World Class Bartender of the Year 2026.
Held at Avenue, this year’s World Class Singapore finals saw the country’s top bartenders battle it out across two intense rounds that tested everything from creativity and storytelling to speed, precision, and composure behind the bar.
The competition began with the top 10 finalists presenting their Elevation and Celebration with Zacapa. They were tasked to bring to life their interpretation of “Above the Clouds” through the vibrancy and energy of a Latin celebration. They were judged based on the taste of their cocktails, innovative techniques on how “Above the Clouds” was presented, bar skills and their knowledge of the Zacapa brand. Featuring the rich and luxurious tasting notes of Zacapa XO, we saw plenty of “Above the Clouds” foams, playlists that really captured the spirit of Latin America and even “air” made with hibiscus oloroso stabilised with soy lecithin.
From there, five bartenders who scored the most points advanced to the final speed round: Zana Möhlmann and Happy – formerly from Manhattan – Ellen Su from Restaurant Born, Ooi Foo Giap from Last Word, Josiah Chee from Bar Bon Funk.
In the final challenge, competitors had just one minute to prep their stations before racing against the clock to create six cocktails featuring Johnnie Walker, The Singleton, Tanqueray, Don Julio and Zacapa, in five minutes for a panel of judges. Bartenders selected their six cocktails from a deck of 15 options, and had to craft these classic cocktails based on memory – balancing speed with finesse, hospitality, and technical precision. A technical judge also scored finalists based on cleanliness, workflow, and station management throughout the challenge.
The finalists were judged by Vanessa Leon, Global Brand Ambassador for Ron Zacapa, Nicole-Marie Ng, Content Director APAC at Time Out, alongside World Class Hall of Fame champions Bannie Kang (World Class Bartender of the Year Global Champion 2019), Orlando Marzo (World Class Bartender of the Year Global Champion 2018), and Michito Kaneko (World Class Bartender of the Year Global Champion 2015).
This year’s win marked a full-circle moment for Zana. The Manhattan beverage manager previously made it into the top five during last year’s competition, returning in 2026 with an even stronger showing throughout the various stages of World Class Singapore, where she also won the overall challenges for both round one and semi-finals.
The evening also saw Elisabeth Lim of 28 HongKong Street take home the Bartender’s Bartender Award, a peer-voted honour recognising camaraderie and respect within the industry.
The victory sets Mohlmann up as the bartender to watch as she heads on to represent Singapore on the global World Class stage. Every year, each national winner represents their country at the global final, where they will face yet another fresh set of challenges. This year’s World Class Global Final 2026 will be held in Scotland from October 18 to 23 and will feature bartenders from over 60 countries.