UKBG invited bartenders to dive into Japan’s most distinctive spirits challenging contestants to create a cocktail that captures the spirit and heritage of the liquids.
MARCH 2026: The UK Bartenders’ Guild is delighted to announce that Miley Kendrick, from The Domino Club in Leeds, is the winner of The Great Honkaku Shochu & Awamori Contest 2026. Miley connected well with the judges and impressed them with her whole performance; the drink itself was excellent and the story behind it was meaningful and well delivered. Held on 9th March at The Caley Bar in Edinburgh, in partnership with Japanese Sake and Shochu Makers Association, the event brought together some of the UK’s most innovative bartenders in a celebration of culture, connection and creativity, all channeled into outstanding mixology.
For five years, both UKBG and Japanese Sake and Shochu Makers Association have worked together to grow national awareness for Japan’s most distinctive spirits, by educating and inspiring bartenders across the UK, with cocktail competitions judged by leading industry talent. This year, UK bartenders were invited to dive into the Honkaku Shochu and Awamori category.
The contest began in January with three live seminars in some of the UK’s most dynamic cities, Edinburgh, Birmingham, London. The seminars were led by Samuel Boulton, a Japan Sake and Shochu educator and previous competitor. He shared his knowledge and cultural insights on the category for bartenders taking part in the competition, and the recordings of the seminars are available on the UKBG website.
“Congratulations to Miley for securing first place, an incredible achievement in a competition where the level of talent was truly outstanding,” said Claudia Carozzi, UKBG president. “We are honoured to continue our collaboration with the JSS in growing awareness and appreciation of this category in the Western world. Every year, we see the standards rise, the bartenders’ knowledge deepen, and the level of interaction during the classes increase. The number of entries this year was remarkable, and the overall standard was exceptionally high. So much so that selecting only ten finalists became impossible. For this reason, we decided to extend the shortlist to twelve. The creativity, passion, and commitment demonstrated across all entries were truly inspiring. For me, everyone who took part is a winner.”
The event was hosted by Zach Sapato, named Scotland’s National Hospitality Hero of the Year in 2023. Zach is a widely decorated cocktail competitor winning three US National titles and four UK National titles. The judging panel included renowned industry names, Kaitlin Wilkes, co-founder of The Ada Coleman Project, and recognised for her work as a Brand & Beverage Consultant across top London venues. She was joined on the panel by Nicky Craig, General Manager at Award Winning Bar, Panda & Sons in Edinburgh and Hiroyasu Kayama, mixologist, master bartender, owner of the Bar Benfiddich (number 18 in World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 and number 9 in Asia’s 50 Best Bars), and YouTube sensation.
The finalists presented their cocktail in front of the judging panel and were assessed on name, technique, look and appearance, aroma and taste, and their ability to showcase their knowledge of Honkaku Shochu and Awamori category. There was an exceptionally high standard of serves presented, which was a true reflection of the insight delivered during the seminars earlier this year and the efforts of the competitors.
Winner, Miley Kendrick, from The Domino Club in Leeds, impressed the judging panel with her cocktail, ‘What’s The Story with Awamori?’ As part of his prize, Miley will attend an educational trip to Japan. Miley comments, “It was an absolute honour to present at the UKBG The Great Honkaku Shochu & Awamori Contest, even better to take home the win when being judged by three of my personal industry inspirations. The best competitions are ones that form connections, and I’m glad to have fostered old and new connections with my fellow bartenders and can’t wait to meet more people in Japan and, of course, drink more Shochu.”
By combining a blend of education, connection, and category elevation, UKBG and JSS continue to shape the UK bar landscape. In partnership, the two businesses have inspired hundreds of bartenders, expanded long-term education opportunities, and elevated national awareness of Japan’s spirits.
The Winners
Twelve finalists competed for a unique opportunity:
- Champion – Miley Kendrickfrom The Domino Club in Leeds
- What’s The Story with Awamori?
- Ingredients:
- 60ml Yokka Koji Awamori
- 15ml Oyster Shell-Infused Dry Vermouth
- 3 Drops Zesty Lemon Bitters
- Rinse of Smoky Scotch Whisky
- Lemon Zest
- Method:
- Stirred and served straight-up in Nick&Nora glass.
- Strip of Nori seaweed on the glass as garnish
- Ingredients:
- What’s The Story with Awamori?
- Runner-Up – Lucinda Parry from 1820 at The Johnnie Walker Experience in Edinburgh
- Maboroshi Fizz
- Ingredients:
- 50ml Journey 10 Shochu
- 40ml Kabosu liqueur and Apple Milk Punch
- 25ml San Pellegrino Sparkling water
- Foam: 200ml Kabosu and Apple Milk Punch
- 2ml Ms Betters Bitters Miraculous Foamer
- Method:
- Served in Champagne flute
- Garnish apple leather crisp
- Ingredients:
- Third Place – Sam Chatterji from Bittersweet & Old Poison Distiller in Edinburgh
- Queen of the Bloom
- Ingredients:
- 45ml ISLAND Kokuto Honaku Shochu by Nishihira distillery
- 20ml Kabosu Liqueur
- 10ml Amazake (Akashi Tai)
- 10ml Pollination Potion (home-made ingredient)
- 10ml Fresh lime juice
- 5 drops Toasted black sesame oil
- Method:
- Served in frozen nick & nora glass
- Toasted black sesame oil droplets, accompanied by A black sesame rice cracker, whipped honey, sake kasu cream and Yuzu Koshu gel in shape of a honeybee
- Ingredients:
UKBG
The UK Bartenders’ Guild is a national organisation built by, and for, professional bartenders.
Founded in 1934, it has been a driving force in the industry, working with bartenders at every level and in every kind of venue. The UK Bartenders’ Guild is also one of the founding members of the International Bartenders’ Association.
It believes bartending is more than a job. It is a craft, a culture, and a career. It exists to support the full spectrum of hospitality professionals, from early-career bartenders to bar managers and trainers.
Its members gain access to the tools, recognition, and community they need to progress. Website https://ukbartendersguild.co.uk/
JSS
The Japanese Sake and Shochu Makers Association was established in 1953 to support the Japanese Government in securing revenue from liquor taxation, ensuring safe and secure liquor business transactions, and developing the sector.
It is a voluntary organisation comprising nearly every maker of Japanese alcoholic drinks in the country. There are a total of 1,708 members, which include 1,422 Sake producers, 273 Honkaku Shochu producers, and 13 mirin producers. (Date as of March 2019).
As the only official industry organisation for Japan’s national alcoholic drinks, its core aim is to promote Sake, Honkaku Shochu, and Awamori both domestically and in overseas markets. Website https://japansake.or.jp/sake/en/jss/