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There is no other bartending competition out there that has the history that the Suntory Cup does, and that’s because there’s no brand training program with the longevity that Club Suntory has — the program celebrates its 40th year this year.
And to mark the occasion, for the 2026 instalment of the Suntory Cup, they landed on the theme of celebration. Over 430 entries have come in from around Australia, and those have now been judged by the Club Suntory team. Marks were given for the name, recipe, garnish and method of putting the drink together (40%), storytelling (40%), and the way the drink is photographed (20%).
Which is all to say that the state finalists have just been announced. There are two streams to the competition: Club Omoroi, for bartenders with more than two years of experience behind the bar, and Club Yatte Minahare, for those who are newer to the industry with less than two years experience.
You can see the full list below.
Each of the finalists will now go onto the State Showdowns round — Western Australia on 3rd and 4th of August, New South Wales & ACT on the 10th and 11th of August, Queensland & Northern Territory on the 17th and 18th of August, South Australia also on the 17th and 18th of August, and Victoria & Tasmania on the 24th and 25th of August.
These State Showdowns will determine the state finalists — one from each category, and a people’s choice winner — who will go onto the national final in September to compete for the national title and a share in a $40,000 prize pool including once in a lifetime trips to Suntory’s Islay distillers and to Athens Bar Show.
For more information sign up to Club Suntory by visiting club.suntory.com and follow them @clubsuntoryoceania on Instagram for all the latest news and updates.
ACT & NSW
Club Omoroi
- Ben Carmine, Nel Restaurant, New South Wales
- Brett Nebauer, 11e cáve, Australian Capital Territory
- Doris Gao, PS40, New South Wales
- Emre Bilgin, Maybe Sammy, New South Wales
- Jamie Ross, Prefecture 48, New South Wales
- Kalisha Glover, Sakura House, New South Wales
- Liam Lengronne, Parlour of Dreams, Australian Capital Territory
- Lucas Wiggers, Joe's Bar (East Hotel), Australian Capital Territory
- Pasquale Scarpiello, Grill Americano, New South Wales
- Royston Lau, Rosa's At the Lawn, Australian Capital Territory
- Russell Downie, Fishnets, New South Wales
- Tom Opie, Pilot, Australian Capital Territory
Club Yatte Minahare
- Aidan Scoble, Trinita Ristorante, New South Wales
- Amitayush Chakrabarti, Devil You Don't, Australian Capital Territory
- Estella De Spirt, Eau de Vie, New South Wales
- Giorgio Lanza, Charlie Parker's, New South Wales
- Jarmaine Tinapay, Tokyo Bird, New South Wales
- Ka Kuen Tong, One Tap Cocktail Bar, New South Wales
QLD & NT
Club Omoroi
- Andie Bulley, Joy, Queensland
- Annie Thao Nguyen, Hanky Panky Lounge, Northern Territory
- Elliot Pascoe, Anyday Group, Queensland
- HonYin Lam, Aizome Bar, Queensland
- Jacob Cohen, Savile Row, Queensland
- Jacob Frisch, The Gresham Bar, Queensland
- Leah Dunnigan, Savile Row, Queensland
- Matt Zarimis, Bar Kokomo, Northern Territory
- Simone Solinas, Bar Kokomo, Northern Territory
- Sullivan Maclure-Neilsen, Gin School, Queensland
- Tanaka Mayenzanise, Dr Gimlette, Queensland
Club Yatte Minahare
- Anak Agung Gede Jagadhita Ari Geria, Beef & Bar Restaurant, Northern Territory
- Carter Stacey, Frogs Hollow Saloon, Queensland
- Coco Righetti, El Ritmo, Queensland
- Kristin Christie, The Gresham, Queensland
- Valentina Munoz Parra, Shaman Bar, Queensland
SA
Club Omoroi
- Alex Bubba Johnston, Honeydripper, South Australia
- Jason Ryan, Bank Street Social, South Australia
- Jennifer Panozzo, Malt & Juniper, South Australia
- Joe Maguire, Malt & Juniper, South Australia
- Josh Lever, Malt & Juniper, South Australia
- Koby Gelven, Maybe Mae, South Australia
- Tahgan-Jiian Howlett, BRKLYN, South Australia
Club Yatte Minahare
- Alanna Howick, Therapy Cocktail Bar, South Australia
- Ambrine Aib, Jane's Fault, South Australia
- Ana Apolonia Ribeiro dos Santos, Bank Street Social, South Australia
- Eloise Philpot, Adelaide Festival Centre, South Australia
- Natasha Buyens, Monica Bistro, South Australia
VIC & TAS
Club Omoroi
- Amberly Fox, Fantome Wine Bar & Cocktails, Victoria
- Catherine Cheesman, Rude Boy, Tasmania
- Chanakan Khoonwat, Society, Victoria
- Darcy Beamish, Waterside Hotel, Victoria
- Jack Turner, Rudeboy, Tasmania
- James Wilkinson, Inuman, Victoria
- Jax Thai, Rude Boy, Tasmania
- Joey Tai, Bar Selecta, Victoria
- Liu Jeffrey, Lost Bar, Victoria
- Navarre Fenwick, Three Horses, Victoria
- Richard Liu, Kushiro Fusion Cuisine, Victoria
- Shevaughn Lee Bambrough, Eau De Vie, Victoria
- Tom McHugh, Caretaker's Cottage, Victoria
- Tom Pinson, Three Horses, Victoria
Club Yatte Minahare
- Andrew Durgan, Mary Mary, Tasmania
- Chi Kin Chan, Lost Bar, Victoria
- Hanming (James) Zheng, Lost Bar, Victoria
- Janet Hunter, Three Horses, Victoria
- Phil Gao, Little Lon, Victoria
WA
Club Omoroi
- Chris Hodges, Mechanics Institute, Western Australia
- Christian Perone, 1520 Speakeasy, Crown Perth, Western Australia
- Jarvis Winter, Papi Katsu, Western Australia
- Josh Varna, Foxtrot Unicorn, Western Australia
- Mario Claudio Rizzo, Foxtrot Unicorn, Western Australia
- Mark Liao, Cherubino City Cellar, Western Australia
- Nicholas Francis, St Brigid Bar, Western Australia
- Rinzin Norbu, Baillie Hill (Beth's), Western Australia
- Rosie McClure, Light Years, Western Australia
- Sion Roberts, Nextdoor, Western Australia
Club Yatte Minahare
- Alec Aube, St Brigid Bar, Western Australia
- Cyrus Todd, St Brigid Bar, Western Australia
- Jack Adam, St Brigid Bar, Western Australia
- Johan Antony, Varnish on King, Western Australia
