Here are the six Australia & NZ finalists for Hennessy MyWay

Every year, the Hennessy MyWay cocktail competition asks bartenders to reimagine just what a Hennessy cocktail can be — and to do it their way, of course.

In April and May, bartenders across Australia and New Zealand were invited to enter the competition and come up with a recipe represented not just Hennessy in a new and delicious way, but themselves, too, all the while creating “unforgettable, ritual-inspired serves.”

Across June and July, the top five bartenders in each region — selected by a global panel of judges — then had their drinks judged and assessed in-venue, to find the top six.

Bartenders from Australia and New Zealand have over performed in the competition over the last few years, and this year saw the region rack up the most entries of anywhere in the world.

“From major cities to regional hotspots, our bartenders have embraced the use of native ingredients and authentic local storytelling to create serves that resonate far beyond our shores,” says Australian Hennessy brand ambassador Alex Zanarini. “In doing so, they’ve not only captured the essence of the competition’s values — innovation, service, and sustainability — but also helped set the pace for the global stage.”

And here we are. Below, you’ll find the six Australia and New Zealand finalists Hennessy MyWay, but you are also encouraged to attend the live final on Tuesday 2 September at Dean & Nancy on 22 in Sydney. To attend, RSVP by contacting Alex Zanarini at azanarini-ext@moethennessy.com or by RSVP to Alex’s Instagram, @veryspecialcognacguy.

Okay — let’s check out the finalists below, and the inspiration for their drinks.

Matias Rojas – Lobby Bar, The Langham, Gold Coast

Get the inspiration behind Matias’ drink, La Premiere Lumiere, below and see it on Instagram here.

The Première Lumière is not just a cocktail, but a journey into sustainability and mindfulness. Beyond creating a drink, I’ve carefully crafted each ingredient with purpose. The homemade vermouth is made by repurposing wine that would have been discarded, giving new life to forgotten spirits. The oleo saccharum and lemon candy dust are born from the same lemon peels, ensuring nothing is wasted in the process.

But it doesn’t stop there. As part of this experience, I’ve planted a new lemon tree—a symbol of growth, care, and the promise of a better future. With every sip, you’re not just tasting a cocktail, but contributing to a legacy that stretches beyond the glass, nurturing both the earth and the community for generations to come.

Benjamin Thomson – Deadbeat, Perth

The inspiration behind Benjamin’s drink, Heretic’s Tea, is below, and you can see it on Instagram here.

The intent was to take the spirit I love and make a drink that was like a warm hug — spice, savoury, sweet, bread, subtle fruit — a delicious cup of tea for a weary traveller on a wet winters night.

The drink would be presented to the guest neat first, without the broth, they could taste this base, and then tell me how strong they would like it, increasing the amount of broth opens up the bready and umami flavours, while keeping it shorter keeps it sweeter and more viscous. The pot would be left for the guest so they could enjoy more of the broth once their drink was finished. This one is an ode to old school hospitality and heart-felt preparation of homely ingredients.

Daniel Dai – Eau De Vie, Sydney

Get the inspiration behind Daniel’s drink, the Seven Steps, below, and see it on Instagram here.

The cocktail is based on the ancient Chinese classic poem ‘the seven steps verse’, it tells the story of a tyrant who threatens his royal brother to come up with a poem within the duration of walking seven steps, the brother which then wrote: burn the bean roots as stalks to boil the beans, the beans cried in the pot, we are from the same origin, why in a such eager to burn each other alive? 

 This reveals the human nature of hurting each other without knowing, especially contemporary issues such as wastage, but it also show cases the ancient wisdom of using an ingredient to the fullest potential, in this case the beans. Therefore my ritual is based around this story, the whole making of the cocktail centers around seven steps, such as shaking for the duration of seven steps to achieve the perfect dilution and temperature, and having seven total steps in the procedures. The presentation also represents Chinese tea ceremony and mimics the scene of ‘boiling beans’ with the smoking effects from liquid nitrogen, the combination of tea and frozen desserts is also a classic Chinese way of enjoying beverage and sweets.

PJ Renaud – Panacea, Auckland

Get the inspiration for PJ’s drink, Shrewsbury, below and see it on Instagram here.

Served force carbonated and poured table side over an ice spear in a highball glass, straight from a thrifted tea pot, alongside homemade biscuits to accompany

The strawberry guavas were foraged from a tree that is a two minute walk from my house, and all waste from infusions (strawberry guava pulp, melted white chocolate) were used in creating the biscuits alongside the drink.

Reuben Beasley-Palmer – Maison Batard, Melbourne

Below, get a look at Reuben’s inspiration behind his drink, La Folie — and see it on Instagram here.

The ritual of being served a drink is something special, being at the bar and speaking to the bartender, maybe being told a story as you are there. When you're in a busy restaurant service, the connection to the guest is something that can unfortunately can be lost, this is why I would like 'La Folie' to be showcased as a tableside serve to showcase the unique history and quality of produce that goes into this cocktail. La Folie is a French expression for something crazy or extravagant. 

Shreyas Aher – Bespoke Wine Bar & Kitchen, Adelaide

Shreyas’ cocktail is called Echoes Of The Orchard — which you can see on Instagram here — and take a look at the inspiration below:

Sustainability in Echoes of the Orchard is about giving second life to ingredients that would otherwise be discarded. Overripe or leftover figs are transformed into a flavourful juice, and their pulp is further utilised to create a crisp, zero-waste garnish. 

Leftover vanilla pods from the pastry kitchen are repurposed to infuse the syrup, maximising their aromatic potential before composting. This approach not only reduces food waste but also showcases how mindful reuse can elevate flavor and presentation without compromising quality.