The Diageo World Class GB Cocktail Festival returns this April, offering two weeks of expertly crafted, limited-edition cocktail menus at one of Birmingham’s best bars. Designed to showcase the exceptional talent of Britain’s top bartenders who have been named within the Top 100 finalists of Diageo World Class 2025, this festival champions local bar scenes and the communities that make them so special, elevating cocktail culture nationwide.
The World Class GB Cocktail Festival 2025 runs from 14th to 27th April, popping up at Passing Fancies, represented by Matt Arnold and Zidan Azad. Passing Fancies will serve up a bespoke menu of three limited edition cocktails, featuring Don Julio tequila, The Singleton Whisky or Seedlip.
Passing Fancie’s menu will include:
- Matt Arnold’s (Passing Fancies) The Peak which takes inspiration from both Mexico and Birmingham by combining Don Julio Reposado, ancho and pastilla custard, faux agave acids and Brummie pechuga
- Zidan Azad’s (Passing Fancies) When Life Gives You Lemons inspired by his fascination with the Jara lemon, which was made with The Singleton of Dufftown 12yo, Jara cordial, Jara lemonade, saline solution and Manzanilla sherry
“The talent on show across the country this year has been fantastic to see”, says Jo Last, Diageo GB’s Advocacy Manager. “It’s time to get out and show your local bars how much you love them! We have passionate bartenders showcasing their unique talents in some of the best bars in Birmingham. Let’s show them all some support.”
Only bars with one or more bartenders featuring in the Top 100 for Diageo’s World Class GB cocktail competition are part of the World Class Cocktail Festival. World Class GB cocktail competition is dedicated to discovering, nurturing, and celebrating the next generation of bartending talent in Great Britain. The festival not only highlights the skill and creativity of the Top 100 bartenders but also champions the bars they represent – encouraging cocktail enthusiasts in Birmingham to explore and support their local venue.
The full list of participating bars across the country can also be found here: https://www.thebar.com/en-gb/worldclasscocktailfestival/all-participating-bars
Recognised as the world’s premier cocktail competition, the Diageo World Class Competition is a global showcase of bartending excellence, celebrating creativity, hospitality, and cocktail culture. For more information, please visit https://www.thebar.com/en-gb/worldclasscocktailfestival and follow @thebargb on social media.
About Diageo World Class
World Class is on a mission to inspire people to drink better and create unforgettable experiences in the process. Whether at home or in a bar, World Class encourages consumers to think and care about what, where and how they drink, and in doing so, discover the best of cocktail culture. World Class has supported, trained and inspired over 400,000 bartenders across the globe for the past 13 years, while partnering them with the world’s finest spirits – the Diageo Reserve luxury collection of spirits. World Class is the authority on the global drinks industry for information on the latest drinks, trends, cocktail recipes and industry insight.
About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands across spirits and beer categories. These brands include Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, JεB and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray, and Guinness. Diageo is a global company, and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. The company is listed on both the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and the New York Stock Exchange (DEO). For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives and ways to share best practices.
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