Mumbai, 31^stAugust 2026.

After an extraordinary nationwide search that celebrated India’s topbar talent, Bar Maestro, the flagship platform from ABD Maestro, in association with Tulleeho Beverage Academy, culminated today in the Grand Finale at IFBE, Mumbai, crowning the very first “Grand Gold Maestro”.

The country’s top 16 bartenders went head-to-head at the Grand Finale, each crafting an original cocktail inspired by the five elements of nature – Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Space, using one of the three brands: WOODBURNS Contemporary Indian Whisky,Rangeela Contemporary Indian Vodka, orZOYA Special Batch Gin. The interpretations ranged from using regional ingredients and flavours to represent Earth and Water, to employing techniques such as smoke, fire and aromatic elements to bring Air and Fire to life, while Space inspired more minimalist and conceptual approaches to flavour, presentation and serve. Each bartender transformed an abstract into a distinct expression of flavour, technique, presentation and storytelling, resulting in a diverse showcase of mixology.

After a keenly contested competition, the Grand Gold Maestro title went to Yumit Kumar of The First Floor, Delhi, whose winning cocktail impressed the judges with its ability to bring together all five elements of nature in a single, spirit-forward cocktail — a particularly challenging feat given the complexity of the brief. The two ‘Gold Maestro’ titles went to Delbert D’Costa of Mofo, Goa and Sandesh Thalang of Sidecar, Delhi. The competition also recognised the outlet that recorded the highest sales nationally during the Bar Maestro journey, with Houz Cafe, Delhi taking the honour.

The winning creations at the Grand Finale were evaluated by an esteemedjury comprising Shatbhi Basu (Finest and very experienced Mixologist), Gresham Fernandes(Culinary Maverick) and Vikram Achanta (Founder and CEO – Tulleeho).

Speaking on the win, Yumit Kumar said,“Winning Bar Maestro feels incredibly special, having competed with some of the finest bartenders in the country. After exploring so many techniques throughout my bartending journey, I chose to return to my roots - simplicity. Seeing something so personal resonate at this level makes the win even more meaningful. I hope it inspires more bartenders to embrace minimalism, trust their instincts, and stay true to their own style.”

On his vision for the platform, Bikram Basu, Vice Chairman, ABD Maestro, said, “I've spent some time behind bars and a lot in front of them to know that bartenders are often the most creative people in the room, yet quite often the least celebrated. Each liquid they pour in a cocktail tell a story, and ‘Bar Maestro’ was to build centre stage for the community to showcase their craft and creativity. What made the first edition exciting was the extent and quality of participation, with bartenders representing some of the country’s best bars to emerging talent from across India.”

Vikram Achanta, Founder and CEO of Tulleeho and a member of the judging panel, added, “Over the years, Tulleeho has worked closely with the Indian bar community to build the education and training that this industry needs to grow on its own terms. ‘Bar Maestro’is a natural extension of that work providing young talent with a reason to research, experiment and push their craft further. Seeing how far the interpretations of the five elements went, from technique to storytelling, tells me Indian mixology is maturing faster than ever, and I'm proud to have been part of that journey.”.

‘Bar Maestro’celebrates India's rapidly evolving cocktail culture, giving bartenders exposure in major cities and a national platform to showcase their creativity, technical excellence and storytelling.The competition received over 350 entries from bartenders across the country.160 entries were shortlisted for Round 2 where they were evaluated by a jury in each of the seven cities. The top 16 finalists from Round 2 then competed for the title of Grand Gold Maestro.