Based on the most recent global industry awards and professional rankings for 2025 and 2026, the “top 9” world’s best cocktail makers can be identified through individual mixologists who have won major international titles and the bars currently ranked at the pinnacle of the craft.
Top 9 World-Class Mixologists (2025–2026)
These individuals are recognized as the leading practitioners in the field following recent global competitions:
- Felice Capasso (Norway): Crowned the World’s Best Bartender 2025 at the Diageo World Class Global Finals.
- Karan Dhanelia (India): Declared the World Class Bartender of the Year 2026, recognized for his innovative use of savory Indian produce and technical mastery.
- Lorenzo Antinori (Hong Kong): Named International Bartender of the Year at the 2025 Spirited Awards and the founder of the world’s top-ranked bar, Bar Leone.
- Christine Kim (USA): Named U.S. Bartender of the Year 2025 at the Spirited Awards for her work at Service Bar in Washington, D.C..
- Uno Jang (Singapore): Winner of the peer-voted Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2025; he is the creative director for the influential Jigger & Pony.
- Julia Momosé (USA): The creative director of Chicago’s Kumiko, which was named World’s Best Bar at the 2025 Spirited Awards.
- Iain McPherson (Scotland): Named Best International Bar Mentor 2025; his bar, Panda & Sons, also received the award for World’s Best Cocktail Menu.
- Simone Caporale (Spain): Recipient of the 2025 Roku Industry Icon Award and co-owner of Sips in Barcelona.
- Jay Khan (Hong Kong): Awarded the 2025 Roku Industry Icon Award for Asia; he is widely influential for his focus on agave spirits at COA.
Top 9 Best Cocktail Bars in the World (2025 Rankings)
The establishments widely considered the “top makers” of cocktails based on the World’s 50 Best Bars 2025 list are:
- Bar Leone (Hong Kong)
- Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City)
- Sips (Barcelona)
- Paradiso (Barcelona)
- Tayēr + Elementary (London)
- Connaught Bar (London)
- Moebius Milano (Milan)
- Line (Athens)
- Jigger & Pony (Singapore)
For enthusiasts seeking the top 9 most popular cocktail recipes frequently crafted by these makers, the current global leaders are the Negroni, Old Fashioned, Margarita, Daiquiri, Espresso Martini, Paloma, Vodka Martini, Whisky Sour, and Pisco Sour.
