Caspar Mønniche Wins the 2026 Bartenders Society International Final

Caspar Mønniche of HELLA in Aarhus, Denmark, won the 2026 international final of The Bartenders Society after a two-day competition in Bordeaux on October 25 and October 26, organizers said.

The contest, presented by Marie Brizard and Saint James, brought together finalists from 17 countries for its 11th edition. This year’s theme was “A Journey Through Spices,” and competitors were judged on flavor, technique, presentation and storytelling. The final was held in Bordeaux for the first time, returning the event to the city where Marie Brizard was founded in 1755.

Mønniche’s victory came a year after he finished second in the 2025 international final. Organizers said he won the 2026 title for what the jury viewed as a strong mix of creativity, technical skill and a clear interpretation of the spice-focused brief.

Eliza Woodman of the United States placed second. Fernando Nehuen Closs of Argentina finished third and also received the Audience Award after guests voted for their favorite cocktail during the gala. Organizers said nearly 150 people from the drinks industry attended the event and tasted the mystery cocktails prepared by the top three finalists.

As the winner, Mønniche received €3,000 and the choice of a trip to Athens, Tokyo or New Orleans. He is also set to serve as an ambassador for The Bartenders Society and join the jury for the 2027 international final.

The deciding stage of the competition centered on a mystery challenge revealed on the morning of October 26. Finalists were given two hours to create a new liqueur using at least two Marie Brizard spice infusions. They then had to build a cocktail around that blend while also connecting the drink to their home country and their travel experience.

According to organizers, Mønniche’s winning cocktail, called “Sweet Marie,” combined Marie Brizard strawberry liqueur infused with pink peppercorns and banana liqueur infused with vanilla. He paired those elements with Saint James VSOP, Caraibos apple juice and maple syrup.

The international jury was chaired by bartender and consultant Matthias Giroud. Other jury members were Monica Berg, Jean-Charles Sommerard, Diego Villagrán, Laurence Marot and Nathalie Hobe.

The 2026 edition drew finalists from five continents, reflecting the competition’s effort to position itself as an international meeting point for bartenders. Each finalist presented two cocktails during the event, with the spice theme shaping both the drinks and the broader program in Bordeaux.

Organizers said the opening program included a cruise on the Garonne River, where Giroud and Hobe, a brand ambassador for Marie Brizard, introduced 17 spice infusions created to represent the participating countries. The event also included a workshop led by Hobe focused on coffee and syrup pairings.

The choice of Bordeaux gave the competition a symbolic setting. Marie Brizard, one of France’s oldest spirits houses, was founded there in the mid-18th century. By bringing the international final to the city, organizers linked the contest to the brand’s history while also using the location to underscore this year’s travel theme.

The Bartenders Society has increasingly used its annual final to showcase trends in cocktail culture that go beyond drink recipes alone. In this year’s format, judges were asked to weigh not just taste and balance but also the competitor’s ability to explain a concept and turn it into a clear story in the glass. The emphasis on spices pushed finalists to work with flavor profiles that can easily overwhelm a drink if used too heavily, making precision an important part of the challenge.

That framework helped shape Mønniche’s path to the title. Organizers said his presentation stood out because he treated spice as a structural part of the drink rather than a decorative note. His return to the final after placing second in 2025 also gave his win a clear competitive arc, making him one of the most closely watched contestants in Bordeaux.

For Woodman, the second-place finish marked a strong result for the U.S. representative in a field that drew competitors from across Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa and Oceania. Closs’s third-place finish, along with the Audience Award, suggested his drinks connected not only with the judges but also with the industry guests who took part in the public tasting.

The competition is backed by brands tied to the Bardinet La Martiniquaise group, which has used bartender-focused events as part of its outreach to the hospitality trade. Marie Brizard and Saint James were the main presenting partners for the final, and both were integrated into the competition itself through the mystery challenge and the featured spirits used by contestants.

With the 2026 final complete, the event now turns toward its next edition, when Mønniche is expected to return in a new role on the jury after winning in Bordeaux.