Discover the world’s greatest bourbon and cocktail with the Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve is celebrating Old Fashioned Month with ‘The Wonderful Race,’. The competition aims to showcase the incredible talent and creativity of bartenders from Malaysia.

The Event

The shortlisted bartenders have been carefully selected based on innovation, execution, and theatrical style, adding their own unique twist to the classic Old Fashioned to elevate Woodford Reserve. The small batch bourbon is crafted with utmost care at the renowned Woodford Reserve Distillery.

The perfectly balanced taste of the brand’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey comprises more than 200 detectable flavour notes, from bold grain and wood, to sweet aromatics, spice, and fruit and floral notes, giving Woodford Reserve its distinct complex taste. This makes it the ideal foundation for imaginative concoctions. Now, it’s time for the finalists to demonstrate their skills by incorporating unique ingredients and flavors into their bespoke Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned.

Top Tier Judges

A distinguished panel of judges, including Nicholas Ng, a renowned Restaurant Critic and Food & Beverage Expert, Bannie Kang, winner of the Mancino Bartenders’ Bartender Award as part of Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2021, and Evgeny Yashkovich, Marketing Manager at Brown Forman Asia, will meticulously evaluate each cocktail. Points awarded will be based on taste, creativity, and ability to showcase the Woodford Reserve brand.

On 26 November 2023, the bartenders will gather at Jann Bar at Four Points Chinatown to showcase their cocktails. With a backdrop of red burnt brick and golden brass and a breathtaking view of Kuala Lumpur’s skyline each bartender will present their unique cocktail creation to the esteemed judges.

The Bartenders

The bartenders include Beeyee Ng of Tiga Bar, Darwin Ng of Jann, Dawen Ong of The Nest Cocktail Bar, Jason Yee of Ikiya 2.0, Kelvin Wong of Good Friends Club Penang, Lim Shui Teng of The Mandarin Bar, Tett Hin Lim of Baobae Penang and Yung Shen Koh of the Backdoor Bodega.

The event will showcase the essence of the city’s cocktail culture. Jann Bar will buzz with excitement as these artisans of mixology vie for top honours, creating a night that celebrates their passion and expertise in crafting exceptional cocktails.

Visit the Official Woodford Reserve Website.