Australia’s top bartenders went head-to-head this week, but it was a bold flavour bomb of whisky, Japanese apple jam and lavender bitters that stole the show. Sydney’s Takashi Matsumoto, from Dean & Nancy on 22, claimed the crown at the Nikka Perfect Serve 2025 in Melbourne.
The competition is no ordinary cocktail contest with bartenders tested on how they handle real guests, with three judges role-playing bar patrons. Ten competitors each had to shake, stir and charm their way through two omakase-style cocktails plus their signature drink, all built around this year’s theme: “Bridging Time and Taste.”
Takashi’s winning creation, Northern Legacy, paid homage to his hometown of Yoichi in Japan and the origins of Nikka Whisky. The drink combined Nikka Yoichi whisky, homemade Yoichi wine and heather cordial, with apple jam – for Takashi’s own take on a whisky sour.
“This is actually a simple cocktail, once you have the ingredients – and you can use similar tastes at home,” he explained. “The important thing is all the ingredients help each other, and while you can taste each ingredient separately, they should also blend together as one flavour. That’s what I wanted people to taste when they tried this.”
Nikka Brand Ambassador Marcus Parmenter said the contest is designed to test more than technical skill.
“The best bartenders combine their skill with impeccable service, the ability to think on their feet and manage a range of personalities,” he said. “Every ingredient has a purpose, and knowing how to get that balance just right is something that takes time, patience and a lot of practice.”
The event was held at Backspace, Melbourne’s new cocktail den dedicated to intricate, flavour-driven serves. Owner Ben Cester summed it up perfectly:
“Cocktail bartenders are part artist, part scientist. While regular bartenders might focus on speed and service, a cocktail specialist brings deep knowledge of flavour profiles, balance and technique.”
With his win, Takashi will now represent Australia at the Nikka Perfect Serve Global Finals, where he’ll go up against 14 of the world’s best. The ultimate prize? A trip to Japan to experience Nikka’s legendary distilleries and Tokyo’s buzzing bar scene.