Western Australian bartender Brendan Grey has been named Australia’s 2026 Nikka Perfect Serve champion, taking out the national final at Moondrop in Fitzroy, Melbourne, after 10 bartenders went head-to-head in the competition.
Grey, who works at Tigerfish in Cottesloe, impressed judges with For Rhonda and Rita, a highball combining Nikka From the Barrel with lavender-infused honey syrup, homemade hay and blackberry soda and cardamom bitters.
The drink was inspired by one of Grey’s favourite regulars, 70-year-old Rhonda, using lavender taken from her garden. It also pays tribute to Rita Taketsuru, the Scottish wife of Nikka founder Masataka Taketsuru, and the influence she had on his life and the development of Nikka Whisky.
This year’s competition theme, Inspired by the Guest. Guided by Nikka, shifted the focus beyond simply making a technically strong drink, with bartenders judged on how they interacted with the guest in front of them.
Drawing on the Japanese philosophy Ichi-go, Ichi-e, meaning one moment, one encounter, judges took on the role of guests with different tastes and circumstances. Competitors were then required to create signature and improvised drinks based on those interactions.
Nikka Whisky Brand Ambassador Marcus Parmenter said Grey stood out for both his flavour combinations and his connection with his customers.
“What we’re looking for is a bartender who can read the person in front of them and respond with the right cocktail for that moment,” Parmenter said.
“You can know every technique and make a technically perfect drink, but great bartending is also about making someone feel like that drink was made just for them. That’s the part you can’t fake.”
“The standard this year was incredibly high. We saw bartenders take whisky in some really interesting directions, playing with unexpected ingredients, flavours and techniques. That’s what makes this competition exciting. You never know what someone is going to put in front of you.”
Grey experimented with a number of flavour combinations before settling on honey, hay, blackberry and lavender, designed to complement the whisky and create a flavour journey he likened to rolling hills.
“Making the perfect cocktail is just practice, it’s like playing music,” Grey said.
“My favourite part of bartending is the people. There’s the drinks, the music – but a good bar is about people and community. This cocktail is inspired by the people behind the drinks, because for me, that’s what it’s all about.”
Grey follows Sydney bartender Takashi Matsumoto, who won the Australian competition in 2025 before going on to claim the Nikka Perfect Serve Global title. Matsumoto returned to the Australian final this year as a judge.
His winning drink last year was inspired by his hometown of Yoichi, bringing whisky, apple and heather together in a cocktail that combined a personal story with technical execution.
“The last year has been a dream for me. I’m doing what I love, every day, and I’ve had the opportunity to guest behind bars in the most amazing places around the world since winning,” he said.
Grey will now head to Japan in November to represent Australia at the Nikka Perfect Serve Global Final, where he will compete against bartenders from around the world while gaining access to Nikka’s distilleries and hospitality network.
Winning cocktail: For Rhonda and Rita
Ingredients
50ml Nikka From the Barrel
10ml honey syrup infused with lavender from Rhonda’s garden
120ml hay and blackberry soda
1 dash cardamom bitters
Hay and blackberry soda
5g hay straw
10g blackberries
500ml water
Method
Rapid infuse the hay, blackberries and water in a siphon, filter and allow to sit for three hours before infusing again. Refrigerate for 24 hours before use.
Triple carbonate the cocktail ingredients three times at 35 PSI and pour into a highball over a long ice spear.
Garnish with lavender dry baked with honey.