Hennessy has opened registrations for Hennessy MyWay 2026, the cognac brand’s annual global bartending competition, with this year’s Global Finals to be held in Cognac, France — the birthplace of the Maison. The Malaysian chapter was officially launched at Bar None, a bar co-founded by Hennessy MyWay alumni Raz Ng and Arsenio “Ash” Mariano. The event brought together the local mixology community and featured a virtual address from Hennessy Brand Education Director Julien Pepin-Lehalleur, alongside a sharing session from Oh Chong Hau, the 2025 Malaysian champion, who returns this year in the capacity of competition mentor.

During the session, Chong Hau spoke about the competition’s approach to bartender development. “Throughout the competition, you receive constructive feedback and guidance, which really helps you to improve. The scoring focuses on your overall skills as a bartender, not just the final drink, which shows that the brand and the judges really pay attention to the effort you put in. This competition is open to everyone, so I encourage you to join regardless of your level of experience — as long as you’re willing to think outside the box and put in the practice.”

Arsenio Ash was also confirmed as a returning mentor for the 2026 programme. During the launch, he highlighted the role mentorship plays in the competition, noting that Hennessy MyWay provides access to industry guidance and support that helps bartenders refine their craft and advance professionally.

This year’s edition will crown three national champions across Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines or Vietnam. In addition to guidance from Hennessy, finalists will receive access to mentorship and knowledge-sharing sessions led by Southeast Asian industry veterans and Hennessy MyWay alumni.

Sustainability is a central pillar of the competition. Contestants are encouraged to incorporate locally sourced ingredients, eco-conscious techniques, and reimagined service rituals into their cocktail creation, with the principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle explicitly cited as guiding considerations. All entries must feature Hennessy V.S.O.P. as the key ingredient.

The competition’s judging criteria places sustainability as the most heavily weighted factor, accounting for 35 of 100 possible points. Drinkability and Ritual Serve each account for 25 points, followed by Product Knowledge at 10 points and Appearance at five points.

To enter, bartenders must register via the official Hennessy MyWay submission platform, post a one-minute cocktail video on a public social media account — Instagram preferred — using the hashtag #HennessyMyWay, and submit the video link along with their recipe details, including sustainability and ritual serve elements, by 30 April 2026 at 12 a.m. local time. The video must clearly show the ritual serve and the final appearance of the cocktail; production quality is not part of the assessment criteria.

The competition runs across four phases. Phase One, covering registrations and video submissions, closes on 30 April 2026. Phase Two, comprising masterclasses and guest shifts led by Hennessy MyWay Southeast Asia mentors, is scheduled for June to July 2026 across Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Semi-finals and Regional Finals in Malaysia are set for August 2026, with the Global Finals in Cognac, France, to follow in October 2026. Each phase requires a new cocktail recipe from participating bartenders.

Hennessy, founded 260 years ago and distributed in more than 160 countries, is headquartered in the Charente region of France. Further information on Hennessy MyWay, including full competition terms and conditions, is available at https://hennessymyway.com/

Timchew.net would like to remind everyone to please drink responsibly.

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Photo credits: Hennessy Malaysia