Cover The Hennessy MyWay Malaysia and the Philippines champions are Ong Qin Yen of The Nest and Hengie Arboleda of The Spirits Library
The Hennessy MyWay Malaysia and the Philippines champions are Ong Qin Yen of The Nest and Hengie Arboleda of The Spirits Library
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6 finalists from across Malaysia, Vietnam, and The Philippines competed for a spot to represent their country in the Hennessy MyWay global finals in Paris, France
A highlight in the bar world and one of the most highly anticipated annual events is the Hennessy MyWay 2026 competition. It not only celebrates the innovation and creativity of young local bartenders, but also showcases a new wave of sustainable mixology.
On August 12, 6 finalists competed for a spot to represent their country in the finals, through a heated competition held at Astor Bar, The St Regis Kuala Lumpur. The contestants had 2 minutes of preparation time and 8 minutes to complete and serve their drink to four judges. The drinks were judged on taste, sustainability, use of Hennessy, storytelling, and presentation.
Above Hennessy
Hennessy
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The finalists
Above The 6 finalists: Lee Ai Cxing of The Nest, Ho Yan Ching of Haiiro Usagi, Phong Mai from Hybrid Saigon, Hengie Arboleda from The Spirits Library, Ong Qin Yen of The Nest, and Lui Yee Min of Cabinet 8 KL
The 6 finalists: Lee Ai Cxing of The Nest, Ho Yan Ching of Haiiro Usagi, Phong Mai from Hybrid Saigon, Hengie Arboleda from The Spirits Library, Ong Qin Yen of The Nest, and Lui Yee Min of Cabinet 8 KL
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The four finalists from Malaysia were Ong Qin Yen of The Nest, Lui Yee Min of Cabinet 8 KL, Lee Ai Cxing of The Nest, and Ho Yan Ching of Haiiro Usagi. All the way from Vietnam and The Philippines came Phong Mai from Hybrid Saigon and Hengie Arboleda from The Spirits Library.
The winning cocktails
Above Tang in Silk
Above Ong Qin Yen
Tang in Silk
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Above Hengie Arboleda
Above Another Side
Hengie Arboleda
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While the competition was tight, only two winners could be crowned—one to represent Malaysia and one to represent the Vietnam or Philippines regions. Ultimately, emerging as the representative from Malaysia was Ong Qin Yen of The Nest, who presented Tang in Silk, an innovative drink featuring house-made fish syrup made from fish head and fish bones, topped with peanut cheese foam and served with fish jerky. From the Philippines was Hengie Arboleda, who served his cocktail Another Side which complemented Hennessy VSOP with pear and pinipig cordial.
With their wins, Ong Qin Yen and Hengie Arboleda will now head to France, for the Hennessy MyWay 2026 Global Finals, where they will represent Malaysia and the Philippines on the global stage. There, they will join a community of bartenders from around the world to exchange ideas, discover new perspectives and deepen their craft as they continue their Hennessy MyWay journey.
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About
Katelyn is the dining and travel editor of Malaysia and Indonesia. Based in Kuala Lumpur, she offers readers an inside look at the movers and shakers in Asia’s growing food and beverage industry.
