Hennessy MyWay 2025 Malaysia champion crowned at KL Cocktail Week

“Malaysia was the first ever stop within the 2025 Hennessy My Way global competition, and we could sense and feel the country’s rich and multi-cultural roots as a source of inspiration.” Laura Drozdowski Lot enthuses. “This was apparent in all the participants’ signature cocktails, from the garnishes to flavours and stories.” 

“We want to be a different cocktail competition, where drinkability is important and sustainability is one of the key pillars,” shared Julian.

See also: 10 new restaurants, cafés, and bars in Malaysia to visit in May 2025

From an initial pool of 12 semi-finalists, six bartenders competed in the national showdown. These were Ivon Soon (Frank’s Bar), Kar Mun Chung (Cabinet 8 KL), Oh Chong Hau (The Nest), Justin Lim (Good Friends Club), John Lim (The Riff District), and Rendey Ray (Rhu Bar). 
 

Each crafted a signature sustainable cocktail that reflected Hennessy’s values of service, ritual, presentation, and innovation. Their drinks demonstrated not just technical prowess, but deep understanding of ingredients and sustainability in bartending.

Emerging as the Hennessy MyWay 2025 Malaysia Champion was Oh Chong Hau, whose standout creation fused apple juice, gula kabung, and pandan leaf, topped with pumpkin cheese foam and shaved yolk. It was paired with crispy duck neck skin, a typically discarded item, turning waste into a bold garnish—a true nod to creativity and purpose in cocktail-making.”

“For the past few years, we were always thinking about being more sustainable in our own bar, not just using leftovers but to elevate the whole experience elegantly as a chef would do in the case of fine dining,” Oh shares. “We realised duck sellers always discarded duck neck, and since then, we buy it from them, trim it, and make it into a crispy duck skin.” 

He continues to explain his winning cocktail, The Golden Fondue: “We also incorporate gula kabung which connects and resonates with people, so there is a memorable moment when one sips the drink.” 

Oh will now go on to represent Malaysia at the Hennessy MyWay 2025 global finals in Cognac, France, joining 17 other international bartenders in the ultimate showdown of talent and sustainability-driven mixology. “Malaysia is one of the best places for flavours and ingredients, and I believe we are the next destination as a cocktail city,” Oh says. “The competition for us is an opportunity to focus and showcase worldwide what we can do.”

“We are excited to bring together the different participants who, if not for the competition, may not have had the opportunity to meet,” ends Laura. “This not only creates community, but allows inspiration, culture, and creativity to be shared, pushing the cocktail scene further.” 

As Hennessy MyWay continues to spotlight creativity craftsmanship around the world, it’s a reminder that enjoying Hennessy is a personal journey, whether in a crafted cocktail, over ice, or neat. At its heart, the brand celebrates versatility and self-expression, inviting everyone to discover Hennessy their own way, one glass at a time.

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