Three Cities, Three Champions: The Woodford Reserve 2026 Old Fashioned Challenge

The 2026 Woodford Reserve Old Fashioned has crowned its regional winners. Celebrating three bartenders representing some of South Africa's most established cocktail destinations. With bartenders from across the country competing for regional honors and the coveted R20 000 prize money. The competition put the spotlight on the creativity, technical ability and craftsmanship behind one of the world's most enduring classic cocktails.

This year's regional titles went to Fortune Munyonga from Fable Bar in Cape Town. Sipho Mbolekwa from the 11th Floor Restaurant in Johannesburg and Luyanda from Sala Beach Kwa-Zulu Natal. Three bartenders, three different approaches and three cocktails demonstrating how a timeless recipe can become a canvas for personal expression. With each of them bringing their own interpretation to an old fashioned that leaves very little room for error.

We asked the winners few questions about their winning creations:

Cape Town: Fortune - A Taste of Christmas

What was the core inspiration behind the cocktail that secured your spot as the provincial winner?

The core inspiration behind A Taste of Christmas was to capture the flavors of a traditional Christmas fruitcake in an Old Fashioned, while keeping bourbon at the heart of the drink.

Walk us through your flavor profile - How did you balance the traditional elements of an old fashioned with your unique modern twist?

An Old fashioned is defined by its base spirit, so I wanted every ingredient to complement Woodford Reserve rather than compete with it. That's why I created a homemade fruitcake liqueur using Woodford Reserve as its base, with roasted pineapple for fruitiness, almond for nuttiness, ginger for warmth and spice. This allowed me to introduce those familiar fruitcake flavors while preserving the bourbons character. The sherry brought depth and rich dried-fruit notes without overwhelming the drink. Chose to make my own spiced walnut bitters that brought a distinctive layer of warmth and bitterness. Finally, I garnished the drink with a slice of fruitcake soaked in Woodford Reserve. Fruit cake is traditionally soaked in brandy, but using bourbon felt more fitting for an Old Fashioned and carried the Woodford character through the garnish.

An Old Fashioned relies entirely on its base spirit. Which specific tasting notes of Woodford Reserve did you set out to amplify or contrast in your recipe?

The challenge was finding the right balance, creating a festive fruit cake inspired cocktail that was approachable and flavorful but still spirit forward and true to the identity of an old fashioned.

Recipe:

60ml Woodford Reserve Bourbon

15ml Fruit cake liqueur

10ml Pedro Ximenez

5ml Cherry syrup

5 Dashes of spiced walnut bitters

2 Dashes of saline

Kwazulu-Natal: Luyanda Gxatshekwana - The Golden Botanic Old Fashioned

What was the core inspiration behind the cocktail that secured your spot as the provincial winner?

The Golden Botanic old fashioned started with my signature syrup, made from fresh orange zest, rosemary and sugar. I wanted a drink that awakens the senses, starting with the aroma before you even taste it.

Walk us through your flavor profile - How did you balance the traditional elements of an old fashioned with your unique modern twist?

I kept the skeleton of the classic: bourbon, bitters and a touch of sweetness, stirred and served over one large ice. The twist is the syrup, bright citrus, fragrant herbs sit alongside the richness of bourbon, and the angostura bitters adds depth, so nothing overpowers the base spirit.

An Old Fashioned relies entirely on its base spirit. Which specific tasting notes of Woodford Reserve did you set out to amplify or contrast in your recipe?

I wanted to bring out Woodford's rich, rounded character and natural orange spice notes. The orange in the syrup echoes those, while the rosemary adds a fresh herbal contrast. The recipe is 50ml Woodford Reserve, 12.5ml syrup and 4 dashes of angostura bitters so the bourbon stays the star.

Recipe:

50ml Woodford Reserve

12.5ml Homemade orange and rosemary syrup

4 Dashes of angostura bitters

Garnish with dehydrated orange and fresh rosemary

Johannesburg: Sipho Mbolekwa - The Kulture Klash

What was the core inspiration behind the cocktail that secured your spot as the provincial winner?

My cocktail, The Kulture Klash was inspired by bringing two different cultures together in one glass: the bourbon heritage of Kentucky and South African heritage of the rooibos. Woodford Reserve represents the American bourbon tradition while rooibos represents South African identity. For me, the cocktail represents cultural identity, creativity and respect for the tradition. It's about bringing two worlds together without allowing either one to lose its character.

Walk us through your flavor profile - How did you balance the traditional elements of an old fashioned with your unique modern twist?

I wanted to respect the structure of a traditional old-fashioned while introducing ingredients that tell my own story. Woodford Reserve is the foundation bringing its characteristics notes of oak, vanilla, caramel and spice. The rooibos syrup introduces earthy and herbal notes, while smoked honey adds depth, warmth and a subtle smoky sweetness. I used orange bitters and angostura bitters to bring complexity and balance. The orange peel and charred cinnamon stick complete the experience through the aroma. The cocktail is stirred to maintain clarity and control dilution, allowing the ingredients to come together smoothly without losing character of the bourbon.

An Old Fashioned relies entirely on its base spirit. Which specific tasting notes of Woodford Reserve did you set out to amplify or contrast in your recipe?

I wanted to compliment Woodford Reserve's oak, vanilla and warm spice characteristics rather than compete with them. The rooibos brings an earthy, herbal dimension that contrasts with bourbons sweetness and spice. The smoked honey adds another layer of warmth, while bitters and citrus help tie everything together. My intention was to allow Woodford Reserve to remain the hero of the cocktail while giving it distinctly South African identity.

Recipe:

50ml Woodford Reserve

10ml Rooibos syrup

1 Bar spoon Smoked honey

2 Dashes Angostura bitters

1 Dash Orange bitters

Orange peel for garnish

Large clear ice cube

As the industry celebrates the Old Fashioned, Johannesburg, KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town have three good reasons to raise a glass. Three very different cocktails but the same starting point: understanding the classic before trying to change it. And that's worth recognizing. Creativity behind bar doesn't always mean coming up with something completely new. Sometimes it's about taking ingredients people already know, finding an interesting connection between them and making sure the final drink actually works. Three cities, three winners and one classic cocktail that continues to challenge bartenders to get the basics right before making their own.