Drinks At Work with Sam Bygrave

The Suntory Cup is back for 2026, celebrating bartending talent with a $40,000 prize pool. Here, we talk to last year\'s winners Reuben Beasley-Palmer and Tom Smith, and together with Suntory Oceania group advocacy manager John Galiatsatos, they talk about this year’s brief, how to approach the competition, and share plenty more tips that just might help you get across the line and win the competi...

In this episode Sam Bygrave talks to Brian Kinsman of Glenfiddich and William Grant & Sons, and delves into the intricate world of whisky, focusing on the importance of aroma, the role of technology in whisky analysis, and why the human nose can't be beat. We talk about the significance of the human nose in identifying whisky characteristics, the innovative use of trained dogs for quality cont...

In October, I visited Melbourne to speak to Linus Schaxmann, one of the original Australian brand ambassadors and someone who has been at the gig for 18 years now. We caught up to discuss the latest addition to the portfolio from The Glendronach, which is a trio of whiskies: Ode to The Valley, Ode to The Embers, and Ode to The Dark. They’re all non age statement whiskies, and they show a different...

Dre Walters, owner of Old Mate’s Place and Old Love’s in Sydney, talks to Sam Bygrave as they conducts a SWOT analysis of his bars and the broader bar industry. Walters attributes the enduring success of his venues to a “timeless” atmosphere and a relentless focus on humble, attentive customer service rather than just cocktail complexity. He discusses significant industry threats, specifically the...

Today's guest is Paul Aguilar Voza, the R&D Manager at Himkok in Oslo, Norway. The bar has been around since 2015, and has picked up numerous accolades along the way. Himkok is also the Norwegian word for moonshine, and the venue is part bar, part distillery and part cocktail lab, as Paul talks about in this interview in Hong Kong during The World's 50 Best Bars. He talks about their menu deve...

This episode of Drinks At Work explores the dynamic relationship between bars and brands in the bar industry, and features Glenfiddich and The Balvenie ambassador, Ross Blainey, and his discussions with Monkey Shoulder & Sailor Jerry ambassador Rachael Bartlett, ALM’s Shawn Elliott, and Brisbane bar owner (and former brand ambassador) Pete Hollands — it's all about how bars can get the most fr...

There are a lot of cocktail competitions out there, but there isn’t one quite like Speed Rack. Speed Rack is the US-based high-speed bartending competition designed to highlight women and femme-identifying people in the bar industry, all the while raising money for charities supporting breast cancer research — and putting on one big party at the same time. On this episode, which we recorded back i...

We’re in Adelaide, and a conversation we recorded with bartender, former brand ambassador, and now bar owner, Luca Baioni. Luca is the co-owner of Latteria in Adelaide, a bar and eatery that is now into its second year of trade. Latteria is inspired by Luca and his business partner, Nicola’s experiences growing up in the north of Italy — a latteria there is like a milk bar here, but Adelaide’s Lat...

Sam Bygrave talks to Kirsten Grant Miekle, about her journey within the whisky industry, the importance of family legacy, innovation, and the art of blending. They discuss the creation of the House of Hazelwood, a passion project that reflects their family's history and commitment to quality. The conversation also touches on the balance between tradition and modernity in whisky production, the res...

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to Alex Gilmour & Ross Blainey about the nuances of hotel bars, focusing on their unique characteristics, the importance of local flavors, and the challenges faced in the hospitality industry. The speakers share their experiences and insights on creating memorable bar experiences, the role of customer service, and the...

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to Sean Baxter, to discuss recent developments at Never Never Distilling Co., including a brand refresh, the upcoming Never Never Cocktail Competition, and the impact of being acquired by Asahi. He shares insights on navigating the spirits market, the importance of label design, and the role of bartenders in creating memor...

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to Charlie Lehmann & Sebastian Soto about their approach to owning and running venues — an approach we think makes for great hospitality — which took place live at the Better Bars Summit during Bartenders' Weekender last month in Brisbane.

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to Giorgio Bargiani about the Martini, The Connaught, Grey Goose Altius, and what makes a great bar.

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to Kayla Saito and Yao Wong about what it taks to put on guest shifts in foreign lands, working only with the ingredients you find when you're there.

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to George Curtis about what it takes to open not one but two Brisbane bars, why food is so important in the industry right now, about Bartenders' Weekender, and loads more.

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, Sam Bygrave speaks to two Brisbane bartenders — Charlie Hunter and Jacob Cohen — about what makes that scene tick, about Bartenders' Weekender, and loads more.

Hey bartendery types! On this episode of Drinks At Work, we're doing things a little differently. Host Sam Bygrave is joined by Sebastian Cosmo Soto to unpack the last few weeks in bars in Australia, talking about the Maybe Cocktail Festival, the benefit of takeovers, Sorry Not Sorry, and new wine and cocktail joint, Bar Demo, before putting together a list of iconic bars you must visit — whether...

Sam Bygrave speaks with Daniel Waddy and Finn Sugrue from Satan's Whiskers in London, your favourite bartender's favourite bartenders' bar.

Sam Bygrave speaks with Sebastian Tollius, the beverage director New York’s Clemente Bar and Eleven Madison Park. We discuss the evolution of cocktail culture, the importance of creating unique bar experiences, and the collaborative nature of crafting cocktails that pair beautifully with food. Sebastian shares insights into his journey from Boston to New York, the challenges of maintaining high st...

At Maybe Sammy here in Sydney, I talked with John Galiatsatos (Group Advocacy Manager, Suntory Oceania), Valentine Maguire (Design Manager, Club Suntory), Rhi Lucas (Maker’s Mark Diplomat, Australia & New Zealand), Alice Newport (James B. Beam Distilling Co. Ambassador, Australia & New Zealand), Ella Jones (Brand Activation Specialist, NSW/ACT), and Sophie Smallwood (Event Manager, Club Su...

There are many cocktail competitions in the bar world, but there isn’t one quite like Speed Rack. Speed Rack is the US-based high-speed bartending competition designed to highlight women and femme-identifying people in the bar industry, all the while raising money for charities supporting breast cancer research — and putting on one big party. And in 2025, Speed Rack is returning to Australian shor...

We talk to Calliope Draper, the recipient of the 50 Bets Bars Roku Scholarship at The World's 50 best Bars awards last October. Callie and Sam talk about the lessons learned from Bar High Five, Virtu, and Maybe Sammy, and the importance of inclusivity in the bar industry, and Callie's their efforts to build a community for queer and trans bartenders. We talk about the significance of practice, att...

We talk to Matty Opai abouthis time at Icebergs overlooking Bondi Beach. We talk about the significance of hospitality, the evolution of the bar scene, and how they create unique experiences. The discussion highlights the challenges and excitement of managing multiple venues, the art of hosting, and the balance between local patrons and tourists. We talk about the Icebergs Sgroppino, too! 

We’re serving up another round of my interview with Emma Sleight, the head of content for The World’s 50 Bets Bars and The World’s 50 Best Hotels. It’s an interesting chat with someone occupying a one of a kind role in the global bar industry — and a high profile one at that. 

In this episode of Drinks at Work, I spoke to Stefano Catino from the Maybe Group because in April the Maybe Cocktail Festival is back, that’s when a big bunch of the some of the world’s best bars and superstar bartenders come to Sydney for a week of guest shifts, hosted at Maybe Group venues. So on this episode I’m talking to Stefano at one of the newest of those bars, Little Cooler, about what w...