Last night, ITALICUS® Rosolio di Bergamotto proudly announced Austin Harrington from Youngblood in San Diego, as the ITALICUS Bar Artist of the Year 2026.
In honour of ITALICUS’ 10th anniversary, the brand returned to The Savoy in London, the birthplace of the Italian aperitivo liqueur, for the global final of the Art of ITALICUS Aperitivo Challenge. The competition saw nine champions from across the globe come together to present their reimagined take on the Spritz serve using ITALICUS.
The Art of ITALICUS Aperitivo Challenge connects bartenders worldwide, creating a community around the brand and a platform for upcoming bartenders to develop their skills with some of the best industry talent. As a brand, ITALICUS is committed to supporting the next generation of bartenders through innovative and inspirational programmes as part of each year’s mentorship.
Harrington impressed the judges with his bright aromatic serve, Science Fair, featuring a slightly bitter, citrus backbone, inspired by his younger brother’s childhood drawings of superheroes, spaceships and science fiction characters. Garnished with frozen green grapes and served in a champagne flute, the visual presentation is designed to feel like something pulled from a sci-fi film, a science experiment come to life.
The serve combines ITALICUS® Rosolio di Bergamotto with Champagne Vinegar, Yuzu Super Juice and Activated Cucumber Mint Tea to create a stimulating, visually curious experience that evokes conversation.
The whole experience has been pretty surreal.
Harrington said of the win: “The whole experience has been pretty surreal, and to see something I created purely for the love of the game take me all the way from San Diego to becoming a global winner in London is nothing short of incredible. If I’ve taken anything from this experience, it’s to just be yourself and tell the stories that actually mean something to you, and trust that. I’m walking away from this experience more inspired than ever, and beyond grateful to the ITALICUS team, the judges, and every insanely talented competitor I had the privilege of sharing the stage with.”
Second place was awarded to Matthew Kaemmerer-Farag from Kwant Mayfair in London, for his cocktail Friends You Haven’t Yet Met. Drawing inspiration from Nighthawk by Edward Hopper, the drink brings together traditional Italian, French and Japanese flavours with the inclusion of ITALICUS, Schichida Junmai sake and Thierry Fournier reserve champagne.
In third place, Ashely Vanesa De la Rosa Gonzalez from Amaro Records in Guadalajara, Jalisco México presented Tra Le Mani, a contemporary spritz born from the art of fine drinking, made using ITALICUS, prosecco and homemade blue pineapple soda with citrus and herbal notes.
A testament to the global reach and creative depth of the competition, 2026’s challenge featured finalists from the UK, France, the US, Spain, Germany, China, Hong Kong, Italy and Mexico. Each of these bartenders were invited to reimagine the Spritz as a vehicle for artistic expression, cultural reflection and modern hospitality whilst taking inspiration from a form of art of their choice.
As the newly crowned ITALICUS Bar Artist of the Year, Austin Harrington will embark on exclusive mentorship programme with ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto at Moebius Bar in Milan, ranked No. 7 in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2025. Additionally, Harrington joins a community of trailblazing bartenders who are reshaping the art of the aperitivo.
One of the judges, Giovanni Allario, Bar Director at Moebius, commented: “Ten years of ITALICUS and eight years of a competition built around one of Italy’s most iconic traditions: the aperitivo. What I’ve found most fascinating is seeing how bartenders from different cultures and backgrounds have approached and reinterpreted this ritual, bringing their own stories, perspectives and creativity to it. I believe that’s what makes the difference. Taking a local tradition and allowing it to become international without losing its identity. That’s how classic traditions evolve, remain relevant and find new expressions in modern culture and, how ITALICUS itself became an instant classic.”
In addition to announcing this year’s Global Bar Artist, ITALICUS’s DECIMO 10th anniversary bottle was unveiled by Francesco Ottaviano, Vice President Global Marketing Gin and Apéritif at Pernod Ricard. The award-winning aperitivo is celebrating 10 years this September, and the limited-release bottle is a collectible expression of the brand. Inspired by the turquoise waters of the Amalfi Coast, local ceramic craft and the distinctive bergamot citrus at the heart of the liquid, DECIMO keeps the recognisable ITALICUS bottle shape but features an intricate pattern with 10 bergamot roundels adorning the middle of the bottle, representing each year of the brand’s story, while the water design represents the brand’s coastal home.
