The winner of the Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award 2025 is out and it is none other than Uno Jang, creative director and partner at Singapore’s Jigger & Pony Group.
This award is part of the annual World’s 50 Best Bars awards and is voted for by the bartenders on this year’s list of the top 50, shared a press release on Wednesday (Sept 10).
These bartenders had voted the name of a peer whom they believe has pushed the limits of what it means to be a great bartender.
“To be recognised by fellow bartenders around the world is such an honour. I couldn’t have achieved this without the collaborations, mentorships and friendships I’ve been fortunate to have over the years,” Uno said in a statement.
“This award belongs just as much to my team at Jigger & Pony, and to the wider community that has supported and inspired me. When I moved to Singapore 10 years ago to begin my bartending career, I gave myself the name Uno. To be recognised today, by this community and by my peers around the world, as Uno feels like a dream fulfilled.”
Emma Sleight, head of content for The World’s 50 Best Bars, also said: “Uno is without a doubt one of the most approachable, thoughtful and generous people in the industry.
“He credits his mentors, uplifts his team and fosters a culture of collaboration that makes him beloved not just as a bartender, but as a leader. His unwavering passion for hospitality-first service and his humility in the face of such consistent success means it is no surprise his peers have chosen him for this coveted award.”
Uno, who was born in South Korea, moved to Singapore in 2015 to work in a hotel before eventually transitioning to the cocktail scene.
He started his bartending journey at the now-defunct Orgo Bar and later joined Jigger & Pony in 2017.
Uno is known for his innovative approach to making cocktails, crafting drinks using both local ingredients and global techniques.
He played a key role in developing Jigger & Pony’s ‘menu-zine’ concept and combined editorial design with mixology.
Jigger & Pony has been ranked in the The World’s 50 Best Bars since 2019 and was even No.5 in 2024.
In 2020, the bar was also No.1 and crowned the The Best Bar in Asia at Asia’s 50 Best Bars.
The Altos Bartenders’ Bartender Award was introduced to The World’s 50 Best Bars in 2017, with the inaugural winner being Iain Griffiths of London’s Dandelyan.
Subsequent winners include Joe Schofield in 2018 when he was still at Singapore’s Tippling Club, as well as Iain McPherson of Panda & Sons in Edinburgh in 2024.
It is the second of two special awards — the other being the Michter’s Art of Hospitality Award — to be announced ahead of the World’s 50 Best Bars live awards ceremony on Oct 8 in Hong Kong.
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