Registrations open for Graham’s Blend Series Cocktail Competition

22/01/2026Registration is now open for the 5th edition of the Graham’s Blend Series Cocktail Competition, an international initiative that challenges bartenders from various countries to create cocktails using Port wine, with the global final scheduled for May 2026 in Porto.

Graham’s Port, a historic Port wine brand belonging to Symington Family Estates, has announced the opening of registrations for the 5th edition of the Graham’s Blend Series Cocktail Competition, an initiative seeking to promote creativity and innovation in contemporary mixology through Port wine. The competition proposes a contemporary approach to this fortified wine, challenging bartenders and mixologists to develop original cocktails using Graham’s Blend Nº5 White and Graham’s Blend Nº12 Ruby Port wines.

The first phase of the competition is already underway, and Portuguese professionals can submit their applications until February 13, 2026, via the brand’s official website. Applications must include the name of the cocktail, a brief description of the creation, the detailed recipe, and a photograph.

Following the close of registrations, the competition will advance to the National Competitions, which will take place between February and April 2026. From this phase, eleven finalists will be selected by an international panel of expert judges to compete in the Global Final, scheduled for May 10 to 12, 2026, in Porto.

The international final will span three days and provide participants with an immersive experience in the universe of Graham’s, featuring activities in Vila Nova de Gaia and the Douro Valley, the birthplace of Port wine. The global winner will receive a cash prize of 2,000 euros, a stock of Graham’s Blend Nº5 and Blend Nº12, as well as an invitation to represent the brand in a dedicated Guest Shift.

According to Charlotte Symington, a fifth-generation member of the Symington family and Marketing Director at Graham’s, the competition has contributed to a new way of looking at Port wine, highlighting its versatility and its ability to engage with contemporary mixology, particularly among younger generations.

In addition to Portugal, national competitions will take place in the United Kingdom, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Germany, South Korea, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Iceland, Brazil, and Canada, reinforcing the international dimension of the initiative.