The 13th season of the United States Bartenders’ Guild (USBG) Presents World Class Sponsored By Diageo has named Nic Wallace as the 2025 U.S. Bartender of the Year. Hosted in Atlanta, Wallace, of Darien, Georgia, was crowned as the winner after a three-day, five-part challenge competition. The competition brought the country’s top 30 competitors to test their bartending skills, agility and creativity. Wallace “impressed judges with his attention to detail and creative showmanship” to earn the honor of representing the U.S. at the Global Finals in Toronto from Sept. 27-Oct. 2. Competitors were challenged to craft a signature Bulleit cocktail with a Southern dish, create two tequila cocktails with Don Julio 70 Cristalino and race to make six Diageo Reserve cocktails in an eight-minute speed round. From there, the top 10 national finalists were revealed after the second day to compete in two additional challenges. Wallace brings more than 20 years of experience in bartending and hospitality.