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MONTREAL, Dec. 3, 2025 /CNW/ - Canada has a new reason to raise a glass! Marie-Louise Roy-Bilodeau, a Montreal bartender and the reigning Canadian Ultimate Bartender Champion, has officially claimed the Ultimate Bartender Championship (UBC) Americas title—beating out 26 of the top bartenders from North, South and Central America.

Hosted by Monkey Shoulder, the Ultimate Bartender Championship is one of the world's most rigorous tests of real-world bartending skills. Unlike traditional cocktail competitions, UBC challenges competitors across every facet of the job—from knowledge and speed, to accuracy, hospitality, and technical execution.

This year's Americas Final was one of the most competitive to date, with an exceptionally strong field of contenders and a packed crowd who watched each bartender advance through six high-pressure skill stages, including: The Quiz, Pouring, Nosing, Table Service, The Perfect Serve, and the highly demanding Round Building final.

Roy-Bilodeau excelled across the board, advancing to the semi-finals as the only woman remaining in the top four. In the final round—where competitors are tasked with producing five cocktails and a shot at top speed with flawless technique and balance—she delivered a performance that outpaced the region's best.

Her victory marks a major milestone for Canada on the international bartending stage.

"I wasn't expecting to win," said Roy-Bilodeau. "When I saw how many people, I was competing against I was very nervous —but everyone was so welcoming and made me feel included even though I was the only competitor who didn't speak Spanish! I'm so grateful to Monkey Shoulder for making his competition possible."

UBC's signature "SKILLS THAT PAY THE BILLS" is a unique bartending competition format as it puts as much weight on service and technique as on mixology itself—reflecting the real-world pace and pressure of a working bar. Whether precisely measuring pours to within one millilitre, identifying 10 spirits by aroma alone, or building round after round at speed, consistency is critical.

ABOUT MONKEY SHOULDER

Monkey Shoulder is the original 100% Speyside blended Scotch whisky that is made for mixing, created to bring great Scotch to the next generation of whisky drinkers. Known for its smooth, rich, and noticeably versatile character, Monkey Shoulder is a staple behind the bar and the driving force behind global bartender-driven events such as the Ultimate Bartender Championship.

ABOUT WILLIAM GRANT & SONS

William Grant & Sons is a sixth-generation independent family-owned distiller headquartered in the United Kingdom and founded by William Grant in 1887. Today, the Company is run by a professional management team and distils, bottles, and distributes some of the world's leading brands of Scotch whisky and premium gin. Its global icons include the world's most-awarded single malt Scotch whisky Glenfiddich®, The Balvenie® range of handcrafted single malts, Monkey Shoulder® blended malt Scotch and super-premium Hendrick's® Gin. Other spirits in the portfolio include Grant's® blended Scotch whisky, Tullamore D.E.W.® Irish whiskey, Sailor Jerry® spiced rum, Drambuie whisky liqueur, Milagro® tequila, Reyka® vodka, Discarded Spirits Co.® and ultra-premium Silent Pool Gin®. Represented in Canada by PMA Canada Agency. www.pmacanada.com.

SOURCE PMA Canada