Yerevan Cocktail Week 2025: the ”Caucasian” metamorphosis of a bar scene
Γιαννης Κοροβεσης•Articles
Original article in Greek
In a city that straddles history and modern energy, Yerevan Cocktail Week 2025 felt like a quiet but defining transformation — not the surreal kind of Kafka’s, but something deliberate and real: a bar culture blooming into a mature, self-aware expression of true hospitality. The third edition of Yerevan Cocktail Week unfolded this May in Armenia’s lush and welcoming capital. I had the privilege of attending the very first one back in 2023, so this return gave me a front-row seat to how both the festival and the local bar scene have grown — not only in size but in soul.
Gegam Kazarian
A festival with a pulse of its own
As I’ve written before, Yerevan Cocktail Week is unlike most cocktail festivals around the world. Yes, it celebrates drinks — but it intertwines them with culture, identity, and place. This year, international guests weren’t just offered cocktails; they were immersed in Armenian music, dance, and the powerful, unspoken ritual of hospitality. That spirit of hospitality had been the through-line of the entire week. You could feel it in every venue, whether wine bar or cocktail lounge, and in every encounter, planned or spontaneous.
The steady force behind all three editions of the event is its founder: bartender, hospitality professional, and above all, consummate host, Gegam Kazarian. A true industry nomad with experience in dozens of countries, Gegam envisioned a festival that would place Yerevan on the global cocktail map. And he wasn’t alone. Alongside him was a generation of skilled bartenders, innovative producers, and ambitious entrepreneurs — all ready for the international spotlight.
The week in motion
This year’s program was rich and thoughtfully layered: from opening and closing ceremonies to cultural tours, morning seminars, and workshops. By night, the city turned into a pulsating party — with theme nights and bar takeovers from visiting bartenders around the world. In between, we explored Armenian cuisine and its ingredients, visited local markets, tasted spirits and wines, and of course, danced. Yes, all of us.
But it wasn’t just a one-way exchange. The international guests brought with them deep knowledge, stories, and experience. Through their talks, their seminars — and their cocktails — they shared generously with local professionals and the curious public alike. The educational agenda covered a wide spectrum: tequila and whisky categories, cocktail classics, fermentation techniques, bar operations, responsible consumption, and the philosophy of hospitality itself.
Julio Bermejo, Gegam Kazarian, Josh Harris
Standout moments
From the talks I managed to attend, I can recall the following:
– Gegam Kazarian’s own seminar was a genuinely immersive dive into his work philosophy and ethos — the same principles that underpin his newly founded cordial brand, MaGiKa likidō.
– A frank, practical walk-through of bar operations by the ever-joyful yet razor-sharp Zoltan Nagy.
– A technical, eye-opening fermentation workshop by Denis Pashkov and Irina Koroleva.
– An inspiring keynote by Spyros Vrady from Corfu, titled “Think Local – Act Global.”
– And of course, I had the chance to give my own seminar on the differences between Cognac and Armenian brandy.
Unfortunately, having arrived mid-week, I missed presentations from other luminaries like Philip Duff, Josh Harris, Julio Bermejo (stay tuned — exclusive interview coming soon), Mauro Mahjoub, Vladimir Zhuravlev, Martin Stein, Cristian Bugiada, and Roberto Artusio, just to name a few.
A finale to remember
The festival wrapped up in spectacular fashion. At the Radisson Blu, which hosted the international guests, a true celebration took place — unlike anything I’ve experienced in a bar-related event. Folklore met the modern, music and dance flowed with laughter, hugs, and joy, and cocktails poured endlessly. A highlight of the evening was the awards ceremony, recognizing the city’s best bars across different categories. And right after that, we all spilled out into the streets and into the bars of Yerevan — one last adventure before our flights home.
What made it special
I’ve been to dozens of drinks industry events, but what I felt in Yerevan was entirely different — something raw, heartfelt, and genuinely moving. It was the hospitality, yes — offered not just by Gegam and his team, but by the city itself. And it was also the hunger of Armenia’s bar scene: a thirst for learning, for inclusion, for excellence. It’s something you often find in emerging markets — a kind of buzzing energy that’s both instinctive and unfiltered. And once you feel it, it’s very, very hard to forget.
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