If you are one of those who have been salivating since August thinking about panettone, we bring good news. You no longer have to wait until December, and what’s even better: we know where the best in Spain is made. And yes, the jackpot, the one in the classic category, is back in Barcelona.
The Gremi de Pastisseria de Barcelona has released the verdict of the Concurso Mejor Panettone Artesano del Estado 2025, and the winner has been Oriol Carrió, from the pastry shop of the same name. Almost nothing.
The king of the classic panettone is in Barcelona.
In the tenth edition of this contest (which is already like the Oscars of Christmas sweets), Pastisseria Oriol Carrió has won the gold in the category of classic panettone. We are talking about the fruit panettone of a lifetime: with lemons, candied oranges and raisins, and that crunchy icing crown that is half a life.
Oriol Carrió, together with his sister Anna, are the second generation of pastry chefs and defend tradition without fear of innovation. If you want to try this marvel, you have two opportunities in Barcelona: the original bakery in Bailèn street, 216 (in Gràcia) and the one they have opened this year in l’Eixample, in Provença street, 139.
The price of the half kilo piece is 27€, and that of 3/4 kilo, 40€, a price somewhat higher than last year but that will not change as a result of the prize. You already have an official pilgrimage for this Christmas.
And the chocolate, world class, in Tarragona.
But beware, if you are of the chocolate team, things get serious here. The award for the best chocolate panettone has gone a little further south, to Torredembarra (Tarragona), but the story is brutal.
The winners were the Adrià brothers and Rafel Aguilera, from the Cal Jan bakery. And this is no coincidence. Adrià Aguilera is not a rookie in this winning thing: he already took this same award in 2021.
But hold on: Adrià went to Milan, the world cradle of panettone, to compete in the World Championship.The result? He brought home the title of runner-up in the Chocolate Panettone World Championship and third place in the traditional one. In other words, Cal Jan’s panettone is not only the best in Spain; it is literally one of the best on the planet.
A luxury jury for a difficult decision
The competition, held at the Escola de Pastisseria del Gremi de Barcelona, was no joke. Almost 80 panettones from all over the country were presented, and the jury was a real luxury.
There were giants like the chef Sergio Torres (from Torres Brothers), the master baker Iban Yarza, or winners of previous editions like Toni Vera (from Mervier Canal). They know a lot about tasting doughs and flavors.
The experts valued the flavor (obvious), but also the smell, the shape and, above all, the structure of the crumb: those honeycombed holes that show a perfect fermentation.