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Spirited Awards®

Since its founding in 2007, the Spirited Awards have become one of the industry’s most revered awards, recognizing beverage professionals, products, establishments, journalists, and media across every facet of the spirits and cocktail industry on a global scale. The award categories spotlight a range of talent to ensure each aspect of the industry is well represented and recognized for its contributions.

The Spirited Awards are comprised of industry accolades, both U.S. and International, and a few highly coveted, overall awards that transcend regionality including World’s Best Cocktail Bar, World’s Best Cocktail Menu, and Tales Visionary Award.

Read the 18th Annual Spirited Awards® Playbill

Read the 18th Annual Spirited Awards® Playbill to learn about the 2024 Top 4 Finalists.

Read Now

Watch the 18th Annual Spirited Awards Ceremony

Watch the awards ceremony which took place on Thursday, July 25, 2024 at the Fillmore New Orleans.

Watch Now

View the Spirited Awards Directory

Explore over 1,000 bars around the world recognized by the Spirited Awards®.

The Spirited Awards Directory includes every bar the Spirited Awards has acknowledged as winners, nominees, and regional honorees. Use this interactive map to discover the best bars in your own city and the cities you plan to visit around the world. Filter by award category or search by location to take a closer look.

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View the Spirited Awards Archive

Explore a list of past winners in the Spirited Awards archive.

View Archive

2024 Spirited Awards® Dates & Deadlines

January 29: Spirited Awards Nomination Period Opened

February 20 at 11:59PM ET: Spirited Awards Nomination Period Closed

April 18: Regional Top 10 Honorees Announced

May 29: Top 10 Nominees Announced

June 17: Top 4 Finalists, Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award, Tales Visionary Award, International Timeless Award, and U.S. Timeless Award Announced

July 25: 2024 Spirited Awards Ceremony

Spirited Awards® Frequently Asked Questions

When is this year’s Spirited Awards Ceremony?

When is the nomination period?

Are there any fees involved in submitting a nomination?

How do I nominate?

I want to nominate a bar but not sure if they’ve won before. How can I find out?

Can I self-nominate?

How many times can I nominate a bar, product, or person?

Can I submit a post-mortem nomination?

Can I nominate a bar that is temporarily closed?

Which Spirited Awards will be awarded in 2024?

What is the eligibility period for new books?

What is the eligibility period for “Best New (Intl./U.S.) Cocktail Bar” & “Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient”?

When will the nominees be announced?

Who are the judges this year?

How can I become a judge?

What are the requirements to be a Spirited Awards Judge?

Additional information to keep in mind:

What is considered a “franchise bar”?

Spirited Awards® Categories & Regional Breakdown

International & U.S. Award Categories

Spirited Awards® for the drinks industry in which International and U.S. bars, teams, and individuals are recognized.

Disclaimer: Any person or establishment that has previously won a Spirited Award is not eligible for nomination in the category for which it won. 

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation has the right to disqualify any person, bar, publication or establishment that violates the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Code of Conduct during, before, or after the nomination or judging period. To read the TOTCF Code of Conduct, click here.
We encourage anyone who feels that this Community Harassment & Misconduct Policy has been violated to submit a complaint to TOTCF. Complaints can be submitted online, or made directly to TOTCF CEO and Misconduct Prevention & Response Coordinator, Eileen Wayner, by email at [email protected]


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(International & U.S.) Bartender of the Year

Best (International & U.S.) Bar Mentor

Best (International & U.S.) Brand Ambassador

Best (International & U.S.) Bar Team

Best (International & U.S.) Cocktail Bar

Best (International & U.S.) Hotel Bar

Best (International & U.S.) Restaurant Bar

Best New (International & U.S.) Cocktail Bar

Timeless (International & U.S.) Award

Global Categories

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Tales Visionary Award

Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient

World’s Best Cocktail Menu

World’s Best Spirits Selection

Writing & Media Categories

Eligibility criteria around repeat winners:

  • “Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication” & “Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series”: Winners are limited to no more than one (1) award every five (5) years.
  • “Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing”: The writer of the winning piece is limited to no more than one (1) award every five (5) years.
    • This does not impact future nominations with the same publisher. 
  • “Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book” & “Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits”: An author may not win the same category two (2) years in a row and is limited to no more than two (2) awards in the same category within five (5) years.

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Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication

Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing

Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series

Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book

Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits

Additional Industry Awards

The following awards are NOT available for public nomination
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Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award

World’s Best Bar

Regional Breakdown

Each year, the Spirited Awards® judges also break down regional recognitions for these categories. Please find the breakdown of each region below:
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International Regions - Asia & Pacific (APAC)

International Regions - Canada

International Regions - Europe

International Regions - Latin America & Caribbean

International Regions - Middle East & Africa

US Regions - United States - Central

US Regions - United States - East

US Regions - United States - West

Spirited Awards Committee

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Spirited Awards® Committee, including Co-Chairs, Regional Committee Members, and Writing & Media Judges, is composed of respected bartenders, bar owners, educators, and writers from across the globe. Drawing on their years of experience and their knowledge of the current work being done locally, nationally, and internationally, together the Co-Chairs and Judges can evaluate nominees from far and wide to ensure that the Spirited Awards are inclusive and represent the breadth and diversity of the global drinks industry.

This Committee is dedicated to valuing the inclusion of the communities we serve by enlisting a judging panel that reflects their incredible diversity in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality.

Spirited Awards® Media Partner:

 

Spirited Awards® Sponsors:


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