After reviewing an impressive and vast pool of nominees, the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is pleased to announce the Top 10 nominees in the Writing & Media Categories for the 13th annual Spirited Awards®. Since its founding in 2007, the Spirited Awards® have become one of the industry’s most sought-after awards, recognizing beverage professionals, products, and establishments across every facet of the spirits and cocktail community on a global scale.
“The Spirited Awards® judges received a surprising number of exceptional submissions this year,” said Paul Clarke, Writing & Media Chair for the Spirited Awards®. “From newspapers to podcasts, to magazines and online media, the Spirited Awards® give us an opportunity to celebrate some of the most creative, insightful and perceptive voices working today in drinks journalism.”
Writing & Media Categories
Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
This award recognizes outstanding journalism (magazine, newspaper, online media) that features bars, bartenders, cocktails, spirit reviews and drink trends in the industry.
- CLASS magazine
- Cocktail Wonk
- CocktailSafe.org
- Collectif 1806 Magazine
- Difford’s Guide
- Drinkmagazine.asia
- Neat Pour
- Scotchwhisky.com
- SevenFifty Daily
- thirsty.
Best Cocktail & Spirits Writer presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Great journalism is one of the best ways to communicate to the general public the value and significance of great bars, bartenders, cocktails and related products. This award recognizes an outstanding author (magazine, newspaper, online media) who highlights bars, bartenders, cocktails, spirit reviews and drink trends in the industry.
- Wayne Curtis, Imbibe Magazine, The Daily Beast, Garden & Gun
- Dan Q. Dao, Liquor.com, Food & Wine, VICE
- Camper English, Alcademics.com, CocktailSafe.org
- Aaron Goldfarb, Esquire, PUNCH, VinePair
- Kara Newman, Wine Enthusiast, Wall Street Journal, PUNCH
- Matt Pietrek, Cocktail Wonk
- Kathleen Purvis, Imbibe Magazine, Garden & Gun
- Clay Risen, The New York Times
- Robert Simonson, The New York Times, Imbibe Magazine, PUNCH
- Hamish Smith, CLASS magazine
Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
This award recognizes the best book published in the past year regarding cocktails, bars, bar design, or bartending in general.
- Batched & Bottled: Cocktails to Make Ahead by Max and Noel Venning
- Cocktail Codex: Fundamentals, Formulas, Evolutions by Alex Day, David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald and Devon Tarby
- I’m Just Here for the Drinks: A Guide to Spirits, Drinking and More Than 100 Extraordinary Cocktails by Sother Teague
- Kitchen Cocktails: Recipes of the London Cocktail Club by JJ Goodman
- Northern Hospitality with The Portland Hunt + Alpine Club: A Celebration of Cocktails, Cooking, and Coming Together by Andrew Volk and Briana Volk
- The Art & Craft of Coffee Cocktails: Over 80 Recipes for Mixing Coffee and Liquor by Jason Clark
- The Aviary Cocktail Book by Allen Hemberger, Grant Achatz, and Nick Kokonas
- The Dead Rabbit Mixology & Mayhem: The Story of John Morrissey and the World’s Best Cocktail Menu by Jack McGarry, Jillian Vose, and Sean Muldoon
Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History or Spirits presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
This award recognizes the best long-form nonfiction published in the past year, including works on drinks culture, cocktail history, drinks-related personal memoir, spirits and distillation, or other aspects of the drinks world.
- A Drinkable Feast: A Cocktail Companion to 1920s Paris by Philip Greene
- Drinking Like Ladies: 75 Modern Cocktails from the World’s Leading Female Bartenders by Kirsten Amann and Misty Kalkofen
- From Barley to Blarney: A Whiskey Lover’s Guide to Ireland by Jack McGarry, Sean Muldoon, and Tim Herlihy
- Hacking Whiskey: Smoking, Blending, Fat Washing, and Other Whiskey Experiments by Aaron Goldfarb
- Pisco Patrimonio by Adam L. Weintraub
- Sakepedia:A Non-Traditional Guide to Japan’s Traditional Beverage by Jeff Cioletti
- Spirit of the North: Cocktail Recipes and Stories from Scandinavia by Selma Slabiak
- The Bourbon Bible by Eric Abram Zandona
- The Gin Dictionary by David T. Smith
- The Vermouth of Turin by Fulvio Piccinino
Best Broadcast, Podcast or Online Video Series presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
This award recognizes the best broadcast, podcast or online video series regarding bars, bartenders, cocktails, spirit reviews, drinks trends in the industry and bartending in general.
- Bartender at Large
- Bourbon Up with Fred Minnick
- Cocktails For You
- Delightful Drinks
- Living Proof: Conversations for Bartenders
- Lush Life Podcast
- Music and Booze with Mo
- Shift Drink Podcast
- The Speakeasy
- WhiskyCast
The Top Four finalists for each category will be announced on June 24, 2019. Top Four finalists will be invited to attend the live ceremony in New Orleans where winners will be awarded the coveted Riedel Crystal Trophy. The Spirited Awards® will be hosted at the iconic Orpheum Theatre in New Orleans on Saturday, July 20th from 7:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M. Tickets are now on sale at tocstaging.wpengine.com.
