Following the most diverse nomination pool in the history of the show and a rigorous judging process by some of the most respected minds in the cocktail industry, Tales of the Cocktail® is proud to announce the Top Four Finalists for each category of the 10th Annual Spirited Awards®. All award finalists are invited to attend the Spirited Awards® ceremony on Saturday, July 23 at the Sheraton New Orleans where winners will be announced live and will receive the Riedel Crystal Trophy.
“These Awards recognize the very best in our industry, both within America and around the world. Our judges have had a very difficult task to decide on our finalists because the standard of bars, bartenders and others has never been higher.” said Jacob Briars, Chairman of the International Judging Committee for the Spirited Awards®. “We are truly indebted to them for their hard work. It is exciting to see new finalists from unexpected places around the world. We live in a ‘Golden Age’ for our industry internationally, and that is reflected in the incredible standard of these finalists.”
Since 2007, the Spirited Awards® have recognized the year’s best bars, bartenders, writers and experts, becoming the industry’s most prestigious and coveted award. Finalists and winners were voted on by a panel of 112 industry experts and led by Simon Ford (Chairman), Jackson Cannon (U.S. Judging Committee Chairman), Jacob Briars (International Judging Committee Chairman) and David Wondrich (Writing Committee Chairman). Voting was a weeklong process that required extensive knowledge in each category. The votes were checked by the Advisory Committee Members and tallied to determine the Top 10, the Top Four finalists and ultimately the winning recipients.
“Congratulations to everyone who has made the final four nominees,” said Spirited Awards® Chairman, Simon Ford. “This was one of the most competitive years to date, which confirms that our industry is as strong as ever. The impact you are making is being recognized by our industry all over the world and you should be proud of your accomplishment whether or not you take home the Spirited Award.”
In celebration of the 10th anniversary of Spirited Awards®, attendees are encouraged to come dressed in their favorite 50s, 80s, or 2000s attire as the show honors some of the famous (and infamous) cocktail decades. This year, the sponsoring partners of the 10th Annual Spirited Awards® are Bacardi USA, BarSmart, Beam Suntory, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Chivas Regal, El Dorado Rum, Fords Gin, Gazela Vinho Verde, Goose Island Beer Company, House of Angostura, Luxardo, Nikka Whisky, Parlor Lounge at The Mirage, Pernod Absinthe, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Ramazzotti, Rutte, The Cromwell, United States Bartenders Guild and William Grant & Sons.
“Being a finalist for a Spirited Award is a monumental accomplishment. Everyone on this list should be proud knowing they are at the top of the top of our industry,” said Ann Tuennerman, Founder of Tales of the Cocktail®. “I can’t wait to see who will be the recipients when we’re all together at the Spirited Awards next month.”
Join the festivities from your favorite bar or at home by tuning into the Spirited Awards’ live stream presented in partnership with Bacardi USA at 8:00 p.m. (Central Time). Viewers will have a front row view of the show, the winning recipients’ speeches, the 2016 videos and of course when the 2016 World’s Best Bar presented by Gazela Vinho Verde.
The Spirited Awards® are just one part of the exciting 14th Annual Tales of the Cocktail® taking place in New Orleans, July 19-24, 2016. For more information about the Spirited Awards®, to view past winners or to learn more about all the week’s spirited events, visit TalesoftheCocktail.com or call 504-948-0511.
2016 Spirited Awards® Top 4 Finalists
American Categories
Best American Bar Team
presented by William Grant & Sons
ABV (San Francisco)
Attaboy (New York)
The Dead Rabbit (New York)
Williams & Graham (Denver)
American Bartender of the Year
presented by Bacardi USA
Bobby Heugel of Anvil Bar & Refuge (Houston)
John Lermayer of Sweet Liberty (Miami Beach)
Jeffrey Morgenthaler of Clyde Common (Portland)
Naren Young of Dante (New York)
Best American Brand Ambassador
presented by El Dorado Rum
Colin Asare-Appiah (Bacardi)
Tim Cooper (The 86 Co.)
Anne Louise-Marquis (Marnier Lapostolle)
Chris Patino (Pernod Ricard)
Best American Cocktail Bar
presented by Pernod Absinthe
canon: whiskey and bitters emporium (Seattle)
The NoMad (New York)
Prizefighter (Emeryville)
Smuggler’s Cove (San Francisco)
Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar
presented by William Grant & Sons
Flatiron Lounge (New York)
Harvard & Stone (Los Angeles)
Herbs & Rye (Las Vegas)
Polite Provisions (San Diego)
Best American Hotel Bar
presented by Ramazzotti
The Elephant Bar at The NoMad (New York)
The Hawthorne at the Commonwealth Hotel (Boston)
Sable Kitchen & Bar at Hotel Palomar (Chicago)
The Spare Room at The Hollywood Roosevelt (Los Angeles)
Best American Restaurant Bar
presented by Goose Island Beer Company
Cane & Table (New Orleans)
Gramercy Tavern (New York)
nopa (San Francisco)
Saxon + Parole (New York)
Best New American Cocktail Bar
presented by Luxardo
Dante (New York)
Leyenda (Brooklyn)
Suffolk Arms (New York)
Sweet Liberty (Miami Beach)
International Categories
Best International Bar Team
presented by House of Angostura
American Bar at the Savoy (London, United Kingdom)
Black Pearl (Melbourne, Australia)
Connaught Bar (London, United Kingdom)
Dandelyan (London, United Kingdom)
International Bartender of the Year
presented by Bacardi USA
Marcis Dzelzainis of Sager + Wilde Paradise Row (London, United Kingdom)
Iain Griffiths of White Lyan and Dandelyan (London, United Kingdom)
Zdenek Kastanek of 28 Hong Kong Street (Singapore)
Hidetsugu Ueno of Bar High Five (Tokyo, Japan)
Best International Brand Ambassador
presented by Rutte
Ian Burrell (Rum Ambassador)
Dean Callan (Monkey Shoulder)
Camille Vidal (St-Germain)
Max Warner (Chivas Regal)
Best International Cocktail Bar
presented by Chivas Regal
Bar High Five (Tokyo, Japan)
Bramble Bar (Edinburgh, United Kingdom)
Happiness Forgets (London, United Kingdom)
Le Lion Bar de Paris (Hamburg, Germany)
Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar
presented by The Cromwell
Callooh Callay (London, United Kingdom)
The Clumsies (Athens, Greece)
Eau De Vie (Melbourne, Australia)
Trailer Happiness (London, United Kingdom)
Best International Hotel Bar
presented by The Cromwell
American Bar at The Savoy (London, United Kingdom)
The Connaught Bar at The Connaught (London, United Kingdom)
Dandelyan at the Mondrian, London (London, United Kingdom)
Punch Room at The London EDITION (London, United Kingdom)
Best International Restaurant Bar
presented by Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte
Duck & Waffle (London, United Kingdom)
Hawksmoor Spitalfields (London, United Kingdom)
Le Mary Celeste (Paris, France)
Tippling Club (Singapore)
Best New International Cocktail Bar
presented by Pierre Ferrand Cognac
Charles H. (Seoul, South Korea)
The Dark Horse (Bath, United Kingdom)
Gibson Bar (Singapore)
Oriole (London, United Kingdom)
Writing Categories
Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication
presented by Fords Gin
Australian Bartender
Cocktail Lovers
Difford’s Guide
Liquor.com
Best Cocktail & Spirits Writer
presented by Beam Suntory
Sandrae Lawrence
Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Robert Simonson
Naren Young
Best New Cocktail & Bartending Book
presented by Nikka Whiskey
Good Things to Drink with Mr Lyan and Friends by Ryan Chetiyawardana
The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual: Secret Recipes and Barroom Tales fromTwo Belfast Boys Who Conquered the Cocktail World by Sean Muldoon, Jack McGarry and Ben Schaffer
The Craft Cocktail Party: Delicious Drinks for Every Occasion by Julie Reiner
The NoMad Cocktail Book by Leo Robitschek
Best New Spirits Book
presented by Pierre Ferrand Cognac
Divided Spirits – Tequila, Mezcal and the Politics of Production by Sarah Bowen
Vermouth: The Revival of the Spirit that Created America’s Cocktail Culture by Adam Ford
Bourbon Curious: A Simple Tasting Guide for the Savvy Drinker by Fred Minnick
Bourbon Empire: The Past and Future of America’s Whiskey by Reid Mitenbuler
Global Categories
Best Bar Mentor
presented by BarSmarts
Bridget Albert
Francesco Lafranconi
Dré Masso
Angus Winchester
World’s Best Cocktail Menu
presented by Beam Suntory
Dandelyan (London, United Kingdom)
Little Red Door (Paris, France)
Mace (New York, United States)
Trick Dog (San Francisco, United States)
Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient
presented by the Parlor Lounge at The Mirage
Caña Brava 7-year Reserva Añeja Rum by the 86 Co. (Panamá)
Lagavulin 8-Year Old – 200th Anniversary Edition (United Kingdom)
Plantation Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple Rum (Barbados)
Rutte Celery Dry Gin by Rutte Spirits (Netherlands)
World’s Best Spirits Selection
presented by the Parlor Lounge at The Mirage
The Baxter Inn (Sydney, Australia)
Multnomah Whiskey Library (Portland, United States)
Old Lightning (Marina Del Rey, United States)
Tommy’s (San Francisco, United States)
About Tales of the Cocktail®
Founded in 2002, Tales of the Cocktail® has grown from a small gathering of cocktail lovers into the world’s premier cocktail festival. Each year the international spirits industry is welcomed to New Orleans for a week of seminars, tastings, networking events and much more. With 200+ annual events developed specifically for bartenders, distillers and other spirits professionals, Tales of the Cocktail® is the industry’s annual meeting place for exchange of new ideas, products and techniques.Tales of the Cocktail®also produces a number of other events and programs such as Tales of the Cocktail on Tour®, Tales 365®, Tales of the Toddy® and New Orleans Daiquiri Month, all to further the mission of supporting and growing the international cocktail community.
