The 16th Annual Spirited Awards celebrate excellence in the drinks industry and recognize professionals, organizations, and establishments during the 2022 Spirited Awards Ceremony
NEW ORLEANS, LA (June 21, 2022) — Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) is honored to share this year’s Spirited Awards Digital Playbill and Top Four Finalists for the 16th annual Spirited Awards®, as the foundation continues to recognize the depth of talent across our global spirits community. 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. In partnership with Forbes, the Spirited Awards® official media partner, TOTCF will honor recipients through the lens of the conference’s 2022 theme: Progress, during Tales of the Cocktail’s® (TOTC) in-person celebration in New Orleans from July 25-29, 2022.
In an effort to continue celebrating the strides and achievements of the drinks industry, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is proud to announce the winners of the Pioneer Award, Timeless U.S. Award, Timeless International Award, along with the Top Four Finalists of each select category. The award categories spotlight a range of talent from bartenders, journalists, and brand ambassadors, to brands and media, to ensure each aspect of the industry is well represented and recognized for its contributions.
“It is with a degree of relief that we are able to once again celebrate all of the awards this year after the disruption of the pandemic,” says Charlotte Voisey, Spirited Awards Overall Chair. “And while it may not truly be over for everyone, and the industry has indelibly been changed by the pandemic, I believe it is a significant step forward to gather together again and celebrate those bars around the world that continue to thrive. Once more I am floored by the strength and creativity of bars and bartenders everywhere.”
In that spirit, the Foundation shares the Top Four Finalists, broken into International, U.S., Media & Writing, and Global categories.
2022 Spirited Awards® Top 4 Finalists (in alphabetical order):
INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES
International Bartender of the Year presented by Patrón Tequila
- Lorenzo Antinori — ARGO at the Four Seasons Hotel, Hong Kong, China
- Keith Motsi — Charles H. Seoul at the Four Seasons Hotel, Seoul, South Korea
- Remy Savage — 🔶🟥🔵 A Bar with Shapes for a Name, London, UK
- Matt Whiley — RE, Sydney, Australia
Best International Bar Mentor presented by Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic
- Monica Berg
- Renato “Tato” Giovannoni
- Lauren Mote
- Agostino “Ago” Perrone
Best International Brand Ambassador presented by Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic
- Martin Hudak — Mr Black Spirits
- Daniyel Jones — House of Angostura
- Ricardo Nava — Bacardí Latin America
- Nicola Riske — The Macallan
Best International Bar Team presented by House of Angostura
- ALQUÍMICO — Cartagena, Colombia
- MAYBE SAMMY — Sydney, Australia
- The Clumsies — Athens, Greece
- Two Schmucks — Barcelona, Spain
Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Tequila Fortaleza
- MAYBE SAMMY — Sydney, Australia
- Satan’s Whiskers — London, UK
- Tayēr + Elementary — London, UK
- Two Schmucks — Barcelona, Spain
Best International Hotel Bar presented by Perrier
- Charles H. Seoul at the Four Seasons Hotel — Seoul, South Korea
- Fifty Mils at the Four Seasons Hotel — Mexico City, Mexico
- Lyaness at Sea Containers London — London, UK
- The American Bar at The Stafford London — London, UK
Best International Restaurant Bar presented by Amaro Montenegro and Select Aperitivo
- Danico — Paris, France
- Le Mary Celeste — Paris, France
- Pujol — Mexico City, Mexico
- Sexy Fish — London, UK
Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Stranger & Sons
- 🔶🟥🔵 A Bar with Shapes for a Name — London, UK
- ARGO at the Four Seasons Hotel — Hong Kong, China
- SCHOFIELD’S Bar — Manchester, UK
- SIPS — Barcelona, Spain
U.S. CATEGORIES
U.S. Bartender of the Year presented by Del Maguey
- Josh Davis — 16th Street Bar, Chicago, IL
- Chris Hannah — Jewel of the South, New Orleans, LA
- Masahiro “Masa” Urushido — Katana Kitten, New York, NY
- Christine Wiseman — BarLab Hospitality Group, Miami, FL
Best U.S. Bar Mentor presented by BarSmarts
- Meaghan Dorman
- Sean Kenyon
- Nectaly Mendoza
- Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Best U.S. Brand Ambassador presented by Libbey Glass
- Chris Cabrera — Bacardí USA
- Tad Carducci — Gruppo Montenegro
- Vance Henderson — Hendrick’s Gin
- Lynn House — Heaven Hill
Best U.S. Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons
- Half Step — Austin, TX
- Jewel of the South — New Orleans, LA
- Katana Kitten — New York, NY
- The Roosevelt Room — Austin, TX
Best U.S. Cocktail Bar presented by Absolut Vodka
- Bar Goto — New York, NY
- Katana Kitten — New York, NY
- The Roosevelt Room — Austin, TX
- Thunderbolt — Los Angeles, CA
Best U.S. Hotel Bar presented by Grey Goose
- Dear Irving on Hudson at the Aliz Hotel — New York, NY
- Hey Love at The Jupiter — Portland, OR
- Little Rituals at the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott — Phoenix, AZ
- Silver Lyan at the Riggs Washington DC — Washington, DC
Best U.S. Restaurant Bar presented by Maison Ferrand
- Café La Trova — Miami, FL
- Cleaver – Butchered Meats, Seafood & Classic Cocktails — Las Vegas, NV
- Jewel of the South — New Orleans, LA
- Kumiko — Chicago, IL
Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar presented by Aviation Gin
- Double Chicken Please — New York, NY
- Happy Accidents — Albuquerque, NM
- Temple Bar — New York, NY
- Yacht Club — Denver, CO
WRITING & MEDIA CATEGORIES
Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication presented by Diageo Bar Academy
- CLASS magazine
- Discard the Zine
- VinePair
- Whisky Magazine
Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series presented by Diageo Bar Academy
- Radio Imbibe
- Shōshin Art Club
- The Cocktail Lovers Podcast
- The Speakeasy Podcast
Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing presented by Diageo Bar Academy
- “Get Real: The bar world looks beyond feel-good measures on sustainability and climate change” by Max Falkowitz, for Imbibe Magazine
- “Has the Coronavirus Pandemic Destroyed American Bar Culture?” by Jeffrey Morgenthaler, for Daily Beast
- “Meet the Eco-Packaging Innovations Transforming the Drinks Industry” by Betsy Andrews, for SevenFifty Daily
- “The Greatest Drinking Contest in History” by David Wondrich, for Daily Beast
Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book presented by Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic
- Death & Co: Welcome Home by Alex Day, Nick Fauchald, and David Kaplan
- The Cocktail Seminars by Brian D. Hoefling
- The Japanese Art of the Cocktail by Masahiro Urushido and Michael Anstendig
- The Way of the Cocktail: Japanese Traditions, Techniques, and Recipes by Julia Momosé with Emma Janzen
Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits presented by Diageo Bar Academy
- Bourbon: The Story of Kentucky Whiskey by Clay Risen
- Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization by Edward Slingerland
- Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol by Mallory O’Meara
- The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails edited by David Wondrich with Noah Rothbaum
GLOBAL CATEGORIES
Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Abasolo Ancestral Corn Whisky
- Citadelle Gin Jardin d’été
- Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic – Italian Orange
- Nixta Licor de Elote
World’s Best Cocktail Menu presented by Diageo Bar Academy
- Little Red Door — Paris, France
- Lyaness at Sea Containers London — London, UK
- Swift Soho — London, UK
- Tayēr + Elementary — London, UK
World’s Best Spirits Selection presented by Beam Suntory
- In Situ Mezcaleria — Oaxaca City, Mexico
- Jack Rose Dining Saloon — Washington, DC
- Sexy Fish — London, UK
- Swift Soho — London, UK
Pioneer Award Presented by The Blend
- Amanda Gunderson
Timeless International Award presented by Jägermeister
- Harry’s New York Bar — Paris, France
Timeless U.S. Award presented by Johnnie Walker
- Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel — New York, NY
Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award presented by William Grant & Sons
- The recipient of the 2022 Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award will be announced at the 2022 Spirited Awards
2022 Spirited Awards® Digital Playbill
In conjunction with the Top Four Finalists in each category, Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is excited to share the release of the official Digital Playbill which further outlines finalist highlights, insights on the judging process from Spirited Awards Co-Chairs, and a comprehensive look at this year’s generous sponsors. For more information, please visit www.talesofthecocktail.org
The 16th Annual Spirited Awards Ceremony
The 16th annual Spirited Awards Ceremony Ceremony will take place at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans on Thursday, July 28. The ceremony will be available for global viewing on the Tales of the Cocktail 2022 digital platform. For those who would like to attend the Official Viewing Party, tickets are now available via the TOTC website.
Spirited Awards Directory
Tales of the Cocktail is excited to share the Spirited Awards® Directory in partnership with marquee sponsor Diageo Bar Academy with support from Angostura, Bacardi Limited, CAMPARI, Elijah Craig, Hendricks Gin, Tequila Fortaleza, and The Blend. Giving discerning imbibers a comprehensive compendium of all 900+ Spirited Awards winners and nominees from the past 15 years, the Directory is an interactive, global map created to easily guide guests to officially recognized Spirited Awards establishments.
This resource will be updated year over year, making it an easy-to-use tool to plan which bars to visit at home or when traveling. Use the Spirited Awards® Directory today to explore award-winning bars, including 183 bars added this year.
The Spirited Awards Chairs and Co-Chairs
Below is a list of Spirited Awards® Chairs, responsible for overseeing the judging process this year:
- Spirited Awards Overall Chair
- Charlotte Voisey
- Spirited Awards International Chair
- Jacob Briars
- Asia Pacific Co-Chairs
- Lorenzo Antinori
- Pankaj Balachandran
- Hayley Morison
- Charmaine Thio
- Canada Co-Chairs
- Evelyn Chick
- Sabrine Dhaliwal
- Europe Co-Chairs
- Guiseppe Gallo
- Nicola Riske
- Latin America & Caribbean Co-Chairs
- Camille Austin
- Jean Trinh
- Tato Giovannini
- Middle East & Africa Co-Chairs
- Cassandra Eichhoff
- Richard Irwin
- U.S. Central Co-Chairs
- Bridget Albert
- Steva Casey
- U.S. East Co-Chairs
- Laura Cullen
- Andy Seymour
- U.S. West Co-Chairs
- Kiowa Bryan
- Mary Palac
- Writing & Media Co-Chairs
- François Monti
- Paul Clarke
- Matthew Rowley
- Sandrae Lawrence
- Timeless Co-Chair
- Christine Sismondo
- Colin Asare-Appiah
Spirited Awards® judges are a collection of respected bartenders, bar owners, educators, and writers from across the globe entrusted with this critical calling. Drawing on their years of experience and their knowledge of the current work being done locally, nationally, and internationally, together the judges can evaluate nominees from far and wide to ensure that the Spirited Awards® represents the breadth and diversity of the global drinks industry.
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Spirited Awards® Committee is dedicated to valuing the inclusion of the communities we serve by ensuring that our judging panel reflects their incredible diversity in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality. Recognizing that inclusion is key to a well-represented committee, TOTCF strives to ensure that we have an equitable representation of gender across the judging panel. The Spirited Awards® are not based on popular vote and all nominations will be evaluated by their respective judging committees.
To learn more about the Spirited Awards Committee and awards criteria, please visit the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Spirited Awards page.
A Note on Sponsors
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation would like to thank all of its Spirited Awards sponsors. Title Partners: Diageo Bar Academy, Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic, Pernod Ricard (Absolut Vodka, BarSmarts, and Del Maguey); Presenting Partners: Bacardi (Grey Goose and Patron), Beam Suntory and The Blend, William Grant & Sons; Supporting Partners: Aviation Gin, Gruppo Montenegro, House of Angostura, Jägermeister, Johnnie Walker, Libbey Glass, Maison Ferrand, Perrier, Stranger & Sons, Tequila Fortaleza; Official Barware: Bull in China; Official Champagne: G.H. Mumm. Tales of the Cocktail 2022 Official Partners include Official Glassware: Libbey Glass, Official Water: Perrier, and Official Mixer: Q Mixers.
Please follow along for additional information on the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, please visit the website, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
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About Tales of the Cocktail Foundation:
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization that educates, advances, and supports the global hospitality industry and creates a lasting impact in our host communities. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is the global leader in spirits education and a platform to tackle issues facing the industry. The pillars of the Foundation are to Educate, Advance, and Support the hospitality industry through programs that benefit individuals and organizations in the community and to make a lasting impact in communities that host our events.
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