Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) is honored to announce the Top Four Finalists, in addition to the winners of the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award, Timeless U.S. and International Awards, and the Tales Visionary Award for the 19th annual Spirited Awards®. Since its inception in 2007, the Spirited Awards has become one of the world’s most prestigious honors in the drinks industry, celebrating outstanding individuals, establishments, products, media, and leaders who continue to inspire the global cocktail community. In partnership with Forbes, the Spirited Awards Official Media Partner, TOTCF will celebrate the Spirited Awards on July 24th during the Tales of the Cocktail (TOTC) conference, taking place in New Orleans from July 20-25, 2025.
The awards categories spotlight a range of talent from bartenders, journalists, brand ambassadors, and industry luminaries, to brands and media, to ensure each aspect of the industry is represented and recognized for its incomparable contributions.
“I’ve always loved the Spirited Awards for how much they’ve celebrated those at the heart of our industry; not only the pioneers and the innovators pushing our craft forwards, but those who are building communities and shaping our industry for the better,” said Ryan Chetiyawardana, Spirited Awards International Chair. “We’re thrilled to announce our Top 4 Finalists, alongside the incredible individuals receiving the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award, Timeless U.S. and International Awards, and the Tales Visionary Award. These are people who are inspirations to the industry, and their care for all aspects of excellence and hospitality is showcasing what a force for good our industry can be. These sentiments are at the heart of what I’ve always valued about the Spirited Awards, so I look forward to celebrating their achievements in this 19th iteration of the ceremony.”
Tickets for the Spirited Awards ceremony, taking place on July 24, 2025 in New Orleans, are officially on sale now. Guests are invited to join industry peers, past winners, and global leaders for an unforgettable evening honoring excellence in the cocktail world. To purchase tickets and learn more about the full schedule of TOTC events, click here.
In that spirit, the Foundation is proud to announce nominees for the Top Four Finalists, and recipients of the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award, Timeless U.S. and International Awards, and the Tales Visionary Award.
2025 Spirited Awards® Top Four Finalists:
INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES
International Bartender of the Year
- Lorenzo Antinori — Bar Leone, Hong Kong
- Giulia Cuccurullo — Artesian, The Langham, London, UK
- Miguel Mora — ALQUÍMICO, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
- Luke Whearty — BYRDI, Melbourne, Australia
Best International Bar Mentor
- Kate Boushel
- Iain McPherson
- Anna Sebastian
- Jean Trinh
Best International Brand Ambassador
- Claudia Cabrera — Fratelli Branca
- Jesse Estes — Tequila Ocho
- Caitlin Hill — Rémy Cointreau
- Dré Masso — Altos Tequila and Nusa Caña Rum
Best International Bar Team
- Bar Leone — Hong Kong, China
- Caretaker’s Cottage — Melbourne, Australia
- Panda & Sons — Edinburgh, Scotland
- Satan’s Whiskers — London, UK
Best International Cocktail Bar
- Bar Leone — Hong Kong, China
- Caretaker’s Cottage — Melbourne, Australia
- Handshake Speakeasy — Mexico City, Mexico
- Satan’s Whiskers — London, UK
Best International Hotel Bar
- ARGO at the Four Seasons Hotel — Hong Kong, China
- Charles H. at the Four Seasons Hotel — Seoul, South Korea
- Side Hustle at The NoMad Hotel London — London, UK
- VIRTÙ at the Four Seasons Tokyo Otemachi — Tokyo, Japan
Best International Restaurant Bar
- ARCA Tulum — Tulum, Mexico
- FURA — Singapore
- Le Mary Celeste — Paris, France
- Moebius Milano — Milan, Italy
Best New International Cocktail Bar
- Bar Mauro — Mexico City, Mexico
- Devil’s Cut — Madrid, Spain
- Dry Wave Cocktail Studio — Bangkok, Thailand
- Three Sheets Soho — London, UK
U.S. CATEGORIES:
U.S. Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard
- Christine Kim — Service Bar, Washington, D.C.
- McLain Hedges — Yacht Club, Denver, CO
- Libby Lingua — Highball, Phoenix, AZ
- Takuma Watanabe — Martiny’s/L’Americana/Midnight Blue, New York, NY
Best U.S. Bar Mentor presented by Pernod Ricard
- Colin Asare-Appiah
- Meaghan Dorman
- Touré Folkes
- Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Best U.S. Brand Ambassador
- Sullivan Doh — D’USSÉ
- Benny Hurwitz — Campari American Whiskeys
- Mary Palac — Campari Mexican Spirits
- Natasha Sofia — Mijenta Tequila
Best U.S. Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons
- Allegory at the Eaton Hotel — Washington, D.C.
- Best Intentions — Chicago, IL
- Service Bar — Washington, D.C.
- Yacht Club — Denver, CO
Best U.S. Cocktail Bar presented by Pernod Ricard
- Best Intentions — Chicago, IL
- Overstory — New York, NY
- Trick Dog — San Francisco, CA
- True Laurel — San Francisco, CA
Best U.S. Hotel Bar
- Champagne Bar at The Surf Club at The Four Seasons — Miami, FL
- Dear Irving on Hudson at the Aliz Hotel — New York, NY
- Little Rituals at the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott — Phoenix, AZ
- Pacific Standard at the KEX Portland — Portland, OR
Best U.S. Restaurant Bar
- Arnaud’s French 75 Bar — New Orleans, LA
- Kumiko — Chicago, IL
- Mírate — Los Angeles, CA
- Palomar — Portland, OR
Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar
- Bar Snack — New York, NY
- Clemente Bar — New York, NY
- Sip & Guzzle — New York, NY
- ViceVersa — Miami, FL
WRITING & MEDIA CATEGORIES:
Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication
- CLASS magazine
- Drinks International
- Full Pour
- SevenFifty Daily
Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing
- “Charting a New Course — In Louisiana’s Sugarcane Country, a New Spirit Emerges from Complicated Conditions” by Christine Sismondo, for Good Beer Hunting
- “In War-Torn Ukraine, Nightlife Offers a Fleeting Escape” by Adam Robb, for Wine Enthusiast
- “The Hidden Hospitality Hazards When You’re Too Big for the Bar” by Brad Thomas Parsons, for VinePair
- “This Martini Costs $22. Here’s Exactly Why.” by Robert Simonson, for The Wall Street Journal
Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series presented by Cheech & Chong
- Like•a•ble Cocktails by Kaitlyn
- Radio Imbibe
- The Shaft by Josh Lindley of Bartender Atlas
- VinePair’s Cocktail College
Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book presented by Branca USA
- Bubbles: A Guide to Carbonated Cocktails by Bart Miedeksza and Valentino Girotto
- Cocktail Theory – A Sensory Approach to Transcendent Drinks by Dr. Kevin Peterson
- The Bartender’s Pantry: A Beverage Handbook for the Universal Bar by Jim Meehan and Bart Sasso with Emma Janzen
- The Martini: The Ultimate Guide to a Cocktail Icon by Alice Lascelles
Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits
- A Most Noble Water: Revisiting the Origins of English Gin by Anistatia Miller & Jared Brown
- Dusty Booze: In Search of Vintage Spirits by Aaron Goldfarb
- Malort: The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit by Josh Noel
- The Cocktail Parlor: How Women Brought the Cocktail Home by Nicola Nice
GLOBAL CATEGORIES:
Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient
- Mijenta Maestra Selection No. 1
- Planteray Cut & Dry Coconut Rum
- The Botanist Distiller’s Strength Gin
- Worthy Park Overproof
World’s Best Cocktail Menu
- Bar 1661 — Dublin, Ireland
- Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel — Singapore
- Maybe Sammy — Sydney, Australia
- Panda & Sons — Edinburgh, Scotland
World’s Best Spirits Selection presented by Flor de Cana
- Cat Bite Club — Singapore
- Eleven Madison Park — New York, NY
- Salón de Agave — Mexico City, Mexico
- Tlecān — Mexico City, Mexico
AWARD RECIPIENTS
Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award presented by William Grant & Sons
- Ian Burrell
Tales Visionary Award presented by Johnnie Walker
- Lynnette Marrero
Timeless International Award
- Bar Cock — Madrid, Spain
Timeless U.S. Award
- The Bar at Keens Steakhouse — New York, NY
2025 Spirited Awards Committee
The Spirited Awards Committee comprises revered bartenders, bar owners, educators, and writers who are entrusted with evaluating nominees based on structured criteria. The experienced and diverse committee of judges brings years of expertise and knowledge of industry developments locally, nationally, and internationally. The Spirited Awards nominations are not based on popular vote, and all nominations are evaluated by their respective judging committees, ensuring each vote carries equal weight in the evaluation process.
Honorees were selected by a panel of over 250 industry experts, led by the following Chair and Co-Chairs representing distinct regions:
International Chair & U.S. Chair:
- Ryan Chetiyawardana
- Tiffanie Barriere
Asia Pacific Co-Chairs:
- Andrew Ho
- Symphony Loo
- Alice Newport
- Stefanie Wijono
Canada Co-Chairs:
- Jonathan Smolensky
- Juliana Wolkowski
Europe Co-Chairs:
- Stephanie Jordan
- Camille Vidal
Latin America & Caribbean Co-Chairs:
- Georgina Barbachano Garcia
- Roberto Berdecia
Middle East & Africa Co-Chairs:
- Richie Barrow
- Caitlin Hill
- Lara Rawa
U.S. Central Co-Chairs:
- Amanda Carto
- Joshua Gandee
U.S. East Co-Chairs:
- Jaymee Mandeville
- Natasha Sofia
U.S. West Co-Chairs:
- Erin Shaeferle
- Mary Allison Wright
Writing & Media Co-Chairs:
- Erick Castro
- Emma Janzen
Books Chair:
- Anna Sulan Masing
Timeless Co-Chairs:
- François Monti
- Rebecca Sturt
To learn more about the Spirited Awards Committee and awards criteria, please visit the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Spirited Awards® page.
Spirited Awards® 2025 Ticketing Info
Tickets for the Spirited Awards ceremony are now on sale at this website, and Spirited Awards Winners will be celebrated on July 24, 2025, at the 19th Annual Spirited Awards Ceremony at the Fillmore New Orleans.
Spirited Awards® 2025 Partners
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation would like to thank all of its Spirited Awards® Sponsors–Title Sponsor: Pernod Ricard; Presenting Sponsor: William Grant & Sons; Supporting Sponsors: Branca USA, Cheech & Chong, Flor de Cana, and Johnny Walker; Official Bitters: Australian Bitters Co.; Official Cannabis Beverage: Cheech & Chong; Official Champagne: G.H. Mumm; Official Glassware: Libbey; Official Water: Smart Water and Topo Chico.
Spirited Awards® Directory
Tales of the Cocktail is pleased to share the Spirited Awards Directory, which gives discerning imbibers a comprehensive compendium of all Spirited Awards winners and nominees from the past 19 years. This resource is updated annually, making it a go-to guide for planning the perfect drinking and dining itinerary. Access the Spirited Awards Directory to explore award-winning bars.
23 Years of Inspiration & Tales of the Cocktail
This year, marking the 23-year anniversary, the conference returns with more seminars, events, and, of course, imbibing, all in the name of the conference’s 2025 theme, “Evolve.” Chosen to represent the collective of individuals who come together to create, share, and find inspiration each year at Tales, the 2025 conference will highlight the global cocktail community that continues to inspire each other year after year.
Please follow along for additional information on the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation website, Instagram, X, and Facebook.
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About Tales of the Cocktail Foundation:
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the global hospitality industry through education, advocacy, and community support. As the world’s leading spirits education platform, the Foundation provides year-round programs and initiatives that foster professional growth and drive meaningful change. Each July, the industry gathers in New Orleans, the beating heart of cocktail culture and hospitality, for a one-of-a-kind conference that blends education, networking, and celebration like no other. Guided by its core pillars—Educate, Advance, and Support—the Foundation’s impact extends far beyond the U.S., reaching professionals and communities around the world.
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