Every July, bartenders and cocktail mavens from around the world descend upon New Orleans for the drinkapalooza that is Tales of the Cocktail. And it is at the end of the six day festival each year that the Spirited Awards take place, recognising the best bars, bartenders, brand ambassadors and more from the USA and around the world.
They’ve just announced the top 10 finalists for the 2018 Spirited Awards — and there’s a few Aussie bars in the list.
Take a look at the full list below.
American Categories
American Bartender of the Year presented by Bacardi USA
Tyson Buehler, Death & Co Denver
Kevin Diedrich, Pacific Cocktail Haven
Marcovaldo Dionysos, ABV
Abigail Gullo, Compère Lapin at The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery ms. franky marshall, Le Boudoir
Micah Melton, The Alinea Group
Ezra Star, Drink
Kellie Thorn, Empire State South
Yael Vengroff, Spare Room
Jillian Vose, Dead Rabbit
Christine Wiseman, Broken Shaker Los Angeles
Best American Brand Ambassador
Kiowa Bryan, Spiribam
Tim Cooper, 86 Co.
Gardner Dunn, Suntory Whiskies Erin Hayes, House Spirits
Vance Henderson, Monkey Shoulder Lynn House, Heaven Hill
Anne Louise Marquis, Campari Jessamine McLellan, Pernod Ricard Robin Nance, Beam Suntory
Trevor Schneider, Reyka
Best American Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons
Clover Club – Brooklyn, NY
Columbia Room – Washington D.C.
Dante – New York City, NY
Drink – Boston, MA
Herbs & Rye – Las Vegas, NV
Leyenda – Brooklyn, NY
Pacific Cocktail Haven – San Francisco, CA Sportsman’s Club – Chicago, IL
Sweet Liberty – Miami, FL
Williams & Graham – Denver, CO
Best American Cocktail Bar presented by Pernod Ricard
ABV – San Francisco, CA
Amor Y Amargo – New York City, NY
Anvil – Houston, TX
Bar Goto – New York City, NY
BarMini by Jose Andres – Washington, D.C. Lost Lake – Chicago, IL
Pacific Cocktail Haven – San Francisco, CA PDT – New York City, NY
Pouring Ribbons – New York City, NY
Trick Dog – San Francisco, CA
Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar presented by William Grant & Sons
Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour – Phoenix, AZ Drink – Boston, MA
Harvard and Stone – Los Angeles, CA Occidental – Denver, CO
Pagan Idol – San Francisco, CA
Polite Provisions – San Diego, CA
Roosevelt Room – Austin, TX
Sportsman’s Club – Chicago, IL
The Anderson – Miami, FL
The NoMad Bar – New York City, NY
Best American Hotel Bar presented by Bacardi USA
Brother’s and Sister’s at The Line Hotel – Washington D.C.
Charmaine’s at The Proper Hotel – San Francisco, CA
Compère Lapin at The Old No. 77 Hotel & Chandlery – New Orleans, LA Covina – New York City, NY
Libertine Social – Las Vegas, NV
Midnight Rambler – Dallas, TX
Sable Kitchen & Bar in Chicago – Chicago, IL
The Broken Shaker Miami – Miami, FL
The Living Room at The Dewberry Hotel – Charleston, SC
The Roof at Park South – New York City, NY
The Spare Room – Los Angeles, CA
Best American Restaurant Bar presented by Woodford Reserve
Bad Hunter – Chicago, IL
Bar Agricole – San Francisco, CA
Cherry Circle Room – Chicago, IL
Clyde Common – Portland, OR
Gramercy Tavern – New York City, NY
Kimball House – Decatur, GA
LihoLiho Yacht Club – San Francisco, CA
No. 9 Park – Boston, MA
Nopa – San Francisco, CA
Silver Dollar – Louisville, KY
Best New American Cocktail Bar presented by Maison Ferrand USA
Attaboy Nashville – Nashville, TN
Broken Shaker LA – Los Angeles, CA
Death or Glory – Delray Beach, FL
Diamond Reef – Brooklyn, NY
Navy Strength – Seattle, WA
Nickel City – Austin, TX
NoMad LA Giannini Bar – Los Angeles, CA
Prairie School – Chicago, IL
The Aviary NYC – New York City, NY
The Pool Lounge – New York, NY
International Categories
International Bartender of the Year presented by Bacardi USA
Sullivan Doh, La Commune
Marcis Dzelzainis, Sager and Wilde
Roman Foltan, ATLAS Singapore
Chris Hysted-Adams, Black Pearl
Chris Moore, Coupette
Tess Posthumus, Flying Dutchmen Cocktails
Remy Savage, Artesian
Joe Schofield, Tippling Club
Kaitlyn Stewart, Royal Dinette
Luke Whearty, Operation Dagger
Best International Brand Ambassador presented by G.H. Mumm
Georgie Bell, Malts – Bacardi
Ian Burrell, Global Rum Ambassador
Dickie Cullimore, Bacardi
Gareth Evans, Absolut Elyx
Daniyel Jones, Angostura
Roberta Mariani, Martini
Joe McCanta, Grey Goose
Raj Nagra, Bombay Sapphire
George Nemec, Becherovka
Nicola Riske, Macallan & Edrington Malts
Meimi Sanchez, Havana Club International
Best International Bar Team presented by The House of Angostura
Baxters Inn – Sydney
Black Pearl – Melbourne Licoreria Limantour – Mexico City Lost & Found Drinkery – ?CyprusManhattan Bar – Singapore
Swift – London
The American Bar, The Savoy – London
The Clumsies – Athens
The Connaught Bar – London
Tippling Club – Singapore
Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Pernod Ricard
ATLAS – Singapore
Bulletin Place – Sydney
Happiness Forgets – London
Le Syndicat – Paris
Licoreria Limantour – Mexico City
Lost and Found Drinkery – Cyprus
Native – Singapore
Operation Dagger – Singapore
Speak Low – Shanghai
The Gibson – London
Three Sheets – London
Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar
Baba Au Rum – Athens
Baxters Inn – Sydney
Callooh Callay – London
Central Station – Beirut
Dirty Dick – Paris
Eau-de-Vie – Melbourne
HIMKOK – Oslo, Norway
La Factoria – San Juan
Oriole Bar – London
Panda and Sons – Edinburgh
Super Lyan – London
The Barber Shop – Sydney
The Clumsies – Athens
Best International Hotel Bar presented by Japan Shochu and Sake Maker Association
Bamboo Bar – Bangkok
Charles H – Seoul
DUKES – London
Fifty Mils – Mexico City
Lobster Bar – Hong Kong
Manhattan Bar – Singapore
Punch Room at London Edition
Scarfes Bar, Rosewood – London
The American Bar, The Savoy – London
The Lobby Bar at The London EDITION
Best International Restaurant Bar
Blind Pig – London
Cub – London
Danico – Paris
Hawksmoor Spitalfields – London
Maybe Frank – Sydney
Sager & Wilde – London Sexy Fish – London
Sober Company – ?Shanghai
The Clove Club – London
Tjoget/Linje Tio – ?Stockholm
Zuma Dubai – Dubai
Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Maison Ferrand USA
Botanist – Vancouver, Canada
Coupette – London
Flying Dutchmen Cocktails – Amsterdam
Les Grands Verres – Paris
MOOTEE – ?Johannesburg
Scout – London
The Mint Gun Club – London
The Old Man – Hong Kong
The Strangers Club – Panamá
Two Schmucks – Barcelona
Waeska Bar at the Mandrake – London
Writing Categories
Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication
1806 Magazine
Difford’s Guide
Fine Drinking Magazine
Liquor.com
Neat Pour
Rumporter Magazine
The Daily Beast Half Full Section The Spirits Business
VinePair
Whisky Advocate
Best Cocktail and Spirits Writer presented by Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
M. Carrie Allan, The Washington Post, The Humane Society of the United States, and more
Simon Difford, Difford’s Guide
Aaron Goldfarb, PUNCH
Pableaux Johnson, New York Times, Imbibe, and more
Matt Pietrek, Cocktail Wonk
Clay Risen, New York Times
Noah Rothbaum, The Daily Beast
Robert Simonson, The New York Times
Hamish Smith, Class Magazine, Drinks International
Max Watman, The Daily Beast
Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book presented by Gra’it Grappa
Cocktail Chameleon? by Mark Addison
FEVER-TREE The Art of Mixing Simple Long Drinks & Cocktails From The World’s Leading Bars? by Charles Rolls and Tim Warrillow
Gin Tonica? by David T. Smith
L’Heure du Cocktail / The Cocktail Hour? by Marcel Requien & Lucien Farnoux-ReynaudOne-Bottle Cocktail? by Maggie Hoffman
Meehan’s Bartender Manual? by Jim Meehan
The Imbible ?by Micah LeMon
3 Ingredient Cocktails? by Robert Simonson
The Cocktail Competition Handbook? by Andy Ives
The Cocktail Guy’? by Rich Woods
Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History or Spirits
Barrel Strength Bourbon: The Explosive Growth of America’s Whiskey? by Carla Harris CarltonBeachbum Berry’s Sippin Safari ?by Jeff Berry
By the Smoke and the Smell? by Thad Vogler
Distillery Cats? by Brad Thomas Parsons
Masters of Craft: Old Jobs in the New Urban Economy? by Richard E. Ocejo
Mezcal? by Emma Janzen
Rum Curious: The Indispensable Tasting Guide to the World’s Spirit? by Fred MinnickSTRAIGHT UP The insiders’ guide to the world’s most interesting bars and drinking experiencesby Joel Harrison & Neil Ridley
The Curious Bartender’s Rum Revolution? by ?Joel Harrison
The Way of Whisky: A Journey Around Japanese Whisky? by Dave Broom, Photography by Kohei Take
Best Broadcast, Podcast or Online Video Series
Bar None Podcast
BarChick Media Ltd.
Bartender At Large
Cocktails For You
Difford’s Guide
Gin Foundry
Life Behind Bars
Liquor.com
Shift Drink podcast with Ed Rudisell and Arthur Black
The Speakeasy
WhiskyCast
Global Categories
Best Bar Mentor presented by Barsmarts
Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologist
Bridget Albert, Southern Wine and Spirits
Ryan Chetiyawardana, Mr Lyan
Alex Kratena, Pour
Francesco Lafranconi, Bar consultant
Christopher Lowder, Proof & Company, China
Dre Masso, Mentor
Nectaly Mendoza, Herbs & Rye
Mike Ryan, Kimpton Hotels
Andy Seymour, Liquid Productions, INC
Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient
Creme de Banane, Tempus Fugit Spirits
Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal Jabali
J. Rieger & Co. Monogram Whiskey 2018 Sherry Bota
Laird’s Straight Applejack 86
MARTINI Riserva Speciale Bitter
Old Duff Single Malt Genever
Paranubes Oaxacan Rum
Privateer Rum Pot Stilled Overproof Rum- Tres Aromatique
Tequila Siembra Valles Blanco Ancestral
The Bitter Truth Bogart’s Bitters
World’s Best Cocktail Menu presented by Peroni
American Bar, The Savoy Every Moment Tells a Story – London
Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour – Phoenix, AZ
BlackTail – New York City, NY
Canon – Seattle, WA
Charles H, Four Seasons Hotel – Seoul
Dandelyan – London
Dante – New York City, NY
MACE bar – New York City, NY
The Aviary – Chicago, IL
Tippling Club – Singapore
World’s Best Spirits Selection
Amor y Amargo – New York, NY
ATLAS – Singapore
Mabel – Paris, France
Old Crow – ?Zürich, Switzerland
Rumba – Seattle, WA
Sexy Fish – London
Sweet Liberty – Miami, FL
The Baxter Inn – Sydney, Australia
The Office – Chicago, Illinois
Trick Dog – San Francisco, CA
Whitechapel – San Francisco, CA