This morning the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation announced this year’s Top 4 Finalists for the 14th annual Spirited Awards. Aussie bars received nods in a few categories with Maybe Sammy in Sydney getting a nod in the Best International Bar Team category as well as the Best International Cocktail Bar. Byrdi in Melbourne got recognised in the Best New International Cocktail Bar while The Baxter Inn in Sydney got props for being a High-volume International Cocktail Bar. Finally, Martin Hudak has been recognised for his work as a Brand Ambassador for Mr Black. Full list of finalists is below.
Founded in 2007, the Spirited Awards categories spotlight a range of talent from bartenders, journalists, and brand ambassadors, to brands and media.
Given the current circumstances thrown up by a global pandemic, there have been some major changes to the awards format. Previous category winners are no longer eligible to be nominated in the Top Four list and if a bar has previously won “World’s Best Bar,” they are no longer eligible to win another Spirited Award, except for “Timeless” or “Philanthropy”
For the first time in history, the Spirited Awards will exist in an entirely digital format with a digital playbill spotlighting changes to this year’s awards, information on the nominees and insight into the process employed by Spirited Awards Co-Chairs.
The Raise a Glass: 2020 Spirited Awards Preshow will be hosted on September 24th at 3pm CST and the awards presentation will begin at 4pm CST. For more information, visit www.talesofthecocktail.org.
2020 Spirited Awards Top 4 Finalists (listed in alphabetical order)*:
AMERICAN CATEGORIES
Best American Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons
Winner announced on September 21
- Café La Trova — Miami, FL
- Jewel of the South — New Orleans, LA
- Nickel City — Austin, TX
- Pacific Cocktail Haven — San Francisco, CA
Best American Bar Mentor presented by BarSmarts
Winner announced at the Spirited Awards Ceremony on September 24
- Bridget Albert
- Alex Day
- Lynn House
- Don Lee
American Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard
Winner announced at the Spirited Awards Ceremony on September 24
- Kevin Diedrich — Pacific Cocktail Haven, San Francisco, CA
- Mary Palac — Paper Plane, San Jose, CA
- Masahiro Urushido — Katana Kitten, New York, NY
- Christine Wiseman — Broken Shaker, Los Angeles, CA
Best American Brand Ambassador presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Winner announced on September 21
- Tad Carducci — Amaro Montenegro
- Vance Henderson — Hendrick’s Gin
- Robin Nance — Beam Suntory
- Dominic Venegas — Pernod Ricard USA
Best American Cocktail Bar presented by Pernod Ricard
Winner announced on September 21
- Best Intentions — Chicago, IL
- Katana Kitten — New York, NY
- Pacific Cocktail Haven — San Francisco, CA
- Raised by Wolves — San Diego, CA
Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy
Winner announced on September 21
- ABV — San Francisco, CA
- Anvil Bar & Refuge — Houston, TX
- Café La Trova — Miami, FL
- Nickel City — Austin, TX
Best American Hotel Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy
Winner announced on September 21
- Death & Co at the Ramble Hotel — Denver, CO
- Libertine Social at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino — Las Vegas, NV
- Mr. COCO at the Palms Casino Resort — Las Vegas, NV
- The Spare Room at The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel — Los Angeles, CA
Best American Restaurant Bar presented by Woodford Reserve
Winner announced on September 21
- Cleaver — Las Vegas, NV
- Jewel of the South — New Orleans, LA
- Jimmy’s — Aspen, CO
- The Silver Dollar — Louisville, KY
Best New American Cocktail Bar presented by Elijah Craig
Winner announced on September 21
- Bar Goto Niban — Brooklyn, NY
- Century Grand — Phoenix, AZ
- Silver Lyan — Washington, D.C.
- Thunderbolt — Los Angeles, CA
INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES
Best International Bar Team presented by House of Angostura
Winner announced on September 21
- La Factoría — San Juan, Puerto Rico
- MAYBE SAMMY — Sydney, Australia
- The Clumsies — Athens, Greece
- The Connaught Bar — London, UK
Best International Bar Mentor presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Winner announced at the Spirited Awards Ceremony on September 24
- Simone Caporale
- Alex Kratena
- Lauren Mote
- Agostino Perrone
International Bartender of the Year presented by Martini & Rossi
Winner announced at the Spirited Awards Ceremony on September 24
- Bannie Kang — MU, Taipei, Taiwan
- Kelsey Ramage — Supernova Ballroom, Toronto, Canada
- Rémy Savage — Le Syndicat, Paris, France
- Kaitlyn Stewart — Royal Dinette, Vancouver, Canada
Best International Brand Ambassador presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Winner announced on September 21
- Camille Austin — Casa Lumbre Spirits
- Martin Hudák — Mr Black Spirits
- Daniyel Jones — The House of Angostura
- Dave Mitton — Lot No. 40 & J.P. Wiser’s Canadian Whisky
Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Tequila Fortaleza
Winner announced on September 21
- Floreria Atlántico — Buenos Aires, Argentina
- MAYBE SAMMY — Sydney, Australia
- Native — Singapore
- Swift — London, UK
Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar presented by Beam Suntory
Winner announced on September 21
- La Factoría — San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Licorería Limantour — Mexico City, Mexico
- Panda & Sons — Edinburgh, Scotland
- The Baxter Inn — Sydney, Australia
Best International Hotel Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Winner announced on September 21
- Fifty Mils at the Four Seasons Hotel — Mexico City, Mexico
- Punch Room at The London EDITION — London, UK
- Scarfes Bar at the Rosewood Hotel — London, UK
- The Bamboo Bar at the Mandarin Oriental — Bangkok, Thailand
Best International Restaurant Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Winner announced on September 21
- ámaZ — Lima, Peru
- Le Mary Celeste — Paris, France
- Sexy Fish — London, UK
- Sober Company — Shanghai, China
Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Perrier
Winner announced on September 21
- BYRDI — Melbourne, Australia
- Kw?nt — London, UK
- Tay?r + Elementary — London, UK
- Tres Monos — Buenos Aires, Argentina
WRITING & MEDIA CATEGORIES
Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Winner announced on September 21
- DRiNK Magazine Asia
- Half Full
- The Spirits Business
- VinePair
Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Winner announced on September 21
- “Mixopedia: Under Foot” by Wayne Curtis for Imbibe
- “JaNee: Where is She Now” by Aaron Goldfarb for PUNCH
- “Can There Be Terroir in Spirits?” by Kara Newman for Wine Enthusiast
- “The Case for Drinking Scotch in Tiki Cocktails” by Becky Paskin for The Daily Beast
Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Winner announced on September 21
- Cocktails with a Twist by Kara Newman
- The NoMad Cocktail Book by Leo Robitschek
- The Martini Cocktail: A Meditation on the World’s Greatest Drink, with Recipes by Robert Simonson
- Minimalist Tiki: A Cocktail Wonk Look at Classic Libations and the Modern Tiki Vanguard by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith
Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History or Spirits presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Winner announced on September 21
- Drunk in China: Baijiu and the World’s Oldest Drinking Culture by Derek Sandhaus
- Last Call: Bartenders on Their Final Drink and the Wisdom and Rituals of Closing Time by Brad Thomas Parsons
- Understanding Spirits: Explaining Style and Quality by Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET)
- Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World by Derek Brown and Robert Yule
Best Broadcast, Podcast or Online Video Series presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Winner announced on September 21
- Difford’s Guide
- Happy Hour History
- The Speakeasy
- WhiskyCast
GLOBAL CATEGORIES
Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
Winner announced on September 21
- Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal Las Milpas
- Heaven Hill 7 Year Bottled-in-Bond
- Hendrick’s Midsummer Solstice
- Tequila Fortaleza Winter Blend 2019
World’s Best Cocktail Menu presented by Perrier
Winner announced on September 21
- ATLAS Bar — Singapore
- Little Red Door — Paris, France
- Raised by Wolves — San Diego, CA
- Tay?r + Elementary — London, UK
World’s Best Spirits Selection presented by Beam Suntory
Winner announced on September 21
- Amor y Amargo – New York, NY
- Raised by Wolves — San Diego, CA
- Sexy Fish — London, UK
- The Office — Chicago, IL
Timeless American Award presented by Q Mixers
- Angel’s Share — New York, NY
Timeless International Award presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Boadas Cocktails — Barcelona, Spain
Spirited Awards 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
Central U.S. Co-Chairs — Bridget Albert, Shaun Traxler
West U.S. Co-Chairs — Kiowa Bryan, Mary Palac
East U.S. Co-Chairs — Laura Cullen, Andy Seymour
Europe Co-Chairs — Guiseppe Gallo, Claire Warner
Canada Co-Chairs — Evelyn Chick, Lauren Mote
Middle East & Africa Co-Chairs — Richard Irwin, Stephanie Simbo
Latin America & Caribbean Co-Chairs — Camille Austin, Tato Giovannini
Asia Pacific Co-Chair — Hayley Morison
Writing & Media Co-Chairs — Paul Clarke, Sandrea Lawrence, Francois Monti, Matthew Rowley
For more information visit www.talesofthecocktail.org.