Tales Unveils Top 10 2023 Spirited Awards Nominees

by David Klemt

The wait to discover the top nominees in each category of this year’s Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards is finally over.

The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation revealed every 2023 Spirited Awards honoree roughly two months ago. That the TOTCF managed to whittle the list down that quickly is impressive.

New York City, of course, is well represented in terms of top ten Spirited Awards nominees. Likewise, Austin, Miami, Nashville, New Orleans, Phoenix, and Washington, DC.

Atwater Cocktail Club in Montréal and Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel are representing Canada. Dubai, London, Mexico City, and Sydney have strong showings as well.

The anticipation for this year’s winners continues to grow. Congratulations to this year’s top ten nominees!

US Categories

US Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard USA

• Chris Elford, Navy Strength / Here Today Brewery & Kitchen (Seattle, WA)
• Abigail Gullo, loa at the International House hotel (New Orleans, LA)
• Caer Maiko Ferguson, DrinkWell / Daijoubu (Austin, TX)
• Shauna O’Neil, Sweet Liberty (Miami, FL)
• Jessi Pollak, Spoon and Stable (Minneapolis, MN)
• Kapri Robinson, Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
• Christian Suzuki-Orellana, Wildhawk (San Francisco, CA)
• Masahiro Urushido, Katana Kitten (New York, NY)
• Takuma Watanabe, Martiny’s (New York, NY)
• Christine Wiseman, Marygold’s Brasserie / Broken Shaker (Miami, FL)

Best US Bar Mentor* presented BarSmarts

• Bridget Albert
• Anu Apte
• Colin Asare-Appiah
• Jason Asher
• Julio Cabrera
• Alex Day
• Touré Folkes
• Kate Gerwin
• Anne Louise Marquis
• Nectaly Mendoza
• Jeffrey Morgenthaler
• Chris Patino

*denotes 12 nominees due to a tie

Best US Brand Ambassador presented Libbey

• Kiowa Bryan (Spiribam)
• Chris Cabrera (Bacardí USA)
• Tad Carducci (Gruppo Montenegro)
• Cameron George (Ardbeg Single Malts)
• A-K Hada (Bacardí Rum)
• Vance Henderson (Hendrick’s Gin)
• Benny Hurwitz (Wild Turkey)
• Anna Mains (Monkey Shoulder)
• Jenna Murray (The Glenlivet)
• Mary Palac (Campari Mexican Spirits)

Best US Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons

• Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
• Attaboy Nashville (Nashville, TN)
• Century Grand (Phoenix, AZ)
• Happy Accidents (Albuquerque, NM)
• Nickel City (Austin, TX)
• Overstory (New York, NY)
• Pacific Cocktail Haven (San Francisco, CA)
• Service Bar (Washington, DC)
• The Roosevelt Room (Austin, TX)
• Yacht Club (Denver, CO)

Best US Cocktail Bar presented by Absolut Vodka

• Bar Goto (New York, NY)
• Bitter & Twisted (Phoenix, AZ)
• Century Grand (Phoenix, AZ)
• Double Chicken Please (New York, NY)
• Manolito (New Orleans, LA)
• Nickel City (Austin, TX)
• Overstory (New York, NY)
• Service Bar (Washington, DC)
• Thunderbolt (Los Angeles, CA)
• Yacht Club (Denver, CO)

Best US Hotel Bar presented by Grey Goose

• Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
• Bar Marilou at the Maison de la Luz (New Orleans, LA)
• Champagne Bar at The Surf Club Miami (Miami, FL)
• Dear Irving on Hudson at the Aliz Hotel (New York, NY)
• Hey Love at The Jupiter (Portland, OR)
• Libertine Social at the Mandalay Bay (Las Vegas, NV)
• Little Rituals at the Residence Inn / Courtyard by Marriott (Phoenix, AZ)
• Midnight Rambler at The Joule (Dallas, TX)
• Raines Law Room at the William (New York, NY)
• White Limozeen at The Graduate (Nashville, TN)

Best US Restaurant Bar presented by Amaro Montenegro and Select Aperitivo

• Arnaud’s French 75 Bar (New Orleans, LA)
• Bicyclette Bistro (Los Angeles, CA)
• Bresca (Washington, DC)
• Café La Trova (Miami, FL)
• Cleaver – Butchered Meats, Seafood & Classic Cocktails (Las Vegas, NV)
• Crown Shy (New York, NY)
• Jaguar Sun (Miami, FL)
• Kumiko (Chicago, IL)
• Manhatta (New York, NY)
• Palomar (Portland, OR)

Best New US Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

• Amazonia (Washington, DC)
• Chez Zou (New York, NY)
• Khla (Phoenix, AZ)
• Martiny’s (New York, NY)
• Marygold’s Brasserie at the Arlo Wynwood (Miami, FL)
• Milady’s (New York, NY)
• Pacific Standard at the KEX Portland (Portland, OR)
• Refuge (Houston, TX)
• The Butterscotch Den (Sacramento, CA)
• UnderTow (Gilbert, AZ)

International Categories

International Bartender of the Year presented by The Busker

• Gina Barbachano, Hanky Panky (Mexico City, Mexico)
• Giorgio Bargiani, The Connaught Bar (London, UK)
• Aaron Diaz, Carnaval (Lima, Peru)
• Kate Boushel, Atwater Cocktail Club / Milky Way Cocktail Bar (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
• Giacomo Giannotti, Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
• Martin Hudak, Maybe Sammy (Sydney, Australia)
• Uno Jang, Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)
• Alessandro Palazzi, DUKES at Dukes Hotel (London, UK)
• Daniel Schofield, SCHOFIELD’S BAR (Manchester, UK)
• Luke Whearty, BYRDI (Melbourne, Australia)

Best International Bar Mentor* presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

• Lorenzo Antinori
• Simone Caporale
• Evelyn Chick
• Shingo Gokan
• Trevor Kallies
• Jose Luis Leon
• Dre Masso
• Iain McPherson
• Danil Nevsky
• Agostino Perrone
• Christina Veira

*denotes 11 nominees due to a tie

Best International Brand Ambassador* presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

• Jenna Ba (Diageo)
• Jordan Bushell (Hennessy Cognac)
• Dickie Cullimore (Bacardí Rum)
• Caitlin Hill (Rémy Cointreau)
• Daniyel Jones (House of Angostura®)
• Ally Martin (Hendrick’s Gin)
• Dave Mitton (Lot 40 / J.P. Wiser’s)
• Léa Messier (Dandurand Spirits)
• Tim Philips-Johansson (Johnnie Walker)
• Nicola Riske (The Macallan)
• Claudia Cabrera Rodriguez (Fernet Branca)
• Charmaine Thio (Hendrick’s Gin)

*denotes 12 nominees due to a tie

Best International Bar Team presented by Angostura Caribbean Rum

• ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena, Colombia)
• Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
• COA (Hong Kong, China)
• Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
• Hanky Panky (Mexico City, Mexico)
• Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)
• La Factoría (San Juan, Puerto Rico)
• Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
• Tayēr + Elementary (London, UK)
• The Clumsies (Athens, Greece)

Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Patr​​ón Tequila

• 🔶🟥🔵 (London, UK)
• ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena, Colombia)
• Atwater Cocktail Club (Montréal, Québec, Canada)
• BYRDI (Melbourne, Australia)
• COA (Hong Kong, China)
• MAYBE SAMMY (Sydney, Australia)
• Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland)
• Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)
• Satan’s Whiskers (London, UK)
• SIPS (Barcelona, Spain)

Best International Hotel Bar presented by Perrier

• ARGO at the Four Seasons (Hong Kong, China)
• BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Bangkok (Bangkok, Thailand)
• Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
• Bulgari Bar at the The Bvlgari Resort (Dubai, UAE)
• Charles H. at the Four Seasons Hotel (Seoul, South Korea)
• Dean & Nancy on 22 at the A by Adina hotel (Sydney, Australia)
• Fifty Mils at the Four Seasons Hotel (Mexico City, Mexico)
• Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)
• Side Hustle at The NoMad Hotel London (London, UK)
• The Donovan Bar at the Brown’s Hotel (London, UK)

Best International Restaurant Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

• Analogue Initiative (Singapore)
• ARCA Restaurant & Bar (Tulum, Mexico)
• Bar Kismet (Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada)
• COCHINCHINA (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
• Continental Deli Bar Bistro (Sydney, Australia)
• COYA Dubai (Dubai, UAE)
• Danico (Paris, France)
• Le Mary Celeste (Paris, France)
• No Sleep Club (Singapore)
• Zuma Dubai (Dubai, UAE)

Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy

• Bar Planet (Sydney, Australia)
• Caretaker’s Cottage (Melbourne, Australia)
• CATA Agave Bar (Tamarindo, Costa Rica)
• Ergo Cocktail Bar & Restaurant (Dubai, UAE)
• Gucci Giardino 25 (Florence, Italy)
• Last Word (Singapore)
• Line Athens (Athens, Greece)
• Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (Bangkok, Thailand)
• Night Hawk (Singapore)
• Seed Library at One Hundred Shoreditch hotel (London, UK)

Global Categories

Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient presented by Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic

• Contraluz Cristalino Mezcal
• Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin California Orange Citrus
• Hendrick’s Neptunia
• Martini & Rossi Floreale Non Alcoholic Aperitivo
• Martini & Rossi Vibrante Non Alcoholic Aperitivo
• Mijenta Añejo Gran Reserva
• Nocheluna Sotol
• PATRÓN El Alto Tequila
• Saint Benevolence Aged Rum Clairin
• The Fords Gin Co. Sloe Gin

World’s Best Cocktail Menu presented by Diageo Bar Academy

• Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)
• ALQUÍMICO (Cartagena, Colombia)
• Bitter and Twisted (Phoenix, AZ)
• Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
• Double Chicken Please (New York, NY)
• Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)
• Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)
• Licorería Limantour (Mexico City, Mexico)
• Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland)
• Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)

World’s Best Spirits Selection presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

• Baba Au Rum (Athens, Greece)
• Barro Negro (Athens, Greece)
• In Situ Mezcalería (Oaxaca, Mexico)
• KOL Mezcaleria (London, UK)
• Origin Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel (Singapore)
• Raised by Wolves (San Diego, CA)
• Salón de Agave at Casa Prunes (Mexico City, Mexico)
• Sexy Fish London (London, UK)
• Swift Soho (London, UK)
• The Office (Chicago, IL)

Writing and Media Categories

Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

• Boothby
• CLASS Magazine
• Difford’s Guide
• Drinks International
• Guest Check by SPILL
• Liquor.com
• Punch
• The Cocktail Lovers Magazine
• The Mix With Robert Simonson
• The Spirits Business

Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

• Agave Road Trip
• Black and Brown Podcast
• Freepour
• Japan Distilled Podcast
• Perspectives by Campari Academy
• Radio Imbibe
• Shōshin Art Club
• The Modern Bar Cart Podcast
• The Sipping Point
• The Speakeasy Podcast

Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

• “A Rum Deal” by Dave Broom for Club Oenologique
• “How Americans ruined tequila — and the true believers saving it” by Lilah Raptopoulos, for Financial Times
• “How the Four Seasons Became an Incubator for Asia’s Best Bars” by Jake Emen, for VinePair
• “The Drinks Industry Has an Ageism Problem” by Betsy Andrews, for SevenFifty Daily
• “The Good, the Bad & the Artificial: How Big Data & Tech Are Infiltrating the Alcohol Industry” by Jake Emen, for VinePair
• “The Great Mezcal Heist” by Emma Janzen, for Eater
• “The Secrets to the Best Dry Martini You’ll Ever Have” by David Wondrich, for The Daily Beast
• “This Is What Decolonizing a Spirit Looks Like” by Adaorah Oduah, for Punch
• “Untold Story” by Yolanda Evans, for Imbibe
• “What is a Bar Without a Backbar?” by Danny Chau, for Punch

Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

• A Bartender’s Guide to the World by Lauren Mote & James O. Fraioli
• Black Mixcellence: A Comprehensive Guide to Black Mixology by Tamika Hall with Colin Asare-Appiah
• Drink Lightly by Natasha David
• Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails with 60 Recipes by Derek Brown
• Modern Classic Cocktails by Robert Simonson
• Mueble Bar by François Monti
• The Bartender’s Manifesto by Toby Maloney with Emma Janzen
• THE COCKTAIL CABINET: The Art, Science and Pleasure of Mixing the Perfect Drink by Zoe Burgess
• The Cocktail Edit: Everything You Need to Know About How to Make All the Drinks that Matter by Alice Lascelles
• The New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails – Elevated and Expanded, edited by Steven Reddicliffe

Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation

• A SENSE OF PLACE: A Journey Around Scotland’s Whisky by Dave Broom
• Brand Mysticism: Cultivate Creativity & Intoxicate Your Audience by Aaron Goldfarb and Steven Grasse
• Dicktales (or Thankyou and Sluggings) by Dick Bradsell
• Doctors and Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails by Camper English
• Drink Like a Local New York: A Field Guide to New York’s Best Bars by Amanda Schuster
• Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake by Nancy Matsumoto and Michael Tremblay
• Gurú. Manual (multisensorial) de Coctelería by Diego Cabrera
• Modern Caribbean Rum: A Contemporary Reference to the Region’s Essential Spirit by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith
• The Art of Whisky by Ernie Button
• Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

Image: Luciann Photography on Pexels