Bars in Edinburgh, Bath and London have reached the finals of this year’s international Spirited Awards run as part of the Tales of the Cocktail festival in New Orleans.
All four finalists in the category for best international hotel bar are in London: the American Bar at The Savoy, the Connaught Bar at The Connaught, Dandelyan at Mondrian London and Punch Room at The London Edition.
The American Bar, the Connaught Bar and Dandelyan are also finalists for best international bar team along with Black Pearl in Melbourne.
Dandelyan is also up for world’s best cocktail menu along with Little Red Door in Paris, Mace in New York and Trick Dog in San Francisco.
Iain Griffiths from Dandelyan and White Lyan in London has been named as a finalist for international bartender of the year along with Marcis Dzelzainis of Sager + Wilde Paradise Row in London. They face Zdenek Kastanek of 28 HongKong Street in Singapore and Hidetsugu Ueno of Bar High Five in Tokyo.
Other finalists in the international categories – which excludes the US – include Bramble in Edinburgh and Happiness Forgets in London which are finalists for best international cocktail bar along with Bar High Five in Tokyo and Le Lion Bar de Paris in Hamburg.
The Dark Horse in Bath, opened by a team led by Louis Xavier Lewis-Smith, and Oriole, the London bar from the team behind the Nightjar in Old Street, are finalists for best new international cocktail bar along with Charles H in Seoul in South Korea and Gibson Bar in Singapore.
Both Callooh Callay and Trailer Happiness in London are up for best international high-volume cocktail bar, listed as finalists with Eau-de-Vie in Melbourne and The Clumsies in Athens.
Two London bars are also up for best international restaurant bar: Duck & Waffle and Hawksmoor Spitalfields are finalists alongside Le Mary Celeste in Paris and Tippling Club in Singapore.
The four finalists for best international brand ambassador are global rum ambassador Ian Burrell, Monkey Shoulder whisky’s global ambassador Dean Callan, St-Germain liqueur’s global ambassador Camille Vidal and Chivas Regal’s global ambassador Max Warner.
Bar consultants Angus Winchester and Dré Masso are finalists for best bar mentor with Bridget Albert and Francesco Lafranconi.
Ryan Chetiyawardana from Dandelyan and White Lyan is a finalist in the category for best new cocktail and bartending book with Good Things to Drink with Mr Lyan and Friends along with Belfast bartenders Sean Muldoon and Jack McGarry for their book celebrating their Manhattan bar, The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual, written with Ben Schaffer. The Dead Rabbit is also a finalist for best American bar team.
Finalists for the highly regarded award for best new spirit or cocktail ingredient include Plantation Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple Rum, which was launched in the UK in May, alongside Lagavulin 8 Year Old 200th Anniversary Edition, The 86 Company’s Caña Brava 7-year Reserva Añeja Rum, and Rutte Celery Dry Gin from the Netherlands, available in the UK through Speciality Brands.
The announcement of the finalists follows last week’s publication of the top 10 nominees in each category. The overall winners will be revealed at the Spirited Awards ceremony on July 23 at the Sheraton New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail.
Jacob Briars, chairman of the international judging committee for the Spirited Awards, said: “These awards recognise the very best in our industry, both within America and around the world. Our judges have had a very difficult task to decide on our finalists because the standard of bars, bartenders and others has never been higher.
“We are truly indebted to them for their hard work. It is exciting to see new finalists from unexpected places around the world. We live in a ‘Golden Age’ for our industry internationally, and that is reflected in the incredible standard of these finalists.”
Finalists and winners are voted on by a panel of 112 industry experts and led by chairman Simon Ford. Voting was a week-long process that required extensive knowledge in each category. The votes were checked by the awards’ advisory committee members.
Simon said: “Congratulations to everyone who has made the final four nominees. This was one of the most competitive years to date, which confirms that our industry is as strong as ever. The impact you are making is being recognised by our industry all over the world and you should be proud of your accomplishment whether or not you take home the Spirited Award.”
This year, the sponsoring partners of the awards are Bacardi USA, BarSmart, Beam Suntory, Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte, Chivas Regal, El Dorado Rum, Fords Gin, Gazela Vinho Verde, Goose Island Beer Company, House of Angostura, Luxardo, Nikka Whisky, Parlor Lounge at The Mirage, Pernod Absinthe, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Ramazzotti, Rutte, The Cromwell, United States Bartenders Guild and William Grant & Sons.
Ann Tuennerman, founder of Tales of the Cocktail, said: “Being a finalist for a Spirited Award is a monumental accomplishment. Everyone on this list should be proud knowing they are at the top of the top of our industry. I can’t wait to see who will be the recipients when we’re all together at the Spirited Awards next month.”
Join the celebration by tuning into the Spirited Awards’ live stream at www.talesofthecocktail.com, presented in partnership with Bacardi USA, at 8pm US Central Time – 2am in the UK in the early hours of July 24.
Full list of finalists
International categories (excluding the US)
Best International Bar Team
presented by House of Angostura
American Bar at the Savoy (London, United Kingdom)
Black Pearl (Melbourne, Australia)
Connaught Bar (London, United Kingdom)
Dandelyan (London, United Kingdom)
International Bartender of the Year
presented by Bacardi USA
Marcis Dzelzainis of Sager + Wilde Paradise Row (London, United Kingdom)
Iain Griffiths of White Lyan and Dandelyan (London, United Kingdom)
Zdenek Kastanek of 28 Hong Kong Street (Singapore)
Hidetsugu Ueno of Bar High Five (Tokyo, Japan)
Best International Brand Ambassador
presented by Rutte
Ian Burrell (Rum Ambassador)
Dean Callan (Monkey Shoulder)
Camille Vidal (St-Germain)
Max Warner (Chivas Regal)
Best International Cocktail Bar
presented by Chivas Regal
Bar High Five (Tokyo, Japan)
Bramble Bar (Edinburgh, United Kingdom)
Happiness Forgets (London, United Kingdom)
Le Lion Bar de Paris (Hamburg, Germany)
Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar
presented by The Cromwell
Callooh Callay (London, United Kingdom)
The Clumsies (Athens, Greece)
Eau De Vie (Melbourne, Australia)
Trailer Happiness (London, United Kingdom)
Best International Hotel Bar
presented by The Cromwell
American Bar at The Savoy (London, United Kingdom)
The Connaught Bar at The Connaught (London, United Kingdom)
Dandelyan at the Mondrian, London (London, United Kingdom)
Punch Room at The London Edition (London, United Kingdom)
Best International Restaurant Bar
presented by Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte
Duck & Waffle (London, United Kingdom)
Hawksmoor Spitalfields (London, United Kingdom)
Le Mary Celeste (Paris, France)
Tippling Club (Singapore)
Best New International Cocktail Bar
presented by Pierre Ferrand Cognac
Charles H. (Seoul, South Korea)
The Dark Horse (Bath, United Kingdom)
Gibson Bar (Singapore)
Oriole (London, United Kingdom)
Global categories
Best Bar Mentor
presented by BarSmarts
Bridget Albert
Francesco Lafranconi
Dré Masso
Angus Winchester
World’s Best Cocktail Menu
presented by Beam Suntory
Dandelyan (London, United Kingdom)
Little Red Door (Paris, France)
Mace (New York, United States)
Trick Dog (San Francisco, United States)
Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient
presented by the Parlor Lounge at The Mirage
Caña Brava 7-year Reserva Añeja Rum by the 86 Co. (Panamá)
Lagavulin 8-Year Old – 200th Anniversary Edition (United Kingdom)
Plantation Stiggins’ Fancy Pineapple Rum (Barbados)
Rutte Celery Dry Gin by Rutte Spirits (Netherlands)
World’s Best Spirits Selection
presented by the Parlor Lounge at The Mirage
The Baxter Inn (Sydney, Australia)
Multnomah Whiskey Library (Portland, United States)
Old Lightning (Marina Del Rey, United States)
Tommy’s (San Francisco, United States)
American categories
Best American Bar Team
presented by William Grant & Sons
ABV (San Francisco)
Attaboy (New York)
The Dead Rabbit (New York)
Williams & Graham (Denver)
American Bartender of the Year
presented by Bacardi USA
Bobby Heugel of Anvil Bar & Refuge (Houston)
John Lermayer of Sweet Liberty (Miami Beach)
Jeffrey Morgenthaler of Clyde Common (Portland)
Naren Young of Dante (New York)
Best American Brand Ambassador
presented by El Dorado Rum
Colin Asare-Appiah (Bacardi)
Tim Cooper (The 86 Co.)
Anne Louise-Marquis (Marnier Lapostolle)
Chris Patino (Pernod Ricard)
Best American Cocktail Bar
presented by Pernod Absinthe
canon: whiskey and bitters emporium (Seattle)
The NoMad (New York)
Prizefighter (Emeryville)
Smuggler’s Cove (San Francisco)
Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar
presented by William Grant & Sons
Flatiron Lounge (New York)
Harvard & Stone (Los Angeles)
Herbs & Rye (Las Vegas)
Polite Provisions (San Diego)
Best American Hotel Bar
presented by Ramazzotti
The Elephant Bar at The NoMad (New York)
The Hawthorne at the Commonwealth Hotel (Boston)
Sable Kitchen & Bar at Hotel Palomar (Chicago)
The Spare Room at The Hollywood Roosevelt (Los Angeles)
Best American Restaurant Bar
presented by Goose Island Beer Company
Cane & Table (New Orleans)
Gramercy Tavern (New York)
nopa (San Francisco)
Saxon + Parole (New York)
Best New American Cocktail Bar
presented by Luxardo
Dante (New York)
Leyenda (Brooklyn)
Suffolk Arms (New York)
Sweet Liberty (Miami Beach)
Writing categories
Global writing categories
Best New Cocktail & Bartending Book
presented by Nikka Whiskey
Good Things to Drink with Mr Lyan and Friends by Ryan Chetiyawardana
The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual: Secret Recipes and Barroom Tales fromTwo Belfast Boys Who Conquered the Cocktail World by Sean Muldoon, Jack McGarry and Ben Schaffer
The Craft Cocktail Party: Delicious Drinks for Every Occasion by Julie Reiner
The NoMad Cocktail Book by Leo Robitschek
Best New Spirits Book
presented by Pierre Ferrand Cognac
Divided Spirits – Tequila, Mezcal and the Politics of Production by Sarah Bowen
Vermouth: The Revival of the Spirit that Created America’s Cocktail Culture by Adam Ford
Bourbon Curious: A Simple Tasting Guide for the Savvy Drinker by Fred Minnick
Bourbon Empire: The Past and Future of America’s Whiskey by Reid Mitenbuler
Global Categories
Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication
presented by Fords Gin
Australian Bartender
Cocktail Lovers
Difford’s Guide
Liquor.com
Best Cocktail & Spirits Writer
presented by Beam Suntory
Sandrae Lawrence
Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Robert Simonson
Naren Young
