Tales Of The Cocktail Announces Nominees For The 2023 Spirited Awards

There will be plenty of rounds on the house tonight and many glasses raised as the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation announced the top four nominees for the 17th annual Spirited Awards.

Long considered one of the hospitality industry’s highest honors, the Spirited Awards are part of the annual Tales of the Cocktail festival held in New Orleans in July, celebrating the finest bars, bartenders, brand ambassadors, and journalists around the world. The awards are so prized because they’re chosen by hospitality peers—the judges are made up of acclaimed bartenders, bar owners, and journalists from around the world. The honors have also been known to propel winners to huge success in the mixology world. (Full disclosure: Forbes is the official media partner of the Spirited Awards.)

One thing to note is this year’s refreshing addition of new watering holes—particularly in the international categories—such as Arca in Tulum and BKK Social Club in Bangkok.

There are, of course, many familiar names and establishments in this year’s list of nominees—many of which have been past nominees and are already renowned locally and internationally. Among them: Pacific Cocktail Haven in San Francisco (2020’s Best American Cocktail Bar), Alquímico in Cartagena, Jigger & Pony in Singapore, and Café La Trova in Miami.

Geographically speaking, New York City once again dominates the U.S. categories with seven nominees: Double Chicken Please, Overstory, Dear Irving on Hudson, Chez Zou, Martiny’s, and Milady’s—plus Masahiro Urushido of Katana Kitten, who is in the running for U.S. bartender of the year.

Portland, Oregon is also well represented this time around with three nominations across three categories (up from one last year): Hey Love at The Jupiter, Palomar, and Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s newly opened Pacific Standard.

In the international categories, London—which only has two nominees this year—was shoved off its high perch by Singapore. The Lion City now boasts four bars with the potential to win a Spirited Award.

See the full list of this year’s Spirited Awards nominees below.

2023 Spirited Awards Nominees

UNITED STATES

Best U.S. Cocktail Bar

Century Grand (Phoenix, AZ)

Double Chicken Please (New York, NY)

Overstory (New York, NY)

Service Bar (Washington, DC)

Best U.S. Hotel Bar

Allegory at the Eaton Hotel (Washington, DC)

Dear Irving on Hudson at the Aliz Hotel (New York, NY)

Hey Love at The Jupiter (Portland, OR)

Little Rituals at the Residence Inn/Courtyard by Marriott (Phoenix, AZ)

Best U.S. Restaurant Bar

Café La Trova (Miami, FL)

Cleaver Butchered Meats & Seafood (Las Vegas, NV)

Kumiko (Chicago, IL)

Palomar (Portland, OR)

Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar

Chez Zou (New York, NY)

Martiny’s (New York, NY)

Milady’s (New York, NY)

Pacific Standard at the KEX Portland (Portland, OR)

Best U.S. Bar Team

Happy Accidents (Albuquerque, NM)

Nickel City (Austin, TX)

Pacific Cocktail Haven (San Francisco, CA)

Yacht Club (Denver, CO)

U.S. Bartender of the Year

Caer Maiko Ferguson (DrinkWell / Daijoubu, Austin, TX)

Kapri Robinson (Allegory at the Eaton Hotel, Washington, DC)

Masahiro Urushido (Katana Kitten, New York, NY)

Christine Wiseman (Marygold’s Brasserie / Broken Shaker, Miami, FL)

Best U.S. Bar Mentor

Anu Apte

Colin Asare-Appiah

Nectaly Mendoza

Chris Patino

Best U.S. Brand Ambassador

Kiowa Bryan (Spiribam)

Chris Cabrera (Bacardi USA)

Cameron George (Ardbeg Single Malts)

Vance Henderson (Hendrick’s Gin)

INTERNATIONAL

Best International Cocktail Bar

???????????? (London, UK)

Alquímico (Cartagena, Colombia)

Atwater Cocktail Club (Montreal, Canada)

Sips (Barcelona, Spain)

Best International Hotel Bar

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, Canada)

Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel (Singapore)

Best International Restaurant Bar

Analogue Initiative (Singapore)

ARCA Restaurant & Bar (Tulum, Mexico)

Bar Kismet (Halifax, Canada)

Danico (Paris, France)

Best New International Cocktail Bar

Last Word (Singapore)

Line Athens (Athens, Greece)

Mahaniyom Cocktail Bar (Bangkok, Thailand)

Night Hawk (Singapore)

Best International Bar Team

Alquímico (Cartagena, Colombia)

Atwater Cocktail Club (Montreal, Canada)

Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel ( Singapore)

Paradiso (Barcelona, Spain)

International Bartender of the Year

Gina Barbachano (Hanky Panky, Mexico City, Mexico)

Giorgio Bargiani (Connaught Bar, London, UK)

Daniel Schofield (Schofield’s Bar, Manchester, UK)

Luke Whearty (Byrdi, Melbourne, Australia)

Best International Bar Mentor

Simone Caporale

Danil Nevsky

Agostino Perrone

Christina Veira

Best International Brand Ambassador

Caitlin Hill (Rémy Cointreau)

Daniyel Jones (House of Angostura)

Dave Mitton (Lot 40 / J.P. Wiser’s)

Nicola Riske (The Macallan)

WRITING & MEDIA

Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication

CLASS Magazine

Difford’s Guide

Punch

The Cocktail Lovers Magazine

Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series

Black and Brown Podcast

Radio Imbibe

Shōshin Art Club

The Speakeasy Podcast

Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing

“The Drinks Industry Has an Ageism Problem” by Betsy Andrews, for SevenFifty Daily

“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

Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book

Mindful Mixology: A Comprehensive Guide to No- and Low-Alcohol Cocktails with 60 Recipes by Derek Brown

Modern Classic Cocktails by Robert Simonson

The Bartender’s Manifesto by Toby Maloney with Emma Janzen

The New York Times Essential Book of Cocktails—Elevated and Expanded, edited by Steven Reddicliffe

Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits

A Sense of Place: A Journey around Scotland’s Whisky by Dave Broom

Doctors and Distillers: The Remarkable Medicinal History of Beer, Wine, Spirits, and Cocktails by Camper English

Modern Caribbean Rum: A Contemporary Reference to the Region’s Essential Spirit by Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith

Unreasonable Hospitality by Will Guidara

GLOBAL

Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient

Martini & Rossi Floreale Non Alcoholic Aperitivo

Patrón El Alto Tequila

Saint Benevolence Aged Rum Clairin

The Fords Gin Co. Sloe Gin

World’s Best Cocktail Menu

Alquimíco Cartagena, Colombia)

Double Chicken Please (New York, NY)

Handshake Speakeasy (Mexico City, Mexico)

Panda & Sons (Edinburgh, Scotland)

World’s Best Spirits Selection

Baba Au Rum (Athens, Greece)

In Situ Mezcalería (Oaxaca, Mexico)

Raised by Wolves (San Diego, CA)

Swift Soho (London, UK)

Timeless International Award

Long Bar at the Raffles Hotel Singapore (Singapore)

Timeless U.S. Award

Tiki-Ti (Los Angeles, CA)

Visionary Award

Tiffanie Barriere

Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award

Desmond Payne MBE