The Spirit World

Tales of the Cocktail is an annual gathering of spirit and cocktail experts in New Orleans, which is now in it’s sixth year. In addition to the regular sessions, seminars, panels, tastings, as well as general partying, last year they added a new element, the “Spirit Awards” to identify and recognize significant achiements and efforts in various categories. The award process is overseen by Simon Difford, publisher of the popular “Diffords Guides”, as well as the annual recipe tome “Cocktails“, which is now up to “#7″.

At this years Tales of the Cocktail (July 16-20) they will be announcing the winners for the following categories:

Best Drink Selection
A venue stocking an outstanding range of spirits and liqueurs. The judges will favor discernment as well as sheer numbers of bottles stocked.

Best Classic Cocktail Bar
Classic bars continue to uphold best bartending practices and serve drinks in relaxed lounge-like environments. The judges are looking for bars, which uphold this tradition (but are not necessarily old) and offer superb service and consistently well-made drinks.

World’s Best Cocktail Bar
This award recognizes the international influence on cocktail trends and seeks to award the world’s best cocktail bar.

Best New Cocktail Bar
Only bars which have opened in the 18 months preceding the awards may be nominated. This award aims to reward new creativity and ideas as well as well executed drinks.

Mixologist/Bartender of the Year
The absolute best drinks mixer. The winner should be proficient at making all recognized classic drinks and also have created contemporary cocktails, which have been copied by his/her peers.

Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book
The best book published in 2007 regarding cocktails, liquor, bars, bar design or bartending in general. New editions of existing works published in 2007 may also be nominated.

Best Cocktail Writing
Great journalism is one of the best ways to communicate to the general public the value and significance of great cocktails and related products. This award is for any non-book journalism (Magazine, Newspaper, Website, etc) which promotes bars, bartender, or cocktails in general.

Best New Product
This is awarded to what the judges consider to be the best new cocktail ingredient (spirit, liqueur, syrup or juice) or piece of cocktail equipment (muddler, shaker etc.). To qualify products must be on general retail sale in at least three US states.

Best Cocktail Menu
The judges seek to reward innovative and thirst inducing cocktail menus. Both the design and content will be considered.

Best Drinks Brand Representative/Brand Ambassador
An award which recognizes the importance of personality in the promotion of drinks brands.

Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award
The impact that some people have on the general cocktail community can span over the course of many years. There are individuals who have worked long and hard to change the industry and educate the public. This award is to provide special recognition to these individuals and the wonderful efforts they have undertaken.
And the nominees are…

Best Drink Selection

• Cantina - San Francisco, USA
• Death & Company - New York City, USA
• Der Raum - Melbourne, Australia
• Doheney - Downtown Los Angeles, USA
• The Merchant Hotel - Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Salvatore’s Bar at Fifty - London, England
• Trio Bar - Berlin, Germany
• Matterhorn - Wellington, New Zealand

Best Classic Cocktail Bar

• American Bar - Connaught Hotel, London, England
• Bramble - Edinburgh, Scotland
• Death & Co. - New York City, USA
• Dukes Bar - Dukes Hotel, London, England
• Experimental Cocktail Club - Paris, France
• Flatiron Lounge - New York City, USA
• Milk and Honey- New York City, USA
• Bar Le Forum - Paris, France
• The Merchant Hotel - Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Montgomery Place - London, England
• Widder Bar - Zurich, Switzerland

World’s Best Cocktail Bar

• The Flat Iron Lounge - New York City, USA
• Le Lion - Hamburg, Germany
• The Lonsdale - London, England
• The Merchant Hotel - Belfast, Northern Ireland
• Milk & Honey - New York, USA
• Milk & Honey - London, England
• Paparazzi - Bratislava, Slovak Republic
• Salvatore at Fifty - London, England
• Star Bar - Ginza, Tokyo, Japan

Best New Cocktail Bar

• Bar Milano, New York City, USA
• Beretta, San Francisco, USA
• Death & Company, New York City, USA
• Le Lion de Paris, Hamburg, Germany
• 02 Lounge, Ritz Carlton, Moscow
• PDT (Please Don’t Tell), New York City, USA
• Ruby, Copenhagen, Denmark

Mixologist/Bartender of the Year

• John Gerstern - No.9 Park, Boston, USA
• Kenta Goto of Pegu Club - New York City, USA
• Charles Joly - The Drawing Room, Chicago, USA
• Duggan McDonnell - Cantina, San Francisco, USA
• Erik Lorincz - Purple Bar, London, Englan
• Jim Meehan - PDT, New York City, USA
• Ago Perrone - Montgomery Place, London, England
• Sam Ross - Milk & Honey New York City, USA
• Nick Strangeway - Hawksmoor, London, England
• Charles Vexenat - The Lonsdale, London, England
• Philip Ward - Death & Company, New York City, USA

Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book

• Imbibe by David Wondrich
• Mixing New Orleans, Cocktails & Legends by Jennifer Adams
• In The Land of Cocktails by Ti Adelaide Martin & Lally Brennan
• And a Bottle of Rum - A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails by Wayne Curtis.

Best Cocktail Writing

• Debra C. Argen & Edward F. Nesta (Luxury Experience Magazine, USA)
• Jeff Berry (Tiki God)
• Paul Clarke (Imbibe Magazine & San Francisco Chronicle)
• Ted Haigh (Imbibe Magazine)
• Gary Regan (San Francisco Chronicle)
• David Wondrich (Imbibe! From Absinthe Cocktail to Whisky Smash)

Best New Product

• Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters
• Fever Tree Mixers
• Lucid Absinthe
• Domaine de Canton
• Plymouth Sloe Gin
• Q Tonic
• Qi White Tea Liqueur
• Rothman & Winter Orchard Apricot Liqueur
• Sagatiba Pura

Best Cocktail Menu

• 1806 Bar - Melbourne, Australia
• Bayswater Brasserie - Sydney, Australia
• Death & Company - New York City, USA
• Doheney - Downtown, Los Angeles, USA
• The Drawing Room, Chicago, USA
• Bar Italia - Vienna, Austria
• Pegu Club - New York City, USA
• Ruby - Copenhagen, Denmark
• Tailor Restaurant - New York City, USA

Best Drinks Brand Representative/Brand Ambassador

• Jacques Bezendenhout - Partida Tequila, USA
• Julio Bermejo - Tequila, USA
• Jason Crawley - Maxiuum, Australia
• Phil Duff - Bols, Global
• John Gakuru - Sagatiba, Global
• H. Joseph Ehrmann - Square One Organic Vodka, USA
• Diego Loret de Mola - Pisco Bar Sol, USA
• Stuart McCluskey - Miller’s Gin, UK
• Xavier Padovani - Hendricks, Global
• Charlotte Voisey - William Grant, USA

Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award

• Salvatore Calabrese - Mixologist, writer & bar owner
• Dale DeGroff - Mixologist & writer
• Peter Dorelli - Formerly of the Savoy, London
• Phillip Hills - Founder of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society
• Desmond Payne - Master Distiller Beefeater Gin
• Brian Rea - bararchives.com, former 21 Club bartender, etc. etc
• Gary Regan - Mixologist & writer

You’ll have to check back after Tales of the Cocktail in July to see who won!