Here Are Your 2016 Tales Of The Cocktail Spirited Awards Finalists

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Organizers of the annual booze-industry bacchanal Tales of the Cocktail just announced the nominees for the upcoming 2016 event's Spirited Awards, which honor the world's best bars and bartenders.

Food Republic is especially thrilled to see a number of its own contributors among the chosen. Contributing cocktails editor and Easy Drinking columnist Jeffrey Morganthaler along with frequent contributor Naren Young are each nominated in both the American Bartender of the Year and Best Cocktail and Spirits Writer categories. Fellow contributors Dan Dunn and Jenny Adams are also nominated in the same writing category. Additionally, contributor Chantal Martineau gets a nom for Best New Spirits Book on behalf of her excellent tome How the Gringos Stole Tequila: The Modern Age of Mexico's Most Traditional Spirit.

Congratulations to all!

Winners will be announced during a special ceremony on Saturday, July 23, at the Sheraton New Orleans amid the Big Easy's ongoing 14th annual Tales of the Cocktail festivities.

Here's the full list of nominees:

Best American Bar Team

  • ABV (San Francisco)
  • Anvil Bar & Refuge (Houston)
  • Attaboy (New York City)
  • The Dead Rabbit (New York City)
  • Drink (Boston)
  • Harvard & Stone (Los Angeles)
  • Herbs & Rye (Las Vegas)
  • Holiday Cocktail Lounge (New York City)
  • The NoMad (New York City)
  • Williams & Graham (Denver)
  • Best American Cocktail Bar

  • ABV (San Francisco)
  • The Aviary (Chicago)
  • canon: whiskey and bitters emporium (Seattle)
  • Clover Club (Brooklyn)
  • The Dead Rabbit (New York City)
  • The NoMad (New York City)
  • Prizefighter (Emeryville)
  • The Normandie Club (Los Angeles)
  • Smuggler's Cove (San Francisco)
  • Trick Dog (San Francisco)
  • American Bartender of the Year

  • Julio Cabrera of the Regent Cocktail Club (Miami)
  • Marcovaldo Dionysos of Smuggler's Cove (San Francisco)
  • Chris Hannah of French 75 (New Orleans)
  • Bobby Heugel of Anvil Bar & Refuge (Houston)
  • Giuseppe González of Suffolk Arms (New York City)
  • John Lermayer of Sweet Liberty (Miami Beach)
  • Jeffrey Morgenthaler of Clyde Common (Portland)
  • Yael Vengroff of the Spare Room (Los Angeles)
  • Pamela Wiznitzer of Seamstress (New York City)
  • Naren Young of Dante (New York)
  • Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar

  • Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour (Phoenix)
  • The Esquire Tavern (San Antonio)
  • Flatiron Lounge (New York City)
  • Harvard & Stone (Los Angeles)
  • Herbs & Rye (Las Vegas)
  • Honeycut (Los Angeles)
  • Melrose Umbrella Co. (Los Angeles)
  • No. 308 (Nashville)
  • Pegu Club (New York City)
  • Polite Provisions (San Diego)
  • Best American Brand Ambassador

  • Colin Asare-appiah (Bacardi)
  • Tim Cooper (The 86 Co.)
  • Daniel de Oliveira (Leblon)
  • Gardner Dunn (Beam Suntory)
  • Anne Louise-Marquis (Marnier Lapostolle)
  • Bernie Lubbers (Heaven Hill Distilleries)
  • Ewan Morgan (Whisky at Diageo)
  • Robin Nance (Auchentoshan)
  • Chris Patino (Pernod Ricard)
  • Ria Soler (Chartreuse)
  • Best American Hotel Bar

  • Bound by Salvatore at the Cromwell (Las Vegas)
  • The Elephant Bar at the NoMad (New York City)
  • The Hawthorne at the Commonwealth Hotel (Boston)
  • Midnight Rambler at the Joule Dallas (Dallas)
  • Pepe le Moko at the Ace Hotel Portland (Portland)
  • Proof on Main at 21c Museum Hotel Louisville (Louisville)
  • Sable Kitchen & Bar at Hotel Palomar (Chicago)
  • The Spare Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt (Los Angeles)
  • The Upstairs Bar at the Ace Hotel Los Angeles (Los Angeles)
  • Vesper Bar at the Cosmopolitan Las Vegas (Las Vegas)
  • Best American Restaurant Bar

  • Cane & Table (New Orleans)
  • Eat the Rich (Washington, D.C.)
  • The Eveleigh (Los Angeles)
  • Gramercy Tavern (New York City)
  • No. 9 Park (Boston)
  • nopa (San Francisco)
  • One Flew South (Atlanta)
  • Saxon + Parole (New York City)
  • Scopa Italian Roots (Venice)
  • The Rieger (Kansas City)
  • Best New American Cocktail Bar

  • Bar Goto (New York City)
  • Dante (New York City)
  • Forgery (San Francisco)
  • Leyenda (Brooklyn)
  • Old Lightning (Marina Del Rey)
  • Suffolk Arms (New York City)
  • Sweet Liberty (Miami Beach)
  • The Treasury (San Francisco)
  • The Walker Inn (Los Angeles)
  • Whitechapel (San Francisco)
  • International Categories

    Best International Bar Team

  • American Bar at the Savoy (London, United Kingdom)
  • The Baxter Inn (Sydney, Australia)
  • Black Pearl (Melbourne, Australia)
  • Callooh Callay (London, United Kingdom)
  • Connaught Bar (London, United Kingdom)
  • Dandelyan (London, United Kingdom)
  • Floridita (Havana, Cuba)
  • Limantour (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Little Red Door (Paris, France)
  • White Lyan (London, United Kingdom)
  • Best International Brand Ambassador

  • Ian Burrell (Rum Ambassador)
  • Dean Callan (Monkey Shoulder)
  • Allison Dedianko (Belvedere)
  • Joe McCanta (Grey Goose)
  • Raj Nagra (Bombay Gins)
  • George Nemec (Becherovka)
  • Shervene Shahbazkhani (Bacardi)
  • Tim Stones (Beefeater Gin)
  • Camille Vidal (St-Germain)
  • Max Warner (Chivas)
  • International Bartender of the Year

  • Charles Ainsbury (Sydney, Australia)
  • Monica Berg of HIMKOK (Oslo, Norway)
  • Daniele Dalla Pola (Bologna, Italy)
  • Marcis Dzelzainis of Sager + Wilde Paradise Row (London, United Kingdom)
  • Chris Lowder of Charles H. (Seoul, South Korea)
  • Iain Griffiths of White Lyan and Dandelyan (London, United Kingdom)
  • Zdenek Kastanek of 28 Hong Kong Street (Singapore)
  • Tess Posthumus of Door 74 (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
  • Carina Soto Velásquez of Candelaria (Paris, France)
  • Hidetsugu Ueno of Bar High Five (Tokyo, Japan)
  • Best International Cocktail Bar

  • Bar High Five (Tokyo, Japan)
  • Bar Termini (London, United Kingdom)
  • Bramble Bar (Edinburgh, United Kingdom)
  • Bulletin Place (Sydney, Australia)
  • Candelaria (Paris, France)
  • Happiness Forgets (London, United Kingdom)
  • Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar (Tel Aviv, Israel)
  • Limantour (Mexico City, Mexico)
  • Le Lion Bar de Paris (Hamburg, Germany)
  • Tales & Spirits (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
  • Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar

  • Baba Au Rum (Athens, Greece)
  • Callooh Callay (London, United Kingdom)
  • Central Station Boutique Bar (Beirut, Lebanon)
  • The Clumsies (Athens, Greece)
  • Eau de Vie (Melbourne, Australia)
  • The Lobo Plantation (Sydney, Australia)
  • Potato Head Beach Club (Bali, Indonesia)
  • Ruby (Copenhagen, Denmark)
  • Strøm Bar (Copenhagen, Denmark)
  • Trailer Happiness (London, United Kingdom)
  • Best International Restaurant Bar

  • City Social (London, United Kingdom)
  • Delicatessen (Moscow, Russia)
  • Duck & Waffle (London, United Kingdom)
  • Hawksmoor Spitalfields (London, United Kingdom)
  • Linje Ti and Tjoget (Stockholm, Sweden)
  • Le Mary Celeste (Paris, France)
  • Oblix (London, United Kingdom)
  • Sager + Wilde (London, United Kingdom)
  • Tippling Club (Singapore)
  • Zuma (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)
  • Best International Hotel Bar

  • American Bar at the Savoy (London)
  • Black Angel's Bar at Hotel U Prince (Prague, Czech Republic)
  • Chiltern Firehouse (London, United Kingdom)
  • The Connaught Bar at the Connaught (London, United Kingdom)
  • Dandelyan at the Mondrian, London (London, United Kingdom)
  • Lobster Bar and Grill at the Island Shangri-La (Hong Kong)
  • Manhattan at the Regent Singapore (Singapore)
  • Punch Room at The London EDITION (London, United Kingdom)
  • Widder Bar at the Widder Hotel (Zurich, Switzerland)
  • The Zetter Townhouse at the Zetter Townhouse Clerkenwell (London, United Kingdom)
  • Best New International Cocktail Bar

  • 7 Tales (London, United Kingdom)
  • Black Rock (London, United Kingdom)
  • Charles H. (Seoul, South Korea)
  • The Dark Horse (Bath, United Kingdom)
  • Dead Ringer (Sydney, Australia)
  • The Gibson (London, United Kingdom)
  • Gibson Bar (Singapore)
  • HIMKOK (Oslo, Norway)
  • Joyeux Bordel (London, United Kingdom)
  • Oriole (London, United Kingdom)
  • Writing

    Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication

  • Australian Bartender
  • Bartender Magazine
  • Chilled Magazine
  • Cocktail Lovers
  • Difford's Guide
  • Drinks International
  • Gin Foundry
  • Liquor.com
  • The Spirits Business
  • Whisky & Fine Spirits
  • Best Cocktail and Spirits Writer

  • Jenny Adams
  • Wayne Curtis
  • Simon Difford
  • Dan Dunn
  • Camper English
  • Alice Lascelles
  • Sandrae Lawrence
  • Jeffrey Morgenthaler
  • Robert Simonson
  • Naren Young
  • Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book


  • Spritz: Italy's Most Iconic Apertivo Cocktail, with Recipes by Talia Baiocchi and Leslie Pariseau

  • The Tippling Bros. A Lime and a Shaker: Discovering Mexican-Inspired Cocktails by Tad Carducci, Paul Tanguay and Alia Akkam

  • Good Things to Drink with Mr Lyan and Friends by Ryan Chetiyawardana

  • The Cocktail Chronicles: Navigating the Cocktail Renaissance with Jigger, Shaker & Glass by Paul Clarke

  • The Experimental Cocktail Club: Paris, London, & New York by Romée de Goriainoff, Pierre-Charles Cros, Olivier Bon, Xavier Padavoni

  • Ten Cocktails: The Art of Convivial Drinking by Alice Lascelles

  • Drinking the Devil's Acre: A Love Letter From San Francisco and her Cocktails by Duggan McDonnell

  • The Dead Rabbit Drinks Manual: Secret Recipes and Barroom Tales From Two 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
  • Best New Spirits Books


  • Bitterman's Field Guide to Bitters & Amari: 500 Bitters; 50 Amari; 123 Recipes for Cocktails, Food & Homemade Bitters by Mark Bitterman

  • Divided Spirits – Tequila, Mezcal and the Politics of Production by Sarah Bowen

  • The Year of Drinking Adventurously: 52 Ways to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone by Jeff Colett

  • Vermouth: The Revival of the Spirit that Created America's Cocktail Culture by Adam Ford

  • How the Gringos Stole Tequila: The Modern Age of Mexico's Most Traditional Spirit by Chantal Martineau

  • 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

  • El Gran Libro del Vermut: Con Mas de Cien Maneras de Tomárselo by François Mont

  • The Art of American Whisky: A Visual History of the Nation's Most Storied Spirit, Through 100 Iconic Labels by Noah Rothbaum
  • Global Categories

    Best Bar Mentor

  • Bridget Albert
  • Derek Brown
  • Jason Crawley
  • Francesco Lafranconi
  • Don Lee
  • Dré Masso
  • Lauren Mote
  • Agostino Perrone
  • Andy Seymour
  • Angus Winchester
  • Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient

  • Caña Brava 7-year Reserva Añeja Rum by the 86 Co. (Panama)
  • Campo de Encanto "Barkeep's Whimsy" Pisco (Peru)
  • Lagavulin 8-Year Old, 200th Anniversary Edition (United Kingdom)
  • Midwestern Dry Gin by J. Rieger & Co. (United States)
  • Orphan Barrel Gifted Horse Whiskey by Diageo (United States)
  • Plantation Stiggins' Fancy Pineapple Rum (Barbados)
  • Ragtime Rye by New York Distilling Company (United States)
  • Riserva Speciale Rubin Vermouth by Martini & Rossi (Italy)
  • Rutte Celery Dry Gin by Rutte Spirits (Netherlands)
  • Rutte Old Simon Genever by Rutte Spirits (Netherlands)
  • World's Best Cocktail Menu

  • American Bar at the Savoy (London, United Kingdom)
  • The Aviary (Chicago, United States)
  • Baba Au Rum (Athens, Greece)
  • Charles H. (Seoul, South Korea)
  • Dandelyan (London, United Kingdom)
  • Little Red Door (Paris, France)
  • Lost Lake (Chicago, United States)
  • Mace (New York, United States)
  • Nightjar (London, United Kingdom)
  • Trick Dog (San Francisco, United States)
  • World's Best Spirits Selection

  • American Bar at the Savoy (London, United Kingdom)
  • Amor y Amargo (New York, United States)
  • The Baxter Inn (Sydney, Australia)
  • Daddy-O (New York, United States)
  • Multnomah Whiskey Library (Portland, United States)
  • Old Lightning (Marina Del Rey, United States)
  • The Office at the Aviary (Chicago, United States)
  • Smuggler's Cove (San Francisco, United States)
  • Tommy's (San Francisco, United States)
  • Whitechapel (San Francisco, United States)