New Orleans just played host to something the drinks industry has been building toward for two decades. The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation handed out its 20th annual Spirited Awards, and the results give a pretty clear snapshot of where bar culture stands right now — and where it's headed.
If the name doesn't ring a bell, think of the Spirited Awards as the Oscars for anyone who's ever shaken a cocktail for a living. Bartenders, bar owners, brand reps, authors, and entire bar teams from around the world get put up against each other, and a panel of judges picks the best of the best. This isn't a popularity contest with online voting — every nomination goes through a structured review process, so the winners actually reflect deep industry knowledge rather than whoever has the biggest social media following.
The ceremony went down on July 23, 2026, as part of the larger Tales of the Cocktail conference, with Food & Wine serving as the event's official media partner.
A Panel Built to Get It Right
More than 250 industry experts had a hand in picking this year's winners. That's not a typo — a quarter of a thousand people with real bar and spirits experience, split across regions like Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and Africa, and different parts of the U.S., all weighing in on their respective categories.
The whole operation was led by Tiffanie Barriere and Ryan Chetiyawardana, who served as the U.S. and International Spirited Awards Chairs. Underneath them sat a long list of regional co-chairs, each responsible for making sure nominees from their part of the world got fair and informed consideration. It's a massive, deliberate effort to make sure a bar in Singapore isn't being judged by someone who's never left Ohio, and vice versa.
Charlotte Voisey, Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, put the milestone in perspective. "On the 20th Anniversary of Spirited Awards, it is remarkable to look back and see not only how far our industry has come, but to celebrate the bars, bartenders, writers, and industry icons who have shaped the modern resurgence of cocktail culture globally over the past twenty years," she said. She added that this year's winners "reflect the very combination of evolution and excellence that makes this such an inspiring industry to be a part of."
The International Winners
On the international side, Yayo Nava of Bar Mauro in Mexico City walked away with International Bartender of the Year, an award backed by Brown-Forman.
Indra Kantono picked up Best International Bar Mentor, sponsored by Helmsman Imports, while Jesse Estes, representing Tequila Ocho, took Best International Brand Ambassador.
Team honors went to Bar Leone out of Hong Kong for Best International Bar Team, an award presented by William Grant & Sons.
For the bars themselves: Satan's Whiskers in London took Best International Cocktail Bar, a category sponsored by Gruppo Montenegro. ARGO at the Four Seasons in Hong Kong was named Best International Hotel Bar. Singapore's FURA claimed Best International Restaurant Bar. And over in Paris, De Vie was recognized as Best New International Cocktail Bar.
The U.S. Winners
Stateside, Takuma Watanabe — who works across three different New York spots, Martiny's, L'Americana, and Midnight Blue — was named U.S. Bartender of the Year, another category backed by Brown-Forman.
Best U.S. Bar Mentor, sponsored by Helmsman Imports, went to two people this year: Amanda Gunderson and Travis Nass. Benny Hurwitz, who works with Campari American Whiskies, was honored as Best U.S. Brand Ambassador.
Washington, D.C.'s Service Bar took home Best U.S. Bar Team, an award presented by William Grant & Sons. New York's Bar Snack was named Best U.S. Cocktail Bar, sponsored by Gruppo Montenegro.
Down in Florida, ViceVersa at the Elser Hotel in Miami earned Best U.S. Hotel Bar, backed by PATRÓN, 100% Mystery Ingredient-Free Tequila. Cobra, out of Columbus, Ohio, took Best U.S. Restaurant Bar. And schmuck. in New York, with sponsorship from Cutwater, was named Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar.
The Global Categories — And the Big One
This is where things get interesting for anyone who likes to plan a trip around a good drink. FURA in Singapore didn't just win Best International Restaurant Bar — it also took home World's Best Bar, presented by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation itself. That's the top prize of the entire night, and it went to a restaurant bar rather than a traditional standalone cocktail lounge, which says something about where the best drinking experiences are happening these days.
World's Best Cocktail Menu, sponsored by Australian Bitters Co., went to Allegory at the Eaton Hotel. Tlecān in Mexico City was named home to the World's Best Spirits Selection.
On the product side, Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient — an award backed by Helmsman Imports — went to Bruichladdich The Laddie Rye 7 Year. Whiskey drinkers take note: that's a name worth remembering next time you're at a well-stocked liquor store.
Lifetime Achievement and Legacy Honors
Every year the Spirited Awards set aside a few honors for people and places that have shaped the industry over the long haul, not just the last twelve months.
The Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by William Grant & Sons, went to David Wondrich — a name well known to anyone who's spent time reading up on cocktail history. The Tales Visionary Award, sponsored by Château Sainte Marguerite, was given to Jean Trinh.
Two "Timeless" awards, both presented by Explore Louisiana, recognized bars that have stood the test of time. The Bamboo Bar at Mandarin Oriental in Bangkok took the Timeless International Award, while Bryant's Cocktail Lounge in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, earned the Timeless U.S. Award. If you're ever in Milwaukee and looking for a bar with real history behind the counter, that's the one to check out.
Writing and Media Honors
The Spirited Awards don't just celebrate what happens behind the bar — they also recognize the people writing about it.
Imbibe was named Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication. Amour Drink took Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series.
For Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing, the honor went to Rich Manning for a piece titled "Thinking Differently: Neurodivergent Bartenders Thrive Behind the Stick," published by VinePair. It's a reminder that the industry is paying attention to more than just technique and ingredients — the people doing the work matter too.
On the book side, Irene Yoo's Soju Party: How to Drink (and Eat!) Like a Korean was named Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book. And The Comic Book History of the Cocktail, written by David Wondrich and illustrated by Dean Kotz, took home Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits. Worth noting that Wondrich had a big night twice over, picking up both a lifetime achievement honor and a book award.
Who Backed the Whole Thing
None of this happens without sponsors footing the bill and lending their name to categories. This year's list of Spirited Awards partners included Food & Wine, Explore Louisiana, Brown-Forman, Pernod Ricard, Château Sainte Marguerite, William Grant & Sons, Helmsman Imports, PATRÓN 100% Mystery Ingredient-Free Tequila, Gruppo Montenegro, Cutwater, Australian Bitters Co., and Fabbri.
Planning a Trip Around the Winners
For anyone who takes their travel seriously and likes to build an itinerary around good food and better drinks, the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation keeps a full Spirited Awards Directory. It covers every winner and nominee going back the full twenty years the awards have existed, and it gets updated annually — so it's a solid resource if a work trip or vacation happens to line up with a city that's home to one of these award-winning bars.
The Bigger Picture: 24 Years of Tales
The Spirited Awards are really just one piece of a much bigger event. Tales of the Cocktail itself is now in its 24th year, and it keeps growing — more seminars, more tastings, more actual drinking, all built around a yearly theme. This year's theme was "Spark," meant to capture the mix of ideas, passion, and creativity that keeps pushing the industry forward.
The whole thing happens every July in New Orleans, a city that's more or less synonymous with cocktail culture in America. Industry professionals fly in from all over the world for a mix of education, networking, and — obviously — celebration.
The Organizations Behind It
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit built around three pillars: education, advocacy, and community support for the hospitality industry. It bills itself as the world's leading spirits education platform, running programs year-round rather than just showing up once a year for the big conference.
Food & Wine, the magazine's official media partner for the awards, brings its own weight to the table — decades of food and drinks journalism, trusted restaurant coverage, and its own set of industry accolades like the Best New Chef and Drinks Visionaries awards. Food & Wine operates under the larger People Inc. publishing umbrella.
Between the two organizations, the Spirited Awards have built up two decades of credibility. Twenty years in, the list of 2026 winners shows an industry that's still expanding its reach — from a Milwaukee lounge that's been pouring drinks for generations to a Singapore restaurant bar taking the top global prize — while still making room to honor the people writing its history down.
