Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) is proud to announce the Top 10 International Nominees for the 20th annual Spirited Awards®. Since its inception in 2007, the Spirited Awards has become one of the world’s highest-regarded honors in the drinks industry, celebrating outstanding individuals, establishments, products, media, and leaders who continue to inspire the global cocktail community.
In partnership with official media partner, Food & Wine, TOTCF will honor recipients during the Tales of the Cocktail® conference, which is celebrating its 24th year in New Orleans, July 19-24, 2026. The Spirited Awards celebrate excellence across the global bar and cocktail industry, honoring outstanding achievements in both domestic and international categories. The program recognizes leaders in bars, bartending, writing, and media, while also presenting top global honors including World’s Best Cocktail Bar and World’s Best Cocktail Menu.
“The magic of cocktail culture has never just lived in what’s in the glass—it lives in the people, the stories, and the hospitality that stay with us long after the last sip,” said Tiffanie Barriere, Spirited Awards U.S. Chair. “This year’s nominees embody the passion, creativity, and cultural influence that continue to shape how the world gathers, celebrates, and connects.”
In that spirit, the Foundation is proud to announce the Top 10 International Nominees.
2026 Spirited Awards Top 10 International Nominees:
International Bartender of the Year presented by Brown-Forman
Giovanni Allario — Moebius Milano, Milan, Italy
Hedda Bruce — Tjoget, Stockholm, Sweden
Giulia Cuccurullo — Artesian, The Langham, London, UK
Elise Hanson — Civil Works, Toronto, ON, Canada
Uno Jang — Jigger & Pony Group, Singapore
Rob Libecans — Caretaker’s Cottage & Three Horses, Melbourne, Australia
Vijay Mudaliar — Native, Singapore
Yayo Nava — Bar Mauro, Mexico City, Mexico
Alonso Palomino — Lady Bee, Lima, Peru
Jeff Savage — Prophecy Bar, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Best International Bar Mentor
Giorgio Bargiani
Monica Berg
Evelyn Chick
Shingo Gokan
Andrew Ho
Indra Kantono
Eli Martinez Bello
Anna Sebastian
Kaitlyn Stewart
Jean Trinh
Best International Brand Ambassador
Jenna Ba — Diageo
Claudia Cabrera — Fernet Branca
Jesse Estes — Tequila Ocho
Caitlin Hill — Remy Cointreau
Daniyel Jones — House of Angostura
Brendon Khoo — Monkey Shoulder
Karina Mair — Michter’s
Tim Philips-Johansson — Johnnie Walker
Alexandros Sourmpatis — Three Cents
Charmaine Thio — Hendrick’s Gin
Best International Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons
Bar Leone — Hong Kong, China
Bar Mauro — Mexico City, Mexico
Bar Us — Bangkok, Thailand
BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Bangkok — Bangkok, Thailand
Caretaker’s Cottage — Melbourne, Australia
FOCO — Barcelona, Spain
Jigger & Pony at the Amara Hotel — Singapore
Moebius Milano — Milan, Italy
Paradiso — Barcelona, Spain
Satan’s Whiskers — London, UK
Best International Cocktail Bar
Bar Mauro — Mexico City, Mexico
Bar Nouveau — Paris, France
Bar Us — Bangkok, Thailand
Caretaker’s Cottage — Melbourne, Australia
COA — Hong Kong, China
El Gallo Altanero — Guadalajara, Mexico
Handshake Speakeasy — Mexico City, Mexico
Panda & Sons — Edinburgh, Scotland
Satan’s Whiskers — London, UK
ZEST — Seoul, South Korea
Best International Hotel Bar
ARGO at the Four Seasons — Hong Kong, China
Bar Sathorn at the W Bangkok — Bangkok, Thailand
Bar Trigona at the Four Seasons — Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Botanist at the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel — Vancouver, BC, Canada
Cosmo Pony at the Grand Hyatt Hotel — Jakarta, Indonesia
Firefly at The Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel — Bangkok, Thailand
HERO at the Trademark Hotel — Nairobi, Kenya
Library Bar at the Fairmont Royal York — Toronto, ON, Canada
Origin Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel — Singapore
VIRTUÌ at the Four Seasons Tokyo Otemachi — Tokyo, Japan
Best International Restaurant Bar
Angelita — Madrid, Spain
ANTE — Sydney, Australia
ARCA — Tulum, Mexico
Bar Raval — Toronto, ON, Canada
Caffe Fernet — Singapore
FURA — Singapore
HiBoRu — Taipei, Taiwan
Lady Bee — Lima, Peru
Le Mary Celeste — Paris, France
Locale Firenze — Florence, Italy
Best New International Cocktail Bar
Abstract Bistrot — Paris, France
Bar De Vie — Paris, France
Chow Chow House — Mexico City, Mexico
Despacho Margarita — Mexico City, Mexico
Mius — Hong Kong, China
Montana — Hong Kong, China
Pop City x Pony — Singapore
Shakerato — Amsterdam, Netherlands
Three Horses — Melbourne, Australia
Waltz — London, UK
2026 Spirited Awards Committee
The Spirited Awards® Committee comprises revered bartenders, bar owners, educators, and writers who are entrusted with evaluating nominees based on structured criteria. The experienced and diverse committee of judges brings years of expertise and knowledge of industry developments locally, nationally, and internationally. The Spirited Awards® nominations are not based on popular vote, and all nominations are evaluated by their respective judging committees, ensuring each vote carries equal weight in the evaluation process.
Honorees were selected by a panel of over 250 industry experts, led by the following Chair and Co-Chairs representing distinct regions:
International Chair & U.S. Chair:
- Tiffanie Barriere
- Ryan Chetiyawardana
Asia Pacific Co-Chairs:
- Philip Bischoff
- Alice Newport
- Shelley Tai
- Stephanie Wijono
Canada Co-Chairs:
- Kaitlyn Stewart
- Julia Wolkowski
Europe Co-Chairs:
- Camille Vidal
- Kaitlin Wilkes
Latin America & Caribbean Co-Chairs:
- Roberto Berdecia
- Claudia Cabrera
Middle East & Africa Co-Chairs:
- Richie Barrow
- Mallory Lee
- Lara Rawa
U.S. Central Co-Chairs:
- Amanda Carto
- Erika Flowers
U.S. East Co-Chairs:
- Vance Henderson
- Jaymee Mandeville
U.S. West Co-Chairs:
- Nick Amano Dolan
- Mary Allison Wright
Writing & Media Co-Chairs:
- Alia Akkam
- Erick Castro
Books Chair:
- Anna Sulan Masing
Timeless Co-Chairs:
- François Monti
- Rebecca Sturt
To learn more about the Spirited Awards Committee and awards criteria, please visit the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation’s Spirited Awards® page.
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