TOTC’s top 10 international cocktail bars

Once again, Tales of the Cocktail has narrowed down the world’s best bars to name 10 elite Spirited Awards nominees.

These are some of the 10 best international cocktail bars from around the world, according to Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards

Earlier this week, the spirits and cocktail festival, based in New Orleans, named the top 10 nominees for each of the 24 categories in its Spirited Awards.

In one of the event’s most hotly anticipated categories – Best International Cocktail Bar – an esteemed panel of industry experts has whittled down hundreds of forerunners to name some of the most title-worthy bars from across the world.

Venues hailing from the UK make up the majority of this list – however US bars are recognised in a separate American section of the awards.

Click through the following pages to discover Tales of the Cocktail’s top 10 international cocktail bars that are in the running to win the coveted Spirited Award.

Bar High Five (Tokyo, Japan)

Under the direction of one of the world’s most respected bartenders, Hidetsugu Ueno (pictured), Tokyo’s Bar High Five has long-been a hot destination for cocktail lovers. Still located in the Ginza district of the city, the bar recently moved to a larger premise, but still attracts a line that runs out the door. Its menu consists of House Specials such as the Ceremony – a mix of Japanese whisky, macha green tea liqueur, green tea liqueur and homemade macha green tea bitters – and Japanese Old Classics such as the Bamboo Cocktail – a mix of fino Sherry, dry vermouth and orange bitters.

Bar Termini (London, United Kingdom)

Launched by gastro bartending legend and 69 Colebrook Row founder Tony Conigliaro, Bar Termini has the interesting USP in its focus on coffee and aperitifs. Based in London’s trendy Soho area, the tiny bar is styled as a traditional Italian coffee shop. Conigliaro’s Negroni was in such high demand in Bar Termini that he recently released a pre-bottled version of the serve for online sale.

Bramble Bar (Edinburgh, United Kingdom)

Tucked inconspicuously below a laundrettes in Edinburgh city centre, Bramble is largely seen as the Scottish capital’s cocktail highlight. Its interiors are minimal and subtly elegant, but Bramble’s most renowned feature is its classy service, and impeccable drinks, of course. The bar is named after the iconic Bramble cocktail, created by bar legend Dick Bradsell in the 1980s, and features an impressive cocktail menu, which is presented in the covers of old books.

Bulletin Place (Sydney, Australia)

Described as a “shoe box-sized bar” that operates on a “first in, best dressed” policy, Bulletin Place is based in Circular Quay, Sydney. The bar, based in the an attic based above a café, was opened by Tim Philips, Diageo’s 2012 World Class Bartender of the Year, and two friends. Bulletin Place’s cocktail menu is subject to frequent change depending on the freshness of ingredients, and is scrawled onto a piece of butcher’s paper hung at the back of the bar.

Candelaria (Paris, France)

Merge the typically chic and cool element of Paris with the fun and delicious gastronomy of Mexico and you have Candelaria. The venue is a dual taqueria and cocktail bar – which despite its diminutive size, has forged a dedicated international following. Specialising in agave spirits, Candelaria claims to have an equal focus on food and drink.

Happiness Forgets (London, United Kingdom)

A breath of fresh air in the modern London cocktail scene, Happiness Forgets is described as offering “high end cocktails” in a “low rent basement”. Championing the dive bar movement, but with dazzling hospitality, Happiness Forgets has hosted some of the city’s best bar talents over the years. Its endearing laid back approach is encompassed in the timeless tag line “great cocktails, no wallies”.

Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar (Tel Aviv, Israel)

Based inside Tel Aviv’s Imperial Hotel, the Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar was created by veteran bartenders in the city to “create a temple to the lost art of the cocktail”. The venue is regarded for its Asian-themed food menu, with Indian, Thai and Vietnamese influences, and inspired cocktail list, which is divided into Fruity, Bitter, Deep & Aged, Spiritous, Fresh, and Exotic sections.

Limantour (Mexico City, Mexico)

Opened in 2011, Limantour is inspired by the colonial past of its country and quickly became one of the foremost pioneers of modern cocktail culture in Mexico. Its focus on craft (think shrubs, fresh, local ingredients and homemade syrups) has propelled Limantour into the ranks of the best bars in the world, not only its home country.

Le Lion Bar de Paris (Hamburg, Germany)

One of the most prestigious bars in Hamburg, and indeed all of Germany, is Le Lion de Paris, which is run to precision under the watchful eye of head bartender Mario Kappes. With an encyclopaedic knowledge of cocktails and spirits and a thorough understanding of impeccable customer service, Kappes ensures the bar’s high standards are maintained.

Tales & Spirits (Amsterdam, Netherlands)

Based in Amsterdam’s Red Light District, Tales & Spirits is a five-storey bar and restaurant described as a “home away from home”. Served in traditional and innovative vessels, the bars cocktails span House Specials, T&S Signatures, T&S Favourites, and Old Fashioneds – such as the Charlie Brown, a mix of Michter’s rye, roasted peanut liqueur, Bitter Truth Creole bitters, orange zest.