London bar Dandelyan, based at the Mondrian hotel, has been named World’s Best Cocktail Bar during the Spirited Awards ceremony at the 11^th annual Tales of the Cocktail festival.

Dandelyan has scooped the World’s Best Cocktail Bar title at Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards 2017

Taking place at the Sheraton Hotel in New Orleans on Saturday 22 July, the Spirited Awards revealed winners across its American, International, Writing, and Global categories.

‘World’s Best Cocktail Bar’ Dandelyan also won the Best International Bar Team and Best International Hotel Bar awards.

The venue was launched by acclaimed bartender Ryan Chetiyawardana – aka Mr Lyan – in September 2014 and has since launched four cocktail menus, all with a focus on botany. The current list is called Vices of Botany and explores the “shadier side of the plant world”.

“The Spirited Awards gets more and more competitive because our industry keeps raising its game every single year,” Ann and Paul Tuennerman, co-founders of Tales of the Cocktail, said in a joint statement. “Congrats to this year’s winners on monumental accomplishment.”

Winners were voted on by two panels of more than 100 industry experts, led by Charlotte Voisey (chairperson), Jacob Briars (International Judging Committee chairman), Paul Clarke (Writing Committee chairman) and Brooke Arthur, Bridget Albert and Derek Brown (US Judging Committee chairs).
“The 15th annual Spirited Awards have once again successfully celebrated excellence in our industry,” said Voisey, director of brand advocacy for William Grant & Sons.

“I am so thrilled for each winner as well as all of the finalists honoured along the way, especially the new bars that have burst on to the scenes in the last year.”

London dominated the international categories, with venues based in the city scooping the Best International Bar Team, Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar, Best International Hotel Bar, and Best New International Cocktail Bar titles.

Other notable accolades went to BlackTail in New York (Best New American Cocktail Bar), Shanghai-based bartender Shingo Gokan (International Bartender of the Year), and St. Germain’s Camille Ralph Vidal (Best International Brand Ambassador). The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Charles Schumann, founder of Munich-based bar Schumann and cocktail author.

Click through the following pages to see the full list of Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards 2017 winners.

American categories

New York bar Blacktail

Best American Bar Team

Presented by William Grant & Sons

The NoMad Bar (New York)

Best American Brand Ambassador

Presented by NOCCPS

Misty Kalkofen (Del Maguey)

Best American High Volume Cocktail Bar

Presented by William Grant & Sons

Sweet Liberty Drinks and Supply Co. (Miami, FL)

Best American Restaurant Bar

Presented by Suze

Dante (New York)

American Bartender of the Year

Presented by Bacardi

Jeff Bell (New York)

Best American Cocktail Bar

Presented by Lillet

Columbia Room (Washington, D.C)

Best American Hotel Bar

Presented by Elijah Craig

The Hawthorne at Hotel Commonwealth (Boston)

Best New American Cocktail Bar

Presented by Luxardo

BlackTail (New York)

International categories

Swift opened in London last year

Best International Bar Team

Presented by Angostura

Dandelyan (London)

Best International Brand Ambassador

Presented by Rutte

Camille Ralph Vidal (St. Germain)

Best International High Volume Cocktail Bar

Presented by 1724 Tonic Water

Trailer Happiness (London)

Best International Restaurant Bar

Presented by Suze

Tippling Club (Singapore)

International Bartender of the Year

Presented by Bacardi

Shingo Gokan (Shanghai)

Best International Cocktail Bar

Presented by Chivas

Black Pearl (Melbourne)

Best International Hotel Bar

Presented by Bound Bar

Dandelyan at the Mondrian (London)

Best New International Cocktail Bar

Presented by Pierre Ferrand

Swift (London)

Writing categories

San Franciso bar Smuggler’s Cove produced the Best New Cocktail & Bartending Book

Best Cocktail and Spirits Publication

Presented by Gin Mare

Hot Rum Cow

Best New Cocktail & Bartending Book

Presented by Nikka Whisky

Smuggler’s Cove: Exotic Cocktails, Rum, and the Cult of Tiki by Martin and Rebecca Cate

Best Cocktail & Spirits Writer

Presented by Beam Suntory

Wayne Curtis

Best New Spirits Book

Presented by Pierre Ferrand

Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of an American Whiskey by Fred Minnick

Global categories

David Wondrich was named Best Bar Mentor

Best Bar Mentor

Presented by BarSmarts

David Wondrich

World’s Best Cocktail Menu

Presented by Beam Suntory

Trick Dog (San Francisco)

Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient

Presented by Bound Bar

Italicus – Rosolio di Bergamotto (Italy)

World’s Best Spirits Selection

Presented by Montecristo Cigar Bar

canon: whiskey and bitters emporium (Seattle)

World’s Best Cocktail Bar

Presented by Elijah Craig

Dandelyan (London)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Presented by William Grant & Sons

Charles Schumann