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Alquímico wins World’s Best Bar
The Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) has named Colombia-based Alquímico as the World’s Best Bar at the 18th annual Spirited Awards.
The Spirited Awards ceremony was hosted at the Tales of the Cocktail (TOTC) conference in New Orleans yesterday (25 July).
The Spirited Awards are comprised of domestic and international industry accolades, writing and media awards, and overall awards that transcend regionality, including World’s Best Bar and World’s Best Cocktail Menu.
The award recipients were carefully considered by a panel of more than 250 industry experts, led by Charlotte Voisey, the Spirited Awards overall chair.
“It is with great enormous delight that we announce the winners of the 2024 Spirited Awards,” Voisey said.
“Congratulations to everyone who was honoured tonight, you and your teams are the very embodiment of the Tales 2024 theme, Inspire. We are so proud to recognise, and celebrate your achievements. Thank you to the Spirited Awards Committee and everyone made this event so special, it has been an unforgettable year.”
Recognised through the lens of the 2024 conference theme, Inspire, winners were chosen who embrace growth through the collective sharing of ideas and energy.
Throughout the evening, awards were presented to international and US-based bars, as well as bartenders, brand ambassadors and bar mentors that have made ‘invaluable strides’ gathering and sharing inspiration amongst the global cocktail community.
The top award of the night, World’s Best Bar, was awarded to Alquímico of Cartagena de Indias in Colombia.
Alquímico offers a farm-to-bar concept based across three floors of a renovated colonial mansion in Cartagena de Indias, with each championing Colombia’s biodiversity in different ways, from original creations to local twists on classic cocktails.
It was founded by French-Vietnamese owner Jean Trinh, who during the pandemic, along with his team, set up a farm that now supplies the bar with its fresh ingredients and also supports the local community.
The award for Best International Bar Team was taken home by Mexico City’s Handshake Speakeasy, which also walked away with the World’s Best Cocktail Menu accolade. One further award went to the Mexican bar, as its bar director, Eric van Beek, was named International Bartender of the Year.
Meanwhile, the US Bartender of the Year award was presented to Kapri Robinson of Allegory in Washington DC, and the Best US Bar Team was named as New Orleans-based Jewel of the South.
The Cocktail Lovers took home the award for the Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication category, for which The Spirits Business was a top-four nominee.
The World’s Best Spirits Selection award was given to Baba Au Rum of Athens, Greece, while the Lifetime Achievement Award went to Hidetsugu Ueno, who is widely regarded as ‘one of the best bartenders in Japan’.
The Timeless International Award and The Timeless US Award were awarded to London’s Café Pacifico and San Francisco-based The Buena Vista respectively.
Scroll down to discover the winners from the 2024 Spirited Awards.
International categories
International Bartender of the Year presented by The House of Lustau
- Eric van Beek — Handshake Speakeasy, Mexico City, Mexico
Best International Bar Mentor presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Danil Nevsky
Best International Brand Ambassador presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Dave Mitton — Lot 40 / JP Wiser’s
Best International Bar Team presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Handshake Speakeasy — Mexico City, Mexico
Best International Cocktail Bar presented by Patrón Tequila
- Alquímico — Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
Best International Hotel Bar presented by Fords Gin
- BKK Social Club at Four Seasons Bangkok — Bangkok, Thailand
Best International Restaurant Bar presented by Gin Mare
- Danico — Paris, France
Best New International Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy
- Bar Leone — Hong Kong, China
US categories
US Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard
- Kapri Robinson — Allegory, Washington, DC
Best US Bar Mentor presented by Jameson Irish Whiskey
- Alex Jump
Best US Brand Ambassador presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Anna Mains — Monkey Shoulder
Best US Bar Team presented by William Grant & Sons
- Jewel of the South — New Orleans, LA
Best US Cocktail Bar presented by Del Maguey Mezcal
- Yacht Club — Denver, CO
Best US Hotel Bar presented by Grey Goose
- Allegory at the Eaton Hotel — Washington, DC
Best US Restaurant Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Cleaver – Butchered Meats, Seafood & Classic Cocktails — Las Vegas, NV
Best New US Cocktail Bar presented by Diageo Bar Academy
- Superbueno — New York, NY
Writing & media categories
Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- The Cocktail Lovers
Best Broadcast, Podcast, or Online Video Series presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Bartender at Large
Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- A New Spirit Confronts the Consequences of Colonialism, by Adaorah Oduah, for Punch
Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- The Ice Book: Cool Cubes, Clear Spheres, and Other Chill Cocktail Crafts by Camper English
Best New Book on Drinks Culture, History, or Spirits presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs, and Juice: Cocktails from Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks by Toni Tipton-Martin
Global categories
Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Yuzuco Yuzu Super Juice
World’s Best Cocktail Menu presented by Diageo Bar Academy
- Handshake Speakeasy — Mexico City, Mexico
World’s Best Spirits Selection presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Baba Au Rum — Athens, Greece
Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award presented by William Grant & Sons
- Hidetsugu Ueno
Timeless International Award presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Café Pacifico — London, UK
Timeless US Award presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- The Buena Vista — San Francisco, CA
Tales Visionary Award presented by Johnnie Walker
- Colin Asare-Appiah
World’s Best Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation
- Alquímico — Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
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