TOTC unveils international nominees
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) has revealed its top 10 Spirited Awards finalists for each global category, with Mexico dominating the best bar list.
This year’s Spirited Awards will take place on 23 July during the 24th Tales of the Cocktail (TOTC) festival (19-24 July).
The international categories dish out awards for venues, alongside Bartender of the Year, Best International Bar Mentor and Best International Brand Ambassador.
The hotly contested Best International Cocktail Bar award (which replaced the World’s Best Bar title in 2023) features three venues from Mexico, alongside bars in Paris, Bangkok, Melbourne, Hong Kong, Edinburgh, London and Seoul.
Mexico City’s Bar Mauro is up for three awards, including Best International Cocktail Bar, Best International Bar Team, and International Bartender of the Year for Yayo Nava.
Caretaker’s Cottage in Melbourne is also in the running for the same three gongs, with Nava going up against Caretaker’s Cottage and Three Horses owner Rob Libecans.
“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 US chair. “This year’s nominees embody the passion, creativity and cultural influence that continue to shape how the world gathers, celebrates and connects.”
The International categories were chaired by Ryan Chetiyawardana (Mr Lyan), known for his acclaimed bars across the world.
The top 10 nominees across each US bar category, alongside global media, Best New Spirit, and Best New Cocktail Menu were revealed earlier this week.
The four finalists for all categories in the Spirited Awards will be revealed on 8-9 June, alongside the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award, Tales Visionary Award, International Timeless Award, and US Timeless Award.
Below is the full list of the top 10 finalists across the international categories for the Spirited Awards 2026.
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, Canada
- Uno Jang – Jigger & Pony Group, Singapore
- Rob Libecans – Caretaker’s Cottage and 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, 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 – Rémy 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, 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, Canada
- Origin Bar at the Shangri-La Hotel – Singapore
- Virtù at the Four Seasons Tokyo Otemachi – Tokyo, Japan
Best International Restaurant Bar
- Angelita – Madrid, Spain
- Ante – Sydney, Australia
- Arca – Tulum, Mexico
- Bar Raval – Toronto, 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
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