With Tales of the Cocktail a mere nine days away you’ve surely got your schedule all set and your flight booked. But, do you know who you’ll be cheering for at the Spirited Awards dinner on Saturday night, and who you’re counting on to keep those cocktails and things running smoothly throughout the seminars, tasting rooms and various events?

Just in case you don’t know whose hands you are in, or who you could be applauding at the Pernod Ricard sponsored Bartender’s Breakfast, here’s a list of the industry’s best and brightest.
Come back to www.insidefandb.com throughout the year to check out more about these folks. With so many of your friends and family on this list we’re certain you’ll be cheering loudly for all of them.

2010 TALES OF THE COCKTAIL SPIRITED AWARD ® NOMINEES AND JUDGES (Sponsored by Pernod Ricard)

The 2010 Spirited Award® Ceremony has two Judging Committees which is comprised of the following members:
Committee Chairman: Simon Ford, Chairman

USA Judging Committee
Alia Akam
Bridget Albert
Natalie Bovis Nelsen
Wayne Curtis
Dale DeGroff
Camper English
Simon Ford
Robert Hess
Francesco Lafranconi
Ryan Magarian
Jim Meehan
Tal Nadari
Julie Reiner
Aisha Sharpe
Dave Wondrich

International Judging Committee
Stephan Berg
Henry Besant
Jacob Briars
Wayne Collins
Tony Conigliaro
Dale DeGroff
Peter Doreli
Phillip Duff
Simon Ford
Eben Freeman
John Gakuru
Jim Meehan
Sean Muldoon
Linden Pride
Angus Winchester

Award Categories and Criteria and Shortlist
(In no particular order)

• Best American Cocktail Bar
Criteria: This award recognizes the influence on cocktail trends within the United States and seeks to award the country’s best cocktail bar.
• The Clover Club, Brooklyn
• Death & Co, NYC
• Rickhouse, San Francisco
• The Varnish, Los Angeles

• World’s Best Hotel Bar
Criteria: The classic ‘American Bar’ played an important role in the history and development of cocktail culture. The judges are looking for hotel bars, which uphold this tradition (but are not necessarily old) and offer five-star service and consistently well made drinks.
• The Artesian at the Langham, London
• The Bar at The Connaught Hotel, London
• Florida Room at The Delano, Florida
• Hemingway Bar, Paris

• Best Cocktail Writing
Criteria: Great journalism is one of the best ways to communicate to the general public the value and significance of great cocktails and related products. This award is for any non-book journalism (Magazine, Newspaper, Website, etc) which promotes bars, bartender, or cocktails in general.
• CLASS magazine
• Gary Regan
• Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller
• Naren Young

• Best New Product
Criteria: This is awarded to what the judges consider to be the best new cocktail ingredient (spirit, liqueur, syrup or juice) or piece of cocktail equipment (muddler, shaker etc.). To qualify products must be on general retail sale in at least three US states.
• Celery Bitters, The Bitter Truth
• Cocktail Kingdom’s barware
• Crème Yvette by Cooper Spirits
• Meehan Cocktail Bag by Jim Meehan

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