New York Wins Big at This Year's Tales of the Cocktail

Did something seem just a little bit ... off in New York's finest bars last week? Probably not, but if it did it's because many of the city's premier bartenders and bar owners were out of town, having descended upon New Orleans for the annual bacchanalia and spirits/cocktail conference, Tales of the Cocktail. At the event's Spirited Awards?the premier awards for the cocktail community both in the United States and abroad that wraps up four days of parties, "spirited" lunches and dinners, seminars, and tastings?New York bars represented themselves quite nicely.

The Dead Rabbit and co-owner/bartender Jack McGarry came away with three total awards, including World's Best New Cocktail Bar and, for McGarry, International Bartender of the Year. Julie Reiner's Clover Club took the top domestic honor, winning Best American Cocktail Bar, while The Nomad and Saxon + Parole also came home with awards. Via the New Orleans Times-Picayune, here are all the New York-based winners:

· Best American Cocktail Bar: Clover Club
· Best Bar Mentor: Julie Reiner, Clover Club
· Best Restaurant Bar: Saxon + Parole
· International Bartender of the Year: Jack McGarry, The Dead Rabbit
· World's Best Cocktail Menu: The Dead Rabbit
· World's Best New Cocktail Bar: The Dead Rabbit
· World's Best Hotel Bar: The Nomad

The other big award, American Bartender of the Year, went to Charles Joly of The Aviary in Chicago.

And just for fun, here's a photo of the guys from The Dead Rabbit when McGarry's award was announced:
[Photo: Filip Wolak]
· Tales of the Cocktail's Spirited Awards Wrap Up 11th Annual Event [NOLA.com]