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The 2026 Spirited Awards Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing winner is announced July 23, 2026 at The Fillmore New Orleans. Finalists: four published works.
The Spirited Awards are the cocktail industry's annual recognition program, hosted by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation. The 2026 Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing Top 4 was named on June 8-9, 2026 from a Top 10 nominee pool announced earlier in the spring. Winners are announced at the 20th annual ceremony at The Fillmore New Orleans on July 23, 2026.
The 2026 Spirited Awards mark the 20th anniversary of the program, with categories covering International, U.S., World, Writing & Media, Books, and Spirit & Cocktail Ingredients. The Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing category recognizes excellence within its specific scope, judged by a global panel of industry voters. The Top 10 nominees were announced in May 2026, the Top 4 finalists on June 8 and June 9, 2026, and the winner will be revealed at the ceremony on July 23, 2026 at The Fillmore New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail week.
This year's Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing Top 4 finalists are: - How Bars Are Responding to ICE Raids by Emma Janzen for Punch - Talking politics has bartenders on edge in Trump's Washington DC by Adam Reiner for The Guardian - Thinking Differently: Neurodivergent Bartenders Thrive Behind the Stick by Rich Manning for VinePair - Why Aren't There More Cocktail Books by Black Bartenders? by Yolanda Evans for InsideHook
Voting reflects industry sentiment in the months leading to ceremony. Predict who takes home the medal, and check your call against the official outcome on July 23.
Resolves YES for the named winner of the 2026 Spirited Awards Best Cocktail & Spirits Writing as announced by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation at the July 23, 2026 ceremony at The Fillmore New Orleans, and confirmed by the official press release at talesofthecocktail.org.
The Top 4 finalists are by Emma Janzen (Punch), Adam Reiner (The Guardian), Rich Manning (VinePair), and Yolanda Evans (InsideHook).
The winner is announced on July 23, 2026 at the 20th annual Spirited Awards Ceremony at The Fillmore New Orleans.
The Spirited Awards are hosted by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF), the New Orleans-based nonprofit behind Tales of the Cocktail.
A global judging panel of industry voters scores the Top 4 finalists. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation administers voting and audits results.
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