In addition to hosting my second annual "Live From the Red Carpet" video leading into the Spirited Awards® at Tales of the Cocktail 2010, being invited to be a jury member for them was one of the biggest honors of my career. In my tippling travels, I get to try some of the world’s best cocktail bars and products, meet the people behind them and revel in their liquid talents. It was humbling and exciting to be able to throw my 2-cents into the proverbial pot. In case you haven't seen it yet, below is the official press release and list of winners this year. (Obviously, among these names are some of my favorite people in the business.) Cheers everyone!!---On July 24, a group of more than 600 cocktail enthusiasts from around the globe came together at The Roosevelt Hotel in New Orleans to honor the best of the cocktail industry at Tales of the Cocktail’s 4^th Annual Spirited Award® Ceremony. Through its annual Spirited Award® Ceremony, Tales of the Cocktail® provides recognition to those individuals and establishments that have shown an outstanding talent for advancing the craft of the cocktail. This year’s awards show, sponsored by Pernod Ricard USA, honored fifteen individuals and establishments for excellence as determined by a judging panel of 30 of the world’s foremost cocktail experts.New York’s Death & Co. walked away as the ceremony’s big winner grabbing awards for Best American Cocktail Bar, World’s Best Cocktail Bar and World’s Best Cocktail Menu. Other honorees included Charlotte Voisey of William Grant & Sons as Best Brand Ambassador, Agostino Perrone from London’s Connaught Bar of the Connaught Hotel as International Bartender of the Year and Brian Rea received the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award. Winners took home exclusive Riedel Crystal awards. See end of release for the complete list of winners.“Winning best brand ambassador is so special to me,” said Voisey. “I owe a great deal of thanks to Tales of the Cocktail for their incredible support I have had and very generous platform Tales of the Cocktail provides to the world for mixology.”The show was hosted by emcee Billy Harris and featured celebrity presenter Bryan Batt from AMC’s Mad Men as well as Tales of the Cocktail founder, Ann Tuennerman. The Spirited Award® Ceremony will return during the 9^th Annual Tales of the Cocktail, scheduled to be held July 20-24, 2011.World’s Best Drink SelectionBar Lebensstern in Cafe Einstein, BerlinBest American Cocktail BarDeath & Co., New York CityWorld’s Best Cocktail BarDeath & Co., New York CityWorld’s Best New Cocktail BarMayahuel, New York CityWorld’s Best Hotel BarThe Connaught Bar, The Connaught Hotel, LondonAmerican Bartender of the YearMurray StensonInternational Bartender of the YearAgostino Perrone Best New Cocktail/Bartending BookVintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh Best Cocktail WritingCLASS magazineBest New ProductCelery Bitters, The Bitter TruthWorld’s Best Cocktail MenuDeath & Co, New York CityBest Bar MentorDale DeGroff Best American Brand AmbassadorCharlotte Voisey, William Grant & Sons PortfolioBest International Brand AmbassadorJohn Gakuru, SagatibaHelen David Lifetime Achievement AwardBrian Rea