Dublin’s Bar 1661 named as one of Europe’s top 10
Dublin venue made the list for Best International Bar Team in Europe
Bar 1661 has been named as a top 10 Regional Honouree in this year’s Spirited Awards, acknowledged as one of the hospitality industry’s top accolades.
The Dublin venue made the list for Best International Bar Team in Europe, rubbing shoulders with world best bars in cities such as Barcelona, Berlin, London, Cardiff, and Athens.
Founded in 2007 to celebrate excellence in the global cocktail community, the Spirited Awards are presented by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation and are renowned for being at the pinnacle of success for the international bar industry, honouring beverage professionals, products, establishments, luminaries, and media across every facet of the drinks industry on a global scale.
Newcomer Paladar in Cork was also named as a Regional Top 10 Honouree for Best New International Bar, making it the first time two Irish bars have been nominated in the same year, in a huge achievement for the Irish bar industry. The calibre of talent between these two bars shows that the Irish cocktail scene can stand tall on the world stage, with the ultimate winners to be announced at the Tales of the Cocktail conference, taking place in New Orleans from 23-28 July 2023.
Owner Dave Mulligan said: “I’m incredibly proud to have been recognised by Tales of the Cocktail as one of the best bar teams in Europe. I’m lucky to work with this team every day and to see them grow into the world class unit they have become is humbling to say the least. Their creativity, dedication, focus and ambition is unrivalled with any team I’ve been part and I know they still haven’t reached the level they are striving to get to. They are a constant inspiration for me and a force to be surrounded by. It’s very rewarding to know that the Bar 1661 team is on par with some of the best bars in the world.”
Bar 1661’s mission has always been to introduce poitín to the world and to elevate Irish cocktail culture to new levels. With their focus on collaboration, community, and cocktails this nomination comes as the bar team are bringing poitín global from America to Asia.
In the past year, Bar 1661 have brought their ‘staunchly Irish and fiercely independent’ cocktail menu to takeover the world’s most awarded pub, the Dead Rabbit in New York, as well as the innovative Analogue in Singapore. Bar 1661 has also hosted the Dead Rabbit on home soil, as well as the iconic Remy Savage of London’s A Bar with Shapes for a Name and top 50 bar Little Red Door Paris.
Furthering the spirit of community, collaboration and cocktails, Bar 1661’s events series ‘Girly Drinks’ aims to lift the spirits, educate, and connect those in Irish hospitality by sharing insights and stories of influential women in an industry that wasn’t necessarily built with them in mind. The bar also has a regular series of whiskey tasting events, and poitín tastings and spirits showcases highlighting the amazing producers on the island of Ireland.
“We are so grateful for the contributions of each of these Spirited Awards Regional Honorees,” said Tales of the Cocktail Foundation CEO Eileen Wayner. “We are the sum of our parts in this industry, and it’s so fulfilling to see the bars on this list sharing their passion and unique approaches to hospitality with the global drinks community.”
