World’s Top Bartenders Gather in New Orleans with Shochu Taking Center Stage

One of the world’s largest cocktail and spirits industry events, Tales of the Cocktail® 2025, was held in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, from July 20 to 25, 2025. Known as the birthplace of American classic cocktails, the city has hosted this event, now in its 23rd year. During Tales of the Cocktail®, Sanwa Shurui staged a pop-up event where world-renowned bartenders served special shochu cocktails. How did WA-SPIRITS, a Japanese distilled spirit made using traditional brewing with koji fungus—an essential element of Japan’s food culture—resonate with attendees? Here is our report from Tales of the Cocktail® 2025.

Text: Reiko Suga / Photography: Nao Fukui / Composition: Contentsbrain / English Translation: LIBER

Cover Photo: Gonzalo Loayza

Tales of the Cocktail®: A Prestigious Event that Engages the Entire City of New Orleans

First held in 2003, Tales of the Cocktail® (TOTC) has continued uninterrupted—even through the pandemic—and in 2025 marked its 23rd edition. From the very beginning, the host city has been New Orleans, a unique place steeped in French and Spanish colonial influences. With the graceful architecture of the French Quarter, its distinctive cuisine, and the unique Creole culture⋆¹ that defines the city, New Orleans stands apart within the United States. Famous as the birthplace of jazz and the hometown of the great Louis Armstrong, the city comes alive with live music spilling onto the streets of Bourbon Street.

Also celebrated as the birthplace of American classic cocktails such as the Sazerac and the Hurricane, New Orleans has become synonymous with TOTC, where the event’s history has been written. The 2025 edition unfolded over the course of almost a week, with The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans as the main venue. More than 350 events—including seminars, tastings, and community gatherings—were held not only at the hotel but also throughout the city. The entire community of New Orleans came together, transforming the city into a stage for a festival of cocktails.

The event welcomed visitors from around the world, surpassing last year’s attendance. Bartenders, hospitality professionals, and cocktail enthusiasts from across the globe roamed the city in search of the latest cocktail trends. On July 24, the week concluded with the Spirited Awards®, often referred to as the Academy Awards of the cocktail world. This prestigious ceremony, honoring achievements across many facets of the bar industry, was held at The Fillmore theater. With the announcement of the winners and the celebration of their highest honors, TOTC 2025 came to a close.

⋆1  Creole culture: A unique cultural form that arises from the blending of diverse peoples and traditions. It is most commonly associated with the Caribbean, Louisiana in the United States, and the islands of the Indian Ocean.

Bourbon Street, one of New Orleans’ busiest areas, comes alive with live music every night.

“iichiko The Tea Room EXPERIENCE” Showcases World-Class Guest Bartenders

On July 21 and 22 during TOTC, Sanwa Shurui hosted a pop-up event titled “iichiko The Tea Room EXPERIENCE” at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, the main venue of the festival. Each day, top-tier bartenders from six renowned bars around the world gathered, appearing in three time slots with two guest teams featured in each session.

Special cocktails were crafted with iichiko Saiten, iichiko Silhouette, and the newly launched iichiko Shinwa (introduced in the U.S. in June 2025). The bustling crowds that filled the venue on both days spoke volumes about the event’s popularity, but what truly stood out was the stellar lineup of guest bartenders who took the stage.

Guest Bartenders for “iichiko The Tea Room EXPERIENCE”

July 21 (Mon)

July 22 (Tue)

「Over the course of two days, a total of 17 bartenders from 12 different bars participated as guests. Many of them are internationally acclaimed talents, recognized by The World’s 50 Best Bars, Asia’s 50 Best Bars, North America’s 50 Best Bars, as well as past winners and nominees of TOTC’s Spirited Awards®. At the iichiko The Tea Room EXPERIENCE booth, they showcased their craft through original honkaku shochu cocktails. Visitors flocked to try these one-of-a-kind creations, and with each shift of guest bartenders, long lines formed as the venue buzzed with excitement.

Crowds flocked to the “iichiko The Tea Room EXPERIENCE” for cocktails by renowned bartenders, with long lines forming throughout the event.

The honkaku shochu cocktails served at the event brimmed with individuality and internationally inspired ideas. Featuring the distinct characters of iichiko Saiten (43% ABV), iichiko Shinwa (43% ABV), and iichiko Silhouette (25% ABV), each cocktail highlighted the unique qualities of these spirits through carefully chosen ingredients and refined techniques. Beyond their high level of craftsmanship, the unexpected pairings of honkaku shochu with unconventional ingredients elevated the drinks into the realm of gastronomy.

Alex Gilmour and Riccardo Lugano of Manhattan crafted the cocktail New York Sour with iichiko Saiten.

Hiroyasu Kayama of Bar BenFiddich impressed with ingredient pairings that highlighted the character of the spirit.

Nico de Soto of Mace created the cocktail Masaka with iichiko Saiten, featuring a refreshing, sherbet-like texture.

Cocktails featuring Japanese ingredients also stood out, such as the Soba Coconut Negroni from Side Hustle and Nikkei from Origin Bar, made with coarsely ground genmaicha (roasted brown rice tea ). Savory cocktails—non-sweet, flavorful, and almost meal-like—also drew attention, such as the smoky Strawberry Hotpot with chicken grilled over binchotan charcoal, a traditional Japanese oak charcoal, from The SG Club, and the Umami Mary from Bar Goto. “Honkaku shochu has umami. The word umami has spread overseas and is becoming a trend. Honkaku shochu pairs exceptionally well with savory cocktails,” said Leo Robitschek of Side Hustle.

Shingo Gokan of The SG Club presented culinary-style creations that redefined the concept of cocktails.

“Honkaku shochu has umami derived from koji, which makes it ideal for pairing with food. At my bar, we also offer pairing menus, and I believe honkaku shochu may be the best match for food,” said Julia Momosé of kumiko. In recent years, shochu cocktails have increasingly been enjoyed as dining companions, but honkaku shochu, with its distinctive koji-derived umami, clearly stands out for its compatibility with cuisine.

Julia Momosé of kumiko, winner of the highest bar honor at the Tales of the Cocktail® Spirited Awards®—World’s Best Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation—also appeared as a guest bartender.

The pop-up event The Tea Room EXPERIENCE brought together top bartenders from award-winning, world-renowned bars, and the impressive lineup was nothing short of remarkable.

From Martiny’s, owner-bartender Takuma Watanabe appeared alongside head bartender Ethan Sugar. From Bar Goto, owner-bartender Kenta Goto was joined by head bartender Koharu Usui. Side Hustle was represented by Leo Robitschek and Davide Segat. These strong teams demonstrated not only the skill of their owner-bartenders but also the depth of talent within their bars.

“Before I became independent, my mentor Audrey Saunders brought me to TOTC and created opportunities for me at many events. Now that I run my own bar, I want to give similar opportunities to talented younger bartenders,” said Kenta Goto.

Adam Bursik of Origin Bar added, “Working as a two-person team allows us to take the time to explain our cocktails properly to guests. And since Nisa Treechanasin is from Thailand, she understands Asian culture and flavors, which means that together we can present the appeal of Asian tastes in the right way.”

A dazzling performance by Nisa Treechanasin of Origin Bar.

Leo Robitschek (left) and Davide Segat of Side Hustle. Located inside The NoMad Hotel in London, the bar won Best International Hotel Bar at the Tales of the Cocktail® Spirited Awards® 2025.

In addition to interiors evoking the spirit of Japan, The Tea Room EXPERIENCE offered cultural activities such as a kintsugi⋆² workshop and a calligraphy service where visitors could have their names brushed onto folding fans. Guests were able to enjoy cocktails while also immersing themselves in Japanese culture.

The pop-up bar set up inside the main venue drew long lines every day from people eager to try shochu cocktails, offering a powerful showcase of shochu’s appeal to an international audience. It also provided a clear sense that awareness of shochu is steadily growing year by year.

“You hardly hear the question ‘What is shochu?’ anymore. That shows just how much it has spread,” remarked Kenta Goto. Attendees also shared positive impressions, with comments such as: “Of course I’ve had honkaku shochu before. Compared to other spirits, it has a smooth taste, so even at 43% ABV, both iichiko Saiten and iichiko Shinwa are easy to drink.”

⋆2  Kintsugi: A traditional Japanese technique for repairing ceramics. Instead of hiding cracks or chips, they are joined with lacquer and dusted with gold (or silver or platinum), highlighting the repaired areas to express new value and beauty.

A Landmark Achievement for Japan: The Prestigious Spirited Awards® Crown the Week

Every year, the highlight of TOTC is the Spirited Awards®, one of the industry’s most prestigious honors. These awards recognize the year’s outstanding bars and bartenders in both international and U.S. categories, while also celebrating excellence in cocktail-related books, media, and individuals who have contributed to the industry. The 2025 edition marked the 19th ceremony. Inspired by the conference theme “Evolve,” the awards spotlighted those who embody growth and transformation.

Among the honors, the most coveted is World’s Best Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, given to the bar that is judged to have had the greatest innovative impact on the industry, based on the overall quality of its drinks, food, and service. In 2025, this distinction went to kumiko of Chicago, USA, led by Julia Momosé. The bar also received the award for Best U.S. Restaurant Bar.

Julia Momosé’s kumiko was named World’s Best Bar presented by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation and Best U.S. Restaurant Bar.
(Photo Credit: Caitlyn Ridenour / Tales of the Cocktail Foundation)

Sip & Guzzle, opened by Shingo Gokan, won Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar, while Devil’s Cut received Best New International Cocktail Bar.
(Photo Credit: Caitlyn Ridenour / Tales of the Cocktail Foundation)

The award for International Bartender of the Year went to Lorenzo Antinori of Bar Leone in Hong Kong. Bar Leone also won Best International Cocktail Bar, underscoring its remarkable rise. The title of U.S. Bartender of the Year presented by Pernod Ricard was awarded to Christine Kim of Service Bar in Washington, D.C.

Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar, given to the most outstanding new bar in the country, went to Sip & Guzzle, co-owned by Shingo Gokan and opened in New York in January 2024. Offering both cocktails and food, the bar earned high praise for its innovative concept. Gokan also won Best New International Cocktail Bar for Devil’s Cut, which opened in Madrid, Spain, in September 2024. This double win—across both the U.S. and International categories by the same owner—was a first in the history of the Spirited Awards®.

At The Fillmore theater, where the awards ceremony was held, each announcement of a winner’s name was met with applause and cheers, filling the venue with a celebratory mood as Tales of the Cocktail® 2025 drew to a close.

Click here for the full list of Tales of the Cocktail® Spirited Awards® 2025 winners.