New bar scores a Tasmanian triumph

A new bar in a Tasmanian five-star hotel was named Tasmanian Bar of the Year and Australian Hotel Bar of the Year in the 19th annual Bartender Magazine Australian Bar Awards in Sydney.

Evolve Spirits Bar was recognised despite having been open for less than 12 months. 

The national recognition follows after being named Tasmania's Best Specialty Bar at The THA and Drysdale Awards for Excellence in August. 

“Last night's awards were a great achievement for Tasmania," said bar manager Dan Gregory.

"It's usually Sydney and Melbourne who dominate – we're up against really stiff competition, and it's the first time one of the major national awards have been won by a Tasmanian bar. 

"The win is bound to motivate the team to push even harder this year to see this success become an upward trajectory for our local industry.”

Part of the MACq01 hotel building in Hobart's Hunter Street Precinct, Evolve Spirits Bar pays homage to human curiosity and discovery, with 37 impressive fossils on display including an 8ft tall Russian Cave Bear, a Saltasaurus egg, a Mammoth tusk, and a Triceratops nose horn, some dating back to over 550 million years old. 

The rare spirits on the menu, of which some are kept securely in private spirit keeps, serve up a museum-worthy spirit collection from Tasmania and around the world including one-off bottlings of Glenfiddich and Balvenie whiskies, Glen Grant single malts from 1950, pre-phylloxera cognac dating over 100 years old, and often-unattainable Tasmanian releases from Tim Duckett's Heartwood whisky and Sullivans Cove.

Known as “The Oscars of the bar industry”, The Australian Bar Awards were attended by over 650 people at Dolton House in Pyrmont. 

Other Tasmanian winners included The Glass House, which was named Tasmanian Cocktail Bar of the Year.