Two Malaysian cocktail bars have been named in the Regional Top 10 Honourees lists for the Spirited Awards 2020's international categories.

Four Seasons Hotel Kuala Lumpur's Bar Trigona was named in the Best International Hotel Bar (Asia & Pacific) category, while coffee cocktails specialists Happy Stan made it into the Best New International Cocktail Bar (Asia & Pacific) Top 10.

The honour is the latest in a string of accolades for Bar Trigona, which won three awards, including Kuala Lumpur's Bar Of The Year, in The Bar Awards 2019, and was also named one of Asia's 50 Best Bars last year.

Co-founded by coffee specialists VCR and bartender Karl Too (who is also the co-founder of pioneering KL cocktail bar Omakase + Appreciate), Happy Stan is located in Republik @ Damansara Heights and is a cafe/cocktail bar that specialises in coffee cocktails. Basically, if you love coffee and cocktails, you'll be happy at Happy Stan. (During the MCO period, Happy Stan is also offering deliveries of cocktails. Visit its Facebook page for more details.)

The Spirited Awards were founded in 2007 by the New Orleans-based Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF), a non-profit organisation that is the global leader in spirits education and a platform to address issues facing the industry.

One of the most sought-after awards in the bartending industry, the Spirited Awards recognise "beverage professionals, products, and establishments across every facet of the spirits and cocktail community on a global scale" according to a statement on the TOTCF website.

The award categories spotlight a range of talent from bartenders, journalists, and brand ambassadors, to brands and media, to ensure each aspect of the industry is well represented and recognised for its contributions.

The Foundation also reiterated its commitment towards going ahead with the 14th annual Spirited Awards "in an effort to recognise the depth of talent across our global spirits community".

"While events and awards ceremonies are getting postponed and cancelled across the world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Foundation feels it is more important now than ever to continue to honour the professionals, organisations and establishments that have enhanced the industry", the statement says.