It’s simply amazing what great strides the fine spirits industry has made in recent years, both in quality and booming sales the world over. It wasn’t so many years ago that the industry was in the doldrums. But that was then. Now, new fine spirits are introduced to eager consumers almost weekly.

This growing market is redefining the world of bartending; we now have cocktailians and mixologists with advanced degrees. Many well-known bartenders give cocktail classes, consult for fine restaurants, and grow their own herbs to use in creating novel, complicated, and delicious drinks. There are animated spirits competitions and even a Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans.

Illuminating this global high quality, at the recently held San Francisco World Spirits Competition, double gold awards went to gins from Romania (!), California, Pennsylvania, France, and Scotland; top-of-the-mark vodkas hailed from England, Poland, France, Sweden, and San Francisco. There’s also even Diamond Vodka; it’s filtered through tiny diamonds. Even though that’s a bit of nonsense, it does give new meaning to “vodka on the rocks, please!” I also have mentioned Bakon Vodka; one presumes it goes well with eggs.

The tequila sector is growing wildly, and new super-premium rums abound. We saw absinthe return with an excellent brand called Lucid (but not too much Lucid or you may not be lucid for too long). Vodka, flavored and otherwise, is growing and so are artisanal rums.

Thirsty? Let’s get down to some more specifics by taking a closer look at the aforementioned SF World Spirits event and the also-recently-held Ultimate Spirits Challenge.

The SF World Spirits Competition, founded ten years ago by former San Franciscan Anthony Dias Blue, has grown apace. This year it gathered 1,024 entries from 57 countries for top judges to savor and score.

Taking the highest honors as Distillery of the Year was the Glenmorangie Distillery in Tain, Scotland. For single spirits, Best in Show White was given to Trago Silver Tequila, Altos de Jalisco, Mexico. The prize for Best in Show Whisky was presented to Isle of Jura Single Malt Scotch, Scotland. Pere Magloire 20-Year-Old Vintage Calvados, Normandy, France, took Best in Show Brandy.

Judges named Beefeater Gin 24 as best gin. Other gins that won double gold medals were: Wembley Dry Gin (Romania), Bluecoat American Dry Gin (Pennsylvania), Bellringer, Hendrick’s, New Amsterdam, and Gordon’s.

England’s Chase Vodka took top honors for that spirit; other double golds were: V-One, Rokk, Ciroc, San Francisco’s China Beach Vodka, Nemiroff Delikat, and Lex Ultra from the Ukraine.

Ardberg Single Malt Scotch was awarded “best” in its category, and in blended Scotch the prize went to The Grand Bark Equinox. (Check out all the sometimes-surprising results at sfspiritscomp.com.)

Across the country, in New York City, the Ultimate Spirits event, a new spirits competition, took place. The judging was headed by noted spirits expert F. Paul Pacult. Here, points were awarded rather than medals. Spirits that topped the lists were given the Chairman’s Trophy Award. The envelope, please.

Top vodka, Orzel; top gin, Broker’s (and just one point away, Beefeater 24); top tequila, Tres Agaves Anejo; top rum, Mt. Gay 1703 Old Cask; top Scotch whisky, The Macallan Oak, 21 Years Old; and for the United States spirit, George Dickel No. 12, Ten-Year-Old. (It’s instructive to read how other top brands fared and compared: ultimate-beverage.com.)

The world of cocktails has been both shaken and stirred with competitions worldwide and world class. Take, for example, the International Bartenders Association annual mixing contest. The last one, held in Berlin, gave the world prize to Vladimir Banak of the Slovak Republic, with his drink called Sweet Road. Try it at home.

Sweet Road

1 ounce Absolut Raspberri

¹/2 ounce Monin Crème de Cassis Liqueur

¹/3 ounce Monin Vanilla Syrup

¹/3 ounce Monin Strawberry Syrup

¹/2 ounce cream, as a “float”

Mmmm—sounds a tad too sweet. Let’s stick to a martini for the nonce—straight up with an olive.

Fritz Maytag—founder/master brewer and distiller of Anchor Brewing Company, which he recently sold—who has a penchant for history as well as good taste, found a book at the California Historical Society titled Cocktail Boothby’s American Bartender, published in 1891. It tells of the exploits of William T. “Cocktail” Boothby, San Francisco’s top mixologist. A former minstrel performer, he was the bartender, or, as he put it, the “presiding deity” at the Palace Hotel for many years.

Boothby won the election for Assemblyman in California in 1895 and credited the “liquor dealers of San Francisco who unanimously assisted in my election to the Legislature by an unprecedented majority.”

Credit Maytag for re-publishing this cocktailian masterpiece, with David Burkhart as editor. It’s available through the Anchor Brewing Website, the California Historical Society, and large book-selling Websites. The book, which has a delightful, original cover, is entertaining and instructive.

For your delectation—the original Boothby cocktail. It’s a nostalgic kick.

The Boothby Cocktail

2 ounces bourbon

1 ounce sweet vermouth

Dash Angostura bitters

1 ounce Brut Champagne or sparkling wine

Maraschino cherry as a garnish

To make: Place the bourbon, sweet vermouth, and bitters in a mixing glass. Fill two thirds with ice, stir and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Pour sparkling wine on top to fill. Add garnish.

Lovely. Cheers to sipping history!

This just in: two excellent tequilas from the Camarena family, which has been in the tequila business for six generations in the Los Altos Highlands of Jalisco. Mauricio Camarena and master distiller Miguel Cedeño Cruz have produced a silver (blanco) and a reposado (slightly “rested” in oak) from 100 percent blue agave in small batches—pot distilled. Although both Camarena tequilas exemplify the best elements in tequila, both are eminently affordable at $20 a bottle. Next month, we are going to give you the recipe for a superb margarita from the King of Cocktails, Dale de Groff. Hint: it’s all about using the finest ingredients—no tricks or substitutes.

Ed Schwartz has been involved in many aspects of fine wine for 30 years and has worked with top wineries in California, Italy and France. His writings on wine, food and travel have appeared in the SF Chronicle, LA Times and Image magazine.