Tales of the Cocktail 2017
The phrase, ‘It’s a marathon not a sprint’ takes on new meaning at this five day beverage celebration.
Industry professionals descend on New Orleans to educate themselves in all that is trendy and new in the beverage market. Tales of the Cocktail started in 2002 and has since dominated the industry as a premiere beverage festival.
The French Quarter provides the perfect setting for alcohol induced activities. Pedestrians are permitted to walk all public streets, cocktail in hand.
We took full advantage of this, never feeling the need to ‘finish’ our current drink before leaving the bar or restaurant.
Our first taste of the Tales experience, was the Bacardi Party. The international brand brought more than just rum to the party. Grey Goose Vodka, Bombay Sapphire Gin and Cazadores Tequila served cocktails and provided interactive entertainment. The ladies of St. Germain place flowers in our hair and mini bottles in our pockets.
Guests were encouraged to add their mark on an active mural in the center on the party. Inside, the venue was transformed into in a jungle where trees moved and rum was sipped from coconuts. Silent Addy from Miami played a blend of reggae dancehall and New Orleans bounce music that kept the dance floor rocking.
Over the weekend, we visited smaller more curated events. Absolut Elyx brought the tropic to Tales. The space was covered in bright palm leaves that matched the clothing worn by the servers. Every corner of the ballroom featured specialty vodka cocktails expertly prepared and presented.
The main bar required a reservation for which we waited 45 minutes before being seated. We were given twenty minutes to enjoy one cocktail based on a menu made of emojis. The world renowned mixologist crafted beautifully complex cocktails full of whimsy and imagination.
Suze, a gentian liqueur hosted a reception around the corner that was packed with French influence. We enjoyed mini croque monsieurs and baby quiches feeling transported to the French countryside.
Tastings
The Monteleone acted as headquarters for Tales activity. We visited the tasting rooms to sample the variety of new spirits.
Pasote Tequila and Bazel Mezcal served in mini cocktails in the lobby that embraced the smoky spirit without any bitter aftertaste.
Disaronno, the Italian liqueur brought their global ambassadors together for a very unique tasting session. Each bartender served a cocktail that reflected their respective cocktail market. Super dope!
Festival Favorites
- Seeing/Meeting Industry Friends: We were able to meet beverage professional who we respect and admire in person.
- Local cuisine: We are local everyday, tasting NOLA. We dined at Borgne, Bombay Club, Ruby Slipper and Nosh. Each serving a different part of NO culture.
- So much swag: We love our brand apparel and the sponsors of Tales spared no expense with their product marketing. Suze gave attendees Parisian walking shoes while Absolut Elyx provided portable fans to beat the heat. So necessary.
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