Tales of the Cocktail in pictures: Part 2
If you want to get noticed among the throng of Tales visitors you best wear a skimpy outfit… and be walking a micro pony of course. It worked for Absolut Elyx.
Absolut Elyx was in fact promoting a pop-up bar in collaboration with Artesian geniuses Alex Kratena and Simone Caporale. Presented as an exploration into their wacky minds, the Elyx House invited guests to explore a series of rooms guided by two dwarves named Alex and Simone, and two gorillas. First stop: Elyx shots served from a golden train set.
Having trapped through a wet room filled with sponges and seaweed where oysters were doused in a cocktail, Elyx House guests were invited to a picnic in a magical forest where golden baby pears grew from the trees and lemongrass-scented bags littered the forest floor, all accompanied by the gorillas and the dwarves who are now beekeepers.
For anyone keen to experience Alex and Simone’s creativity without boundaries in person, another popup is being organised for London sometime soon. Expect the duo to release the full force of their imagination – strict Louisiana state laws forbid the use of real monkeys to serve drinks.
Elsewhere at Tales, SB editor & Scotchwhisky.com editor, Becky Paskin, took to the stage to present Write Yourself Famous to a packed audience, alongside whisky writer Dave Broom, Worship Street Whistling Shop co-founder Tristan Stephenson, and Death & Co co-owner, David Kaplan.
While the largest drinks groups all throw a bash to show off their portfolio, Bacardi’s street party stole the show. Its portfolio of brands, including Dewar’s, St-Germain and Grey Goose all had a presence in bespoke pop-up bars styled as houses.
Madame St-Germain herself, Camille Vidal, offered thirsty guests bottled cocktails from a cart she cycled around the room.
Tales is of course really about the educational experience, and Diageo’s seminar on the Blinder Truth of Aging Whisky delved into the distillery’s influence on a whisky’s character.
Of course the biggest party of them all was the Spirited Awards held on Saturday night. The who’s-who of the drinks industry in attendance, awards were bestowed upon bartenders, bar owners, ambassadors and writers alike. Whisky writer Dave Broom took home two awards for best publication and writer.
The Artesian took the award for Best International Cocktail Bar this time, with Alex Kratena and Simone Caporale hitting the stage sans monkey suits.
London’s Ryan Chetiyawardana picked up two awards for him and the White Lyan and Dandelyan teams, including International Bartender of the Year and Best New International Cocktail Bar.
Finally, after a five-hour awards ceremony, it was Jack McGarry and Sean Muldoon’s Dead Rabbit in New York that picked up the top prize of the evening for World’s Best Bar.
