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Preview: Tales of the Cocktail 2024
Kicking off this Sunday, the annual Tales of the Cocktail (TOTC) festival in New Orleans will feature a host of discussions to enlighten visitors.
Beyond being the home of Creole and Cajun cuisine, and jazz music, New Orleans plays host to the annual Tales of the Cocktail festival. The greatest minds in the bar and spirits worlds head to the city in its hottest month – July – for six days of educational seminars, brand‐hosted events, cocktail tours, and wellness initiatives.
The 2024 festival falls on 21‐26 July, and will be held at The Ritz‐Carlton hotel, located in the heart of the city’s French Quarter. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) has chosen ‘Inspire’ as this year’s theme, picked “as a call to action for the global drinks industry to embrace growth through collective sharing of ideas and energy”.
“This year’s calendar is full of incredible events – from our inaugural Futures Lab to tasting alongside industry experts in the final rounds of New Orleans Spirits Competition, the incredible Spirited Awards celebrations, from the incredible build‐outs that brands design offsite throughout New Orleans to the incredible line‐up of seminars,” says Eileen Wayner, CEO of TOTCF.
“We are so proud to serve as a platform for the industry and look forward to celebrating all of the accomplishments of the year together.”
A new addition to this year’s festival is the US$10 Wellness Week Pass, which allows access to 20 on‐site workshops, networking sessions, and fitness classes, in addition to the daily Beyond the Bar Lounge presented by alcohol‐free ‘spirit’ brand Lyre’s. Also, the ‘Futures Lab’ series will take place on Tuesday 23 July. These short‐format discussions will cover drinks industry topics such as artificial intelligence, ingredients, sustainability, and cannabis beverages.
TOTC’s signature trade show, Meet the Distillers, will also return, featuring the producers behind distilleries around the world. The 2024 conference will host more than 130 brands, including Bacardi USA, Brown‐ Forman, Campari, Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Rémy Cointreau, and William Grant & Sons.
Among the brands hosting activations includes Absolut, which will offer three immersive experience rooms – Culture Pioneers, Community Made Vodka, and Sustainability – alongside a vibrant pool area.
Those with access to a tasting pass can also dive into panels focused on cocktail trend forecasting with Diageo Bar Academy, a look into rye whisky with Danish distillery Stauning, and ‘Irish Whiskey: The Rise, Fall, Resurrection and now Revolution’. Tales of the Cocktail 2024 will feature more than 65 educational sessions, including seminars, workshops, and networking sessions across Tales’ three educational streams (Business, Culture, and Beyond the Bar), which will be presented by more than 175 industry leaders.
The eighth annual Spirited Awards will also take place in the Fillmore Theater in New Orleans on Thursday 25 July. Some of the awards up for grabs include Best International Cocktail Bar, International Bartender of the Year, and Best New Spirit or Cocktail Ingredient.
For the second time, The Spirits Business will be up against some top titles for the Best Spirits & Cocktail Publication accolade. There will be plenty to celebrate at this year’s festival, and we look forward to raising a toast together. Check out our pick of the must‐visit seminars to attend during the 2024 TOTC festival.
For more details and the full line‐up, visit talesofthecocktail.org.
Seminar: The Way of the Bartender
Monday 22 July, 2.30pm‐3.45pm local time
What makes a great bartender? This is the question that bartenders Dale DeGroff, Giulia Cuccurullo, Jean Trinh, and Franky Marshall will answer in a seminar looking at the multi‐faceted role of a bartender. The panellists will share observations and thoughts on best practices within the bartending industry.
Upliftment in Action: Finding meaningful ways to elevate and empower your community
Tuesday 23 July, 10am‐11.15am
This seminar will discuss how to identify specific concerns in your own bar community, and how to implement action‐based initiatives that deliver real results. Don’t miss the chance to hear about initiatives from Anna Sebastian of Celebrate Her, Leah van Deventer of Sisterhood of Industry Support, Arina Niolskaya of Shift Project, and Kapri Robinson.
Vermouth: The catalyst for the American cocktail
Wednesday 24 July, 2.15pm‐3.30pm
Do you know your stuff when it comes to vermouth? Fear not, industry experts including Simon Difford of Difford’s Guide, Engine Gin founder Paola Dalla Mora, and spirits educator and consultant Philip Duff, will dive into what constitutes a vermouth, and talk about the differences in styles.
Harmonies in mixology: Exploring the relationship between music and cocktails
Wednesday 24 July, 3.15pm‐4.30pm
Presented by Campari Academy, this seminar will look at whether music can enhance the flavours of a cocktail. Grand Marnier ambassador Xavier Herit and New York‐based mixologist Michael Aredes invite attendees on a cocktail‐pairing experience that will sharpen your sensory analysis and highlight how melody and mixology can work in harmony.
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