Recap: Tales of the Cocktail

Anybody is who is anybody in the spirits industry convenes at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans each July. Now in its 11th year, the trendsetting event looks as much like a family reunion as it does a professional festival. Brand marketers, bartenders, media and members of the libation-loving public travel far and wide to see friends, make new ones and enjoy a packed schedule of educational seminars, tasting rooms, cocktail competitions, meetings and parties in Creole country.

More than 25 events centered on Latin spirits during the six day extravaganza that began July 17 at the Hotel Monteleone headquarters. Some events paid homage to Latin America’s romantic drinks origins, like “Charles H. Baker’s Guide to Latin America” led by writer St. John Frizell, Bacardi Ambassador David Cordoba and New Zealand bartender Jacob Briars, or the lively discussion led by historian Jared Brown on the golden age of Cuban cocktails.

Others channeled south of the border spirit with ticketed “Spirited Dinners” at New Orleans hot spots (think San Juan Nights at the W Hotel, Latin American Libations at Rio Mar Seafood, a True Taste of Demerara at Borgne, and Hemingway’s Conch, Cuban and Caribbean Cocktails at Criollo). Don Julio hosted a popular courtyard tasting room on Exchange Place in the French Quarter, where guests enjoyed charbroiled oysters and specialty drinks crafted by some of the country’s finest mixologist. Licor 43 gave bartenders a chance behind the stick at Criollo with a side cochinillo (roast suckling pig) for a midnight snack. And of course, it would not be a fiesta without taco trucks – one was on hand at the Viva Sangrita, Viva Tequila Ocho Finals, where bartenders competed to win a trip to La Altena distillery in Mexico, and even at Juniperlooza, a Beefeater gin-sponsored blowout held Saturday night at The Sugar Mill.

But if last year was pisco’s momento at Tales of the Cocktail, this year was a love letter to rum. In a seminar called “European Rums Uncovered,” Plantation Rum distiller Alexandre Gabriel was among the panelists leading a tasting of fine rums blended, aged and bottled in Europe. Rum representatives seemed to everywhere – I met  Maggie Campbell, master distiller of Privateer Rum, and Clyde Davis, Jr., importer of Chairman’s Reserve rum, at a whiskey luau. Louisiana company Bayou Rum debuted by showing guests how to hold baby alligators and use a duck call. Appleton rum’s island party in the Royal Sonesta Hotel aimed to recreate its native Jamaica with picture opps in straw hats and coconuts on hammocks while soaking in the live tunes.

Lorena Vasquez, the master distiller of Zacapa Rum, prominently spoke about working her way up in a career field dominated by men at the Dames Hall of Fame luncheon, which honors women in the industry. Alongside author Wayne Curtis, climate change expert Michael Blum and distilling consultant Dave Pickerell, Vasquez emphasized how altitude in Guatemala affects her rum’s taste and how the changing climate affects production of it.

If all of this action seems exhausting, it was. But check out the #TOTC hashtag on Twitter to see exactly just how many people were sad to leave. You can never have too many top-notch cocktail pros in one place. And you can never have too many friends.