In case you haven’t heard, there is such a thing as a “cocktail festival.” This is real life.
Every year, expert cocktail enthusiasts, bartenders, and spirit professionals gather for five glorious days of drinking, eating, and mingling with the best and brightest of the industry in New Orleans, La for Tales of the Cocktail. I am none of those things, but I do like to drink. So, obviously I attended.
The average day goes something like this: arrive in time to hit the Bloody Mary bar at the famous Hotel Monteleone Carousel Bar, hit a few tasting rooms for the newest drink releases from the biggest names in the industry, eat lunch (hopefully something with bread to soak up the morning alcohol), hear a world-renowned bartender explain and explore some of the most interesting mixology techniques, throw on a swimsuit and hit the deck for a cocktail pool party, eat dinner at one of the thousand delicious New Orleans restaurants (see: more bread), and end the night with a sponsored party at a trendy, craft cocktail bar.
Rinse, repeat. There is nothing about this that isn’t perfect.
In just a few days I learned that I love non-vodka vodka, no matter how high-end tequila is marketed, it still burns when you’re shooting it, Absinthe tastes like licorice, it’s more fun to play soccer while drinking Brazilian cocktails, Glenlivet 12 tastes better mixed with flat coke (seriously), and any drink tastes better if you dance to a DJ while shaking it up.
I woke up on Sunday surrounded by approximately 18 water bottles, provided by Tales of the Cocktail, branded glasses of all shapes and sizes scattered around, more spirit brochures than I can ever imagine needing, a bit of a headache, and a feeling that I had found my people. All in all, I’d say it was a success.
One of my favorite drinks of the week was the Santa Catarina Shandy in the Leblon tasting room. While I may have been a bit biased because of the incorporated local Abita beer, I think the drink stands up on its own.
Santa Catarina Shandy
* Leblon Cachaça (you can find this at any local liquor store and most local grocery stores)
* Fresh Lemon
* Honey Syrup
* Abita Lemon Wheat
* Garnish with pink peppercorns
