Let the good times roll as you take in the sights and sounds of New Orleans from behind a pair of handlebars on the Confederacy of Cruisers Bike Tour. This two-wheeled tour takes you through the distinctive neighborhoods of New Orleans as you soak in some history and stop off for some local cuisine along the way. And as a Tales of the Cocktail® exclusive, mixology maven Chris Hannah joins the tour, serving up some of the cocktail history and culture that lives throughout the city. So join us and let’s get cruising through the NOLA streets.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by William Grant & Sons USA Led by Ms. Franky Marshall with Julie Reiner, Susan Fedroff, Tad Carducci, Romee de Goriainoff, Olivier Bon, and Pierre-Charles Cros $47 Multiple Bars! Multiple Headaches! What is the motivation for owning and operating several establishments at once? Is it money, ego, or just madness? In this seminar, we will talk to bar and lounge operators who run more than one successful operation. We will delve into the challenges being owner, operator, tastemaker, and mood shaper at several places while trying stay current and nurture them all at the same time. We will discuss our successes and failures; what we wished we had done; what we would never do again; and how it all fits together. Our goal is to hopefully help others be successful in the future. This will be a professional seminar geared towards those hoping to run their own business(es) one day. We hope to have an open discussion with the panel on both front of house and back of house issues, including: financials, staffing, permits, quality control, PR/ marketing, design, the joy of partnerships, what works in one city and not in another, who we ultimately have to answer to, etc. This is not a get rich quick scheme. There is a lot of blood, sweat, and tears that need to be shed in order to be successful at this game!”

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Queen Anne Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Heaven Hill Distilleries Led by Bridget Albert with Tony Abou-Ganim, Tobin Ellis, Allen Katz, Leo Robitschek $47 Bartending IS hospitality. A bartender is selfless. Always paying attention to the needs of stranger and creating a good memory their guest. A bartender becomes a guest’s friend, teacher, or psychologist all the while putting their own needs aside. With the momentum and attention of the Professional Bartender position in the media there are many growing pains with in our profession. “Bringing Service Back!” will openly discuss how hospitably has evolved, where we are today and the future of service at the bar. Grab yourself a cocktail and join industry leaders Tony Abou-Ganim, Tobin Ellis, Allen Katz, Leo Robitschek and Bridget Albert as they expose the truths of hospitality. A welcome cocktail and a cocktail to celebrate our profession will be served at this session.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Fleur De Lis, Royal Sonesta Presented by Martini & Rossi Led by Anistatia Miller with Jared Brown, Erik Lorincz $47 At the dawn and dusk of the Cocktail’s Golden Age, Harry "the Dean" Johnson and Harry Craddock documented its evolution on both sides of the Atlantic from the Martini and the Morning Glory Fizz to the White Lady and the White Cargo. Yet mystery has surrounded these two Harrys. Where did they come from? What did they do after they left the bar? Award-winning drink historians Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown join the American Bar at Savoy Hotel’s head bartender—Erik Lorcinz—to guide you along a surprising journey through the lives and accomplishments of the cocktail’s greatest champions—the two Harrys.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 The New Orleans Cooking School, 524 St. Louis Street Presented by Terra Spice and Bombay Sapphire East Gin Led by Ira Koplowitz & Nick Kosevich $55 During this hands on seminar, Bittercube will walk small groups of people through the process of creating bitters, utilizing and discussing over 140 different botanicals sourced from around the world by Terra Spice Company. Attendees of the Bittercube Bitters Lab will learn about and have a chance to smell and taste these exotic herbs, spices, barks, roots and flowers. The collaborative process of formulating a batch of bitters will not go to waste, each attendee will receive a bottle of bitters in the mail after the batches have come to completion! In addition to formulating a batch of bitters, attendees will have the chance to taste Bombay Sapphire East & Tonic using a proprietary Bittercube Tonic recipe that utilizes a number of the same botanicals used to craft the bitters.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Laird's, Louis Royer Cognacs, Slow and Low Rye Led by Chad Solomon & Christy Pope with Allen Katz $47 The spirits world is seeing a dramatic increase in the popularity of high proof liquors like Louis Royer VSOP “Force 53” Cognac (106 proof), New York Distilling Company’s “Navy Strength” Perry’s Tot Gin (114 proof), Laird’s Apple Brandy (100 proof) and XXX Absinthe (XXX proof). The trend was spotlighted in Beverage Media, a leading industry bible. Aside from their greater potency, which should be treated with respect, how do these high-octane spirits differ from their conventional counterparts and how should bartenders and mixologists approach them? Attendees will delve deeply into these potent potables, sampling them both straight and in thoughtful cocktails that emphasize their one of a kind flavor, not their overt strength. They will learn the nature of flavor extraction and concentration at the higher end of the proof spectrum and become adept at recognizing the incomparable palate pleasing benefits these spirits provide. Moreover, to the delight of drink slingers and customers alike, these muscular tipples never get lost in a cocktail. They have the unique ability to stand up to just about any mixture of ingredients, due to their spirituous backbones. In the world of cocktails, strength for strength’s sake isn’t very interesting. But attendees of this seminar will learn that strength for the sake of flavor definitely is.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Queen Anne Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Don Julio Tequila Led by Jacob Briars with Cameron Bogue, Elayne Duke, Naren Young $47 The past few years have seen cocktail bartenders 'borrowing' many great tips from the restaurant world, but now the restaurant bar is coming into it's own, with a unique approach to cocktails and service. The restaurant bar must wear many hats - as well as serving hundreds of drinks for the restaurant and playing host to the solo diner, it's the first port of call for guests, and a great impression will make those guests linger. Learn the difference between restaurant service and bar service from some of the best in the business, and how to build a cocktail program that reflects the food and style of the venue, with insights from the best restaurant bars in the US and around the world. Discover the importance of alcoholic proof in drinks, overlooked ingredients that marry food and cocktails together, insights from chefs and bar managers about interacting together, and how to increase revenue and create a seamless experience that reflects well on both the food and the drinks. Whether your taste in food runs to four star or fried, join two of North America's best restaurant bar keeps, and two of the world's most regular restaurant bar regulars, as we explain how to use insights from the best restaurant bars around the globe to improve the experience of your dine-in drinkers.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Fleur De Lis, Royal Sonesta Led by Martin Cate $47 The Third Man: The Incredible True Story of “Tiki Restaurateur to the Stars” Stephen Crane. A Tinseltown Tale of Mai Tais, Movie Stars, and Murder Much has been written about the two founding fathers of the tiki drink craze Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic, but little discussed is the third man in the great historic tiki trifecta: Joseph Stephen Crane- Steve to his friends, and “High Talking Chief Stefooma” to the thousands of customers who walked through the door of his legendary Beverly Hills nightspot, The Luau. Crane came from humble beginnings to climb his way up the social ladder in pre-war Hollywood through a mixture of good looks, street smarts, and undeniable charm. It wasn’t long before the kid from Crawfordsville, Indiana found himself married to Hollywood’s biggest star, the incomparable Lana Turner. Crane opened his first restaurant in the late 1940s, but he cemented his place in history with the 1953 opening of The Luau on Rodeo Drive. It became the destination for Hollywood celebrities and was the start of a chain of successful restaurants nationwide. Crane took the Polynesian concept to a new level, with innovative new cocktails, food, and décor that had never been seen before. Join Smuggler’s Cove owner Martin Cate for a rare look back into the amazing world of Steven Crane. Discover his talent for hospitality, mixology, and business through rarely seen images and artifacts and new interviews with his (and Lana Turner’s) only child, Cheryl Crane. Enjoy tastes of The Luau’s famous exotic cocktails while discovering a story so amazing, it could only have happened in Hollywood."

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 The New Orleans Cooking School, 524 St. Louis Street Presented by Terra Spice and Bombay Sapphire East Gin Led by Ira Koplowitz & Nick Kosevich $55 During this hands on seminar, Bittercube will walk small groups of people through the process of creating bitters, utilizing and discussing over 140 different botanicals sourced from around the world by Terra Spice Company. Attendees of the Bittercube Bitters Lab will learn about and have a chance to smell and taste these exotic herbs, spices, barks, roots and flowers. The collaborative process of formulating a batch of bitters will not go to waste, each attendee will receive a bottle of bitters in the mail after the batches have come to completion! In addition to formulating a batch of bitters, attendees will have the chance to taste Bombay Sapphire East & Tonic using a proprietary Bittercube Tonic recipe that utilizes a number of the same botanicals used to craft the bitters.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Museum of the American Cocktail, 1 Poydras Suite 169 Presented by Bombay Sapphire Gin and Terra Spice Led by Gary Hayward with Jonathan Pogash, Jamie Evans $55 With the rising number of bartenders working in the media, Most importantly, all bartenders want to do it. Media training is key to the success of this. We will set up a set or fake studio and have a professional media trainer critique and coach valuable insights and builds. They would also have a DVD, Blueray or Tapes of what they did as take aways. They will be put in different and challenging situations and scenarios. They will have 3-4 minute segments and have drinks to make whilst answering challenging Questions. Part 1. will show common mistakes and examples of this from different industries. How to avoid these. Part 2. Group work. Interviewed on a panel and ask questions by our 'fake' journalists. Watch the tapes back and build on the findings. Part 3. Live drinks making in the mock studio.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Queen Anne Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Tanqueray Led by Sean Finter $47 Clever marketing, a great drink program, and a cool location get customers through the door... ONCE! Great staff keep customers coming back. Industry leading teams don’t just do things better... they do them fundamentally DIFFERENTLY. Take a peek behind the curtain at some recruiting and leadership lessons from the best in the business. Sean Finter will show you how the world’s best: Attract the right talent using social tools Use free technology to INDUCT teams 5x faster than the competition Collaborate and communicate Bring the fun back to business ...plus much, much more! Attend this talk and take away tools and ideas that you can immediately implement into your business.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Fleur De Lis, Royal Sonesta Led by Benedict Simpson with Adam Elmegirab $47 For all those bartenders and spirits enthusiasts who want to have it their way, who want to go it alone, and who want to bring their vision of spiritual enlightenment out of the bar or bedroom and into the hands of like-minded individuals... have we got a seminar for you! This presentation focuses on the recent trend of bespoke and boutique 'own brands' that have emerged in recent years and shows how a lack of capital or even previous experience is no obstacle to taking your half-baked brand concept to the global stage. Topics covered will be: conceptualising your start-up brand and starting on the right foot, first obstacles to production and how to side-step them, building your probably life-long relationship with the social media revolution (love it or hate it you must learn to dance with it and not step on its toes), how trademarking works and how to start the process, the arcane world of customs and excise explained, minimising risk, slight of hand ... and more. The seminar will be presented by people drawing on first hand experience of brand creation, namely Gunpowder Rum and Dr. Elmegirab's range of Cocktail Flavourings, while other international examples of 'bedroom brands' will have their names taken in vain.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 The New Orleans Cooking School, 524 Louis Street Led by Lauren Mote with Chef Jonathan Chovancek, Danielle Tatarin, David Wolowidnyk $55 Often times, we as bartenders and culinary professionals look to the calendar as a guideline for our seasonal bounty. Year after year, we train ourselves to preserve as much as we can, using different techniques and practical thinking. But when will jams and jellies throw in the towel, explaining to the world that you don’t always need sugar or acid in order to preserve character? In ""A Forager’s Pharmacy"", preservation specialists show you how to develop your arsenal of truly unique ingredients, using wild flowers, plants, spices and fruits, that carry a longer shelf life than you think. Bitters, tonics, cordials, powders, shrubs and oils all derive from simple, yet delicate ingredients, but how your care for them creates longevity. Interesting and unique ingredients warrant interesting and unique cocktails. Techniques will include: Infusions, Tisanes, Tinctures, Tonics & Solvent Extractions Enfleurage Steam Distillation & Essential Oils Dehydration & Powders Cold Pressing, Expression & Oil Washed Essences Seminar attendees will taste straight ingredients, and cocktails using some of the aforementioned techniques. "

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Hotel Monteleone Lobby, Hotel Monteleone Presented by St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur Led by Joe Gendusa $40 In 2002, Tales of the Cocktail started not as the international alcohol celebration it is today, but as a small gathering to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the New Orleans Cocktail Tour. Join us as we celebrate the tour’s 11th year with a spirited romp through the French Quarter led by renowned historian, Joe Gendusa. Enjoy history spiked with spirits as you explore the famous and bars and restaurants that has made New Orleans a cocktail destination. Tours meet and begin in the Hotel Monteleone lobby daily, where guests are treated to their first cocktail, compliments of St-Germain, the world’s first artisanal liqueur handcrafted from fresh elderflowers.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 Bartenders in Media Irvin Mayfield Jazz Playhouse, Royal Sonesta Presented by Plymouth Gin $55 Led by Robert Simonson with Simon Ford, Jason Hodes, James Meehan, Douglas Tirola Bartenders, Bars and Cocktails as told through film and television. A history of how the trade is portrayed by the entertainment business from the 1930’s – 2012 and how to succeed on TV today. The seminar will take the audience through the history of bartenders, bars and cocktails from the prohibition era films of the 1930’s, through Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The James Bond films, Cocktail, Coyotes Ugly, Mad Men, up through today’s era of non-scripted and reality TV. We will show how real bartenders are featured on Emeril, Barefoot Contesssa, the Jimmy Fallon Show and the Today Show. Participants will walk away with an understanding of how their craft has been perceived and portrayed by the entertainment business and how to pitch themselves to the entertainment industry.

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by 1792, Armagnac, Black Bull Scotch, Breckenridge Distillery, Buffalo Trace, Cardinal, Chinaco Tequila, Chivas, Diplomatico Rum, Dos Maderas Rum (featuring 5+3, PX and Luxus), Eagle Rare, Excellia Reposado Tequila, Four Roses Bourbon, Glenfiddich Scotch Whiskey, Glenlivet, Heaven Hill Distilleries, Koval Distillery, Luxardo Marsca Cherries, Michter's Whiskey, Montanya Distillers, Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch, Osocalis Distillery, Rhum J.M VSOP, Royal Canadian Small Batch and Caribou Crossing, Samaroli Evolution, Santa Teresa Rum, Sazerac Rye, WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey $55 Spirits. Aged Well. Patience is a virtue. Some distillers know it well. Waiting years, sometimes decades before they’ll bottle their cherished spirits. At Tales of the Cocktail® 2012, you’ll learn first hand that all that waiting was well worth it. Better With Age is a collection of distillers from around the world sharing their aged tequilas, scotches, bourbons, ryes and more with you. Join us for this one-of-a-kind event and savor the rich, complex flavors that can only come from years of restraint.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Encanto Pisco and Kappa Pisco Led by Steve Olson with Charles de Bournet, Guillermo Toro-Lira, Duggan McDonnell $47 Pisco, America's first noble spirit, originated in the Viceroyalty of Peru in the early 1500's near the Port of Pisco. This local grape distillate was, in fact, continuing the tradition of winemaking, of distillation and fortifying wine with its own aguardiente born in the region of Jerez, Spain and its tradition of delicious fortified wines, which have since come to be called 'Sherry.' Pisco was the preferred tipple of Spanish America for several hundred years, including when Chile and Peru both asserted their independence from Spain, and fully embraced their own grape distillate: colloquially called Pisco. Today, each country has its own D.O.C. to insure its unique standards of quality. But, whom can lay claim to Pisco's origins? Which country has a richer history and a stronger tradition of producing Pisco? And, most importantly, between Peru and Chile, which style of Pisco do you prefer to tipple, to shake in your Pisco Sours and in your Pisco Punch? Join Pisco entrepreneurs Charles de Bournet (Kappa), Duggan McDonnell (Encanto), and Steve Olson (AKA Wine Geek) in a lively discussion on the State of Pisco in America.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Queen Anne Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Imbibe Led by Paul Clarke with Bobby Heugel $47 For much of the nation’s history, applejack, peach brandy and other fruit spirits were key characters in the realm of American drinks. Today, bartenders and craft distillers are rediscovering the appeal of fruit spirits, and this is the most dynamic era in generations for the production and use of these brandies. This session will cover some of the background of spirits made from apples, peaches, pears and other fruits, and the ways these spirits were historically made and consumed. The session will also explore today’s realm of American-distilled fruit spirits, from the rich character of aged apple and peach brandies to ethereal eau de vie, with an emphasis on the ways these spirits are produced and a look at some of today’s most distinctive distillers of fruit spirits. Panelists will also discuss the use of fruit spirits in classic and contemporary cocktails, including issues of flavor balance and pour costs that should be considered when mixing with aged fruit spirits and eau de vie.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Riverview Room, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Ultimate Spirits Challenge Led by Sean Ludford & Paul Pacult $47 Attendees will have the unique chance to see what it's like to judge at the world's most respected spirits competition! This once-in-a-lifetime spirits tasting event will feature one dozen of Ultimate Spirits Challenge's 2012 Chairman Trophy winners. Guided by USC Co-Chairmen and spirits wizards F. Paul Pacult and Sean Ludford, attendees will sample these twelve trophy-winning classics blind, as though they were actually judging at Ultimate Spirits Challenge, which is held in New York in March of each year. The world's best single malt Scotch, gin, vodka, American whiskey, tequila, Cognac, liqueur, Irish whiskey and more will be featured as fortunate attendees try to guess which trophy winner is which. A fabulous tasting event that will honor the achievement of Tales of the Cocktail's 10th Anniversary!

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Grand Ballroom North, Royal Sonesta Presented by Aveze Gentiane Liqueur, Combier's Elixir, Combier's Kummel, Haus Alpenz Led by Eric Seed with Amy Stewart $47 Horticulture writer and New York Times bestselling author Amy Stewart has spent the last several years interviewing botanists, chemists, and historians about the the dizzying array of plants that humans have, through ingenuity, inspiration, and sheer desperation, contrived to transform into alcohol. She'll publish the results next year in her forthcoming book, The Drunken Botanist. In this seminar she'll share some of her more extraordinary findings, including new research on the chemistry of gentian and violets, the scientific and political battle over the Senegalese tree used to make gomme syrup, and the history of sorghum, a remarkable grain that is imbibed worldwide but only just now gaining traction in the United States. It'll be a plant-by-plant exploration of the fascinating intersection between botany and bartending. Drinks may include some unexpected surprises.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 The New Orleans Cooking School, 524 Louis Street Presented by Pernod Ricard USA Led by Don Lee with Chris Patino and Roderick J. Markus $55 In this hands-on class at the New Orleans School of Cooking you'll brew and taste every major category of tea as you learn about the history, harvesting, and production of teas from Rodrick J. Markus, the Master Blender of Rare Tea Cellar. Chris Patino (Pernod Ricard) and Don Lee (Cocktail Kingdom) will then discuss and demo different methods of extracting tea and applying it to cocktails.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Domenica Restaurant, 123 Baronne Street Presented by Jameson Irish Whiskey $65 Chef Alon of Domenica Restaurant will give an introduction to the Italian technique of butchering a local Mangalista pig. The Italian’s practice does not concentrate on the different muscles of the pig, but more on the art and shape of the distinctive area of the pig’s body. All the meat parts have to be even for the salt to access and cure the meat uniformly. Enjoy the succulent Salumi paired with a delicious cocktail while gaining knowledge in the art of pig butchering.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Loft 523, 523 Gravier Street Presented by Suntory Whisky Led by Gardner Dunn and Neyah White $55 The whisky bars of Japan are legendary as much for their selection as they are for their hospitality. Far from the workaday highball bars of Tokyo, these temples of the dram are sedate, stylized and incredibly complete in their selections. Not only that, there are staffed by professionals who often have a firsthand knowledge that puts the ‘whisky bars’ of the West to shame. This ticket equates to a reservation at one of these amazing bars. Step out of the Quarter for an hour and into Kyoto, the sei-ichi, or soul-place, of Japan. Suntory’s global whisky ambassador team will serve as your bar staff and be there to guide you through the selection of bottles, some of which are virtually unobtainable even in Japan. Lincoln Carson, corporate pastry chef for the Mina Group, will be on hand to craft tastes that incorporate and pair with these incredible spirits. Think you know Japanese Whisky? Secure a non-stop ticket to Kyoto and really see what Suntory, the Pioneer of Japanese Whisky, is capable of.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao Led by Philip Duff with Alexandre Gabriel, David Wondrich $47 From the Bare Bellybutton Liqueur of 1500s Amsterdam to the very first orange liqueurs on Curacao, and from the Martinez to the Mai Tai to the Cosmopolitan, award-winning writer and raconteur David Wondrich spars with Amsterdam resident, researcher and presenter Philip Duff and the Cognac-based artisanal distiller Alexandre Gabriel to reveal the real history of every bar's most important cocktail liqueur flavour - curacao. Encompassing the Idiot's Guide to Citrus, the evolution of liqueur strengths and sweetness, why everything tastes better with orange and brand-new research on the role of curacao in the birth and evolution of the modern cocktail from punch to cock-tail to Tiki, disco and the neo-classic, this seminar will keep you in the edge of your seat. THRILL! As David Wondrich distills a curacao live on stage without igniting his beard! LISTEN! As Alexandre tells you the shocking secrets of infusion vegetal and why what we want is different to what we say we want! SWOON! As Philip Duff lets you sample pre-liqueur liqueurs from 1500s Dutch recipes like the Bare Bellybutton, Kandeel and Quarter After Five! GASP! as you taste 80 and 90 year old versions of well-known orange liqueurs that have changed their flavour profiles over time! WEEP! with joy as you get to deconstruct an authentic 1800s curacao made by Professor Wondrich himself, the closest you'll ever come to making a cocktail like Jerry Thomas did. This seminar includes never-before-presented research on the history and evolution of curacao (orange) as a cocktail ingredient, including the birth of brands and the switch from multi-flavour event liqueurs of Middle Ages Netherlands to single-ingredient cocktail liqueurs, and gives a unique chance to see exactly how curacao is made and why. The session includes live curacao distilling, tastings of curacaos and other exotic orange liqueurs as old as 90 and from recipes that date to the 1500s, and we promise not to be too down on the Cosmo. Every serious bartender, plus interested cocktailian consumer, will learn everything they never knew about the history, evolution, make-up and production of the liqueur bottle reached for most often by the discerning drinker. At least one comparative serve of 1 cocktail (i.e., made twice with different types of curacao)

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Queen Anne Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Hudson Whiskies and Glenfiddich Led by Freddy May and Gable Erenzo $47 This seminar explores the dreams, obstacles and challenges faced by he who sets his heart on building a whisky distillery. History will serve as narrator as Freddy May and Gable Erenzo tell the timely tales of whisky pioneers through the ages who have found the resources, resolve and understanding to address the laws and socio dynamic of the day in order to open their own successful whisk(e)y distilleries. From the illicit industry of the 1800’s Scottish Highlands to the current rise of the American Craft Distillery.... When one man sets his sights on opening a distillery in his own name there are always factors to overcome – some are not fair but exist nonetheless.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Riverview Room, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Grey Goose Led by Benedict Simpson with Aaron Rodonis $47 Like many before it 'Better Cocktails Through Chemistry' is the goal of this seminar - Without aroma there is no real flavour yet how many of us understand the science of smell? It is by definition the pursuit of the transitory and the ephemeral. The final word on aroma has yet to be written. It is a work in progress and the jury is still out - but one person who has successfully wrestled with both the science and the industry of aroma is Luca Turin - a man whom many have never heard of. This seminar attempts to redress that failing by introducing the man and his controversial work (and some of his better jokes) while giving practical application of his theories within the world of spirits and cocktails. Beginning with the perfume-makers, the alchemists, and the apothecaries of the past the seminar progresses rapidly through the changing theories on the mystery of aroma and smell before plunging into more recent chemistry. Along the way we will trifle with your preconceptions and perhaps upset an apple-cart or two - while perhaps giving you the tools to re-imagine and re-invigorate your cocktail-making and answer simple questions you should have asked long...like how does my nose understand so much about molecules when I only got a C+ for chemistry?

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Loft 523, 523 Gravier Street Presented by Suntory Whisky Led by Gardner Dunn and Neyah White $55 The whisky bars of Japan are legendary as much for their selection as they are for their hospitality. Far from the workaday highball bars of Tokyo, these temples of the dram are sedate, stylized and incredibly complete in their selections. Not only that, there are staffed by professionals who often have a firsthand knowledge that puts the ‘whisky bars’ of the West to shame. This ticket equates to a reservation at one of these amazing bars. Step out of the Quarter for an hour and into Kyoto, the sei-ichi, or soul-place, of Japan. Suntory’s global whisky ambassador team will serve as your bar staff and be there to guide you through the selection of bottles, some of which are virtually unobtainable even in Japan. Lincoln Carson, corporate pastry chef for the Mina Group, will be on hand to craft tastes that incorporate and pair with these incredible spirits. Think you know Japanese Whisky? Secure a non-stop ticket to Kyoto and really see what Suntory, the Pioneer of Japanese Whisky, is capable of.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, 514 Chartres Street Presented by Absolut Vodka Led by Nick Strangeway $55 Absolut presents Nick Strangeway, England’s farm-to-table bad boy of mixology, at the iconically weird New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. Explore the museum’s marvels while Nick guides you through a totally new approach to flavor and taste. Less of a seminar and more of a total experience, this is sure to be one of the most talked about events of the year. Surprises and marvels await- this is one thing you do not want to miss.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Grand Ballroom North, Royal Sonesta Presented by G'Vine Gin Led by Jason Wilson with Adam Bernbach, Oscar Diez $47 What is the venerable old G&T’s place in the modern cocktail scene? Like a lot of basic long drinks, the gin & tonic too often falls off the mixologist’s radar. Well, if we look to Spain, we'll see that it could be an exciting, overlooked medium for inventive bartenders. “What's the perfect preparation for a gin and tonic?” muses Adam Bernbach, one of our panelists. “That's like asking, ‘What's the perfect preparation for a bath?’” It's true. There are certain things we humans do just by feel, and making a gin and tonic is one of them: Grab a glass and some ice. Pour in the preferred amount of gin and tonic water. Squeeze in a slice of lime. Drink. At least, that's how the gin and tonic existed before it reached Spain. The gin and tonic was invented by the British, and gained wide popularity among Americans. But the Spanish have elevated this old standby drink almost to an art form. At bars in Spanish cities of all sizes, bartenders offer pages-long gin and tonics menus with dozens of premium gin offerings, varieties of tonic water, and garnishes ranging far afield from limes -- berries, spices, herbs, and more. On this panel, we intend to discuss the history of the gin & tonic, honoring its traditions, and then move to the contemporary Spanish-style gin and tonic experiments, presented by an award-winning G&T innovator from Spain. Attendees will learn new approaches to the gin & tonic and how to incorporate them into their cocktail programs.

The New Orleans Cooking School, 524 Louis Street Presented by Plymouth Gin Led by Jackson Cannon with Nicole Lebedevitch, Kevin Martin and Bob McCoy $55 In this hands on demonstration each participant will see and touch all the ingredients used and be taken step by step through the process with the Eastern Standard team. A side by side of commercial and artisan vermouths will be tasted with cocktails to show their application. Attendees will receive a starter pack with recipe booklet, herb/spice packet and small bottle of the finished product.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Loft 523, 523 Gravier Street Presented by Suntory Whisky Led by Gardner Dunn and Neyah White $55 The whisky bars of Japan are legendary as much for their selection as they are for their hospitality. Far from the workaday highball bars of Tokyo, these temples of the dram are sedate, stylized and incredibly complete in their selections. Not only that, there are staffed by professionals who often have a firsthand knowledge that puts the ‘whisky bars’ of the West to shame. This ticket equates to a reservation at one of these amazing bars. Step out of the Quarter for an hour and into Kyoto, the sei-ichi, or soul-place, of Japan. Suntory’s global whisky ambassador team will serve as your bar staff and be there to guide you through the selection of bottles, some of which are virtually unobtainable even in Japan. Lincoln Carson, corporate pastry chef for the Mina Group, will be on hand to craft tastes that incorporate and pair with these incredible spirits. Think you know Japanese Whisky? Secure a non-stop ticket to Kyoto and really see what Suntory, the Pioneer of Japanese Whisky, is capable of.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Queen Anne Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Bacardi USA Led by Camper English with David Cid $47 In this seminar we’ll study sugar from the stalk to the still and beyond. We’ll take a look at the pre-history of sugar cane, its spread around the world, primitive and modern sugar cane harvesting and sugar processing, and the various forms sugar takes around the world, from treacle to turbinado. Then we’ll study sugar in distillation as sugar cane juice and as molasses and take a peek at the changing global sugar/molasses market that provides the base for rum. Finally we’ll look at sugar and syrup’s use in cocktails, including practical information about viscosity, saturation, inversion, clarification, and more.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, 514 Chartres Street Presented by Absolut Vodka Led by Nick Strangeway $55 Absolut presents Nick Strangeway, England’s farm-to-table bad boy of mixology, at the iconically weird New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. Explore the museum’s marvels while Nick guides you through a totally new approach to flavor and taste. Less of a seminar and more of a total experience, this is sure to be one of the most talked about events of the year. Surprises and marvels await- this is one thing you do not want to miss.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Riverview Room, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Campari and Wild Turkey Led by Danielle Tatarin with Nancy Chow, Lauren Mote $47 Looking back into the history of spirits and cocktails there are many references to alcoholic drinks being used, recommended and prescribed to help cure ailments. Today we have numerous bitters and tinctures being used to flavour cocktails but their origins again can be traced back to medicinal uses. In Natropathic Medicine and TCM, tinctures, bitters, teas and decoctions are used to help actively treat ailments. This seminar will explore the uses of herbs and ingredients commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine and how they can be applied classically to modern mixed drinks. The panel will review the use of TCM ingredients in cocktails, discuss the role of medicinal ingredients in today’s cocktail culture and look back in history to compare the different conceptual notions that are present when combining medicine and cocktails together."

Grand Ballroom North, Royal Sonesta Led by Wayne Curtis with Dave Arnold, David Wondrich Presented by Don Julio Tequila & George Dickel Tennessee Whisky $47 Does that two-year-old bottle of vermouth really ruin a martini? Does it truly make a difference if you use sour mix rather than fresh limes in your margarita? There's no shortage of “common knowledge” circulating throughout the cocktail world. But how true are these beliefs? Join cocktail writers Wayne Curtis and David Wondrich as they put to the test several common myths that underlie cocktail making. The audience will be dragooned into a blind taste test to help sort of fact from fiction. Be conscripted into the sodden Army of Truth!

Thursday, July 26, 2012 The New Orleans Cooking School, 524 Louis Street Led by Andrew Nichols and Darcy O'Neil $55 Pharmacists were expert drink creators in the early days of the soda fountain and their techniques can provide great insight for the modern bartender. During this session Andrew and Darcy will take participants through the steps required to create a perfect soda fountain drink. From creating the soda water with mineral salts and proper carbonation techniques to preparing the syrups using essential oils and soda foam and finally building the drink. At each step a thorough explanation of the science behind the components will be given as well as opportunities for hands-on soda development.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Hotel Monteleone Lobby, Hotel Monteleone Presented by St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur Led by Joe Gendusa $40 In 2002, Tales of the Cocktail started not as the international alcohol celebration it is today, but as a small gathering to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the New Orleans Cocktail Tour. Join us as we celebrate the tour’s 11th year with a spirited romp through the French Quarter led by renowned historian, Joe Gendusa. Enjoy history spiked with spirits as you explore the famous and bars and restaurants that has made New Orleans a cocktail destination. Tours meet and begin in the Hotel Monteleone lobby daily, where guests are treated to their first cocktail, compliments of St-Germain, the world’s first artisanal liqueur handcrafted from fresh elderflowers.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 Loft 523, 523 Gravier Street Presented by Suntory Whisky Led by Gardner Dunn and Neyah White $55 The whisky bars of Japan are legendary as much for their selection as they are for their hospitality. Far from the workaday highball bars of Tokyo, these temples of the dram are sedate, stylized and incredibly complete in their selections. Not only that, there are staffed by professionals who often have a firsthand knowledge that puts the ‘whisky bars’ of the West to shame. This ticket equates to a reservation at one of these amazing bars. Step out of the Quarter for an hour and into Kyoto, the sei-ichi, or soul-place, of Japan. Suntory’s global whisky ambassador team will serve as your bar staff and be there to guide you through the selection of bottles, some of which are virtually unobtainable even in Japan. Lincoln Carson, corporate pastry chef for the Mina Group, will be on hand to craft tastes that incorporate and pair with these incredible spirits. Think you know Japanese Whisky? Secure a non-stop ticket to Kyoto and really see what Suntory, the Pioneer of Japanese Whisky, is capable of.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, 514 Chartres Street Presented by Absolut Vodka Led by Nick Strangeway $55 Absolut presents Nick Strangeway, England’s farm-to-table bad boy of mixology, at the iconically weird New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. Explore the museum’s marvels while Nick guides you through a totally new approach to flavor and taste. Less of a seminar and more of a total experience, this is sure to be one of the most talked about events of the year. Surprises and marvels await- this is one thing you do not want to miss.

Thursday, July 26, 2011 The Old U.S. Mint, 400 Esplanade Avenue Presented by Diageo $55 World Class U.S. invites you to celebrate the art of the cocktail while embarking on an international mixology experience. Join our World Class mixologists for a celebration of the history, trends and tastes of the cocktail. Leave the streets of New Orleans and enter a Brazilian-inspired oasis to celebrate the largest global cocktail program and have the opportunity to try an array of classics with a twist incorporating gin, tequila, whisk(e)y, vodka and rum alongside local delicacies.

Thursday, July 26, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Branca Distilleries, Cardinal, Dry Sack Sherry, Fonseca Porto Gonzalez Byass, Haus Alpenz, Imbue Vermouth, Lillet, Lirette Selections Quady Winery, Sandeman Port, Sutton Cellars $55 The world of aromatized and fortified wines is quickly becoming the next big thing for bars and bartenders to specialize in. Their use as a cocktail ingredient can provide a vast palette of creative choices, and offering them as a stand-alone option on the menu is a great way to introduce customers to them. Come join us for a special tasting of a wide range of brands and products including Port, Sherry, Madeira, Marsala, and Vermouth and get a chance to learn more about this fascinating and specialized category.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Meet at the Hotel Monteleone Front Steps Presented by Spicebox Whisky $100 Let the good times roll as you take in the sights and sounds of New Orleans from behind a pair of handlebars on the Confederacy of Cruisers Bike Tour. This two-wheeled tour takes you through the distinctive neighborhoods of New Orleans as you soak in some history and stop off for some local cuisine along the way. And as a Tales of the Cocktail® exclusive, mixology maven Chris Hannah joins the tour, serving up some of the cocktail history and culture that lives throughout the city. So join us and let’s get cruising through the NOLA streets.

Friday, July 27, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Rum For All Led by Sean Ludford & Paul Pacult $47 Tracing Rum's pedigree from the earliest beginnings of sugarcane in New Guinea thousands of years ago through the discovery of distillation in southern Asia to Columbus's planting of sugarcane in the New World in 1493, Rum maestros F. Paul Pacult and Sean Ludford will lead this seminar like a safari through time. As Co-Directors of RUM FOR ALL, Pacult and Ludford are the ideal guides to sugarcane's fascinating history and Rum's rise as a world-class adult beverage, one that easily rivals Scotch, Cognac, Bourbon and Tequila. Seminar includes a blind tasting of twelve of the world's most highly acclaimed Rums, from exotic tropical places like the West Indies, Barbados, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Panama, Martinique and more. All For Rum and Rum For All!

Friday, July 27, 2012 Queen Anne Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by BNIC/EU Led by Dave Broom & Tristan Stephenson $47 Why isn’t Cognac an obvious bartender choice when developing cocktails? To try and convince people that it's high time that it was, Dave Broom and Tristan Stephenson will discuss the flavours of Cognac, where they come from and what they mean. While Dave will take you on a historical walk through the vineyards and distilleries, Tristan will take a classic cocktail of that era and then look at ways in which to make it more accessible and exciting for the modern palate. What happens if you turn an eggnog into a liquid nitrogen ice cream? What does absinthe air taste like in a reworked Sazerac? Can you swap citric acid for tartaric acid in a new-look Sidecar? Cognac has been overlooked. It is time to redress the balance.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Riverview Room, Hotel Monteleone Led by Martín Auzmendi with Carlo Contini, Federico Cuco $47 When most people think of Argentina, they think of the tango, the gauchos of Patagonia, mate, and the distant territories of Tierra del Fuego -- the land of fire at the end of the world. But Argentina, and Buenos Aires in particular, has had a long, thriving, and unique cocktail culture, in part because of successive waves of immigration, especially Italian migrations. Over three million Italians migrated to Argentina between 1820 and 1950. They´ve had a huge influence on Argentine art, politics, economy, and, of course, alcoholic drinks. The most popular and best sold drinks in Argentina are Italian vermouth and aperitifs, such as Fernet Branca and Cinzano Rosso. Italian customs mixed easily with the local tradition of wine and soda water, resulting in great Argentine cocktails. The '30s, '40s and '50s were golden years, during which cocktail books were published, bar tools were manufactured locally, and some bartenders became quite famous, creating a new local style. This seminar is about how immigration blended different traditions, creating this style, and how aperitifs were re-invented. Learn about the bartenders, books, movies, and original recipes, and taste some famous Argentine cocktails to experience first hand this wonderful blend of cultures and styles.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Grand Ballroom North, Royal Sonesta Presented by Bittermens and Kahlua Led by Amy Zavatto with Trevor Corlett, Cora Lambert, Michael Philips, Troy Sidle $47 When was the last time you had a great coffee-centric cocktail? Mixologists have been at once modern-day pioneers, epicureans, and historians – seeking out and reviving forgotten, nearly extinct ingredients and recipes, and finding new, phenomenal ways to bring them back into the bars of today. And yet, the ingredient of coffee remains elusive. Beyond the stale, old eye-rollers of Irish Coffee or Spanish Coffee, innovation behind the bar has all but skipped coffee – and yet, it is one of the most fascinating, complex, malleable additions to the shaker. Problem is, most bartenders don’t know how to use it. In Coffee: The Missing Ingredient, our panel of experts will teach you about different flavor profiles in bean varietals, how they can complement particular spirits, why getting to know a little bit about roasting levels can help you fine-tune your recipes, and how mastering different brew methods (espresso, pour over, and cold brew iced coffee) are great for enhancing coffee-centric cocktails. After all, isn’t it about time coffee amounted to more than a hill of beans in your bar?

Friday, July 27, 2012 Fleur De Lis, Royal Sonesta Presented by Haus Alpenz, Benedictine, Chartreuse, Del Maguey Mezcal Led by Derek Brown with Ron Cooper, Father Bill Daley, Tim Master, Eric Seed $47 The belief that the way to God is with beer in hand is a persistent one throughout many cultures. No wonder Prohibitionists were afaid that the bar might replace the Church! But the truth is far more complicated. Religion and alcohol have been mutually dependent on each other throughout history and, whether African or Aztec, alcohol has played an important part of the development of religious ceremonies and hospitality. We will explore everything from religious rituals at the world's oldest excavated temple to monk-made liquors and discuss the sacred origins of spirits and hospitality with industry experts and Father Bill Dailey.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Loft 523, 523 Gravier Street Presented by Suntory Whisky Led by Gardner Dunn and Neyah White $55 The whisky bars of Japan are legendary as much for their selection as they are for their hospitality. Far from the workaday highball bars of Tokyo, these temples of the dram are sedate, stylized and incredibly complete in their selections. Not only that, there are staffed by professionals who often have a firsthand knowledge that puts the ‘whisky bars’ of the West to shame. This ticket equates to a reservation at one of these amazing bars. Step out of the Quarter for an hour and into Kyoto, the sei-ichi, or soul-place, of Japan. Suntory’s global whisky ambassador team will serve as your bar staff and be there to guide you through the selection of bottles, some of which are virtually unobtainable even in Japan. Lincoln Carson, corporate pastry chef for the Mina Group, will be on hand to craft tastes that incorporate and pair with these incredible spirits. Think you know Japanese Whisky? Secure a non-stop ticket to Kyoto and really see what Suntory, the Pioneer of Japanese Whisky, is capable of.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse, Royal Sonesta Presented by Pernod Ricard Led by Allen Katz $55 An unparalleled cast of characters brings you anecdotes, stories and theatrical sketches on the history of the cocktail, imbibing and related nonsense. Performances drawn on historical and original material will be paired with appropriate and thoughtful cocktails for further pleasure and excitement. (Hosted by Allen Katz, each presenter will share a reading/song/story/slide show that will be crafted into an afternoon of collected performances.)

Friday, July 27, 2012 Omni Royal New Orleans, 621 Saint Louis Street Presented by Bulleit Bourbon, Dancing Pines Distillery, Imbibe Magazine, Laird's Applejack Brandy, Lillet Rose, Macchu Pisco, Nonino, Old New Orleans Rum, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur, Piedmont Distillers, Pink Pigeon, Solerno, ShakeStir.com $65 There was a time when women weren’t even allowed in bars, let alone behind them. But as the years have passed, countless women have continued to show how the art of making cocktails has nothing to do with gender. Tales of the Cocktail® and Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails (LUPEC) are coming together to honor today’s most influential female mixlogists. Those that redefining bartending with every shake. Join us as we sample their handiwork and honor them as the first class of inductees into the Dame Hall of Fame.

Friday, July 27, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Diageo Led by Dmitry Sokolov with Vyacheslav Lankin, Roman Milostivy, Marat Sadarov, Vladimir Zhuravlev $47 Part 1. World history of Russian alcohol. 1. Development of a national alcoholic drink. From medostav to vodka manufacture. Difference between Grain wine and vodka. The Golden Age of vodka from the middle 18 to the middle of 19 centuries Monopoly introduction. State Wine. The Prohibition in Russia 1914. 2. History of Smirnov The vodka King-supplier of an imperial court yard Emigration. Vodka Smirnoff. Europ-America. The world glory through Moscow Mule and James Bond’s Vodka-Martini Russia 90. Russian relative Vodka Smirnov 3. The review of cult directories 30х-40-х with recipes of cocktails on vodka. Savoy Cocktail Book 1930 (H. Craddock) The Oficial Mixer’s Manual 1934 (Patrick Gavin Duffy) Café Royal 1937 (W.Tarlling) The Fine Art Of Mixing Drinks 1948 (David Embury) The first vodka cocktails through modern Russian mixology Russian Cocktail (NEW - Orleans 1910), Tovarich (Patrick Gavin Duffy 1934) Katinka (David Embury) 1948) Part 2. Bars of Russia and their drinks. 1. Evolution of Russian bar. From Korchma and the Tavern to the Hall Cocktail tselovalnik - The first Russian barman The tsar and a cocktail The first bar in Russia 2. Cocktails and drinks in life of a society of the Soviet period. 3. Modern Russian cocktail. V Polyot/In Flight (Cocktail Hall 1950’s) Zhar–Ptiza/Fire Bird (Café Molodyozhnoe 1960’s) Isaev (A. Kan)"

Friday, July 27, 2012 Queen Anne Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Plymouth Gin Led by Sebastian Reaburn with Jacob Briars, Simon Ford $47 With so much of the history of cocktails unearthed from the early cocktail books, some of the most influential cities, bars and bartenders' stories were lost. We are bringing those bars and bartenders back from obscurity. We will be naming names, showing recipes, and recounting the menus and offerings of some of the world's greatest forgotten bars. Focusing on San Francisco, London and Melbourne, we will also touch on Paris, Amsterdam, Rome, India and Burma. The 1860s was the first global golden age of cocktails, and bars around the world took the American concept of the cocktail and embraced it. So, to discover the truth behind the Tom Collins, the name of the first bottle aged cocktail, the menus from the greatest bars of the 1860s, find out where Hendricks got their recipe ideas, and answer the most important question of all, is Jerry Thomas' Bon Vivant just a parochial local snapshot of what they drank in New York, or a wide ranging summary of the global trend?You will taste recreated cocktails of the 1860s. Learn the recipe for the most famous cocktail in the world. Get a tantalising glimpse of what has been forgotten. And learn the names of the groundbreaking bartenders from around the world.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Riverview Room, Hotel Monteleone Led by Brad Farran & Nicholas Jarrett $47 Nicholas Jarrett & Brad Farran invite attendees of Tales '12 to consider some of the conservation issues that face the modern cocktail bar and drinker. From the simple issues of recycling to the much more complex issues of water usage, they'll start small, working their way towards describing a bar of the future, and touch on some of the design issues informing their attempt at creating a zero-impact cocktail bar at Burning Man.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Grand Ballroom North, Royal Sonesta Presented by Pernod Ricard Led by Tony Conigliaro $47 Using classic cocktails and outside elements such as music, lighting, and aroma to change the surrounding environment I will explore how outside influences can dramatically alter the taste perception of a drink. This is particularly relevant topic for every bartender to be aware that they to pay attention to every aspect of their establishment, not just their cocktail program. The latest scientific research from food scientists, psychology, and personal observation will be examined.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Fleur De Lis, Royal Sonesta Presented by Pernod Ricard Led by Robert Hess & Audrey Saunders $47 The elusive quality of perfection in cocktail creation is something all bars and bartenders should strive to achieve, but more often than not, fall slightly short of their goal. In this seminar, noted cocktail personalities Audrey Saunders and Robert Hess will walk the audience through the steps that will help anybody with a serious interest in craft cocktails understand the processes that can be used to take their drinks to the next level. We will be examining technique, recipe selection and tuning, as well as how brand choices can play a critical role. We will discuss the importance of consistency, and how to design a cocktail program that can achieve it on a daily basis. We will also run the audience through hands on examples which will help them see how this approach actually works.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Loft 523, 523 Gravier Street Presented by Suntory Whisky Led by Gardner Dunn and Neyah White $55 The whisky bars of Japan are legendary as much for their selection as they are for their hospitality. Far from the workaday highball bars of Tokyo, these temples of the dram are sedate, stylized and incredibly complete in their selections. Not only that, there are staffed by professionals who often have a firsthand knowledge that puts the ‘whisky bars’ of the West to shame. This ticket equates to a reservation at one of these amazing bars. Step out of the Quarter for an hour and into Kyoto, the sei-ichi, or soul-place, of Japan. Suntory’s global whisky ambassador team will serve as your bar staff and be there to guide you through the selection of bottles, some of which are virtually unobtainable even in Japan. Lincoln Carson, corporate pastry chef for the Mina Group, will be on hand to craft tastes that incorporate and pair with these incredible spirits. Think you know Japanese Whisky? Secure a non-stop ticket to Kyoto and really see what Suntory, the Pioneer of Japanese Whisky, is capable of.

Friday, July 27, 2012 New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, 514 Chartres Street Presented by Absolut Vodka Led by Nick Strangeway $55 Absolut presents Nick Strangeway, England’s farm-to-table bad boy of mixology, at the iconically weird New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. Explore the museum’s marvels while Nick guides you through a totally new approach to flavor and taste. Less of a seminar and more of a total experience, this is sure to be one of the most talked about events of the year. Surprises and marvels await- this is one thing you do not want to miss.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Queen Anne Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Pages, Anchor Distilling and Luxardo Led by Dale DeGroff with Matteo Luxardo, Jim Meehan and Alain Royer $47 A presentation of samples of ingredients currently used in the production of Pagès Védrenne liqueurs; pits, barks, peels, roots, leaves and seeds. Every participant will have on his or her mat in small transparent cups some of these… We will present a comparative tasting of the 96% spirit, neutral raw spirit used in the making of liquors against the 70% ABV spirit, used in Cognac Frapin to stress the difference. Not too many have had the opportunity to taste carefully 96% spirit, neutral. We will explain why we want this spirit to be totally neutral in the production of Liqueurs and present the maceration process. We will follow with a tasting of one or two infusions,( see the chart attached) of materials we will provide from the production of the Pagès Védrenne liqueurs. We will discuss the process of sweetening and the sugars that are used sweeteners that can be used. And of course we will include a tasting of the final products. Matteo Luxardo will speak about the production and history of the Luxardo Brands. Mixologists know so well how to use the final products, I am not sure there are that many who have the opportunity to experience actual step by step of production

Friday, July 27, 2012 Riverview Room, Hotel Monteleone Led by Anu Apte $47 Drink on the offensive. Views from medical, behavioral, and anthropological sciences will be used to validate that drinking is good for your health! We'll talk herbs and their respective health qualities when added to alcohol to make infusions, tinctures, bitters, etc. We'll drink three cocktails each of which have been used as examples in past studies or embody herbal elements. Don't worry there will be plenty of humor and anecdotes. Also, each attendee will receive a sample of something special endorsed by Swig Well, A Seattle Drinking Academy.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Loft 523, 523 Gravier Street Presented by Suntory Whisky Led by Gardner Dunn and Neyah White $55 The whisky bars of Japan are legendary as much for their selection as they are for their hospitality. Far from the workaday highball bars of Tokyo, these temples of the dram are sedate, stylized and incredibly complete in their selections. Not only that, there are staffed by professionals who often have a firsthand knowledge that puts the ‘whisky bars’ of the West to shame. This ticket equates to a reservation at one of these amazing bars. Step out of the Quarter for an hour and into Kyoto, the sei-ichi, or soul-place, of Japan. Suntory’s global whisky ambassador team will serve as your bar staff and be there to guide you through the selection of bottles, some of which are virtually unobtainable even in Japan. Lincoln Carson, corporate pastry chef for the Mina Group, will be on hand to craft tastes that incorporate and pair with these incredible spirits. Think you know Japanese Whisky? Secure a non-stop ticket to Kyoto and really see what Suntory, the Pioneer of Japanese Whisky, is capable of.

Friday, July 27, 2012 New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, 514 Chartres Street Presented by Absolut Vodka Led by Nick Strangeway $55 Absolut presents Nick Strangeway, England’s farm-to-table bad boy of mixology, at the iconically weird New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. Explore the museum’s marvels while Nick guides you through a totally new approach to flavor and taste. Less of a seminar and more of a total experience, this is sure to be one of the most talked about events of the year. Surprises and marvels await- this is one thing you do not want to miss.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Grand Ballroom North, Royal Sonesta Led by Jeff Berry with David Wondrich Presented by Bols Creme de Cacao, Bols Sloe Gin, Hendrick’s Gin $47 The scandalous, murderous, delicious history of Panamanian alcohology. From 1502 to 1945, the Isthmus of Panama took an epic journey from native Indian spit-beer to pirate punch, and from yellow fever to cocktail fever. The cast of characters includes Captain Morgan (the real one, not the spiced one), Teddy Roosevelt, cocktail pioneer Jerry Thomas, and cocktail chronicler Charles Baker. Vintage Panamanian recipes will be served.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Fleur De Lis, Royal Sonesta Presented by Excellia Tequila Led by Philip Duff with Carlos Camarena and Jean Sébastien Robicquet $47 For the first time ever, two master blenders from opposite sides of the world reveal the art and science of the spirits world's most secretive craft: blending. From cognac to rum to tequila, from single-malt to blended whiskey to rum and even gin (yes, gin!) blending is the most important - and difficult - skill for a producer to master. All the world's best-selling spirits are blended, and even ""straight"" spirits like single-malt Scotch, cognac and 100% blue-agave tequila depend on blending for their flavour. Frenchman Jean-Sebastien Robicquet (distiller and blender at EuroWineGate and with decades of experience in blending cognac and gin batches) shares the stage with Carlos Camarena, one of the most revered distillers and blenders in the tequila world and producer of the award-winning Tapatio, El Tesoro and Excellia tequilas. Together with moderator Philip Duff they will guide you through the tricks of the trade and define the line between art and craft, drawing on a combined half-century's experience of blending best-selling spirits all around the world. Often undervalued, blending, far more than distilling, defines the flavour of a spirit, especially an aged one. No event like Tales has ever hosted a blending seminar before, as blenders are secretive by nature. This seminar is a unique opportunity to learn the art and craft of blending from two of the best-known and most-respected names in the business. Attendees will be able to blend their own tequila from Carlos' cellars, using techniques and distillates supervised by Jean-Sebastien. As well as learning new appreciation for the skill of the blender, attendees will gain terrific new insight into how a blend can actually be better than a ""straight"" spirit, as well as seeing how blending can affect price, consistency and flavour. At least one comparative serve, i.e. the same cocktail served twice with only one ingredient varied"

Friday, July 27, 2012 Hotel Monteleone Lobby, Hotel Monteleone Presented by St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur Led by Joe Gendusa $40 In 2002, Tales of the Cocktail started not as the international alcohol celebration it is today, but as a small gathering to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the New Orleans Cocktail Tour. Join us as we celebrate the tour’s 11th year with a spirited romp through the French Quarter led by renowned historian, Joe Gendusa. Enjoy history spiked with spirits as you explore the famous and bars and restaurants that has made New Orleans a cocktail destination. Tours meet and begin in the Hotel Monteleone lobby daily, where guests are treated to their first cocktail, compliments of St-Germain, the world’s first artisanal liqueur handcrafted from fresh elderflowers.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Loft 523, 523 Gravier Street Presented by Suntory Whisky Led by Gardner Dunn and Neyah White $55 The whisky bars of Japan are legendary as much for their selection as they are for their hospitality. Far from the workaday highball bars of Tokyo, these temples of the dram are sedate, stylized and incredibly complete in their selections. Not only that, there are staffed by professionals who often have a firsthand knowledge that puts the ‘whisky bars’ of the West to shame. This ticket equates to a reservation at one of these amazing bars. Step out of the Quarter for an hour and into Kyoto, the sei-ichi, or soul-place, of Japan. Suntory’s global whisky ambassador team will serve as your bar staff and be there to guide you through the selection of bottles, some of which are virtually unobtainable even in Japan. Lincoln Carson, corporate pastry chef for the Mina Group, will be on hand to craft tastes that incorporate and pair with these incredible spirits. Think you know Japanese Whisky? Secure a non-stop ticket to Kyoto and really see what Suntory, the Pioneer of Japanese Whisky, is capable of.

Friday, July 27, 2012 New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, 514 Chartres Street Presented by Absolut Vodka Led by Nick Strangeway $55 Absolut presents Nick Strangeway, England’s farm-to-table bad boy of mixology, at the iconically weird New Orleans Pharmacy Museum. Explore the museum’s marvels while Nick guides you through a totally new approach to flavor and taste. Less of a seminar and more of a total experience, this is sure to be one of the most talked about events of the year. Surprises and marvels await- this is one thing you do not want to miss.

Friday, July 27, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by A. Smith Bowman Distilling, American Distilling Institute, Boyd and Blair Vodka, Breckenridge Distillery, Cardinal, Corsair Distillery, Dancing Pines Distillery, Dry Fly Distilling, Few Spirits, Hudson Whiskies-Tuthilltown, Koval Distillery, Laird's Applejack Brandy, Middle West Spirits, Montanya Distillers, New Holland Artisan Spirits, Ole Smoky Moonshine, Peach Street Distillers, Piedmont Distillers, Smooth Ambler, Troy and Sons Moonshine $55 In the last decade, the number of small distillers in the U.S. grew from a few dozen to more than 200 today, now making an array of products from white spirits such as vodka and gin to wide varieties of liqueurs, aged whiskeys and brandies. Tales of the Cocktail® was founded on entrepreneurial spirit and in 2012 will give our attendees a special opportunity to meet the artisans of our country’s craft distillers. Each of these craft distillers is producing alcoholic beverage spirits in annual quantities of fewer than 50,000 proof gallons using a pot still. The impact craft distillers have on the world of cocktails can’t be measured in the gallons of spirits they make. Their small batches of vodkas, gins, whiskeys, brandies, liqueurs and more add a whole different flavor to cocktails served around the world. Come meet 24 of the world’s top craft distillers as they sample their handiwork and discuss the artisan and sometimes old-fashioned techniques that make their spirits much bigger than the number of barrels they produce.

Friday, July 27, 2012 The Chicory, 610 South Peters Street Presented by Bacardi® Rum, In the Mix Magazine and the United Sates Bartenders Guild $55 The story of the Daiquirí began in Cuba on June 20, 1898 when Admiral William T. Sampson and General William R. Shafter landed American troops at Daiquirí Beach during the Spanish-American War. The Authentic BACARDÍ® Hand-Shaken Daiquirí cocktail has been a favorite taste of the tropics since its creation. Its exotic taste and seemingly limitless versatility make it a modern classic. In pursuit of refreshment on a hot day or in need of a taste of the tropics any time, the BACARDÍ Daiquirí remains the coolest. Twelve competitors will take to their bar tools to shake up new takes on this classic cocktail with one thing remaining the same – BACARDI – the rum this legendary cocktail was created with. The prize: title as champion of the Hand-Shaken Daiquirí. Both the Judge’s choice and the People’s Choice champions will be announced and awarded on Friday, July 27, 2012. Each champion will receive a one-of-a-kind trophy, and the judge’s choice champion will receive a check for $1,500.00 for his or her chapter. Participating competitors will be chosen based on recipes from the top twelve USBG Chapters. This year’s judges will include: USBG National President David Nepove, and winner at the National 2012 Legacy Bacardi Cocktail Contest Shingo Gokan, BACARDI Rum Brand Master Juan Coronado, Founder of Tales of the Cocktail® Ann Tuennerman, and Managing Editor of In the Mix Magazine Mike Raven.

Friday, July 27, 2012 Generations Hall, 310 Andrew Higgins Drive Presented by Moët Hennessy USA $55 See some of the world’s best mixologists answer the bell and come out shaking at Tales of the Cocktail® and Moët Hennessy USA’s Bar Room Brawl Competition and Party. Bar teams from around the country will take the corners of our ring as they slug it out using their cocktail acumen to create original drinks using 10 Cane Rum, Belvedere Vodka, Grand Marnier, Hennessy. In the end, the judges will crown one team as the undisputed Bar Room Brawl Champions of the World, and the attendees will crown the people’s champion.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Queen Anne Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Led by Rohan Jelkie $47 For a country that is possibly among the largest liquor markets in the world and one which is experiencing rapid expansion, India is hardly known for its local brews that are yet to be discovered by the rest of the world. This session will introduce you to alcoholic brews and spirits that are native to this land and the stories behind them. From flowers to burnt rice, cashew apples to date palm - the ingredients are endless. And we will take a look if any one of them has the potential to become the next Cachaca or Tequila of the beverage world.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Led by Don Lee with Phil Ward, Bobby Heugel, David Suro, Kelley Slagle $47 Join Tequila Interchange Project members Phil Ward (Mayahuel, NY), Bobby Heugel (Anvil, TX), David Suro (Tequilas, PA), and Don Lee (Cocktail Kingdom, NY) as they present new sensory analysis and discuss the language of tequila. In this seminar you'll blind taste along with the panel as they compare the scientific analysis to what they actually taste in the glass. Then join the discussion on how as an industry we can most effectively speak among ourselves and to consumers about tequila.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Riverview Room, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Imbibe, Citadelle Gin, Quady Winery, Imbue Vermouth Led by Paul Clarke with Jackson Cannon, Neil Kopplin, Andrew Quady, Carl Sutton $47 Vermouth has been an essential component of the American bar for more than a century. Today, winemakers and bartenders across the U.S. are creating distinctive styles of this venerable aromatized wine, blending classic tradition with contemporary tastes to breathe new life into this venerable part of the drinks world. This session will explore modern styles of vermouth, and will feature three of the nation’s pioneering vermouth producers, discussing for the first time ever their approaches to this aromatized wine. This session will also delve into the dynamic world of house-made vermouth, with practical suggestions for the ways bartenders and home mixologists can create their own styles of vermouth. Among the topics covered will be flavor considerations when selecting and blending wines and botanicals; the ways these distinctive vermouths may be best utilized in cocktails; and how innovative vermouths and house-made aperitifs can strengthen a bar or restaurant’s drinks program."

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Grand Ballroom North, Royal Sonesta Presented by Caribou Crossing Canadian Whisky, Victoria Gin Led by Shawn Soole with Jay Jones, Danielle Tatarin, David Wolowydnik $47 An indepth look into the unknown past of Canadian Cocktail Culture. While many believe that Canada has only just begun to show the world it's burgeoning cocktail culture, we would like to show the rest of the world the near forgotten culture we once had. This seminar will not only show you the culture and history that hot spots such as Vancouver & Toronto once had but also let you experience and taste the classic Canadian cocktails such as the Caesar, The Vancouver Cocktail, The Hotel Georgia Cocktail and the Toronto. An indepth look into the unknown past of Canadian Cocktail Culture. While many believe that Canada has only just begun to show the world it's burgeoning cocktail culture, we would like to show the rest of the world the near forgotten culture we once had. This seminar will not only show you the culture and history that hot spots such as Vancouver & Toronto once had but also let you experience and taste the classic Canadian cocktails such as the Caesar, The Vancouver Cocktail, The Hotel Georgia Cocktail and the Toronto.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Fleur De Lis, Royal Sonesta Presented by Belvedere Led by Claire Smith with Jacob Briars, Toby Checchini, Simon Difford, Allen Katz, Max Watman, Angus Winchester $47 There are lots of things to love about cocktails… Erik Lorincz’s perfect shake; cute coupette glasses; Dale Degroff; the first ice cold sip of a martini, or the frothy lipped perfection of a Silver Fizz. After all, isn’t this the reason we’re all here at Tales of the Cocktail, to celebrate The Craft, the Art of the Shaker, or marvel at the Mysteries of Master Mixologists? Consider then, what you will most likely consume while you are here or better yet, on your nights off… Will it be a well made Margarita, an Old Fashioned, or simply a cold beer and a chilled chaser? When asked what your favourite cocktail is, do you struggle to remember the last time you actually ordered one? Or even paid for one? Who is drinking the cocktails we’re all dissecting and does anyone really care that you’ve grown the Mojito mint yourself, on the bar top? Has the reflection and discussion over what makes a really Great Drink begun to overshadow the actual enjoyment of any Great Drink? Are the mixologist/barchef/liquorist’s days numbered and are we all secretly enjoying spirits the way they were consumed before Jerry Thomas got his grubby mitts on them? When modern distilled spirits are just so damn good neat, why bother to mix them? Join Claire Smith, Angus Winchester, Simon Difford, Toby Cecchini, Allen Katz, Jacob Briars and Max Watman (Huffington Post) as we once again debate for and against what we’ve all been secretly thinking… Is the game truly up? Are cocktails relevant anymore? Love Cocktails? Bring your best shake. Hate cocktails? Bring body armor…this is going to get awesome.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Domenica Restaurant, 123 Baronne Street Presented by Jameson Irish Whiskey $65 Chef Alon of Domenica Restaurant will give an introduction to the Italian technique of butchering a local Mangalista pig. The Italian’s practice does not concentrate on the different muscles of the pig, but more on the art and shape of the distinctive area of the pig’s body. All the meat parts have to be even for the salt to access and cure the meat uniformly. Enjoy the succulent Salumi paired with a delicious cocktail while gaining knowledge in the art of pig butchering.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Windsor Court, 300 Gravier St. Presented by Absolut Vodka and Beefeater 24 $65 Come join Rodrick J. Markus (Rare Tea Cellar), Chris Patino (Pernod Ricard) and Don Lee (Cocktail Kingdom) for the time honored tradition of "High" Tea at the historic Windsor Court Hotel to experience mixology out of a tea pot. Expect classic tea sandwiches and snacks with unexpected tea infusions and potations. If you want to get geeky about tea and learn how to make your own infusions check out their seminar Tea Totalers – From Plant to Cocktail.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Muriel's Jackson Square, 801 Chartres Street Presented by Diageo Led by Robert Sickler $60 Robert Sickler, Master of Whisky for the Classic Malts, describes single malt Scotch as the 'wine of the spirits world' due to its numerous parallels with the ancient fermented liquid (natural ingredients, heritage, barrel aging, terroir, etc). Their most striking similarity is the complexity both yield, making each a wonderful accompaniment to cuisine. With literally hundreds of aromas identified in its various expressions, single malt Scotch whisky calls out for a well suited culinary companion. At this spirited luncheon you will encounter what occurs when the world's most complex spirit encounters America's most culturally diverse cuisine. Come experience an array of Creole dishes artfully concocted to match the aromas and flavors of their adjacent single malt whisky. In addition, experience some classic New Orleans cocktails utilizing the Classic Malts of Scotland for yet another mingling of two exquisite traditions.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Bombay Sapphire Gin Led by Gary Hayward & Raj Nagra with Andrew Mirabito, Liv Bader and Dr. George Dodd $47 Join us on a truly amazing journey and learn more about the perception of taste, and how it relates to the overall flavor experience. Working with our team, Dr. George Dodd, independent aroma expert and Bio-chemist developed the first ever complete GIN aroma kit - the first of it's kind. Dr. George Dodd is the foremost expert on aromas, most famous for his development of the whisky academy. The aroma kits were developed to analyze the entire gin category, so experience the 24 different aromas (including 4 different expressions of Juniper) found within our current universe of gins, through a blind tasting of some of the key gins within the category today. Once we’ve discovered these aromas within these gins, we’ll explore them further through several classic cocktails.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Del Maguey Mezcal, Siembra Azul, Mezcales de Leyenda, Clément, Rothman and Winter Led by Bobby Heugel, Misty Kalkofen, & Thad Vogler $47 This seminar will discuss the historical evolution of spirits from agricultural products to industrialized products. While we refer to our bars as “classic” cocktail bars, very little of how our bars operate today reflect the seasonality of products, such as citrus. Moreover, we now have access to a broader and steadier supply of global spirits than ever before, with varying degrees of quality. We politely ask: are we serving classic cocktail or industrialized beverages? Our discussion will identify the paths of future we choose, for better or worse, as producers and bar professionals.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Riverview Room, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Pernod Ricard Led by Wayne Curtis & Darcy O'Neil $47 “Mature taste” doesn’t necessarily involve smooth jazz and velour smoking jackets. How we perceive taste and aroma — physiologically speaking — is a complex process, and one that gradually alters as we grow older. The loss of taste bud mass begins around the age of 50 (sooner for women; later for men), with our ability to taste salty and sweet going first, and bitter and sour persisting longer. (Which partly explains why your grandparents like sour candies and extra-bitters in their Manhattans.) Smell is also a major component of taste — and how our receptors for aroma change over time follows a wholly different track from our change in taste receptors. This seminar looks at these processes of change, and what it means for cocktail preferences as we age.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Grand Ballroom North, Royal Sonesta Presented by Bols Blue Curacao Led by Jacob Briars with Philip Duff, Sebastian Reaburn $47 The cocktail renaissance has brought many once-obscure spirits back to the forefront of bartenders minds. But overlooked in this rush to recreate Washington's rye and Hogarth's gin has been the role that liqueurs have played in the emergence of the Cocktail. From the birth of the Cocktail in1790s England, to its near-death in 1980s California, the liqueur has made bad booze drinkable and made good booze blue. But how are liqueurs made, and how has their evolution shaped the cocktails of past and present? How does colour affect the perception of taste and aroma of a cocktail? How do you make your own liqueurs, and should you bother? And in case that sounds too serious, discover whether blue drinks really do taste better, as we bring a disco twist to several sacred classics. Join Jacob Briars, Sebastian Reaburn and the inimtable Philip Duff, and let us take you in to the sweet blue yonder.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Fleur De Lis, Royal Sonesta Presented by Hum Spirits, Vanberg & DeWulf Beer, Del Maguey Led by Adam Seger with Doug Frost, Francesco Lafranconi and Wendy Littlefield $47 Fasten your seatbelts Ladies & Gentlemen, it's gonna be a bubbly ride. Beer is the most chemically complex alcoholic beverage in the world and top mixologists around the globe are discovering not only the flavor complexity it adds to a cocktail, but also the magic of its effervescence with elevating aromas and the unique texture it adds to a cocktail. You will 'get your hands dirty' and your tastebuds buzzing during this exciting 90 minute ride. A properly made beertail starts with an exceptionally balanced cocktail onto which an appropriate beer is floated on top. The brew not only pulls the aroma of the cocktail beneath 'up' with its effervescence, but also compliments and contrasts with the cocktail to create a unique 'beertail'. The lucky drinker tastes the beer with the first few sips, but with the subtle aroma of the cocktail. Then the middle of the drink is the beer and cocktail together on the palate. Because the beer floats, the final tastes are the cocktail on its own. Our beer sponsor Vanberg and DeWulf for 30 years has been the leading importer of world class beers from Mecca..oops, Belgium. Aren't they the same place? Through this tasting lead by some of the most forward thinking minds and palates in the beverage world, you will enjoy 20 unique flavor experiences. With Four Beertails, you will taste the cocktail on its own, then the beer on its own, then the beer floating on the cocktail with the cocktail's aroma coming thru the head, then the cocktail and beer together and finally the cocktail at the bottom with just a hint of the beer's malt, but sans bubbles. To compliment Vanberg & DeWulf's world-class beers, the base spirits for this experience will be HUM Botanical Spirit, Sombra Mezcal, El Dorado 15 Year Demerara Rum and Labrot & Graham Woodford Reserve Bourbon. ""At BEERTAILS, we treat you right"". As cocktails hit their renaissance and craft beers hit an all time high, Tales of the Cocktail's 10th Anniversary is the perfect forum for the movers and shakers in the cocktail world to taste and hear first-hand the 'next big thing' in the world-wide cocktail movement.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 La Nouvelle Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Drambuie Led by Matt Seiter with Kevin Diedrich, Scott Huth $47 The idea of putting cocktails on tap is one of the next trends in this industry. Wine is already being put on tap nationwide, it only makes sense that cocktails will follow. Matt Seiter from Sanctuaria in Saint Louis has been doing cocktails on tap for six months. Kevin Diedrich from Jasper’s in San Francisco has gained popularity and success from his Negroni on tap. Scott Huth from Tavernita in Chicago opened his bar this year with a custom built, state of the art draft system with two carbonated, six non-carbonated cocktails/sangrias and 4 house sodas. Together they will share their collective knowledge of implementing a tap cocktail system. Attendees will learn why implementing cocktails on tap is one of many ways to make your bar more profitable. You will learn how to obtain the equipment needed to do so and the costs your bar will incur. The gents will share insights about this process, and the full method of implementing cocktails on tap. After going through these points, they will batch a cocktail and show you just how easy it is to create a cocktail on tap. All cocktails for this seminar will be served on tap. The gents have a portable “on tap” system they will be sharing.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Queen Anne Ballroom, Hotel Monteleone Presented by Varnelli and Ricard Led by Francesco Lafranconi with Jared Brown, Anistatia Miller, Mrs.Orietta Maria Varnelli $47 ...LOVE ANISE? Then Join Francesco Lafranconi-winner of the TOC 2009 Best Presenter Award- and his illustrious guests: Mrs. Varnelli-CEO of Distilleria Varnelli S.p.a. and Member of The Ordre Internationale des Anysetiers, and the inseparable cocktail couple, Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown-Directors of Mixellany Limited. They will transport you through an incredible historical and cultural journey, including an exclusive tasting of anise-based liqueurs and aperitifs produced among some of the most cultural-rich Mediterranean countries. Anise has a history of use as a spice and fragrance. It has been cultivated for at least 4,000 years. Since the 12th century, the caravans were bringing anise from China to Alexandria, where the precious seeds were shipped to Genoa and Marseille, two major hubs of the Mediterranean Sea trade, before being sent to Paris to be assigned to Anysetiers. After maceration and distillation of the resulting paste, they used to manufacture drugs, ointments and liquids then they catered Kings and Lords. Found in nature two different species of this plant which belongs to the Umbelliferae family: anise (Pimpinella anisum) and star anise, or anise (Illicium anisatum). Nowadays, it is becoming increasingly fashionable to satisfy the palate of the guests and for their pleasure, to serve many cocktails containing anise. Finally, in order to be exhaustive, let us not forget its use in its usual form of aniseed aperitif and liqueurs as presented by some major Italian, French, Spanish, Greek and Libanese spirits brands. As a special occasion during the seminar, The Ordre Internationale des Anysetiers will launch the FIRST chapter in the United States to revive the legend and tradition of the medieval guild of Anysetier. We look forward to having you join as a member of this treasured and historical guild established in 1263!

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Riverview Room, Hotel Monteleone Presented by William Grant & Sons Led by Charlotte Voisey $47 In a homage to the decade long reign of Tales of the Cocktail, a lively panel of ten cocktail professionals will, together, present a tasty look back at ten milestone drinks from an unparalleled era of cocktail rediscovery and innovation. This will be drinks and discussion on what defined a decade.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Grand Ballroom North, Royal Sonesta Presented by Bacardi USA Led by David Cid with Jacob Briars and Jose Gomez $47 There's no denying it, Flavoured Spirits aren't going away anytime soon! New flavors just keep popping up a dime a dozen. So, is there a secret to making a hit? What difference is there between an artificial and a natural flavouring? Is there a perfect spirit base? These questions require a closer look into the historic and current trends on flavoring utilized in Rum, Vodka, and just about any other alcohol beverage. Join this expert panel composed of a Master Blender, a Spirits expert, and a Flavorist. Together they will shed light unto a somewhat misunderstood, yet highly successful segment of our industry. From beginner to highly experienced, all bartenders will benefit from a better understanding of what goes into the extraction of naturals flavours, production of artificial compounds, the difference between them, and how they translate in a cocktail. This insightful session will come to a close with a hands-on experience led by the panel.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Fleur De Lis, Royal Sonesta Presented by Tanqueray London Dry & Tanqueray TEN Led by Philip Duff & Angus Winchester $47 So what's in a name? Fame, fortune and success or sales siberia? Regardless of taste one of the single most important factors in the success of a drink is a snappy name. Phil Duff and Angus Winchester investigate the dark art of product naming, investigate the need for accuracy and share their tips for name fame and not name shame.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Hotel Monteleone Lobby, Hotel Monteleone Presented by St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur Led by Joe Gendusa $40 In 2002, Tales of the Cocktail started not as the international alcohol celebration it is today, but as a small gathering to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the New Orleans Cocktail Tour. Join us as we celebrate the tour’s 11th year with a spirited romp through the French Quarter led by renowned historian, Joe Gendusa. Enjoy history spiked with spirits as you explore the famous and bars and restaurants that has made New Orleans a cocktail destination. Tours meet and begin in the Hotel Monteleone lobby daily, where guests are treated to their first cocktail, compliments of St-Germain, the world’s first artisanal liqueur handcrafted from fresh elderflowers.

Saturday, July 28, 2012 Hyatt Regency New Orleans, 601 Loyola Avenue Presented by Ultimate Spirits Challenge $55 As seen in the last three years of operation, Ultimate Spirits Challenge has set a new standard of integrity for spirits competitions by reworking how evaluations by panels of experts are conducted. Utilizing the latest technology, a groundbreaking multiple-level analytic approach and the experience of the world's foremost spirits tasters, Ultimate Spirits Challenge is now viewed as the genuine last word in spirits evaluation. Teaming with Tales of the Cocktail® to present the USC Chairman Trophy winners and Finalists in 2012 in a walk-around setting at the world's finest spirits and cocktails forum is a natural development. It provides distilleries and suppliers an extraordinary opportunity for brands to be sampled by a sophisticated and influential audience of trade and media. USC Chairman of Judging F.Paul Pacult and Co-Chairman Sean Ludford will be on present to discuss the results and USC's unique scoring system.

Relax, sit back and enjoy the 6th annual Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards® with your friends and your hosts, Drinking Made Easy star, Zane Lamprey and friend to bars everywhere, Simon Ford. Wear your best cocktail attire to cheer on your friends and colleagues and find out who is deemed best of the best in the cocktail world for 2012 with entertainment, good pub food, and drinks supplied by your sponsors Pernod Ricard USA.

Relax, sit back and enjoy the 6th annual Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards® with your friends and your hosts, Drinking Made Easy star, Zane Lamprey and friend to bars everywhere, Simon Ford. Wear your best cocktail attire to cheer on your friends and colleagues and find out who is deemed best of the best in the cocktail world for 2012 with entertainment, good pub food, and drinks supplied by your sponsors Pernod Ricard USA.

Sunday, July 29, 2012 Meet at the Hotel Monteleone Front Steps Presented by 42 Below Vodka $85 For a few hours during Tales of the Cocktail® 2012, we’ll be trading the wild life of the French Quarter for the wildlife of the Louisiana swamplands. This exclusive Tales Tour will take you to the Honey Island Swamp where you’ll enjoy cocktails on board the airboat as you drink in the majestic sights and sounds of this famous swamp. So pack your binoculars and join us on the boat for some good old-fashioned South Louisiana fun.

Sunday, July 29, 2012 Meet at the Hotel Monteleone Front Steps Led by Poppy Tooker $95 Poppy Tooker is a native New Orleanian who has spent her life immersed in the vibrant colors and flavors of her hometown. On this special excursion, she will take you to some of New Orleans most fascinating urban farms including Brobson Lutz “Bee Hive in the Hood” and the mid city chicken farms of Joe Brock. The tour ends with a wonderful tasting of foods raised from the gardens of Ye Olde College Inn a New Orleans landmark established in 1933. Dr. Brobson Lutz: Honey from the Hood Following Hurricane Katrina, Dr. Brobson Lutz, former City Heath director purchased an empty lot in the inner city where he began an urban farming effort. A specialty of his farm is a delectable honey that Dr. Lutz calls “Honey from the Hood.” This unique honey, harvested from hives in a most unlikely place has become a featured attraction in cocktails and on menus of New Orleans chefs lucky enough to be a friend of the doctor – as the Honey from the Hood is not for sale commercially. It is only dispensed at the doctor’s discretion, but you’ll agree – it’s just what the doctor ordered! Joe Brock: The Chicken Guy Joe Brock in many ways is your typical urban chicken farmer as chicken keeping is not his day job! By day he’s an accomplished web designer but in late afternoon and early morning, Joe hears the call of the coop! The Wise Words Community Garden is one of the sites Joe helps maintain as executive director of NOLA Greenroots, an organization that encourages urban farming by teaching everything from composting to how to build a comfortable chicken coop. In the shade of the I-10 onramp at Tulane Avenue, the little green oasis where Joe’s chickens live is part of what once was Crystal Manufacturing, a New Orleans industrial preserve and hot sauce business. Ye Olde College Inn Since 1933, Ye Olde College Inn was famous as the place to neck in the parking lot while awaiting car side delivery of their famous Oyster Loaf style poor boy; today Ye Olde College Inn is gaining a reputation for having one of the most innovative and unusual urban farms. On adjacent city lots that were once held some of the city’s most desirable homes, today owner Johnny Blancher and his son are providing their restaurant with farm fresh produce they grow themselves. Here is the menu of appetizers for the guests: Chilled Louisiana jumbo lump crabmeat and garden beets salad Farm figs with Brie and toasted almond in phyllo dough Herbsaint poached oyster with Ghost pepper caviar and house made bacon Spicy shrimp flatbread, basil pesto, fresh mozzarella, cherry tomatoes Louisiana grass fed beef sliders

Sunday, July 29, 2012 Hotel Monteleone Lobby, Hotel Monteleone Presented by St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur Led by Joe Gendusa $40 In 2002, Tales of the Cocktail started not as the international alcohol celebration it is today, but as a small gathering to commemorate the 1st anniversary of the New Orleans Cocktail Tour. Join us as we celebrate the tour’s 10th year with a spirited romp through the French Quarter led by renowned historian, Joe Gendusa. Enjoy history spiked with spirits as you explore the famous and bars and restaurants that has made New Orleans a cocktail destination. Tours meet and begin in the Hotel Monteleone lobby daily, where guests are treated to their first cocktail, compliments of St-Germain, the world’s first artisanal liqueur handcrafted from fresh elderflowers.