Press Releases

Eventbrite, the fastest growing social commerce company, today announced that the world’s premier dining and drinking festival, Tales of the Cocktail, will use the company’s platform to power all aspects of ticketing, entry management and promotion for the $9.7 million event. Eventbrite is an industry leader in delivering powerful, complete solutions that handle all aspects of the event management process, including ticket sales, registrations and promotion through Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

"Tales of the Cocktail is an extraordinary event that has seen exponential growth since 2003," said Ann Tuennerman, co-founder of Tales of the Cocktail. "With growth, comes complexity, and so it only makes sense that we work with Eventbrite. We need a service that seamlessly handles the process from start to finish - registrations, tickets, entry management and everything in between – and we’re thrilled to know that with Eventbrite we have the best in the business powering our event."

Tales of the Cocktail, the premier global cocktail and culinary festival that celebrates the history and culture of dining and drinking in New Orleans celebrates their eighth anniversary event, July 21-25, 2010.

Tales of the Cocktail is an internationally acclaimed festival of cocktails, cuisine and culture held annually in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event brings together the best and brightest of the cocktail community—award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders, chefs and designers—for a five-day celebration of the history and artistry of making drinks. Each year offers a spirited series of dinners, demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours and parties all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made.

When Absinthe was banned in the United States in 1912 it left a large hole in the cocktail culture of New Orleans. Absinthe was a cherished sipping drink for New Orleanians and a critical ingredient in the city’s most historic cocktailThe Sazerac. There just couldn’t be a substitute for Absinthe. That is until J.M. Legendre invented Herbsaint in 1934.

Though the “Sacred Herb” was originally created as a stand-in for Absinthe, Herbsaint has since developed a flavor all its own. For many it has become the ingredient of choice in a Sazerac while also inspiring its own series of cocktails such as the Herbsaint Frappé, the Herbsaint Suisse and the Herbsaint Punch.

March 12th and March 19th, 2010
Both Lunches: 11:30am-1:30pm

Arnaud’s Restaurant
813 Bienville Street

$35 per person, per Friday
To RSVP, contact (504) 523-5433 or katy@arnauds.com

This summer the international community will converge on the city where spirits live 24/7. Shaken from their slumber within the bottle, the spirits will take on a life of their own in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail 2010.

Tales of the Cocktail 2010 Kick Off
January 21, 2010
12:30 PM - 2:30 PM
Hotel Monteleone Front Steps

Dedicated on May 2, 1998, NOMAF became the first such health initiative in the United States, addressing the health care needs of musicians and their families. The mission of the New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation is to keep music alive by sustaining New Orleans musicians and tradition bearers in body, mind and spirit. We do this through providing access to health and social services through the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic, regardless of musicians’ ability to pay, and by fostering cultural opportunities that advocate for and support this effort.

Thank you for helping us spread a little holiday cheer at this year’s Tales of the Toddy celebration. Without your help we never would have been able to bring the spirits of the holiday season to our festive guests. We hope you will join us next summer when the spirits come to life at Tales of the Cocktail 2010.

View all the delicious Tales of the Toddy Recipes here!

Join Tales of the Cocktail us as we pay homage to the Sazerac Cocktail and Herbsaint in a special event that is designed to better acquaint you with this legendary libation. Learn about the cocktail’s storied history and how to make your own Sazerac. After attending this event, you will officially be a Sazeractivist, and it will be your honor to spread the story of the official cocktail of New Orleans to others in an effort to preserve its history.

Also learn about the legendary Herbsaint brand and its rich history in New Orleans dating back to late December 1933, when a New Orleans pharmacist-turned-entrepreneur by the name of J. Marion Legendre introduced a product called Legendre Absinthe. This new product came on the heels of the United States’ repeal of Prohibition earlier that month. Legendre, who became interested in pastis and absinthe products while in France during World War I, secretly made absinthe in his uptown home in New Orleans during prohibition. His launch of Legendre Absinthe was a dream come true. Sadly for Legendre, just months after launching his product, the U.S. Government banned the use of the word absinthe amid concerns that absinthe could have hallucinogenic and possible detrimental effects on people. Not one to be dismayed, Legendre quickly re-named his product HERBSAINT and launched an aggressive marketing campaign that called on people to “Drink Herbsaint Wherever Absinthe Is Called For”. After 15 years of tireless HERBSAINT promotion across the United States, Legendre sold the brand to the Sazerac Company in 1949. The Sazerac Company of New Orleans still owns the brand, and Herbsaint remains a mainstay on sophisticated bars throughout the city.

New Orleans is no stranger to the cocktail, where enjoying a drink is a civic pastime for locals and visitors alike, only rivaled by dining. Though many drinks can call New Orleans home, the one that stands above the rest with the embodiment of the history and the character of our city is the Sazerac®, the Official Cocktail of the City of New Orleans.

This historic drink has survived war, fire, disease and quite possibly the worst of them all, Prohibition. Yet through it all, bars, taverns, speakeasies and coffee houses have continued to swirl the Herbsaint and pour the Sazerac® Rye for a drink as unique as the city that gave it life.

The cocktail that is now often referred to as History in a Glass now has its own glass.

Lucid Absinthe Supérieure has been announced the first absinthe to spearhead a new “Absinthe of the Month” series at the Absinthe Museum of America, located in New Orleans during October 2010.

Lucid Absinthe Supérieure is the first genuine absinthe made with real Grande Wormwood to be legally available in the United States in 95 years. Established as the absinthe category leader on the U.S. market, Lucid is proud to be at the forefront of educating the American public on absinthe.

“We look forward to continuing our partnership with the Absinthe Museum and see it as a natural fit to be the first ‘Absinthe of the Month’”, says Ted Breaux, renowned absinthe historian, creator of Lucid and native New Orleanian.

On Monday October 5th, 2009 members of the New Orleans chapter hosted a bartender benefit for Kyle McHugh. The benefit at Cure raised a total of $5,107.00 from sales of Sazerac Rye cocktails, donations of tips from bartenders Kirk Estopinal and Maksym Pazuniak, who worked that evening, along with a silent auction and cash contributions from the New Orleans USBG Chapter, New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society, Cointreau and Piedmont Distillers totaling the amount to $5,107.00.

October 1, 2009 (New Orleans, LA) – The total economic impact produced by the 7th annual event was $9.7 million a $2.1 million dollar increase from 2008. The results of a the recent Visitor Profile and Economic Impact Study for Tales of the Cocktail 2009 was conducted by the University of New Orleans Division of Business and Economic Research.

This year, Tales of the Cocktail brought out-of-town visitors into New Orleans accounting for 11, 349 visitor nights for the event. The event generated a total economic impact of $9.7 million in visitor spending, which includes $8.0 million in attendee spending and $1.7 million in vendor spending.

State and local governments realized $676,653 in tax revenue as a result of the five-day festival. Tales of the Cocktail is recognized as the premier global cocktail event in the world with the majority of the visitors coming to Tales of the Cocktail came from New York (21.4%), California (15.4%), Texas (7.2%), and Florida (6.5%). International visitors to Tales of the Cocktail came from Canada (34.4%), the Netherlands (18.8%), the United Kingdom (18.8%) and Australia (6.3%).

Tales of the Cocktail, the internationally acclaimed festival of cocktails, cuisine and culture held its annual event in New Orleans, Louisiana from July 8 to July 12, 2009. The event brings together the best and brightest of the cocktail community—award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders, chefs and designers—for a five-day celebration of the history and artistry of making drinks. Each year offers a spirited series of dinners, demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours and parties all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made. In its seventh year, Tales of the Cocktail hosted thousands of sippers, used 12,000 thousand pounds of Kold Draft ice, garnishes and more in the five days…

Tales of the Cocktail, a culinary and cocktail festival every July, features award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders, chefs and designers in the New Orleans French Quarter. The event is a five day cocktail event with dinner-pairings, cocktail demos and tastings, seminars, mixing competitions, book-signings and much more. Measuring some of their success in garnishes, Tales of the Cocktail 2009, used 12,000 lbs of Kold Draft Ice, 13,884 mint leaves, 14,000 lemons, 192 lbs of sugar, 12,000 bottles of FIJI Water, 74 Gallons of lime juice, 1375 strawberries, 950 Luxardo cherries, 450 cucumber wheels, 640 cocktail recipes, 48,921 items in the Swag Speakeasy and thousands of souls stirred.

It’s the most spirited event of the summer – and it takes place in the birthplace of the cocktail, New Orleans. Tales of the Cocktail, a dining and drinking extravaganza that explores the Spirit and spirits of New Orleans, it is a balanced mix of food, drink, history and fun, shaken with sophistication and creativity, and served up to educate locals and visitors to the city with perfection. The event began in August 2003 and celebrates its eighth year in 2010.

September 15, 2009 (New Orleans, LA) – The total economic impact produced by the 7th annual event was $9.7 million a $2.1 million dollar increase from 2008. The results of a the recent Visitor Profile and Economic Impact Study for Tales of the Cocktail 2009 was conducted by the University of New Orleans Division of Business and Economic Research.

This year, Tales of the Cocktail brought out-of-town visitors into New Orleans accounting for 11, 349 visitor nights for the event. The event generated a total economic impact of $9.7 million in visitor spending, which includes $8.0 million in attendee spending and $1.7 million in vendor spending.

State and local governments realized $676,653 in tax revenue as a result of the five-day festival. Tales of the Cocktail is recognized as the premier global cocktail event in the world with the majority of the visitors coming to Tales of the Cocktail came from New York (21.4%), California (15.4%), Texas (7.2%), and Florida (6.5%). International visitors to Tales of the Cocktail came from Canada (34.4%), the Netherlands (18.8%), the United Kingdom (18.8%) and Australia (6.3%).

Each year, Tales of the Cocktail awards one presenter with the “Golden Spirit Award” to the presenter who received the highest evaluation scores. This year, there was a tie and each Golden Spirit Recipient will receive the grand prize for a trip for two to Puerto Rico generously provided by Tales of the Cocktail Sponsor Rums of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Tourism Company.

Through this award, Tales of the Cocktail provides recognition to these two individuals and the outstanding talent they have shown for advancing the craft of the cocktail. This year’s winners were Francesco Lafranconi for his presentations titled “Drink Italy” and “Cask Strength” and Charlotte Voisey for her presentations “On 21st Century Gin” and “The Cocktails of Tales”. Through their carefully prepared and well executed presentations, Francesco and Charlotte each embody the ideals with which Tales of the Cocktail was originally founded.

Tales of the Cocktail and Cointreau® Liqueur Award the First Annual 2009 Trails of the Cocktail Scholarships Cocktail Apprentices Eric Simpkins and Mike Ryan Travel to France to Discover the Making of Cointreau and Further Their Cocktail Education

NEW ORLEANS, LA—August 10, 2009– Cointreau® Liqueur is proud to partner with the Tales of the Cocktail, the premier global cocktail and culinary festival that celebrates the history and culture of dining and drinking, as they award the first annual Trails of the Cocktail Scholarships to Tales of the Cocktail apprentices Eric Simpkins and Mike Ryan.

12,000 POUNDS OF KOLD-DRAFT ICE, 13, 884 MINT LEAVES, 11,250 LIMES AND 640 COCKTAIL RECIPES TALES OF THE COCKTAIL 2009 BY THE NUMBERS

NEW ORLEANS – (July 28, 2009) – Tales of the Cocktail, the internationally acclaimed festival of cocktails, cuisine and culture held its annual event in New Orleans, Louisiana from July 8 to July 12, 2009. The event brings together the best and brightest of the cocktail community—award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders, chefs and designers—for a five-day celebration of the history and artistry of making drinks. Each year offers a spirited series of dinners, demos, tastings, competitions, seminars, book signings, tours and parties all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made.

In its seventh year, Tales of the Cocktail hosted thousands of sippers, used 12,000 thousand pounds of Kold Draft ice, garnishes and more in the five days…

July 15, 2009 (New Orleans, LA) Tales of the Cocktail, now it its 7th year, set the stage to celebrate the Caipirinha with the United States Bartenders Guild (USBG) “Caipirinha Competition”. This event was co-hosted by the United States Bartenders Guild and Leblon Cachaça, and took place to a sold-out audience at the picturesque “Pat O’Brien’s on the River”. Competing were 18 bartenders from nine cities, with each competitor muddling and shaking their cocktails in front of two distinct sets of judges until two winners were awarded the grand prize – The Golden Muddler trophy.

The first set of judges were comprised among some of the most respected mixologists and journalists in the spirits industry including: Tony Abou-Ganim, the Modern Mixologist and Master of Ceremonies for the evening; Junior Merino, the Liquid Chef; Naren Young of bobo in New York City; Francine Cohen, Editor in Chief of Food & Beverage Magazine; and special guest judge H. Joseph Ehrmann of Elixir in San Francisco.

LOS ANGELES, JULY 14, 2009—This past Sunday at New Orleans’ Tales of the Cocktail, TRU Organic Spirits announced winners of the Barmade Bitters Challenge. The three winning aromatic bitters, which act like “seasoning” for cocktails, represent the best examples of a lost craft in classic cocktail making now being revived by bartenders across the United States. The winning bitters will be release by January 2010 and become the first certified, all‐organic collection available.

The contest and seminar showcased 15 bitters (five each in fruit, herb and spice) for an audience of 100 plus bartenders and fans, along with the judging panel, which included John Deragon from PDT, Allen Katz from Southern Wine & Spirits and Slow Food, Livio Lauro from the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild, Melkon Khosrovian and Litty Mathew from Modern Spirits (the company that produces TRU Organic Spirits). The judges looked for aroma and taste in three simple cocktails (with soda, vodka and whiskey), as well as originality and commercial potential.

“SHOTS OF INSPIRATION” was a series of book signings by – authors of cocktail and culinary literature. These signings were part of Tales of the Cocktail the premier 5-day culinary and cocktail festival held annually held in New Orleans. Octavia Books, New Orleans based Independent bookstore handled all sales.

NEW ORLEANS, LA – July 12, 2009 – Through the Spirit Awards, Tales of the Cocktail provides recognition to those individuals and establishments that have shown an outstanding talent for advancing the craft of the cocktail. To embody the ideals with which Tales of the Cocktail was originally founded, these awards will provide recognition to both national, as well as to local New Orleanians. Pernod Ricard and Beverage Media group sponsored this year’s second awards show.

On Friday, July 10, the 2009 GRAND MARNIER and NAVAN “On the Fly” Competition celebrated the creativity and last-minute inventiveness of eight top bar stars, working exclusively with the ingredients found in Jeffrey Morgenthaler's bag of tricks, which included such items as lollypops, hot sauce, pralines, and many more out of the ordinary ingredients. Confronted with a variety of challenges, the contestants pushed the limits of originality and skill “on the fly” in front of an audience of hundreds of their peers and cocktail aficionados at the W Hotel in New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail.

The mixologist who executed the most original creation was Giuseppe Gonzales of New York, creating The On the Fly Colada, a winning cocktail, featuring NAVAN Natural Vanilla Liqueur.

Through its annual Spirit Awards, Tales of the Cocktail provides recognition to those individuals and establishments that have shown an outstanding talent for advancing the craft of the cocktail. To embody the ideals with which Tales of the Cocktail was originally founded, these awards will provide recognition to both national and international guests, as well as to local New Orleanians. Winners will receive exclusive Riedel Crystal awards.

Pernod Ricard is proud to be the sponsor of this year’s 3rd Annual Cocktail Spirit Awards - recognizing industry leaders and innovators. For years, Tales of the Cocktail has brought together an incredible group of suppliers, bartenders, writers and the most authoritative experts in the industry- all acting as partners in the celebration and appreciation of cocktail culture. In presenting the Spirit Awards, Pernod Ricard applauds each industry participant and nominee. Also, as part of the evening’s celebration, Beverage Media Group, Inc. a 2009 Sprit Awards partner will recognize 10 Up & Coming Mixologists, selected from participants of Tales of the Cocktail’s Apprentice Program.

Tales of the Cocktail, the annual culinary and cocktail festival has collaborated with The Liquid Muse Virgin Mixology® and Fre Alcohol Removed Wines to offer the festival’s second annual official nonalcoholic cocktail. The annual festival will celebrate the history and culture of cocktails and food in New Orleans with five-days of first-class food and drink events on July 8-12, 2009.

In 2009, for the second year in a row, Tales of the Cocktail, the premier cocktail and culinary festival that celebrates the history and culture of dining and drinking in New Orleans, will work closely with more than 30 of the most dedicated and widely read bloggers covering the world of spirits and cocktails. Together, these bloggers will contribute to “Blogging Tales of the Cocktail,” the largest collaborative cocktail site on the Internet.

Tickets are now on sale for Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Dinners. Buy your tickets now for a night of dinner pairings presented at 25 New Orleans restaurants. The Spirited Dinners will take place Thursday, July 9, 2009 during the 7th annual cocktail and culinary festival, Tales of the Cocktail. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to dine in style at New Orleans’ finest for an experience that takes pairing to the next level.

Saveur, the award-winning epicurean, travel and spirits title announced that it will be the lead media sponsor of Tales of the Cocktail, the industry-noted culinary and cocktail festival taking place in New Orleans from July 8 – 12, 2009. Uniting the world’s top mixologists, authors, bartenders and chefs for five days of cocktail- specific events and seminars in New Orleans’ famed French Quarter, Tales of the Cocktail will work with SAVEUR to develop an on-site program that showcases the cuisine and cocktails that the Magazine readers have come to depend on and admire.

William Grant & Sons USA is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Tales of the Cocktail program and the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society.

Click link for rules and entry form.

Tales of the Cocktail and TRU Organic Spirits today announced the first ever Barmade Bi

The historic downtown New Orleans property, Waldorf=Astoria Collection property shuttered since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, opened in 1893 as the Grunewald. In 1923, it was rebranded The Roosevelt in honor of President Theodore Roosevelt and retained its distinctive moniker until the hotel changed hands in 1965 and was renamed The Fairmont. The grand hotel will reopen in late spring 2009, reborn as a Waldorf=Astoria Collection® hotel.

Nightclub & Bar Magazine is proud to announce its sponsorship of the Professional Series at the 2009 Tales of the Cocktail event, the premier cocktail and culinary festival that celebrates the history and culture of dining and drinking in New Orleans July 8 - 12.

SPRITED STORY ANGLES The Julep-Annual Cocktail Competition is Julep focused

Celebrations- Wedding Cakes and Cocktails

Cocktail Trends-Christmas in July, Creative Mixology-Finding Inspiration in the Everyday, Virgin Mixology, Tea Time, Carnivorous Cocktails, Classic and Contemporary Absinthe Cocktails, Chemistry of Cocktails, Obscure Cocktails from the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxemburg, Cocktails of the Tales, Take a Right at Albuquerque-contracting cocktails styles US versus Europe

To put the event in quantifiable terms you can taste, Tales of the Cocktail 2008 used 85 pounds of mint leaves, 40 pounds of super-fine sugar, 280 liters of lime juice, 350 liters of lemon juice, 1815 lime wedges, 2115 lemon twists, 2340 jalapeño slices, 50 pounds of ginger root, 12 pounds of cherries and satisfied the taste buds of thousands of cocktail lovers from across the world.

Tales of the Cocktail took place July 16-22, 2008 in the historic Hotel Monteleone and establishments throughout the French Quarter. A five-day festival welcomed celebrities, authors, bartenders, chefs and the most influential gathering of mixologists and cocktail experts in the country, including Dale DeGroff, Tony Abou-Ganim, Kevin Brauch, Sylvia Weinstock, Marcy Blum and Bridget Albert. With over 100 events that covered a wide-variety of subjects, Tales of the Cocktail entertained both amateurs and experts. Tales of the Cocktail, a culinary and cocktail festival, allows the connoisseur or amateur to fully experience (taste, see and learn about) cocktail culture in New Orleans and around the world. The event’s annual components are Spirited Dinners, a Seminar Series, Cocktail Hour, Cocktail Luncheons, walking tours of the French Quarter, and classic and contemporary cocktail parties—all presented by the country’s hottest chefs, authors, bartenders and cocktail experts.

NEW ORLEANS, LA—November 14, 2008 – Tales of the Cocktail, the premier cocktail and culinary festival that celebrates the history and culture of dining and drinking in New Orleans begins ticket sales in early Spring on their website, www.TalesoftheCocktail.com, for the seventh anniversary event, July 8-12, 2009.

Meet the Tales of the Cocktail Team
Ann Tuennerman-Founder, Tales of the Cocktail

Paul G. Tuennerman-Executive Director, New Orleans Culinary & Cultural Preservation Society

Event Team:
Michelle Dunnick

Christina Gaspari

Melissa Young