Tales of the Cocktail - A Week at the New Orleans Ritz Carleton
Last week I had the great pleasure of attending Tales of the Cocktail. The sign on my table at Meet the Distiller made it into an article! Read on...
Absinthia Vermut - Founder & CEO of Absinthia's Bottled Spirits at Tales of the Cocktail
Photo by Athea Merredyth
Tales of the Cocktail happens every year in New Orleans. This was the first in-person Tales, as we call it, since 2019, and the excitement was even higher than usual because of it! For the first time since its inception, the event was held outside the French Quarter at the Ritz Carlton. My lovely assistant Athea and I spent the week there for the five day event, saying countless times that we just wanted to move in!
Tales of the Cocktail is first and foremost about being in New Orleans. What an incredible city! It was hot and humid at the end of July. One day I noticed my app said it was 87º but felt like 97º, and it was only 10:30 in the morning! We spent our mornings on the ground floor of the Ritz at the open coffee bars and tasting rooms, mingling and chatting with the best the industry has to offer. Our afternoons were usually spent wandering around the city, stopping at Tales events at local bars and restaurants, with the requisite stop at Cafe du Monde for beignets and chicory coffee, and a stroll through the open air markets.
Perhaps the highlight of this incredible week was when we stopped in to check out the Sazerac Bar with its classic cocktails, plush banquettes, and elegant old world style, at the gorgeous Roosevelt New Orleans. We ordered sazeracs, of course, and I asked the bartender why they use Herbsaint, an anise flavored liquor developed in New Orleans during the ban in 1934, that is now produced in Kentucky.
"Would you like me to use absinthe instead?" she asked.
"Well, I happen to be an absinthe distiller and have a bottle of my verte in my bag," because of course I did.
Absinthia with Lisa Dunn of Laird & Co and Jamie Hunt of Fastpenny Spirits
- Absinthe Blanche
- Absinthe Verte
- Barrel Aged Absinthe
- Caged Heat syrup
- Cherry Bomb syrup
- Crimson Smoke syrup
- Fairy Dust syrup
The moveable letter sign I had on the table literally came to me one night as I was sleeping, and I wasn't sure if it was brilliant or terrible. Well, it was used as the cover image of an article on the Broken Palate, Stock Your Bar with These Unusual Spirits!
The Barrel Aged Absinthe is a new way to enjoy your Absinthe. It's barrel aged for 6 months which contributes to its unique flavor profile that is not found in other Absinthes. The Barrel Aged Absinthe blends beautifully with other botanicals for a deliciously balanced taste. It's also exquisite on its own over ice.
Learn more about the differences between the Absinthe flavors in my blog post Every Style of Absinthia Absinthe Explained.
If you are interested in having me present about Absinthe, please contact me at info@absinthia.com.
For wholesale and distribution inquiries, please connect with me at info@absinthia.com
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