Tales of the cocktail 2023 spirits hunters

Mark your calendars for the 2023 edition of the world’s leading cocktail conference, Tales of the Cocktail®! From July 23-28, the event will focus on the VITALIZE theme, celebrating the hospitality community’s dynamic spirit and resilience.

As media partners this year, Spirits Hunters will be covering the global cocktail conference taking place July 23-28, 2023.  This year the Foundation is celebrating its 21st anniversary.

 

The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans will be hosting Tales of the Cocktail® with hundreds of opportunities developed specifically for industry professionals, from bartenders to distillers. This is the beverage industry’s annual gathering place to exchange new ideas, products, and techniques, with in-person training, tastings, networking, and awards programs.

Since 2002, the global spirits community has gathered in the heart of the French Quarter for Tales of the Cocktail®. What began as an annual walking tour of New Orleans’ historic cocktail bars has grown into the world’s premier cocktail conference. Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) is more than a workplace or a week-long festival. It is a year-round community that connects people of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities across the country- and across the globe- all united under the TOTCF mission of educating, advancing, and supporting the spirits and hospitality industry.

“Vitalize”, this year’s theme, encapsulates the hospitality community’s vibrancy and adaptability, and its unmatched kinetic energy that brings so much life to this shared experience.

 

2023 Tales of the Cocktail and Spirited Awards® Dates & Deadlines

Photo: Cory James

 

April 24th

Regional Top 10 Honorees announcement. Check the nominees here.

Categories for: the Best Cocktail Bar, Best Bar Team, Best Hotel Bar, and Best Restaurant Bar, in the US and Internationally.

June 1

The Top 10 Nominees Per Category will be Announced

June 21

Final Top 4 Finalists will be Announced along with the Lifetime, Visionary, & Timeless Award Recipients.

July 23

Event kicks-off

July 27

The 17th Annual Spirited Awards® Ceremony & Viewing Party | Recognizing Talent in the Industry

July 28

Catalyst Luncheon and Closing | Celebration of Excellence

 

Tickets are on sale now. Get Tickets.

Official website

@tales_of_the_cocktail

 

The Spirited Awards Committee, including Co-Chairs, Regional Committee Members, and Writing & Media Judges, is composed of respected bartenders, bar owners, educators, and writers from across the globe. Drawing on their years of experience and their knowledge of the current work being done locally, nationally, and internationally, the Spirited Awards Committee evaluates nominees from far and wide to ensure that the Spirited Awards are inclusive and represent the breadth and diversity of the global drinks industry.

This Committee is dedicated to valuing the inclusion of the communities they serve by enlisting a judging panel that reflects their incredible diversity in terms of race, gender, ethnicity, and sexuality.

 

What not to miss this 2023 at Tales of the Cocktail®

 

The Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award

Recognizes the achievement of an individual who, over the course of their career, has made significant contributions and lasting impact in the hospitality industry.

 

World’s Best Bar

In addition, the World’s Best Bar will also be awarded. This award is awarded to one of the six winners in the following categories: Best (International/U.S.) Cocktail Bar, Best (International/U.S.) Hotel Bar, and Best (International/U.S.) Restaurant Bar.

 

2023 Catalyst Luncheon

The 2023 Catalyst Luncheon will honor this year’s Tales Catalysts with a cocktail reception and celebration. The Catalyst Luncheon is a celebration of women, non-binary, and trans individuals who have made unique and lasting contributions to the global hospitality industry.

This year, the 2023 Catalyst Luncheon will welcome more members of this group of individuals who highlight marginalized groups within the industry and spotlight leaders who are actively making changes in their communities.

 

Spirits Upfront – Meet the Distillers

Meet The Distillers is an annual homage to the great creators behind the spirits.

In 2022, more than 30 emerging and established distillers around the world joined Meet the Distillers to share some of the secrets behind their spirits and tastings. This large tasting format event allows thousands of attendees to sample a myriad of spirits under one roof, not only introducing new spirits but also deepening spirits education for those who partake.

 

Food!

Tales of the Cocktail® is also an opportunity to enjoy food pairing in the world of food and drink.

During the event, participants will have the opportunity to taste the best in cocktails in the city of New Orleans, as well as discover the best flavors of the city by attending the Spirited Dinners and thus enjoy hors d’oeuvres and cocktail pairings for an unparalleled dining experience.

Spirits Hunters as a media partner of this year’s TOTC will be revealing more information about the Spirited Drinking and Dining events. Stay tuned for our coverage on this subject.

 

2023 Catalyst Luncheon Dates & Deadlines

Each year, the Foundation will honor two “Tales Catalysts” — one based in the U.S. and one International – at the annual Catalyst Luncheon at Tales of the Cocktail®.

March 15, 2023 – April 13, 2023 – Catalyst Luncheon nomination period

June 26, 2023 – U.S. & International Tales Catalysts Announced

July 28, 2023 – 2023 Catalyst Luncheon

Hurry, Register Your Spirits by May 5!

The New Orleans Spirits Competition is an international spirits competition that aims to bring wider recognition to fine spirits among top-flight bartenders worldwide. New elements this year include RTD’s added as a category and the inclusion of a new award, “Distillery of the Year.”

Also this year, a championship round will occur live in New Orleans during Tales of the Cocktail®. A half-dozen of the top scorers will be served without identification to panels of preeminent bartenders, distillers, and spirits writers. The judges will offer up tasting notes as they sample, then rank their favorites. The audience will be invited to taste along with the judges and to experience the spirits as they are discussed. Don’t miss your chance to enter!

Register your Spirit

Looking for a Discounted Room During Tales of the Cocktail?

Don’t miss the chance to stay close to all the events happening in the French Quarter this summer. Tales attendees are eligible to receive discounted rates using our hotel blocks at:

Volunteer at Tales of the Cocktail 2023 

Want to know how we operate the world’s leading cocktail conference? Our volunteers get inside access to all things operations and receive free access to Tasting Rooms after completing two shifts. Applications open today so don’t wait– spots for volunteers fill up fast!

 

Get the latest news on Tales of the Cocktail®

 

Don’t drink and drive. Enjoy responsibly.

 

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