Xpress contributor Jonathan Ammons recently spent several days in New Orleans reporting on the annual five-day Tales of the Cocktail international cocktail festival. (Yes, it’s a tough job.) As the event wrapped up on Sunday, July 20, Ammons shared a backward glance at this year’s gathering of the worldwide spirits community.
On a rainy Friday afternoon in New Orleans, Louisiana, Asheville’s own Nicole Anhalt came in from the downpour to stake her claim in this year’s Sidecar by Merlet Cocktail Competition. Hosted annually at the country’s largest cocktail conference, Tales of the Cocktail, seven bartenders from across the country competed for a trip to the Merlet […]
It is estimated that this year 22,000 of the world’s finest craft cocktail nerds — including a healthy contingent from Asheville’s bar scene — have either flown, driven or just drunkenly appeared in town to learn from the nation’s most knowledgeable mixology minds. Along with seminars, tasting rooms and classes, there are also competitions and awards ceremonies.
