Another Tales of the Cocktail is over, and Miami bartenders and spirits professionals are back in town after spending nearly a week in the Big Easy drinking, eating, learning, and networking.
This year's TOTC was epic, with a strong cadre of South Florida professionals storming the French Quarter to take part in cocktail competitions, guest-star at some of New Orleans' best bars and restaurants, and learn a thing or two at seminars that ranged from tastings of rare rums and the connection between James Bond and cocktail culture, to tips for bartenders wanting to shake things up in front of the camera.
Highlights included a full re-creation of the Broken Shaker at the Williams Grant party (where a camel was the guest of honor) and John Lermayer ruling over the annual Mandarine Napoléon Battle of the Sexes competition. Chicago, London, New Orleans, and New York better watch out, because Miami has just proven it's got the chops to be the next great city for cocktails.
See also: Miami Bartenders in NOLA for Tales of the Cocktail