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
The Broken Shaker goes to New Orleans. Virginia King and Gui Jaroschy looked at home at the pop-up (and totally authentic-looking) version of the Shaker, made specifically for the William Grant portfolio party at Lakefront Airport.
The entire Broken Shaker crew at the Broken Shaker pop-up.
Miami Rum Renaissance Festival's Robert Burr hosted a seminar on extremely rare European rums at the Sonesta Hotel during Tales of the Cocktail.
Gabe Orta and Elad Zvi hosted the Olmeca Altos Tequila Garden at the W French Quarter.
Julio Cabrera, in the Hotel Monteleone's lobby, was on his way to guest-bartend at the Barcardi Portfolio party.
Cocktail adventurers: King of the cocktail Dale DeGroff, Rob Burr, and Laine Doss.
The Regent Cocktail Club's John Lermaer claims the "Big Easy" for Miami.
High West Distillery's Marita Leonard provided tastings at the Meet the Craft Distillers' tasting room at Hotel Monteleone.
Talk about drinking like a fish.
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Not a person, but a product. Panther Coffee served at Spitfire Coffee in the French Quarter.
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