Christmas vacation in a winter wonderland, or a tropical island getaway? Why choose just one? That’s the idea behind “Sippin’ Santa,” Cocktail Kingdom’s tiki and tinsel pop-up, a spinoff of their wildly popular “Miracle” Christmas pop-up.
My New Orleans bar-restaurant, Latitude 29, opened in November 2014 with a roar, but by December we felt a creeping maiaise: The Crescent City can be damp and gloomy in the winter, and everyone’s desperate for a bit of cheer. So when Cocktail Kingdom CEO Greg Boehm asked Latitude 29 to participate in a tropical test-drive of his “Miracle” follow-up, “Sippin’ Santa’s Surf Shack,” which was only being featured in two other bars, all I asked was “Where do I sign?”
Over the next nine years, the pop-up had a name change and a growth spurt: There are now 55 bars across the U.S. and Canada participating in “Beachbum Berry Presents Sippin’ Santa,” rebranded by Greg when I took over the cocktail program, creating new drinks with my bar team every year like the Jingle Bird, Sugar Plum Mai Tai, and a Christmas stocking full of North Pole meets South Seas mashups. In fact, only one of the first season’s cocktails, the Sippin’ Santa, has yet to be replaced by something new (see sidebar).
Besides this ever-evolving drink menu, Cocktail Kingdom offers partner bars exclusive Tiki mugs and glassware both for service and retail merch, over-the-top transportive decor, coordinated social media, and national print and TV publicity. The upshot? Latitude 29’s customers now start asking about “Sippin’ Santa” in June, and they don’t stop until the pop-up starts just after Thanksgiving. Talk about a Christmas miracle!
The Glen Grant is thrilled to announce that the coveted 25-Year-Old expression from newly introduced Glasshouse Collection is now availablein the US. With a velvety smoothness and notes of dried stone fruit and toffee, the 25-Year-Old offers a finish with warm spice and a hint of soft smoke. It is now available in limited quantities for SRP $1,000.
This new prestige range celebrates the legacy of the brand’s visionary forefather, James ‘The Major’ Grant, showcasing the oldest aged expressions in the brand’s permanent portfolio, including the 21-, 25-, and 30-Year-Old whiskies. The 30-Year-Old will be available in early 2025.
With 25 years of aging and bottled at 46% ABV, natural in color, and non-chill filtered, this expression embodies the unparalleled aging potential of whiskies from the over 180-year-old distillery.
Color: Bright Gold
Aroma: Bright citrus fruits, boiled sweets, hard candy
Taste: Velvety smooth dark chocolate, zesty orange rind, rich oak and nutmeg
Finish: Enduring finish of warm spices and faint hint of soft smoke
TALES OF THE COCKTAIL® ANNOUNCES 2025 DATES AND THEME, 2024 ECONOMIC IMPACT, AND SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS
The global drinks conference returns to New Orleans from July 20-25, 2025, toasting its 23rd year with the theme ”Evolve”
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) is pleased to announce the 23rd annual Tales of the Cocktail® (TOTC) conference, returning to the historic The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans from July 20-25, 2025. Centered on the theme Evolve, the conference will explore the cocktail industry’s ongoing transformation and development, highlighting evolution as a catalyst for innovation and a necessity for growth. TOTCF invites all to attend the annual conference in July – from cocktail enthusiasts to seasoned industry veterans and everyone in between. Tickets will be available on World Cocktail Day: May 13, 2025.
“We’re thrilled to bring Tales of the Cocktail 2025 to life with the theme Evolve,” said TOTCF CEO Eileen Wayner. “This focus demonstrates our commitment to growth and innovation in the hospitality industry, and we look forward to exploring new ideas, fostering progress, and inspiring our community to continue evolving together.”
TOTC proudly hosted more than 400 unique events in 2024, and 2025 attendees can expect another stellar lineup of signature programming. Headlining the festival will be curated educational seminars, Beyond the Bar activations, Futures Labs, networking opportunities, tastings, guided walking tours, awards programs, and more. The official TOTC 2025 agenda, including seminar and presenter information, will be released as we approach the conference in the coming months.
Tales of the Cocktail’s Economic Impact on New Orleans
TOTC takes pride in its continued positive impact on the New Orleans economy, contributing a total economic impact of $24.8 million in 2024, marking a 3% increase from the $24 million generated in 2023. The event also supported 215 jobs through visitor spending, participating businesses, and organizational investments. These positions are estimated to have generated an additional $7.2 million in earnings for New Orleans residents.
The 2024 TOTC conference saw a 10% increase in attendees compared to 2023. Notably, international visitors accounted for 14% of the audience, with participants joining from countries including, but not limited to, Belize, Canada, Jamaica, Mexico, Peru, the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
Tales of the Cocktail® Sustainability Initiatives
TOTCF is dedicated to creating a more sustainable event by minimizing its environmental footprint and supporting its local community of New Orleans. In 2024, TOTC introduced a range of new initiatives and is proud to share the successes of this year’s sustainability initiatives:
Replaced 60,000 single-use plastic cups with BPI-certified compostable PLA cups derived from corn and sugarcane
In this initial rollout, TOTCF significantly reduced—and in many cases, entirely eliminated—single-use plastics at the conference
Diverted 21,997 pounds of waste from landfills via on-site recycling and composting efforts
Reduced 19,599 pounds of Carbon Dioxide Equivalent by waste diversion initiatives
Donated 11,550 pounds of glass to Glass Half Full, where it will be converted to sand and gravel used to restore coastline, aid in disaster relief, and create recycled building materials
Implemented composting and recycling at 30 off-site events
TOTCF pledges its ongoing commitment to a more sustainable cocktail conference and in turn, a more sustainable hospitality and beverage industry. The Foundation looks forward to building on these initiatives and introducing even more efforts at the 2025 conference.
Tales of the Cocktail® and The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans
TOTC is pleased to once again partner with The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans, a beautiful and historic property located in the heart of the city’s renowned French Quarter as the official 2025 host venue. The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans has provided a room block and special rate for 2025 attendees.
For the TOTC room block, reservations can be made either online on the TOTC website here or by calling The Ritz-Carlton Central Reservations at 1.800.826.8987. Guests are invited to secure their reservations early as reservations are first come, first served, and the last day to book is June 23, 2025.
Call for Volunteers
TOTCF is now accepting volunteers for the 2025 event. Applications are available on the TOTCF website.
Johnnie Walker, the world’s number one Scotch Whisky, is entering the Après Ski occasion for the first time with the launch of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ice Chalet, a limited edition Scotch Whisky that blends Après Ski and fashion together for a new luxury audience.
Created by Master Blender, Emma Walker, each sip of Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ice Chalet starts with notes of cinnamon-spiced apple that give way to warm cloves and spices before finishing with subtle hints of Alpine smoke. With only one in 10,000 casks meeting the requirements to go into the blend, the complex flavors mix to create a rich depth that’s perfect after a day on the slopes.
This rare new blend is accompanied by a bottle and bag designed by luxury skiwear and lifestyle brand Perfect Moment. The iconic Johnnie Walker square bottle meets Perfect Moment’s North Star and houndstooth print in a deep blue reversible bottle bag. After removing the whisky, the bottle bag doubles as a stylish crossbody bag that effortlessly transitions from slopes to city.
Available for purchase now online and in select stores, Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ice Chalet has an SRP of $420.
CELEBRATE NATIONAL VODKA DAY WITH FRESH, CLEAN, AND CRISP NEFT VODKA
NEFT VODKA IS CREATED FROM TWO INGREDIENTS, NOTHING ELSE
Bartender Magazine has a candid talk with NEFT Global CEO, Jeff Mahony and Master
Mixologist, Luke Barr
National Vodka Day (October 4) is not only a perfect occasion to enjoy vodka cocktails, but also an ideal opportunity to try something new and different.
Most vodka is distilled from corn, wheat, or potatoes, but increasingly vodkas made from other ingredients are finding their way behind the bar. An example of that is ultra-premium NEFT Vodka, a high-quality small-batch vodka produced in Austria from ancient grains of non-GMO rye and mineral-rich pure mountain spring water filtered centuries deep beneath the Austrian Alps. Just those two ingredients, nothing else.
“Non-GMO is a hallmark of Austria, all crops there are non-GMO, they’re mandated to be that way. It’s a great place to source our grain,” says NEFT’s CEO Jeff Mahony. “The other ingredient in NEFT is our oxygen-rich spring water. Virtually all water in Austria is spring water, it’s one of the cleanest in the world. So that gives our vodka a pure, fresh, refined soft taste.”
The team at NEFT Vodka are particularly focused on growing the brand in the on-premise channel, which Mahony says is by far the most important factor in growing the brand’s success. NEFT is well-suited for bars and restaurants because the brand’s natural and sophisticated flavor-forward taste works incredibly well as a sipping vodka, or in a martini, or in any number of inventive cocktails. It’s also increasingly being utilized in food recipes too.
“Our precise taste is all by design. Through our copper pot still distillation process our goal is to enhance the flavor of our spirit so that bartenders like me can use that as the foundation of spirit-forward cocktails,” explains Luke Barr, NEFT’s Los Angeles-based mixologist. “NEFT helps create a great customer experience.”
Just as unique as NEFT’s taste, is the brand’s innovative container. NEFT Vodka is packaged in an unbreakable metal barrel which not only stands out on the bar, but also aligns with the brand’s sustainability mission.
“The primary driver was to create something eco-friendly,” says Mahony. “At NEFT we’re all about sustainable choices. Our barrel is not just unbreakable, it’s made of tin and aluminum which is about three times the amount of reclaimed content versus what glass is. So, it’s easier to recycle and it has a lower carbon footprint when we transport it because it weighs less.”
The metal package also keeps the vodka cold for at least six hours, which is ideal for bottle service at outdoor accounts, especially poolside. (For high volume accounts that prefer or need a traditional glass bottle, NEFT is also available in 750ml bottles.)
Through the brand’s “Raise it Up” philanthropic platform, the NEFT Vodka team are also highly committed to giving back to the bartender community. That includes support for out-of-work bartenders, particularly those who are single mothers, which is in alignment with the brand’s charitable focus on children and women. They also recently created a program called “Young Mixologists” to showcase – and broadcast in several markets – the talent of up-and-coming bartenders.
“Bartenders and mixologists are really our front line, they’re critical to our success, and that’s why we give back to the bartender community as best we can,” Mahoney says.
Unleash the Fun with the New MONOPOLY Board Crawl: The Ultimate Drinking Game for Adults
Get ready to unleash a night of unforgettable fun and let loose with the first ever,official MONOPOLY drinking game, MONOPOLY Board Crawl(for ages 21+). MONOPOLY Board Crawl reimagines classic MONOPOLY for adults in a fun, fast-paced, and thirst-quenching way. But remember, you don’t have to drink alcohol to join in the excitement— feel free to pick the mocktail or beverage of your choice! We encourage responsible play and a great time for everyone.
In MONOPOLY Board Crawl, the goal is simple: enjoy your drink of choice, collect the most properties, and become the reigning champion of the night. Roll the die and explore spaces like Pregame, Rooftop Bar, and more, each offering its own unique twist. Want that prime property? Buy it with a drink. Need to pay rent? A few sips will do. And if you’re feeling bold, steal properties with a dare—because in this game, anything goes!
Perfect for game nights, this quick and hysterical adult party game will have everyone laughing and competing until the last drop. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday, hosting a holiday party, or looking for the perfect white elephant gift, MONOPOLY Board Crawl is the game that will turn any gathering into a memorable event.
In MONOPOLY Board Crawl, you and your friends can enjoy a wild night out … in! It’s the official Monopoly drinking game. The object of the game is simple: drink (your beverage of choice) and collect the most properties to win. Roll the die and visit different spaces on the board—from Pregame to the Rooftop Bar. Sips are currency, so when you land on a property, you can buy it with a drink. Pay rent in sips, too—or steal that property from its owner by doing a dare. The player with the most deeds after everyone passes GO wins! This quick and fun adult party game is a hysterical game for game nights, and it makes one of the best game night games for groups. Funny adult party games are also great birthday, holiday, and white elephant gifts for ages 21+. (Alcohol consumption is not required to play this game.)
Empirical Cilantro is a bold, innovative spirit set to shake up cocktail culture
Flavor, first. What happens when Noma’s former head of R&D becomes a distiller? A wildly imaginative, rule-breaking take on spirits, informed by years of experimentation with ingredients, taste profiles and genre-blurring culinary techniques at one of the world’s most lauded restaurants. Empirical, the iconoclast spirits start-up that has turned heads since its founding in 2017, is releasing a new expression, Cilantro on Oct. 1, and will soon open the doors to a sure-to-be-talked-about new craft cocktail bar, 53 A.D., in Bushwick, Brooklyn.
Empirical Cilantro opens with a sprightly, fresh citrus bouquet and a pop of garden-fresh herbaceousness, before finishing with a satisfying dry minerality and hints of fennel and green tomato. With a 38% ABV and a smooth base spirit made from French wheat, Cilantro is thoroughly unique yet designed to be approachable to cocktail fans and newcomers alike. Bursting with flavor in every drop, Cilantro shines in margaritas and sparkles with club soda.
Cilantro is the latest take on Empirical’s “uncategorizable” ethos. Like the other spirits in Empirical’s portfolio, Cilantro represents a new way of creating spirits, centered around flavors and ingredients, rather than producing liquids designed to fit into conventional styles.
“Everyone’s heard of cilantro,” Empirical founder and former Noma chef Lars Williams says. “But to look at cilantro as something that falls outside of the norms of beverage? That was so interesting.” Cilantro is a popular ingredient in many people’s kitchens, but is rarely used as the base for a cocktail. “When you taste Empirical Cilantro with soda, it just opens up in a completely beautiful way.”
Perhaps few ingredients are as famously divisive as fresh cilantro. But this represents a welcome challenge for Empirical. Taking a controversial flavor, and making it approachable through thoughtful manipulation, is core to the brand mission. “We’ve had many people that really dislike cilantro try our spirit,” Williams says. “But when they taste it, they like it. They’ll say, ‘Oh, this is actually really fresh, green and herbal’ as opposed to something soapy or metallic.”
Cilantro’s long reign as one of the world’s most polarizing flavors inspires Empirical’s newest campaign, “Mutants Welcome.” Whether someone likes the taste of cilantro or perceives it as soapy and off-putting often comes down to hereditary luck, or rather, a genetic mutation. The new marketing campaign, which comes to life via YouTube, posters and streetside stencils, nods to today’s contentious zeitgeist and opts for a cheeky message of social harmony: “Cilantro lovers are human too.”
Inspired by the dystopian allure of sci-fi apocalypse films, “Mutants Welcome” leans into today’s other hotly debated topic, artificial intelligence. The campaign uses visuals created by generative AI as well as a synthetic, stilted narrator in the first video. Quirky and knowing, “Mutants Welcome” is a siren call to cilantro lovers (and haters) all over the world. The full campaign launches Oct. 1 on YouTube; you can watch it here. (Campaign stills are linked below.)
Empirical is debuting a new production process for Cilantro. Empirical’s search for innovative and complex flavor expressions led to new partnerships and access to state-of-the-art technology. This proprietary process results in stridently fresh and nuanced flavor extractions which are blended with a light, soft French wheat spirit in the Brooklyn distillery. This method delivers a premium spirit at an accessible price point. Given how regularly this herb appears in people’s kitchens, Cilantro is poised to win over home mixologists as well as world-class bartenders.
Empirical Cilantro is the debut expression from Empirical’s new headquarters and R&D lab in Bushwick, New York. Perfected and bottled on site in Brooklyn, it’s a reflection of how the brand is excited about its new location and its communities. Located at 53 Scott Ave., Empirical’s new space also includes 53 A.D., a tasting room and cocktail bar, which opens later in October.
Empirical Cilantro retails for $35 and is available for pre-order on Empirical.co on Sept 25. It will be available in retail locations in New York, California and select states on Oct. 1, 2024 and available nationwide via Empirical.co.
Empirical Cilantro
Flavors: Refreshing, grassy, herbal
Suggested Serves: Over ice, with club soda, in a martini or a sour
Empirical Cilantro Cocktails
Cilantro & Soda
Makes one drink
Ingredients:
2 oz Empirical Cilantro
5 oz Fever Tree club soda
Lime wheel, for garnish
Steps:
In a highball glass filled with ice, add the Empirical Cilantro.
Top with the club soda and gently stir to combine.
Garnish with the lime wheel.
Cilantro Martini
Makes one drink
Ingredients:
2 oz Empirical Cilantro
¼ oz Dry vermouth
2 dashes Orange bitters
Lemon twist, for garnish
Steps:
In a mixing glass filled with ice, combine the Empirical Cilantro, vermouth and bitters.
Stir for 8 – 10 seconds.
Strain into a pre-chilled martini glass.
Express the lemon twist across the rim of the glass.
Cilantro Sour
Makes one drink
Ingredients:
2 oz Empirical Cilantro
¾ oz Fresh lime juice
½ oz Agave syrup
Lime wheel, for garnish
Salt, for rim (optional)
Steps:
In a shaker, combine Empirical Cilantro, fresh lime juice and agave syrup.
The Foundation opens its annual call for Tales of the Cocktail 2025 seminars with the proposal period running September 12 through November 21, 2024
Tales of the Cocktail Foundation (TOTCF) is pleased to announce the 2025 Seminar Proposal Period for the 23rd annual Tales of the Cocktail®–officially open September 12, 2024 and running through November 21, 2024 at 11:59 CST. During this time, prospective presenters can submit their proposals for Tales of the Cocktail®, which is set to return to New Orleans in July 2025. The event dates, details, and theme will be announced in the fall.
TOTCF extends a warm invitation to all interested speakers to submit their applications during the Seminar Proposal Period. Official seminar applications, comprehensive information about seminar types, requirements, and how-to videos are available via the TOTCF website, which includes additional information on how to submit.
Following the submission period, the TOTCF Education Advisory Committee looks forward to reviewing each submission and programming a robust 2025 Tales of the Cocktail® education slate that celebrates the multifaceted expertise found throughout the global cocktail industry.
2024 Education Programming Highlights:
55 seminars
9 Beyond the Bar workshops
175 presenters
Over 50% of the sessions were led by women and/or BIPOC presenters.
33% of the seminars were led by international presenters from countries including Mexico, the Netherlands, Portugal, Singapore, South Africa, the UK, and more.
Tequila Don Julio, renowned for its premium tequila, has partnered with Willy Chavarria, an award-winning fashion designer, to release a limited-edition Tequila Don Julio 70 Añejo Cristalino Artist Edition Bottle. This exclusive collaboration blends Chavarria’s bold, modern design sensibilities with the craftsmanship of Don Julio’s signature tequila. The bottle’s sleek design celebrates Chavarria’s commitment to art, fashion, and social impact, making it a true collector’s item for fashion-forward tequila lovers.
Chavarria, known for his work highlighting Mexican-American culture and social justice, brings a unique perspective to this collaboration, aligning with Don Julio’s heritage and dedication to craftsmanship. The Tequila Don Julio 70 Añejo Cristalino, which is the brand’s first Añejo Cristalino, undergoes a complex filtration process to achieve its smooth, crisp taste, a perfect pairing with the bottle’s artistic design.
For more about this collaboration and where to find the limited-edition bottle, read the full article on PR Newswire.
Tennis Fan Favorite Maestro Dobel Tequila Returns to the US Open as “Official Tequila” Partner with New Elevated Club Experience
Creator of the World’s First Cristalino Introduces the Dobel Tequila Club: a Tournament Destination Serving Tequila Cocktails and Classic Mexican Food Pairings from Chef Enrique Olvera
Maestro Dobel® Tequila today announces its return to the US Open as the tournament’s “Official Tequila”, with an enhanced presence where tennis meets tequila at the Dobel Tequila Club.
The Dobel Tequila Club will offer fans a world class, authentic Mexican hospitality experience, serving featured tequila cocktails including the Dobel Tequila Ace Paloma and a selection of culinary offerings from one of the world’s most iconic Mexican chefs, Chef Enrique Olvera. Curated to pair perfectly with the Dobel Tequila Ace Paloma and margarita cocktails, the menu will feature Chef Olvera’s popular Suadero Taco as well as other Mexican classics including Shrimp Aguachile.
The Dobel Tequila Ace Paloma, a refreshing fan favorite crafted with Dobel Diamante Cristalino, grapefruit soda and fresh lime, returns again and this year in a new souvenir cup created by Mexican industrial design maestro Ricardo Casas. Dobel will offer variations of its Ace Paloma cocktail this year, including a low-calorie version. Dobel will also have a full service Dobel Tequila Bar at Stadium 17, which will include a lounge for fans to relax between matches and enjoy smooth tequila cocktails throughout the first week of the tournament. Fans can also enjoy Dobel’s cocktails at four Ace Paloma cocktail carts located across the US Open grounds.
“In recent years, we’ve seen U.S. consumer interest in premium tequilas increase exponentially – led by consumption of the ever-popular paloma and margarita cocktails. With consumer interest in tennis also expanding in recent years, particularly among a younger multicultural audience, it was the perfect match for Maestro Dobel to become the ‘Official Tequila’ of the US Open last year,” said Lander Otegui, SVP Marketing at Proximo Spirits. “This year at the tournament, we’re bringing the best in Mexican hospitality, cocktails and cuisine with the opening of the Dobel Tequila Club – a new elevated bar and restaurant serving up featured drinks like the Dobel Tequila Ace Paloma, and pairing them with classic Mexican dishes from Chef Enrique Olvera.”
Furthering its commitment to championing mastery, Dobel caps off another busy year in tennis with the US Open. Since 2022, the 11th generation tequila maker has supported top U.S. ATP and WTA tournaments including the Miami Open, BNP Paribas Open and the Cincinnati Open. Dobel Tequila also continues its partnership with global tennis maestros Taylor Fritz and Aryna Sabalenka. This year, both players will bring their own curated tequila cocktails to US Open grounds, the Dobel Fritzy Spicy Margarita and the Dobel Marg-Aryna, marking the first player-inspired cocktails to be served at the tournament.
In lead-up to the tournament, Dobel will act as presenting sponsor of this year’s “Flavors of the Open” ticketed food and beverage event on the evening of Thursday, August 22, and supporter of the annual USTA Foundation Gala on Monday, August 26. An additional cornerstone of the partnership between the USTA and Dobel is the placement of “Dobel Tequila” branding in on-court signage that will be visible to fans on-site and around the world.
For fans looking to “ace” their serve from home, Maestro Dobel has partnered with Cocktail Courier for a Dobel Tequila Ace Paloma Cocktail Kit, available now through September for $69.99 USD at cocktailcourier.com.
Garnish: Black Salt Rim & Dehydrated Grapefruit Slice
Method: Pour Maestro Dobel Diamante Cristalino Tequila and squeeze fresh lime into a tall glass filled with fresh ice and rimmed with black lava salt. Top with Owen’s Rio Red Grapefruit and garnish with a pink grapefruit wedge placed on the mouth of the glass, serve!
About Maestro Dobel® Tequila Maestro Dobel Tequila was born in Jalisco, Mexico in 2003 from a groundbreaking family of tequila-makers, who challenged traditional production methods to create the first modern expression of tequila. With deep respect for legacy, founded by 11th generation tequila maker Juan Dobel, Maestro Dobel is a modern expression of tequila, with a heritage and refined craft that spans over 250 years. Maestro Dobel is an innovator in the category – having introduced to the global market the first cristalino with Dobel Diamante® and the first smoked tequila with Humito® – and has produced some of the finest and smoothest range of tequilas.
