Tim was recently interviewed by Time Out Chicago about tonic water. Read it here.

Congratulations to the Vegas team and Tad. It was a lot of fun. Hot and sweaty, but a lot of fun.

At first I bypassed the RAW tasting room for being too crowded and headed for the Zacapa tasting. (It doesn’t take much of an arm twisting to get me to taste me some Zacapa. Good news if you haven’t heard: They’re launching the XO in the States later this year.)

After laying down a decent foundation of Zacapa, and being told by Neyah to check out Eric Seed’s rum, we headed over to the RAW tasting, a room chock full of delicious. The tasting was designed to showcase producers pet projects that haven’t come to market just yet.

I need to apologize in advance for the lack of detailed tasting notes. It was far to crowded to take much in the way of notes.

Eric and the Haus Alpenz table was mobbed, so I said hi to Brian Ellison from Death’s Door Spirits and had a quick taste of the maple whiskey he’s working on with our good friend, Adam Seger. The mash is a blend of wheat and barley to which they add maple syrup. There was some nice woodiness to it and it drank very easily and had a ton of color for only a year in barrel.

Haus Alpenz couldn’t wait any longer. There was no way to know what they would be pouring (the program said they didn’t know what they’d have), there was no doubt that it would be good. Dear Mr. Seed doesn’t have a very large portfolio, but it’s fantastic and full of things geared directly towards cocktail nerds. First up was Aperitivo Cocchi Americano, essentially Kina Lillet, what Lillet was before they changed up the formula in 1986 and pulled out the quinine. Very nice with a finish that went on for miles. Also on hand was a red version, Borral Gentiane Quina from the Chartreuse mountains.

It’s been a couple of years since I first met Eric. At that point he was just launching his Batavia Arrack and had a rough version of Swedish Punch. (For the non-cocktail geeks, Batavia Arrack is a rum made in Java with a touch of red rice added to the sugar cane in the mash. Swedish Punch is Batavia Arrack that’s been spiced up a bit.). Now he’s making a Swedish Punch that’s fantastic, all full of sweet, spice and smoke.

The Haus also has a pot-distilled Jamaican rum that drinks far smoother than the 114 proof it carries (Neyah’s advice was well heeded), and Rothman and Winter has added a cherry liqueur to its line up.

Also worth noting was Tuthilltown’s Hickory Rye whiskey: a rye with the addition of hickory extract, lending it a piney, resiny note. Very interesting.

All in all, the pet projects session had some fascinating spirits. Hope to see them on the market soon.

When you approach Latrobes on Royal Street, it’s difficult not to smile a bit as you are filled with the very essence of New Orleans. An incredible bit of history, built in 1822 as a bank, the space provided the perfect back drop for my first event at Tales this year.

Hosted by Benedictine, we weren’t sure what to expect as we passed through the entryway greeted by robe-clad gents. Each guest was handed small burlap pouch with two wax coins- one would tell your fortune, one would get you cocktail….ok, we’re off to a good start.

Models painted as statues flanked the interior as more “Brothers” worked the bars, doling out cocktails prepared with the classic spirit. The dichotomy of indie dance music and groups of roving monks set the tone.

After imbibing a few drams of the secretive spiced spirit and being designated as “nobility” by a vampire-nailed clairvoyant, we thought it best to jump venture to visit our friends at Cure- we chose wisely.

Not having been back to NOLa since last summer, this was my first trip to the new-ish venue. Well worth the short cab ride up to Freret Street, this lounge is a must do location. An open corner location, exposed brick and simple, clean design punctuate the space. Three bartenders, including Kirk Estopinal (formerly of Chicago), skillfully slung the sauce- not forgetting to have a good time in the meanwhile.

I recommend trying a few drinks off the menu (Loved the El Paraiso- Miller’s gin, Damiana Mayan liqueur, lemon, & fee aromatic), but the real fun begins when you grab a copy of the book the crew has put together. “Rogue Cocktails” is a compilation of 40 drinks, classic and contemporary, this is sure to peak your interest. Cocktails with 2 ounces of bitters, inordinate amounts of Amaro, and more read like a train crash but somehow emerge as balanced culinary creations. I’ll work my way through the book in future blogs when I’m back on home turf, but for now I have a Cynar flip to attend to.

One of the most anticipated spirit and cocktail events of the year kicks of today in New Orleans. Tim and I arrived in the Big Easy Tuesday evening, welcomed back by the thick air that could only be NOLa. We’ll be covering all of the action this week, attending seminars and events and doing our part to imbibe our way through Tales all in the name of research. These are the sacrifices we make for our readers- don’t say we never gave you anything. Check out the official website.