We just returned from the 23rd edition of Tales of the Cocktail, the annual drinks conference/bacchanalia held in New Orleans in late July. Throughout 60+ events and tastings, both intimate and epic in scope, we found a few common threads.
Best parties? Patrón, Milagro, Pernod Ricard and Fords Gin were the most memorable, and some of the smaller activations (like High West — thank you for making your shindig an icehouse — as well as Cantina Mexico and Irish House) won on good vibes and comfort. Also, a quick shout-out to Filthy for having a bar across the street from the home base of the Ritz-Carlton that started offering free drinks at 10 a.m. along with a pile of gratis BEC sandwiches.
A quick note: For the second year, our drinks newsletter The Spill was the sponsor of both Beyond the Bar (a series of seminars that focus on mental health and physical wellness, as well as a chill, non-boozy space to head between events) and Meet the Distillers (an intimate Thursday two-part tasting with craft distilleries), and we couldn’t have been happier about our involvement. If you’re going in 2026, please check out both.
This Chicago Bar Won Big at Tales of the Cocktail
The Japanese dining bar Kumiko took home two major awards, including World’s Best BarAnyway, after many drinks and a few regrets, here’s what we learned:
The Lychee Martini Is Back and Better Than Ever
I recently declared my love for the Lychee Martini, a drink I used to enjoy a lot but hadn’t thought about in a while until it started popping up on bar and restaurant menus in NYC. And lo and behold, the Asian fruit was also the star of many a Martini at Tales this year. I tried it in Jello shot form, courtesy of Solid Wiggles at a party sponsored by Ketel One. Aviation Gin made its version of a Lychee Martini at The Alibi Bar. And at the excellent Suntory Global Spirits event, New York’s own Overstory concocted a Martini with Haku Vodka, vermouth, yuzu, coconut and lychee powder, which was served on a spoon balanced on the rim of the glass. — AG
Drinks Were Sour (in a Good Way)
Here’s the thing about Tales — as wonderful as it is to taste cocktails from so many world-class bars and bartenders, at the end of the day, cocktails often contain a lot of sugar. Your palate gets burnt out fast. It’s not always easy to find a refreshing drink that’s low on sweetness and makes your lips pucker ever so slightly, but they were available at every turn during Tales 2025. My favorite was the Chamoy Gimlet from SuperKitten (a collab between two of our favorite bars, Superbueno and Katana Kitten), a light, refreshing mix of Grey Goose vodka, lime, ume chamoy and lime zest. I refreshed my palate on a scorching evening and prepared my taste buds for dinner.
Later that evening, at Fords Gin’s Negroni sessions party, I was looking for anything that wasn’t a Negroni (no shade to this delicious classic, but after three days at Tales, I wanted anything but). I sidled up to the bar, tended by Long Beach’s Baby Gee, and tried one of my favorite drinks of the night — the Okie Dokie High Ball, made with Fords Gin, watermelon soju, pickled rhubarb, shiso and cherry blossom tonic. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. At the William Grant portfolio party, the Salty Space Dog was an unusually sour slushie (typically frozen drinks need a lot of sugar in order to freeze), made with Hendrick’s Oasium gin, pink grapefruit, lime and salt water. Yes, I almost always reach for a Martini, but if drinks keep getting this satisfyingly sour, I could be a changed woman. — AG
Garnishes Are Getting Sweeter
The gummy hot dog garnish used by Denver’s Yacht Club at the Suntory Global Spirits shindig on Thursday afternoon was fun, the Bazooka gum supporting the Bazooka-infused Sally on the Moon #2 at Fords Gin was cute and I loved the actual Cheerios in my Grain Theory cocktail at the first of many Jefferson’s whiskey events, but earlier in the week I experienced two instances of miniature cookies being used as a topper for cocktails. I don’t believe the baked goods were anything special — I’m guessing store-bought, although high-end — but I had an Old Fashioned made with Redbreast that had a small, round shortbread cookie on top that added a lovely biscuit note on the nose and gave me a little snack during my drink. More cookie garnishes! — KM
Indie Spirits That Rock…Rocked
I loved Meet the Distillers, the multi-room, two-session event on Thursday at the Ritz-Carlton that showcased spirits from the makers themselves. But I have to give it up for Indie Spirits That Rock, a Wednesday afternoon event at the hotel that delivered a similar experience but captured a little more raw energy — perhaps because it was just one session and/or it all took place in one connected space. It was here where I got to dive into some more obscure whiskey releases from the perennially underrated Proof and Wood (The Senator was a standout), learn about the cool mission behind FAIR (a craft liqueur brand centered around local Fair Trade ingredients) and say hi to friends old and new (Viriginia Distillery Co, Saint Benevolence, Tip Top, etc.). I even found an $18 tequila I liked. The vibe was electric, lines were out the door before opening and it reinvigorated me halfway through my Tales trip just as I was getting a little cynical about the business. — KM
The Spirited Awards Can Be Your Travel Guide
We wrote about the big winners of the 19th annual Spirited Awards (honors given by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation) last week, but what I appreciate about the winners’ list is how many new places, bartenders and publications I discover after the winners’ announcement. If I’m somehow ever in Phoenix, I’ll be sure to hit up Little Rituals, the Best U.S. Hotel Bar winner (it’s at a Residence Inn?!?). I wasn’t familiar with Full Pour (Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication), but I’m psyched that a physical magazine about spirits exists (beyond the ones I already knew about, like Imbibe, Whisky Advocate, etc.). And when I get back to D.C., I know that Service Bar (U.S. Bartender of the Year) and Allegory (Best U.S. Bar Team) will be on my must-visit list. — KM
Wine as a Supporting Ingredient Was Everywhere
Wine is no stranger to cocktails. It’s a star player on some bar menus (looking at you, Yacht Club), and countless classics use sparkling wine as one of the main ingredients. But I noticed it more than ever at this year’s Tales, which is a trend I think is going to get much more prominent in the coming years. I wasn’t surprised to see it in a lot of drinks that the Yacht Club team was making at the House of Suntory, including the Hardy B, made with Haku Vodka, orange wine, clementine, caraway and fennel pollen. The iichiko Tea Room was a lovely respite from the Tales chaos, and the cocktails, of course, were on point. Shingo Gokan from Tokyo’s The SG Club added Vin Juane (a dry white wine from France’s Jura region) to his Plantain Colada. And back at SuperKitten, the Yuzu Sgroppino had double the wine, made with St-Germain, dry riesling, a yuzu hoja santo sorbetto, prosecco and salt and pepper. — AG
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