Tales of the Cocktail 2015

Chartreuse limited release & Vintage Tasting

The recipe is a mystery to all but a handful of the the Carthusian monks responsible for creating this wonderful liqueur. Of course, we are unable to reveal the entire mystery of what goes into Chartreuse but we will be able to explore the many secrets and bountiful history of this liqueur. Chartreuse Liqueur is one of the few spirits that ages after bottling. In some cases, for the better. More and more, people are searching for older bottles of Chartreuse; searching online, in rural liquor stores, even at estate sales. We will discuss a little bit about what causes this aging process as we sip on bottles found in back of the liquor cabinets. We will also take a look at the other special Chartreuse types the monks have created. . These Chartreuse types are sold only to elite restaurateurs in France and surrounding areas. And finally, we would be remiss not to speak about the Carthusian life and what effects it has played on the liqueur itself.

Guests of this exclusive seminar will be given the chance to taste through several Chartreuse limited release types and a couple different vintages.

To step into our distillery is to be taken back in time when you stand next to any one of our four heritage stills that not only produced rum for centuries, but are some of the rarest stills in the world. This seminar, led by Master Distiller Shaun Caleb, will offer you the even rarer opportunity to taste aged individual marques from each of our heritage stills at cask strength. Our Edward Henry Porter is a wooden continuous Coffey still, producing rum since 1880. The double and single pot wooden Navy stills produced rum for the British Navy for centuries; the unique copper necked single-pot originated from the Versailles Estate while the double-pot is the only one of its kind left in the world and originated from the Port Mourant Estate, established in 1732. All three stills are made from Guyanese greenheart (though "Guyana" didn't exist yet!) while our fourth heritage still, the French Savalle, is a metal four-column still also dating back to an 18th century Estate, Uitvlugt. And as a special treat, we will also present our Special Reserve 25 year-old blended rum, coming back stateside for the first time in several years.

In this advanced course, Master Distiller Dave Pickerell joins Brad Boswell of Independent Stave for a true Master Class on the art and chemistry of distillation and barrel aging. Many past Tales seminars have been primers for these topics, but this unique presentation is a scientific view of the life of a drop of whiskey, from grain to glass. Travel alongside a rye grain from the day it enters the distillation process until the perfect moment it pours into your favorite craft libations. Side-by-side with the experts of the field, explore the importance of a masterful mash bill, the resurgence of rye, and innovative aging. To drive the lesson home, enjoy a guided tasting of WhistlePig's flagship 100/100 Straight Rye and The Boss Hog, plus a legendary recent release from the brand, focusing on the masterful maturation process of cross-cask aging.

Here is a rare opportunity to experience some fine aged rums from a private collection, never before seen in the United States. Originally sourced in Caribbean casks, these select aged rums were further aged in special barrels in Europe over many years. This exclusive tasting event will be available for only twenty serious rum enthusiasts, featuring vintage rums from Guadeloupe, Belize, Guyana and Haiti, lovingly triple matured and rested in barrels from rare Sauternes, Pineau des Charentes and even Sherry casks.

Party like its 1999 with this rare opportunity to taste Champagnes no longer available outside of private collections! Taste tête de cuvées from the mid-to-late 90s along with Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs and Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs from one of the only major Champagne houses to produce these varietals as grand crus, which are not available anywhere in the U.S. Doug Frost (MS, MW) and Rob Bigelow (MS) will present a deep-dive into the world of Champagne with insight from category expert Monsieur Olivier Zorel. These esteemed panelists will discuss Champagne’s past, present, and future in an ever evolving liquid landscape.

For 150 years, Pittsburgh was the Whiskey capital of America, producing the gold standard of Pre-Prohibition American Whiskey -- Monongahela Rye. By 1808, Western Pennsylvania was producing half a barrel of Monongahela Rye for every man, woman and child living in America. We’ll talk through America's pre-Bourbon Whiskey history--the Whiskey Rebellion of the 1790s through the emergence of the nation’s largest Pre-Prohibition brand of Whiskey--Old Overholt as well as why Rye disappeared post-Prohibition. Attendees will sample Wigle's Organic Monongahela Deep Cut Rye, Old Overholt Rye, and Beam's soon to be released rare high rye Harvest Bourbon Collection. Tasting will allow participants to compare current Ryes explore how environmental conditions and distillation methods likely contributed to Monongahela Rye’s distinct flavor.

Exclusive tasting of some of the rarest offerings by Hillrock distillery and WhistlePig Rye Whiskey - many completely unavailable in market.

Operating out of their respective farms in New York and Vermont, with the guidance of respected industry master distiller Dave Pickerell, each company unearths only the finest and most coveted liquid to date. Hillrock will be representing exclusive malted whiskeys; WhistlePig limited rye finishes and products never released.

Featured items in this session include:

Hillrock Rare Liquids:
Hillrock Estate Distillery Single Malt – No Peat Smoke
Hillrock Estate Distillery Single Malt – 8 Hours Peat Smoke
Hillrock Estate Distillery Single Malt – 14 Hours Peat Smoke
Hillrock Estate Distillery Single Malt – New Peat Smoke
Hillrock Estate Distillery Solera Aged Bourbon – Extra Sherry Finish

WhistlePig Rare Liquids:
Boss Hog 2013
Boss Hog 2014: Spirit of Mortimer
Old World Series 12 Year: Sauternes Finish
Old World Series 12 Year: Madeira Finish
Old World Series 12 Year: Port Finish
Old World Series 12 Year Married Finish
Unreleased Finished Rye: Oloroso (Sherry)
Unreleased Finished Rye: Pedro Jimenez (Sherry)
Rare Never Before Tasted Rye (undisclosed name)

After the success and controversy caused by last years seminar we want to bring it back bigger and better with a breakdown of where flavor comes from and why age is just a number, it doesn't tell you anything about the quality of the contents of your bottle of whisky.

It’s an age-old question: when it comes to spirits, does older mean better? This seminar will challenge even the most seasoned palates to answer that question tasting some of the rarest and unique whiskies from Diageo’s warehouses in Scotland many of these whiskies have never been tasted by anyone outside of Diageo before.

The Diageo Whisky team, including those behind of some of the most iconic single malts from Talisker and Lagavulin, will be joined again by World-renowned author Dave Broom to lead a blind tasting of whiskies with vastly varying ages from Diageo’s stocks including liquid that has never been offered to the public before.

Attendees will hear how single malts and blends have evolved since the beginning of the 20th Century through to the modern day by changes in production, through to the corks used. They will also learn how multiple flavors from different types of casks make up what we know as a single malt, as they taste the whiskies.

The panel will ask participants for their opinions of each, before the grand revealing of the names and, more importantly, their ages. Attendees will discover what their favorite whisky was, followed by an opportunity to ask questions about each.

Will the older whiskies live up to the hype? There were some real revelations last year and this year will be no exception.

Whether using Armagnac to replace a bourbon base or a rum base, or coming up with an original cocktail recipe, bartenders from London to New York and San Francisco are embracing French Brandies on their cocktails menus. This long overdue trend is not likely to change. Riding that wave is Armagnac, having lived in the shadow of it’s better-funded neighbor further north, Armagnac is finally having its moment in the spotlight.

The original craft spirit, steeped in a history that dates back over 700 years and flavored by the characters that can only be found in Gascony; a sip of Armagnac recalls secret cellars, the bravery of the 3 musketeers, French berets and a character as unique as the people that pour their heart and soul into producing it.

Join May Matta-Aliah, Armagnac Ambassador, and Doug Miller, Associate Professor
of Hospitality and Service Management at The Culinary Institute of America as they walk you through the range of grape varieties used, the importance of the proprietary distillation method used in the region and the influence of the local oak used for maturation.

You will also have a chance to taste a “Blanche”, an un-aged Armagnac, along with some older blends, both pure and in cocktails, to gain a full appreciation of the history as well as the current trends shaping the current Armagnac industry today.

There's no doubt that the Brandy category's presence on hot cocktail bar menus is on the rise with an assortment of Cognacs, Armagnacs and Calvados on many a drinks list. Yet, where does Spanish Brandy, infamous for both it's value to quality ratio while tinged with history fall into the mix?

'Spanish Brandy: It's a Thing' will offer an exploration into the general category of Brandy placing emphasis on Spanish Brandy. Leading category experts; Master Sommelier, Robert Bigelow, Torres Brandy Global Brand Manager, Michael La Terriere and Joel Cuellar of NYC's infamous Brandy Library will deep dive into the background and history of Spanish Brandy and how it differs from other Brandy's around the world.

And, attendees will be greeted to 'Spanish Brandy: It's a Thing' with a Classic Brandy Cocktail followed by an exclusive guided Torres Brandy vertical tasting featuring 10, 15, 20 and 30 year pours in addition to barrel samples and other rare offerings.

A look inside the little known and rarely understood world of rural rhum production on the island of Haiti. Beyond the large brands such as Barbancourt and Vieux Labbe, most of the rhum produced and consumed by islanders in rural Haiti follows rustic, age-old production methods in the outer regions of this unique island. Slow, natural fermentation attracts the natural yeast of each micro-region, delivering a true snapshot of local DNA -- true terroir -- followed by a gentle distillation and simple finishing to produce a delightful, fresh cane spirit of fine quality. In this intimate tasting seminar, we'll sample some of the very best examples of Clairin from Haiti, which are now gaining greater appreciation in Europe thanks to the passionate efforts of Gianluca Gargano of Velier.

After the success and controversy caused by last years seminar we want to bring it back bigger and better with a breakdown of where flavor comes from and why age is just a number, it doesn't tell you anything about the quality of the contents of your bottle of whisky.

It’s an age-old question: when it comes to spirits, does older mean better? This seminar will challenge even the most seasoned palates to answer that question tasting some of the rarest and unique whiskies from Diageo’s warehouses in Scotland many of these whiskies have never been tasted by anyone outside of Diageo before.

The Diageo Whisky team, including those behind of some of the most iconic single malts from Talisker and Lagavulin, will be joined again by World-renowned author Dave Broom to lead a blind tasting of whiskies with vastly varying ages from Diageo’s stocks including liquid that has never been offered to the public before.

Attendees will hear how single malts and blends have evolved since the beginning of the 20th Century through to the modern day by changes in production, through to the corks used. They will also learn how multiple flavors from different types of casks make up what we know as a single malt, as they taste the whiskies.

The panel will ask participants for their opinions of each, before the grand revealing of the names and, more importantly, their ages. Attendees will discover what their favorite whisky was, followed by an opportunity to ask questions about each.

Will the older whiskies live up to the hype? There were some real revelations last year and this year will be no exception.

Party like its 1999 with this rare opportunity to taste Champagnes no longer available outside of private collections! Taste tête de cuvées from the mid-to-late 90s along with Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs and Grand Cru Blanc de Noirs from one of the only major Champagne houses to produce these varietals as grand crus, which are not available anywhere in the U.S. Doug Frost (MS, MW) and Rob Bigelow (MS) will present a deep-dive into the world of Champagne with insight from category expert Monsieur Olivier Zorel. These esteemed panelists will discuss Champagne’s past, present, and future in an ever evolving liquid landscape.