Tales of the Cocktail starts pouring in Edinburgh this weekend.
Readers with long memories may recall our January blog about Tales of the Cocktail on Tour.
In short, Tales of the Cocktail is considered the world’s leading cocktail event. Aimed at spirits industry professionals, it welcomes some 15,000 delegates to New Orleans each year.
It also has a travelling event called Tales of the Cocktail® on Tour which takes the experience out of New Orleans to other cities. It is coming to Edinburgh this weekend, the first time that the event has been held outside of the Americas.
World’s leading bartenders
The tour brings together some of the world’s leading bartenders as well as showcasing the fantastic bars and talent in Scotland’s capital.
Much of it is aimed at drinks professionals but there is a series of public events called Dynamic Duos.
The idea is that bars host one night pop-ups serving drinks made by some of the world’s leading bar tenders.
You can browse the full list of Dynamic Duo events on the Tales of the Cocktail site.
These caught our eye:
Tales of the Cocktail at Scotch Malt Whisky Society
On Saturday, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society will be hosting a Dynamic Duo themed around Past and Present Whisky Making and Shaking.
Taking place in the Kaleidoscope Whisky Bar, 9.30-11.30pm, the event will look at the evolution of whisky distilling over the last 50 years.
With whisky experts Charlie MacLean and Chris Hannah behind the bar, guests can compare and contrast duos of single cask malts from the same distillery but distilled decades apart.
Visitors can also taste a duo of specially crafted whisky cocktails made with spirit from the same distillery but with a distinct variety in flavour.
There will also be the opportunity to join The Scotch Malt Whisky Society as a member for £80, a saving of £45. Membership includes a special introductory bottle of Single Cask Malt Whisky.
Incidentally, we are currently running a rather special Big Deal on dining in the Society’s excellent restaurant.
Dynamic Duo: Chop House and Darnley’s
On the same evening, running 10pm-midnight, Darnley’s Gin and Chop House on Market Street have partnered for a cocktail-filled Saturday night.
Not only will Darnley’s launch a new expression on the night but guest bartender, Andy O’Neill, of Glasgow’s Porter & Rye, will also put in an appearance.
The Voyage of Buck
On Monday 3rd April, The Voyage of Buck is hosting a Dynamic Duo night from 10pm. Resident Patron Perfectionist and General Manager Mike McGinty is teaming up with Stockholm bartending legend Jimmie Hulth for a Scandinavian-inspired event.
Jimmie, of Tjoget bar in Stockholm, will serve a medley of Patron tequila cocktails involving various pickling techniques. These will be paired with Swedish style canapés from The Voyage of Buck kitchen.