Drinking The World

Where do you want to be on Friday October 14th? At the Ultimate Blast!

The Ultimate Beverage Challenge's second annual Ultimate Blast, a consumer, media and trade tasting event returns to New York City. Friday, October 14, 2011 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel, 1535 Broadway @ 45th St., NYC.

Ever dream you could go to an amazing tasting where you would learn about the world’s best spirits, cocktails and wines? Where the host encourages you to try a little something from the rarest bottles on his bar – whether wine or spirits – AND he has trays of the most delectable specialty cocktails for you to sip and savor? That dream becomes reality when the second annual ULTIMATE BLAST consumer, media and trade tasting event returns this fall to New York City.

Hosted by Ultimate Beverage Challenge (UBC), the country’s foremost spirits and wine evaluation company founded by beverage expert and author F. Paul Pacult, this gala tasting event featuring spirits, cocktails and wines will take place on Friday, October 14, 2011 from 5:30pm - 9:30pm at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square, New York City. Tickets to this can’t-be-missed event are available now at www.ultimate-beverage.com/blast-info. Through September 15, a 30% Advance Purchase Discount applies to all tickets.

This year at ULTIMATE BLAST, guests can once again look forward to not only being educated about the finest products the beverage alcohol world offers, but also a high-spirited party in a nightclub-like atmosphere. The famed Broadway Ballroom at the Marriott Marquis hotel will feature tables brimming with the best libations as well as branded lounges hosted by major spirits and wine companies that will be decorated to create special and unique ambiances – like a party within a party! Many of the beverages at Ultimate Blast are UBC Chairman's Trophy winners and finalists from the trio of Ultimate Beverage Challenges held earlier this year. All guests will enjoy:

o SPIRITS – hundreds of world-class whiskies, brandies, vodkas, tequilas, rums, gins and more, produced by the world’s finest mainstream and craft producers
o COCKTAILS – scores of thrilling cocktails, created by an array of the world’s best bartenders
o WINES – a bevy of the world’s most acclaimed Champagnes, wines and sparkling wines
o BOOK SIGNINGS – by some of the world’s pre-eminent spirits and cocktail authors
o LIVE MUSIC and FOOD

Says UBC founder F. Paul Pacult: “If you want to have fun this fall, you’ll come to Ultimate Blast and learn about world-class beverages. Period.”

It's been awhile since I last wrote anything here. I got a new laptop from DELL before going to Tales of the Cocktail, and it was a lemon. First the touchpad was broken and kept making the cursor arrow jump all over the place and click on things and close programs. Then the tech breaks the motherboard when trying to fix it, then comes back with a new motherboard and breaks the top of the case, but it's the evening before my early morning flight to tales and I need the laptop, so I take it with me.

On the plane I rough out several articles about seminars I plan to attend, thinking I'll get a jump on them, but the laptop starts acting up. The new touchpad is closing programs and deleting what I am writing. I finally get everything saved and close up the damn demon possessed machine.

My seminars that I a planned to write about were in the first day or so of tales, and I write up the stories. I go to post them here and can't get an internet connection in the hotel. I finally do and just as I am about to post them the laptop has a fatal, catastrophic failure. I try to get it back up an dafter two days I manage it, but everything is gone. At that point I gave up and just dived into the crazy days of Tales. Ouch.

When I am over the agony of the demon machine I will try to re-write about Tales. Or maybe just a few of my adventures. But don't hold your breath.

Tales of the Cocktail is just days away. I'm trying to get ready, new seersucker suit, vintage 1920's boater hat, bottling up a few cases of prototype products to hand out, and putting together my schedule for the seven days I'll be in New Orleans. Like usual, my schedule is way overbooked; and some really great events, dinners, etc. aren't even scheduled yet. But here is my schedule to date. It looks like over 50 items are on the list so far, just for one week. I hope I survive. Schedule after the jump.

Read more

It's just 14 days until Tales of the Cocktail 2010. For the past few weeks I thought that I might not be able to make it due to business conflicts, but I'm back on track and raring to go. I even have a new collection of Tiki shirts and Panama hats, a seersucker suit, and a vintage Boater hat from the 1920's, so I can look my best while I handle the summer heat.

Check out the line-up of seminars and events. As well as the spirited lunches and dinners, competitions, and tasting events. Make sure you get your tickets before they are all sold out. I recommend one of the packages to get the best deal.

I'm signed up for some interesting seminars like: From Convicts to Cocktailsians, A Shot of the Black Stuff- Amazing Amaros and Brilliant Bitters, Science of Stirring, Techniques and Problems of Historical Cocktails, and The Julep Story from 1488 to Present. And I'll also be attending some great VIP events like: The Drambuie @ The Rusty Nail, Grey Goose Behind the Bar, Beefeater Gin's Welcome Reception (guaranteed to be an amazing event), William Grant and Sons - Promenade of Jubilation, Diageo's cocktail Hour, Ricard's Midnight Petanque (I have to brush up on my game), Grand Marnier's Bar Room Brawl, Plymouth Gin's Bartender Breakfast, and of course the Award Ceremony (If I can get a seat at a table from someone, since the tables are all sold out.)

See you in NOLA!

Well, it's July and that means Tales of the Cocktail. Besides all the seminars and events, I'm looking forward to attending the Spirited Awards ceremony, where many of my friends and acquaintances are nominated for awards.

The following is from the Tales of the Cocktail site: "This summer the international community will converge on the city where spirits live 24/7. Shaken from their slumber within the bottle, the spirits will take on a life of their own in New Orleans at Tales of the Cocktail 2010.

At Tales of the Cocktail, The Roosevelt will welcome the stars of the cocktail industry for the 2010 Spirit Awards, a red carpet affair hosted by Pernod Ricard USA. Dress the part of a 1960’s “mad” man or woman with real life Mad Man, Bryan Batt as we recognize individuals and establishments for their work in pushing the craft of making cocktails forward.

What would a celebration in New Orleans be without great music and food. Reserve your table for the Spirits Awards and enjoy the cool jazz sounds of Tom Fischer and Friends as you sample some of the best cuisine New Orleans has to offer from Domenica Restaurant, Creole Cuisine, Fleur de Lis Catering, Damn Good Sweets and, of course, The Roosevelt."

Tales of the Cocktail® Announces 2010 Spirited Award® Nominees after the jump

Read more

It's just 75 days until Tales of the Cocktail 2010, which will be held in New Orleans, LA from July 21-25. This will be my third year as a contributing writer. I'm looking forward to covering the largest cocktail event in the world. This year there is an even better line-up of seminars than before. Also there are a ton of fantastic spirited lunches and dinners, competitions, and tasting events. Make sure you get your tickets before they are all sold out. I recommend one of the packages to get the best deal.

I wrote about the preview of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic last fall. Now it's time to get your tickets for the main event, the Manhattan Cocktail Classic May 14-18, 2010. Some events are sold out, but dozens still have tickets available.

I'm really looking forward to the Gala Event at the NY Public Library. The Gala preview last fall blew me away.

Make the art of enjoying fine whiskies a part of your lifestyle.

Whisky Live New York 2010 would like to offer you the opportunity to sample some of the finest scotches, whiskies, and bourbons in the world, from the US, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, Japan and more. With a couple guest spirits as well.

Please accept their invitation to join them for a night out at beautiful Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers, NYC. They would like you to use this Special Discount Code for 20% off your ticket purchase (ny10web32), at Whisky Live New York 2010 in the Ticket Offer Code box online or use this phone number, 1-847-249-4333.

Whisky Live New York, during New York Tartan Week, once again returns to the spectacular Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers, 23rd Street on the Hudson River, in the heart of the city, on Wednesday, April 7, 2010. Whether you are a seasoned whisky lover or a novice, you can expect to experience an incredible and in-depth insight into the world of whisky, great food and fantastic entertainment. Whisky Live New York will bring the world of whisky to life, increasing your knowledge of whiskies and a chance to meet the whisky experts.

Book your tickets in advance and save, to ensure your place at Whisky Live New York 2010! Advance tickets may be ordered now at Whisky Live New York 2010. Attendance is limited and tickets are selling fast, so book soon!

Visit WhiskyLive.com more information about their other events in North America and World-Wide.

On Sunday night October 4th, starting at 8pm was the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, Gala Spectacular, held in the Astor Hall at the New York Public Library. To say Gala or Spectacular doesn’t give the evening justice. As you walked up the stairs leading to the libraries entrance, you were guided by the warmly glowing light of candle lit luminaria (a south-west tradition of lining walkways with candles in paper bags), welcoming you the event.

As you passed through the doors into the main chamber, big jazz band, Vince Giordano’s Nighthawks were playing joyfully, setting the theme for the evening. Inside on two floors were a dozen bars staffed by the best of the best in the cocktail world. Spread out among the bars were buffets loaded with a plethora of fine cheese, cold cuts, guinea fowl, pheasant, duck, Berkshire pork, sandwiches, breads, and so much more. There was a also a chocolate buffet, desert tables, and a raw bars with oyster opened to order.

Read more

New York City was afloat in cocktails on the weekend of October 3rd and 4th during the preview of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (MCC.) The two days were just a taste, No, more like a tease, of an annual, week long event of all things Cocktails that will begin in May 2010. the core events were held at the Astor Center, with the preview consisting of two days of seminars, spirit and cocktail tasting events, networking, and a bar where dozens of the top bartenders and mixologists in the world, tag teamed all day long to serve up their creations. In addition many of the best cocktail bars in the city also opened their doors during the days from 1-3pm for special cocktails and mini-presentations. The key point to make about the MCC is that this is a celebration of cocktails from a New York City point of view. Again and again it became clear that the Big Apple isn’t the best moniker for the City That Never Sleeps.

Read more