FIND US AT TALES OF THE COCKTAIL
THE NEW ORLEANS SPIRITS COMPETITION SCHEDULE FOR THE WEEK
Monday July 20
LIVE SPIRITS JUDGING
10:00 AM — Rum of the Year
1:00 PM — Whiskey of the Year
3:30 PM — Liqueur of the Year
in the Crescent View Room, 12th floor of the Ritz Carlton, New Orleans
Tuesday, July 21
JUDGES' BRUNCH AND AWARDS ANNOUNCEMENT
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM— Judges’ Brunch
10:30 AM - 1:00 PM — Spirits Tasting
11:00 AM — Awards Announcement
in the Crescent View Room, 12th floor of the Ritz Carlton, New Orleans
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Thursday, July 23
BEST SPIRITS IN THE WORLD TASTING
2:00 PM - 5:00 PM In the Fountainbleau Room, 1st Floor of the Ritz Carlton, New Orleans
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Be in the room where it happens!
THE CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND LIVE JUDGING
Join the New Orleans Spirits Competition as it crowns the 2026
• Rum of the Year
• Whiskey of the Year
• Liqueur of the Year
in live, blind-tastings.
Panels of esteemed judges with evaluate the Top-Six rums, whiskies and liqueurs in a blind tasting to determine which of these gold-medal spirits will be the Best of Class while an audience of spirits professionals tastes along.
10:00 AM
Rum of the Year – Live Judging
Time: 10am - 11:30pm
Panelists: Garnett Phillip, Geoffrey Wilson, Alex Kong, and Ian Burrell will evaluate the top-six scoring rums from this year’s Gold Medal winners to determine the 2026 Rum of the Year.
Doors open at 9:45 AM
1:00 PM
Whisky of the Year – Live Judging
Time: 1:00 - 2:30 pm
Panelists Kimberly Patton-Bragg, H. Joseph Ehrmann, Abigail Gullo, and Roland Ng will evaluate the top-six scoring whiskies from this year’s Gold Medal winners to determine the Whiskey of the Year 2026.
Doors open at 12:45 PM
3:30 PM
Liqueur of the Year – Live Judging
Time: 3:30pm - 5pm
Panelists Ms. franky marshall, Paul Clarke, Danny Ronen, and Vivian Pei. will evaluate the top-six scoring liqueurs from this year’s Gold Medal winners to determine the 2026 Liqueur of the Year.
Doors open at 3:15 AM
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MONDAY, JULY 20
IN THE CRESCENT VIEW ROOM
12TH FLOOR OF THE RITZ CARLTON NEW ORLEANS
Anyone with a tasting-room ticket may attend these tastings and enjoy the same flight as the judges. Discover new flavors and enjoy the best spirits alongside some of the most respected palates in the world.
Seating is limited to the first 36 guests and is first-come, first served. Arrive early to ensure a spot.
Tuesday, July 21
JUDGES' BRUNCH AND AWARDS ANNOUNCEMENT
in the Crescent View Room, 12th floor of the Ritz-Carlton.
Doors open at 10 am
Attendance at the Awards Presentation is complimentary for all medalists, members of the media and tasting-room ticket holders.
The event begins at 10:00 am. with the Judges' Brunch. Current and past competition judges have been invited as our guests along with members of the media. Other attendees who wish to enjoy brunch service may do so for an optional $99, which includes the Ritz-Carlton's Jackson Square Breakfast Buffet.
Beginning at 10:30 am, past Spirits of the Year, Distillery of the Year winners, and gold-medalists will be pouring samples of their spirits throughout the room. This tasting will continue through 1 pm.
At 11:00 am, the Awards Announcement begins. Judges and invited VIPs will present medalists of this year's competition. The ceremony will conclude with the presentation of our highest honors: Spirits of the Year, Distillery of the Year, and a new award, Craft Distillery of the Year.
BEST SPIRITS IN THE WORLD TASTING!
Thursday, July 23rd, 2:00 - 5:00 pm,
in the Fountainbleau Room 1st floor of the Ritz Carlton, New Orleans.
Enjoy not only the best Whiskey, Rum, and Agave Spirits, but also the best Bacanora, Amari, Rakija, NA Spirits, Cachaça, Genepy, Aquavit, Absinthe, Liqueur, Gin, and Vodka!
The best entries from the New Orleans Spirits Competition: Gold Medalists, Best of Category, Spirit of the Year, and Distillery of the Year winners will introduce you to the spirits our judges rated the highest.
New flavors guaranteed!
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Anyone with a Tales of the Cocktail tasting-room ticket is welcome to attned.
