New Tales Passport Experience for Tales of the Cocktail 2026

Tales Passport will give cocktail enthusiasts access to the world's leading cocktail conference, Tales of the Cocktail, in New Orleans this July

NEW ORLEANS (press release) — Since 2002, the global spirits community has gathered in the heart of the French Quarter for Tales of the Cocktail. What started as an annual walking tour of historic New Orleans cocktail bars has now become the world’s leading cocktail conference, according to the Tales of the Cocktail website.

Tales of the Cocktail will take place in New Orleans July 19 – 24.

For the first time in its 24-year history, Tales of the Cocktail is introducing Tales Passport: a new platform built to share the event’s unparalleled access with the enthusiasts who love cocktail culture from the other side of the bar. Organizers share that, more than a series of events, Tales Passport opens the door to the talent, places, knowledge, and experiences that have, until now, been reserved almost entirely for industry insiders.

Debuting for Tales of the Cocktail 2026 in New Orleans, the inaugural Tales Passport experiences represent the first chapter of a broader vision that will continue to expand in 2027 and beyond through new experiences, destinations, partnerships and opportunities beyond industry engagement.

“Tales of the Cocktail has spent more than two decades building a global community and creating unparalleled access to the best bartenders, bars, restaurants, and hospitality talent in the world,” said Executive Director of Tales of the Cocktail Foundation Charlotte Voisey. “Cocktail culture has grown far beyond any single industry, and Tales Passport is how we open our doors to the enthusiasts who’ve helped build it. It stays true to everything Tales has always been; we’re simply extending that access further than ever. As a former bartender myself, I know how important this connection will be, and cannot wait for the public to have the chance to step inside the craft, the stories and the talent that have made Tales the most influential gathering in hospitality. And this is only the beginning.”

Tales Passport Details for Tales of the Cocktail

• Tales House: The Immersive Cocktail Journey presented by Explore Louisiana (Thursday, July 23 – Saturday, July 25)
  • Serving as the flagship experience of the inaugural Tales Passport platform, Tales House: The Immersive Cocktail Journey presented by Explore Louisiana invites guests into an exploration of how flavor is experienced. The event, featuring unique brand experiences from brands such as Sazerac and Svedka, will feature LP O’Brien, owner and beverage director of Washington, D.C.’s Bar Lienzo, as the experience’s drink curator, guiding guests through an immersive exploration of how sound, scent, sight, touch, story and community shape the way we experience flavor.

Additional Inaugural Tales Passport experiences include:

• Spirited Dining Reserve: A Seven-Star Dining Experience (Wednesday, July 22)
  • In partnership with Tales of the Cocktail and Emeril’s, and powered by Meta, the inaugural Passport Dinner Series kicks off with an extraordinary convergence of culinary and cocktail talent coming together in New Orleans for one night only. Representing seven stars across three celebrated restaurants, the following chefs will collaborate on a menu of inspired dishes and cocktails created exclusively for Tales of the Cocktail with Reserva de la Familia by Jose Cuervo, the Official Tequila Partner of the Michelin Guide U.S and Mexico:
    • Chef E.J. Lagasse of Emeril’s, the youngest chef in history to lead a restaurant with two Michelin stars
    • Chef Enrique Olvera of Mexico City’s Pujol, two Michelin stars
    • Chef Val Cantu of San Francisco’s Californios, the only Mexican restaurant in the world with three Michelin stars
    • The team behind CDMX’s Handshake Speakeasy, one of the highest-ranked bars in the world

• The Cocktail Studio Series with Neal Bodenheimer & Francesco Lafranconi (Friday, July 24 – Saturday, July 25)
  • New Orleans cocktail pioneer Neal Bodenheimer will guide guests through the history and craft of classic New Orleans cocktails, while mixologist and spirits authority Francesco Lafranconi, the vice president of beverage & hospitality Culture for Carver Road Hospitality, invites attendees to earn the playful title of “Certified Spritzologist” through an exploration of the personalities, traditions and flavors behind some of the world’s most iconic spritzes.

• The Hidden Omakase Experience (Friday, July 24 – Saturday, July 25)
  • A highly limited dining and cocktail experience pairing an intimate omakase menu with cocktails from Spirited Awards-winning talent.

How to Get a Tales Passport

Ticket pricing for the Tales Passport experiences is as follows:

• Tales House: $99 (plus taxes and fees)
• Seven-Star Dinner: $995 (plus taxes and fees)
• Masterclass: $125 (plus taxes and fees)
• Hidden Omakase Experience: $285 (plus taxes and fees)

Tickets officially went on sale Tuesday, July 7, with waitlist members receiving priority access. Public ticket sales began today, July 8, at 10 a.m. CT for any remaining tickets.

To purchase your tickets and become part of the first chapter of Tales Passport, visit talesofthecocktail.org/tales-passport.

The inaugural Tales Passport platform is being brought to life with the support of an initial group of founding partners, including Meta, Sazerac, Svedka, Reserva de la Familia Tequila and Explore Louisiana. Additional experiences, collaborations and partners are expected to be announced as Tales Passport continues to evolve and expand in the years ahead.

Tales of the Cocktail Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering the global hospitality industry through education, advocacy and community support. Each July, the industry gathers in New Orleans for a one-of-a-kind conference.

The week culminates in the Spirited Awards, which celebrate outstanding individuals, establishments, products, media and leaders who continue to inspire the global cocktail community.