Tales of the Cocktail® New Orleans 2016

The most successful whiskey brands realize that they’re in the storytelling business as much as the booze business. The spirits matter, but so do the stories, which create an appealing sense of history and heritage that draw people to brands. That’s why so many of the stories stretch the truth—reality doesn’t always dazzle—but does that hurt or help the industry as a whole? While the mythmaking certainly draws criticism from purists, perhaps there is an argument to be made that is a bonafide part of the industry, and has been an integral part of the business ever since the dawn of modern marketing in the nineteenth century. This seminar looks at how bourbon tales fits in with the great traditions of American mythmaking: Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, George Washington and his cherry tree. We’ll also examine whether the points where legend diverges from reality—this oft-overlooked space upends our conventional thinking about bourbon to reveal important insights about the drink and its true history.