Cognac Panel to Gather USA's Top Experts at Tales of the Cocktail 2015

NEW ORLEANS, July 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cognac Board (BNIC) announced today the installment of an all-star Cognac seminar, entitled "Discovering The Flavors of Cognac," to be held at Tales of the Cocktail 2015, on Wednesday, July 15 at 1.00pm in New Orleans, LA.

As guests experience the unique opportunity of tasting Eaux-de-Vie before maturation, certified Cognac Educators Ms Franky Marshall, Hoke Harden, Alexandre Vingtier and renowned Distiller Allen Katz will be on stage to help them explore Cognac – from inception and maturation to expression of tastes – and to demonstrate the versatility and various flavors of this spirit in cocktails.

The inception focus of the seminar is an immersion in Cognac soil, offering a deep understanding of the region's terroir and viticulture. The assessment of the maturation process includes two parts: a tasting to highlight the critical craft of distillation and an observation of the aging and blending methods that make Cognac mature into a spirit for all seasons. The sensorial experience of the seminar consists of a tasting of carefully selected Cognacs from contrasting styles, ages and Crus, combined with the aromas of specific fruits, flowers, herbs and spices in glass, bespeaking the craft of Cognac mixology.

BNIC Certified Cognac Educators

Ms. Franky Marshall, Cognac and Mixology
Franky is a New York City hospitality industry veteran. She was part of the opening staff at the highly acclaimed Clover Club in Brooklyn, NY. After a year plus stint at the historic Monkey Bar, she was a part of the opening team at the award winning bar The Dead Rabbit. Franky was a three-time Apprentice at Tales of the Cocktail, a recipient of a Cocktail Apprentice Scholarship, and was selected as Beverage Media's Top 10 Mixologists to Watch 2009. She holds a Certificate from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and serves as Vice-President of the United States Bartender's Guild of New York.

Hoke Harden, Soils, Terroirs and Winemaking
Hoke has experienced every possible facet of the world of wine and spirits as a retailer, restaurateur, bartender, buyer, wholesaler, supplier, marketer, critic, writer, and competition judge. He is currently with Elixir Vitae Wine & Spirits Consultants, a member of the Society of Wine Educators and Master Instructor with the French Wine Academy.

Allen Katz, Distilling Cognac
Allen is the Director of Mixology & Spirits Education for Southern Wine & Spirits of New York. He is also the co-founder of the New York Distilling Company in Williamsburg. Allen has been a featured sommelier at wine festivals in Naples, Florida and Sun Valley, Idaho in recent years and is a lecturer on spirits and mixology for the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) in New York City as well as for the Food Studies Program at New York University. Allen serves on the Board of Directors of the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society, host of Tales of the Cocktail, and on the Advisory Board of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. He is also on the Advisory Board of Liquor.com.

Alexandre Vingtier, Blending and Ageing of Cognac
Alexandre is a French spirits consultant and author. Alexandre is in charge of the Innovations' Bar at Paris Cocktails Spirits, showcasing the top 100 most innovative spirits available in Europe. He's also involved in the Cocktail scene at Paris Omnivore Food Festival and the first Paris Cocktail Week. Prior to that, he's worked for La Maison du Whisky as the Head of Selection and for Whisky Live Paris. Alexandre is the editor in chief or Rumporter and a reporter for La Revue du Vin de France and Le Monde.

About BNIC
Founded in 1946, the Cognac Board (BNIC) is a trade association representing growers, producers, and merchants from Cognac. For more information, please visit www.cognac.fr or www.experiencecognac.com.

Contact
Benjamin Bourinat   
Sopexa USA c/o Cognac Board                               
New York, NY           
T: +1 (646) 352-3489
E: [email protected]

SOURCE The Cognac Board (BNIC)

Related Links

http://www.cognac.fr