MUSIC
Afrobeats, Amapiano & More! Inside the Make It With Martell Takeover in NOLA
Your exclusive look inside Martell's immersive three-hour experience at Tales Of The Cocktail 2026.
Inside Make It With Martell in New Orleans, Louisiana.
by DRE
When the original Sazerac, considered the first named drink of the modern mixology era, was first poured in 1830s New Orleans, its base wasn’t rye whiskey as is widely used today; it was French cognac.
The switch to rye happened in the 1870s when the phylloxera epidemic destroyed French vineyards, leading to a grape scarcity. With cognac supplies drying up, drinkmakers switched to rye whiskey to keep the Sazerac alive.
More than 150 years later, Martell, the oldest of the cognac houses, is on a mission to reclaim their heritage. Through its Make It With Martell campaign, the house is reminding bartenders and cocktail lovers alike how classic drinks were meant to be made.
First launched in Harlem in 2025, the Make It With Martell train landed in New Orleans on July 20, on the sidelines of Tales of the Cocktail Festival.
The exclusive three-hour party seamlessly bridged history with modern culture. It was an immersive sonic journey from classic jazz to hip-hop, and the contemporary sounds of Afrobeats and Amapiano. Behind the bar, star mixologists Zimbabwe-born Thandi Walton and Cabo Verde-born Marcio Ramos showcased Martell’s versatility with their signature sips “Foreign Affair” and “Burner Jam,” respectively; while bartender and mixologist Haley Traub served up Martell remixes of the Pomme Highball, Toffee Colada, and Concord Punch.
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