Tastings. What Did You Like/Dislike?

[meliscan]

I love Mixology and have done it on every cruise. I liked the Tequila tasting ok as was the rum tasting but loved the champagne and chocolate and liquor. I tried to attach photos of the chocolate and liquor tasting and the champagne tasting. Both were in Ooh La La. My fave bar on the ship!

 

[dbenlee]

We have done several tasting, but its been several years since our last DCL cruise, I don't remember them all. One thing I have noticed is that the experience depends a lot on the host. The more prepared and knowledgeable host provide a better experience. Of the ones I have done, my least favorite was the beer tasting. The host was good and prepared, but all the beers in the tasting were familiar to me, so nothing new. I have done the cognac tasting twice and was very impressed the first time because the host was very prepared and very knowledgeable and had a lot of information about how cognac is made and graded and she was able to answer many questions. The second time, the host was nice and pleasant, but it was obvious that his knowledge of cognac was very limited. The one time we were able to get mixology was great. The host was one of the best bartenders I've been around and he really made the experience fun. We've done a champagne tasting that was ok, but again the host just felt to scripted and didn't seem to know a lot. We also did a whiskey tasting that was a lot of fun (hosted by the same lady that did our first cognac tasting). Again, we learned a lot about whiskey and bourbon and had a very enjoyable time.

 

[Bruce DCL Fan]

My apologies if this has been answered prior. I'd like to accompany my husband to a tasting, but I'm not a drinker. Can I accompany without paying a fee if I'm just there to observe? Thanks!

 

[DWillowBay]

They tell me that I loved the Tequila / Margarita tasting!

 

[pezgirlroy]

My apologies if this has been answered prior. I'd like to accompany my husband to a tasting, but I'm not a drinker. Can I accompany without paying a fee if I'm just there to observe? Thanks!

I was told no on this. Anyone who attends has to be a paying guest. This may have changed.

 

[MomOTwins]

I've read that but with an Onboard time of 4:45, the 4:30-5:30 Mixology can't be on the island and the 3:30-4:30 Champagne Tasting wouldn't leave much time to spare if that wasn't on the ship.

I did the 4:30 mixology and it is indeed on the ship. Beautiful views of the sail away though!

 

[monkeydawn]

Thanks tequila lovers! It seems like the current tasting is just a flight of Patron with maybe some Casamigos. It doesn’t even look like they offer Sangrita, which is cheap, easy and something that would be new to most people.

I’m not knocking Patron, in fact one of our favorites right now is the Guillermo Del Toro special edition Patron but I was hoping for something other than a simply flight with basic accoutrements. Tequila is my jam but it sounds like I’d benefit more with a mixology tasting. Thanks all!

 

[Bozza]

Any verdict on the "Kick-Start Your Cruise Vacation Tasting (21+)" - availability for our August 5th cruise has just popped up?

$38 feels a bit much given there's more non-booze than booze included (don't judge me!)...

"To celebrate the start of your vacation, sample and learn about our signature mimosa, Bloody Mary and 3 non-alcoholic, craft juice beverages during this unique, 30-minute Embarkation Day experience at Senses Juice Bar."

...but I'm curious!

 

[DCLDVC1]

My apologies if this has been answered prior. I'd like to accompany my husband to a tasting, but I'm not a drinker. Can I accompany without paying a fee if I'm just there to observe? Thanks!

More than likely. It's happened in a couple of private classes I've reserved. Just talk to the bartender and explain the situation.

 

[Dug720]

More than likely. It's happened in a couple of private classes I've reserved. Just talk to the bartender and explain the situation.

IDK. The one time I did mixology, there was a pregnant woman with her partner and their friends and she still had to pay. I would not count on it - especially for a non-private tasting.

 

[Dug720]

To be fair, her partner did drink all her drinks. And she herself said she realized she was taking a seat that someone else could have.

 

[jimim]

Mojito and caipirinha is interesting because the rum they use for Mojitos is different than the rum used for caipirinhas. But I would not describe the rums as high-end. I think they were all Bacardi brands. Tequila and margarita is also interesting, but I think what they used was all 1800 and patron. The ships do carry Casamigos which is my favorite tequila, but they don’t serve it at the tastings.

Caipirinhas if it’s not from Brazil it isn’t good. I’ll drink Leblan if I can’t find a good Brazilian rum for my caipirinhas.

My Mojitos I use a good lemon flavored rum.

These r my 2 go to summer drinks.

 

[Geomom]

Caipirinhas if it’s not from Brazil it isn’t good. I’ll drink Leblan if I can’t find a good Brazilian rum for my caipirinhas.

My Mojitos I use a good lemon flavored rum.

These r my 2 go to summer drinks.

They used a Cachaca for the caipirnhas in our Disney Magic tasting last summer...I have no idea what brand though...that was our 3rd drink. Their basic mojito was with Lemon Bacardi, our first drink of the tasting.

 

[ChicosWife]

I got us rum and martini tastings for our next trip, but the Mixology's were already booked. Is it worth it to keep checking to see if someone cancels before our trip?

 

[monarchsfan16]

Caipirinhas if it’s not from Brazil it isn’t good. I’ll drink Leblan if I can’t find a good Brazilian rum for my caipirinhas.

My Mojitos I use a good lemon flavored rum.

These r my 2 go to summer drinks.

At our rum tasting (where they served a caipirinha) and the mojito and caipirinha tasting, they used Leblon cachaca for the caipirinhas.

 

[jimim]

At our rum tasting (where they served a caipirinha) and the mojito and caipirinha tasting, they used Leblon cachaca for the caipirinhas.

Figured that would be that one it’s the American one. It’s fine. Just not as strong. Like I said I use that when s good bottle goes empty. Someone usually buys me a nicer bottle each year. You deff taste the difference and I’m not one that can taste those things usually with other spirits.

 

[allashore]

I got us rum and martini tastings for our next trip, but the Mixology's were already booked. Is it worth it to keep checking to see if someone cancels before our trip?

Martini is my favorite, as of now it is not even offered on our Alaska cruise, hoping they have one when we get onboard
what cruise are you going on?

 

[Dug720]

I got us rum and martini tastings for our next trip, but the Mixology's were already booked. Is it worth it to keep checking to see if someone cancels before our trip?

You can keep checking before - and also go to the location where tastings are being booked on board to see if there are any others available.

 

[ChicosWife]

Martini is my favorite, as of now it is not even offered on our Alaska cruise, hoping they have one when we get onboard
what cruise are you going on?

We are on the EC cruise.

 

[I❤MICKEY]

My ranking of the tastings I have attended (some once, others several times):

9. Beer-This is really the only tasting I would avoid. Speaking as a beer snob, there really isn't any beer on the ship that is better than mediocre, and drinking beers I got bored with 20 years ago is not my thing.

8. Whiskey-This one is usually held at 10:30 in the coffee shop, and you definitely need to like liquor if you are going. It is all glasses of straight whiskey. I happen to like whiskey/whisky and it's a reasonable priced and usually low key but friendly crowd. The pours are nothing special, usually an Irish, a Canadian, a bourbon, a blended scotch, and a single malt.

7. Cognac-Another late night, straight liquor offering. The problem is that the ship's Cognac selection is all from the mass market producers and I think this is the least variable tasting on the ship. You are going to get Hennessy VS, Remy Martin VSOP, usually Courvoisier VSOP, and an XO. Bonus points because one bartender used Hennessy XO as the last pour, and another let us all taste (as in, drops) the Remy Martin Louis XIII.

6. Rum/mojito tasting-Now getting into the range where the bartenders have some individual variability in what they serve, not my favorite as they usually offer straight white rum and/or cachaca among the options, which just isn't that pleasant to drink. No premium rums that I recall.

5. Mixology-A different experience every time and a favorite of many. Usually too many fruity/sweet/dessert cocktails for my personal preference, but always worth trying.

4. Tequila/margarita tasting-I have had quite different experiences at this one, some featuring more straight tequila and others concentrating on margaritas. Variability is always good. Bonus points because I like tequila but don't drink it that often.

3. Martini tasting-The only tasting I left walking on a slant. Unfortunately, for informative purposes something close to the original martini (a lousy cocktail with way too much vermouth) is usually served, but you will always get a nice dirty martini, usually a chocolate martini and 1-2 other fruity things.

2. Wine (many variants, e.g., New World, Old World, premium)-usually an experienced bartender who knows something about wine, and essentially a new experience every time.

1. Premium whiskey-Did this one last cruise. The first two offerings were uninspiring (Woodford Reserve and some Crown Royal 'premium' product), but the last two were Johnnie Walker Blue and Glenmorangie Signet, so this wins easily.

Not yet tried: Champagne (July 2019!), chocolate and liquor (we have a type I diabetic in our usual group, so tend to avoid candy)

This is great information. My hubby really likes whiskey. Do you recall the price of the Premium Whisky? Which ship were you on?