Eligibility
Bartenders: The Competition is open only to individuals who (a) are legal residents of The United States except Kansas, Louisiana, Texas, Utah and New Hampshire (b) are of legal drinking age in their country of residence as of the date of entry and (c) work in a bar or as a bartender at least 20 hours per week.
Exclusions: Individuals who are full-time or part-time employees of TOTCF, Brown-Forman, Liquid Pro, or a distributor at the time of entry, as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, children) and household members of those employees, are not eligible to enter. Holders of wholesale or retail licenses are not eligible.
Stage #1: Online Entries
How to Enter: Visit https://www.jackdaniels.com/en-us/talesofthecocktail (the “Website”) and follow the instructions on that page. You will be required to submit an application that meets the requirements described below. The application constitutes your “Entry.” Entries open Jan 12th at 9 AM EST and must be received by February 15, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST. There is a limit of one (1) Entry per person. Every participant must submit their own Entry.
Form a Team: Teams must consist of two to three (2-3) working bartenders who are employed in the same Market/City. Teammates can be from the same or different bars.
Submission: Visit the designated entry link provided during the application period, and follow the link to complete and submit your team's entry.
Team or Pop-Up Name.
A brief description (250 words or less) of your pop-up bar theme/inspiration (e.g., Western, Tropical, Experimental).
A sample menu of two (2) cocktails utilizing the Jack Daniel's Bonded Series and/or Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 Tennessee Whiskey as the core spirit.
Entry Content Restrictions: The Entry must not contain information that would be considered illegal according to state laws, may not mention any bar/restaurant or retail establishment (except for the required employment verification), may not be harmful to Tales of the Cocktail Foundation or the Jack Daniel's brand, or mention any other alcoholic beverage brands. Furthermore, an entry must be in good taste in the sole opinion of Brown-Forman. An entry that does not meet the above criteria will not be eligible. Only the team members may be featured in the entry.
Judging: Judges will review each Entry based on the following criteria. The judges will select up to four (4) teams consisting of up to twelve (12) bartenders for each Regional Final. Judging will take place from February 16-18, 2026, by a panel of judges selected by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation.
Judging Criteria:
Originality and Creativity of Pop-Up Theme (Adherence to prompt and unique concept)
Quality and Creativity of Sample Cocktail Menu (Showcasing Jack Daniel's Bonded Series and/or Jack Daniel’s Old No 7 Tennessee Whiskey and balance)
Feasibility and Team Collaboration Potential
Business viability, innovative creativity, expertise and professionalism.
Notification of Regional Finalists: TOTCF will notify all Regional Finalists via email by February 19, 2026, and invite them to participate in the Regional Finals in their respective markets. Regional Finalists must respond within forty-eight (48) hours to accept moving on to the next round. In the event they do not respond, he/she forfeits the opportunity to move on to the next round, and an alternate Regional Finalist may be selected. Each Regional Finalist may be required to complete and return a declaration of eligibility, a liability/publicity release, a current W-9, and an authorization to conduct a background check. TOTCF reserves the right (in its sole discretion) to disqualify a Regional Finalist if the individual does not sign the necessary forms within five (5) days of the date notification is sent. If a Regional Finalist returns these documents on time, and in TOTCF’s sole discretion, passes the background check, they will be invited to participate in the Regional Finals in their respective markets.
Stage #2: REGIONAL FINALS
Regional Finals: The Regional Finals will take place from March 10 - April 1, 2026 in the markets listed below. Dates subject to change. Each participant is responsible for accommodations, any necessary travel, meals, taxes, and the cost of other incidental expenses.
March 10, 2026: Nashville
March 23, 2026: Los Angeles
March 25, 2026: San Francisco
March 30, 2026: Miami
April 1, 2026: New York City
Competition Details: During the Regional Finals, Regional Finalists will compete against each other by executing their pop-up bar concept at a private event. Any deviation from the guidelines will result in a deduction from a competitor’s total score. The Regionals Finals will consist of a competition with requirements and criteria to be provided by TOTCF.
Attendees and Judges will be able to sample selected pop-up bar cocktails
5:30 PM - 7:30 PM: Round 1 Judging and Scoring
7:30 PM - 10:00 PM: Trade Event
10:00 PM: Announcement of Winning Team
Judging: The Regional Finals will be judged according to the criteria provided to the Regional Finalists before the event.
Trip to Nashville and the Jack Daniel Distillery: Each Finalist will receive: (a) an airfare stipend of $400 for one (1) person from an airport close to the Finalist’s home to Nashville; (b) Airstream accommodations for two (2) nights and one (1) night in a hotel in Nashville; (c) ground transportation to/from Nashville and the Jack Daniel Distillery; (d) a $100 travel stipend; and (e) an immersive experience at the Jack Daniel Distillery. The approximate retail value of the trip prize is $800. The actual value of the trip will vary depending on various factors, including the date of booking, the point of departure, and the dates of travel. Please see the Prize Details Section below for additional details. Finalists will be responsible for luggage, tax, meals, and the cost of other incidental expenses.
Airfare stipends will not be provided to the three (3) Tennessee-based Finalists nor will they receive any cash value equivalent
Stage #3: NATIONAL FINALS
National Finals: The National Finals will take place from May 4 - 7, 2026, in Nashville and Lynchburg, Tennessee.
Competition Details: During the National Finals, Finalists will compete against each other by executing their pop-up bar concept. Any deviation from the guidelines will result in a deduction from a competitor’s total score. The National Finals will consist of a competition with requirements and criteria to be provided by TOTCF.
Judging: The National Finals will be judged according to the criteria provided to the National Finalists before the event.
List judging criteria categories + max points
Tales of the Cocktail 2026 Scholarship, July 19-24, 2026: Each bartender from the winning team will receive: (a) an airfare stipend of $600 for travel to New Orleans, LA; (b) hotel accommodations for four (4) nights; (c) a Week-Long VIP Tasting & Seminar Pass; and (d) a curated schedule with career networking opportunities for Tales of the Cocktail 2026. The approximate retail value of the trip is $2,900. The actual value of the trip will vary depending on various factors, including the date of booking, the point of departure, and the dates of travel. Please see the Prize Details Section below for additional details. Finalists will be responsible for luggage, tax, meals, and other incidental expenses. Travel is for the winners only and does not include a guest. Bartenders will also have the opportunity to be featured at the Jack Daniel’s party during Tales of the Cocktail 2026.
Prize Money: Each bartender from the winning team will receive a $3,300 cash prize.
General Terms
Supplies: For all stages, participants will be responsible for all expenses that are not explicitly stated as provided by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation in these rules.
Agreement to Terms and Conditions: By participating in this Competition, participants indicate their unconditional agreement to these Official Rules, the TOTCF Code of Conduct, and TOTCF’s decisions, which are final and binding. Moreover, by participating, they represent that they are complying with any policies their employer may have regarding participation in competitions of this nature. Participants cannot win a prize unless they comply with all requirements set forth herein. TOTCF reserves the right to change these Official Rules at any time, without prior notice. Any changes will be posted on the Website.
Background Check: TOTCF reserves the right (at any point and in its sole discretion) to disqualify any individual if, based on the results of the background check – or on an individual’s other actions or statements – TOTCF concludes that the individual will not be a good representative for the TOTCF or Jack Daniel’s brands. Any actions of the competitor outside of accordance with the TOTCF Code of Conduct will result in disqualification from the program.
Rights to Entries: By entering, participants irrevocably: (a) grant TOTCF, Brown-Forman and Jack Daniel’s, and each of their agents, licensees, and assigns (collectively, the “Rights Holders”) the unconditional and non-exclusive right and permission to copyright, reproduce, encode, store, copy, transmit, publish, post, broadcast, display, publicly perform, adapt, modify, create derivative works of, exhibit, and otherwise use their Entry as-is or as-edited in any media throughout the world for any purpose, without limitation, and without additional review, compensation, or approval from the competitor or any other party for five (5) years from the date they submitted the Entry; (b) waive any rights of copyrights, trademark rights, privacy rights, and any other legal or moral rights that may preclude the Rights Holders’ use of the Entry, as outlined above, or require any further permission for the Rights Holders to use the Entry; and (c) agree not to instigate, support, maintain, or authorize any action, claim, or lawsuit against the Rights Holders on the grounds that any use of the Entry, or any derivative works, infringes any of their rights as creator of the Entry, including, without limitation, copyrights, trademark rights, and moral rights.
Publicity: Except where prohibited, by participating in the Competition, participants agree that the Rights Holders and any media attending events related to the Competition may use their name, likeness, voice, opinions, photographs, videos, recipes, event-related audio-visual footage, biographical information, state of residence, and/or any other record of their participation in the Competition for promotional purposes in any press releases, advertisements, television, radio, film, documentary, internet, social media, or in any other publication or media without further payment or consideration and to license the right to use such intellectual property to others. Participants may be required to sign additional releases regarding publicity.
Prize Details: Participants are responsible for paying any taxes, including income taxes and any and all other costs and expenses not listed in the Official Rules. Participants may be required to provide a Social Security Number for tax reporting purposes. Any prize details not specified above will be determined by TOTCF, at its sole discretion. The actual value of the trips will vary depending on various factors, including the date of booking, the point of departure, and dates of travel. A prize may not be transferred and must be accepted as awarded. Participants may not request cash or a substitute prize; however, TOTCF reserves the right to substitute a prize (or component thereof) with another prize (or component thereof) of equal or greater value if the prize is not available for any reason, as determined by TOTCF, in its sole discretion. Participants must travel on the dates specified by TOTCF. Once travel documents are issued, travel arrangements cannot be changed. If participants cannot travel on the dates specified by TOTCF, they will not be permitted to compete in the next stage of the Competition. Participants are responsible for securing passports, visas, and any other documents necessary for international travel. If the Competition is canceled, no prizes may be awarded.
General Conditions: In the event that the operation, security, or administration of the Competition is impaired in any way, TOTCF may, in its sole discretion, either: (a) cancel or suspend the Competition to address the impairment and then resume the Competition; or (b) award the prizes according to the criteria set forth above from among the eligible entries received up to the time of the impairment. TOTCF reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify and seek damages from any individual who tampers with the operation of the Competition, violates these Official Rules or the TOTCF Code of Conduct, or acts in a disruptive or unsportsmanlike manner. TOTCF’s failure to enforce any term of these Terms and Conditions shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. Proof of sending any communication to TOTCF by mail shall not be deemed proof of receipt of that communication by TOTCF. The Competition is subject to federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited. Participants agree that, while participating in the contest and in their private lives, they will (a) not commit an offense involving moral turpitude; (b) not engage in activities that may create any public scandal, disrepute, widespread contempt, or public ridicule; (c) not harass, embarrass, offend, insult, or denigrate individuals or groups; (d) not damage the person or property of others; (e) that they will treat all other contestants, judges, and related competition personnel with respect; and (f) that they will drink responsibly. Travel and cash prizes will be taxable to participants and they should expect to receive a Form 1099.
Release and Limitations of Liability: By participating in the Competition, participants hereby release and hold harmless TOTCF, Brown-Forman and Jack Daniel’s, and each of their respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, and each of their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents (the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action arising out of participation in the Competition or receipt or use of any prize, including, but not limited to: (a) unauthorized human intervention in the Competition; (b) technical errors; (c) printing errors; (d) lost, late, postage-due, misdirected, or undeliverable mail; (e) errors in the administration of the Competition or the processing of Entries; (f) injury or damage to participants and their property and/or (g) injury or damage they cause to other persons or property. Participants further agree to defend, indemnify, release, and hold the Released Parties harmless from any claims related to their participation including damage to other persons and property, and from any claims that their use of their Entry (as contemplated in these Rules) violates or infringes upon the rights of any third party. Participants waive the right to claim any damages whatsoever, including, but not limited to, punitive, consequential, direct, or indirect damages.
Disputes: All disputes arising out of or related to these rules, the Competition, or any other matter shall be resolved through binding arbitration filed and heard in New Orleans, Louisiana pursuant to American Arbitration Association Rules using a single arbitrator. Each contestant waives any rights to challenge this forum and venue or the application of Louisiana law. Should this arbitration agreement be held non-enforceable or in order to enforce an arbitration award, each contestant irrevocably submits and consents to the jurisdiction and venue of the courts located in Orleans Parish, Louisiana and waives any objection that such forum is inconvenient. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Terms and Conditions, participant’s rights and obligations, or the rights and obligations of TOTCF in connection with the Competition, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of Louisiana, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules (whether of Louisiana or any other jurisdiction), which would cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than Louisiana. Each contestant agrees that any claim or dispute related to the Competition shall be conducted only on an individual basis and not in a class, collective, or representative action or as a named or unnamed member in a class, collective, consolidated, or private attorney general action.
Event Organizer: The Competition is brought to you by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, ℅ Taylor & Willis CPAs, 3500 N Causeway Blvd, Suite 1145, Metairie, LA 70002.
BROWN-FORMAN, JACK DANIEL’S, AND THEIR AFFILIATES ARE SPONSORS OF THE CONTEST. ALL INQUIRIES REGARDING THE CONTEST, INCLUDING ITS ADMINISTRATION AND EXECUTION, SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO TALES OF THE COCKTAIL FOUNDATION.