Corigliano d’Otranto – Spiritosa 2025

In Corigliano d’Otranto (LE) Spiritosa 2025, the first festival of good and conscious drinking, is back

Spiritosa 2025: From Sept. 27 to 29, the Flying Castle in Corigliano d’Otranto will host the third edition of Spiritosa, the first Italian festival entirely dedicated to good and conscious drinking: a unique and innovative format that weaves together territorial promotion, food and wine culture and slow tourism.

More than 100 guests including speakers, bartenders and chefs, more than 300 labels from all over the world for tasting, a rich program of masterclasses, talks, guided tastings, gastronomic proposals, a cocktail competition, the final of the Master Coffee Grinder Championship, vintage markets, DJ sets, live music and a large exhibition area articulated on three levels inspired by the Divine Comedy. Three days of “recreational business” conceived by Sartoria degli Spiriti, in collaboration with numerous national and international entities.

The Program

Three intense days of “spirit experiences” to get up close and personal with the excellence of the industry through meetings with experts, producers, brand ambassadors, importers and distributors. A program of master classes and talks by the Spiritosa Academy, guided tastings, gastronomic offerings, a cocktail competition, the business room, Italy’s first vintage-themed bar market, DJ sets and live music

The exhibition spaces will be open to the public following the following hours:

• Saturday 27 from 4 p.m. to midnight,
• Sunday 28 from 4 p.m. to midnight,
• Monday 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

The exhibition spaces will be set up following a journey inspired by Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, taking advantage of the three levels and the evocative environments of the Flying Castle, which covers more than 5,000 square meters:

• The tour will start fromHell in the basement of the Cavalry Hall and Medieval Hall with the area dedicated to spirits, sodas, natural drinks and coffee
• Purgatory in the Moat will welcome beers
• in paradise among the frescoes of the noble halls on the second floor will be found wines and bubbles.

The Guests

Among the people who have already confirmed their attendance are: Patrick Pistolesi (owner of Drink Kong in Rome, internationally awarded as the best Italian cocktail bar, and recognized as one of the highest international expressions of bartending), Antonio Parlapiano (bartender and teacher of higher education, among the partners who own The Jerry Thomas Project Rome, Italy’s first secret bar six times in the World 50’s best bars), Francesco Spenuso (advocacy manager Europe at Jack Daniel’s), Rossella De Stefano (journalist, director of Mixer Planet), Daniele Gentili (bartender and marketing specialist at Red Bull Italia), Gaetano Massimo Macrì and Giampiero Francesca (co-founder of the Blue Blazer guide), Francesco Spenuso (advocacy manager of Brown Forman Group), Oscar Quagliarini (bartender and co-founder Gocce di Senigallia), Mario Farulla (professional mixologist), Marco Fabbiano (bartender and founder of Laurus in Lecce), Nino Rossi (star chef, owner of Qafiz and Aspro Cocktail Bar), Sandro Camilli (national president of AIS), Michele Antonio Fino (lecturer at the University of Pollenzo and author of “Non me la bevo,” Mondadori), Marzia Varvaglione (president of the Committee of European Wine Entrepreneurs, youth president of the Italian Wine Union, and board member of UIV), Luca Cesari (journalist and food and wine writer), Nicola Biasi (agronomist and oenologist, Italy’s top expert on Piwi wines), Angelo Zarra (creator and president of Paestum Wine Fest), Eugenio Signoroni (journalist and food and wine writer), Fabio Verona (senior trainer and creator of the Master Coffee Grinder Championship), Eleonora Pirovano (president of the International Women’s Coffee Alliance), Simone Previati (Italian coffee grinding champion), Andrea Antonelli (Academy & Specialty Coffee).

Spirited cocktail competition and Master Coffee Grinder Championship

Bartenders from all over Italy will compete in the finals of the Spiritosa cocktail competition. Directed by Francesco Spenuso and Gaetano Massimo Macrì, it is a competition open to professionals in the mixed drinks industry.

For the first time in Apulia, also a stage of the Master Coffee Grinder Championship. This is the most important coffee grinding competition nationwide, designed and led by Fabio Verona.

Street Food, Market and Music

One area will be dedicated to street food, with a selection of specialties from Puglia’s gastronomic culture. Spiritosa will also host Italy’s first Vintage Market entirely dedicated to the bar world with enameled plates, professional equipment that has spanned the decades, tables and chairs from bars of yesteryear, signs, calendars, furniture, refrigerators. Scattered in every corner of the Castle, numerous bar spots where you can enjoy the liquid excellence of the Festival. Also a Secret Bar, with a pop up of six great Italian cocktail bars, which will surprise and conquer those who manage to get access point and password. Not forgetting music with DJ sets and live performances by national and international artists.

Spirit Tailoring

The project is the brainchild of Michele Manca of Sartoria degli Spiriti, one of Puglia’s leading companies specializing in training and services in the beverage industry. “Spiritosa is a visionary and ambitious festival that aims to create a large family of professionals in the sector,” Manca emphasizes. “Through an innovative fruition process and an unusual formula, it aims to experiment and consolidate what I call ‘recreational business.’ In Spiritosa, in fact, we do business in a different way, valuing human relationships, psycho-physical well-being and conviviality.” Born in 2023, Spiritosa Festival caters to all enthusiasts and industry insiders, according to a B2B and B2C mode. “The second edition exceeded all expectations, hosting more than 150 companies, 35 speakers, 4 chefs, involving 60 professional bartenders from all over Italy at the cocktail competition, for a total participation of more than 7500 people.”

More information available at spiritosa.org