Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/57654
Miller's original lion design for the Tuaca bottle is inspired by the brand's Renaissance-era Italian roots. Tuaca first made its impact on the American palate when U.S. ser- vicemen stationed in Italy discovered the 500-year-old recipe, bringing it back Stateside much like the tattoos earned by their WWII brethren stationed elsewhere in the world. "I'm ready. Drink me." "Tattooing is all about telling stories," says Miller. "Even the old soldiers came back from war with their Homeward Bound tattoo, or they crossed the equator and got their star tattoo, or the dove. I treated this just like a tattoo." As more and more of today's 'tenders sport sleeves and inked skin, Miller's design has breathed new life into the Tuaca brand, with young guns behind the stick inspired equally by Tuaca's substance and style. But Miller attests that this is more than marketing magic, and that the connection between the craft of the cocktail and the art of tattooing is longstanding: "I've always compared myself with a bartender," he explains. "We're both creating art! You have to know your flavors just like you know your colors. You have to know your compositions, what's sweet and what's sour." Although he's been tatting 'tenders for years ("Oh yeah!" he laughs when we foolishly ask if he's inked many mixologists in his 20+ years behind the needle, "a lot!"), partnering with Tuaca has given Miller a whole new understanding about the craft of cocktails. At Tuaca events and parties across the country, the brand has challenged mixologists to put their best quaff forward, and Miller's enjoyed exploring the realm of possibilities in the art of the drink. "I've gotten the luxury of tasting so many Tuaca concoctions," laughs Miller affably; "they're all so interest- ing! My favorite is Tuaca with ginger ale and a slice of lime—they go down nice and easy!" Passion for art, be it ink or liquid form, is clearly the driving force in Miller's life, and he's proud to have his name on a product he believes in. "Every time I tattoo a bartender, I'm like, 'Hey! You guys serve Tuaca?' And they're like, 'Yeah!' Everybody digs it. But really, a beautiful picture looked beautiful 500 years ago, and it looks beautiful today. The taste of citrus and an ice cold beverage tasted good back then and tastes good now. It's timeless." Corey Miller is known for his intricate black-and-white pieces and dragon work, as shown here on his wife's back. "As a tattoo artist, you usually put all your heart and soul into a piece, and they walk out the door never to be seen again! It's a different thing to actually put my art on something tangible, something that's going to be reproduced. That's really cool." PHOTO COURTESY OF COREY MILLER Show Us Your Ink! THE TASTING PANEL is putting out an open call for your best tattoos! Email a photo of your tattoo, along with a Tuaca cocktail recipe inspired by your ink, to tattoo@tastingpanelmag.com. We'll upload pics to our Facebook page and website, and feature some of the best Ink'd Drinks in an upcoming issue! march 2012 / the tasting panel / 109