Tapping into the Passion Economy trend, Spirited Stories is a new travel company that hosts small group tours with a focus on wine and spirits. Jenny Southan reports

With a tag line of “social journeys made for mixing”, Spirited Stories has debuted with seven small group travel itineraries, including a Mezcal-themed trip to Oaxaca in Mexico and a Pastis-themed trip to Marseille in France.

The product of a partnership between Dharma, a creator of passion-led experiences, and drinks brand Pernod Ricard, Spirited Stories designs trips that are “centred around the world’s most beloved beverages” and “driven by the concept of conviviality”.

Spirited Stories trips offer an immersive insight into the world of wine and spirits with exclusive meet-the-maker events and behind-the-cellar-door experiences in partnership with iconic brands such as Absolut Vodka, Jameson Irish Whiskey and Perrier-Jouët Champagne.

The brand has launched with seven small group tours to renowned wine and spirit regions such as Champagne, the Napa Valley and Oaxaca.

Itineraries for up to 12 guests have been crafted in close collaboration with local experts, ensuring that each trip includes only the best, most authentic experiences from the destinations that have defined each famous tipple.

The first locations to launch are Stockholm and Southern Sweden (Absolut Vodka); Champagne, France (Perrier-Jouët Champagne); Napa Valley, USA (Wine); Oaxaca, Mexico (Mezcal Tequila); and Marseille, France (Pastis).

Several additional locations will include wine tasting in Tuscany, whisky-based trips to Scotland, and the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky, US.

Dharma CMO, Dan Christian, says: “Designed for first-time tasters and aficionados alike, the trips combine guided tastings, mixology masterclasses and world-class dining to create itineraries that are both rich in discovery and celebration.

“Enjoying time with like-minded travellers is a central theme of why we created Spirited Stories. All our trips feature thoughtfully curated social events including aperitifs in surprising and exclusive locations. Best of all, we cap our small groups at 12 people to keep the experience intimate and engaging.”

To celebrate the launch, Spirited Stories is offering a £174 per person early booking discount on all 2023 trips booked before November 18, 2022, with three night/four day itineraries starting at £1,103 per person.

Before Spirited Stories, Dharma launched travel brands and experiences with iconic people and companies such as Looking FC with Eric Cantona, Begin Meditating with Light Watkins, Equinox in New York, and Bitso in Mexico City.

Dharma is a passion-economy focused start-up that builds original travel brands and talent experiences, backed by the likes of Convivialite Ventures and Loop, the global marketing agency for Red Bull and Porsche.

Spirited Stories trips

  • MYTHICAL MEZCAL IN OAXACA, MEXICO: Exploring the indigenous heritage of mezcal in Oaxaca, with an in-depth tasting at Mezcaloteca, a home-grown project dedicated to the conservation of traditional mezcal-making methods; getting to know the agave plant and its producers; and tasting the flavours of the region with a hands-on cooking lesson. The five-day trip costs from £1,103 (was £1,277, saving £174), excluding flights. Trips run February to December 2023.
  • THE SOUTH OF FRANCE: MULTICULTURAL MARSEILLE: uncovering the brilliance of Pastis with an exclusive Pastisologie mixology masterclass at Mx Marseille; exploring the otherwise inaccessible cliffs, caves and emerald-green waters of The Calanques by kayak; and tasting bouillabaisse and panisse which define the vibrant culinary traditions of Marseille.The four-day trip costs from £1,112 per person (was £1286, saving £174), excluding flights. Trips run May to October 2023.
  • PURE SPIRIT: EXPLORE SOUTHERN SWEDEN: visiting the home of Absolut Vodka and enjoying cocktails and a vodka-paired dinner featuring local producers; foraging for an unforgettable wilderness lunch cooked over an open fire in a forest; and meeting some of the world’s most experienced vodka makers who lead the Absolut team, many of whom have been practising their craft for over 25 years.The four-day trip costs from £1,058 per person (was £1,334, saving £174), excluding flights. Trips run June to September 2023.