Another Manhattan Cocktail Classic event was The History and Evolution of Sherry in Cocktails, a lecture and tasting hosted by The Beagle. 
Wine expert Peter Liem (center) walked us through the different types of sherry, from Fino (light and dry) to Pedro Ximenez (heavy and sweet), and we tried samples of four varieties.
Then Beagle co-owner Dan Greenbaum (above, left) walked us through a history of sherry in cocktails, as embodied in four drinks:
(Tom’s the head bartender)
Seminars like this are the reason I go to the Cocktail Classic – it’s interesting, you learn a lot, you try some great-tasting drinks, and you can get seriously sloshed. Is there anything better?
Also, the guys at The Beagle are full-time sherry fiends – the bar has one of the biggest sherry lists in the city. If you want to try some, stop by. Also, Dipsology.com has a preview write-up of this event that goes into a little more detail.