Eric interviews Toby Maloney (@tobycocktail) about his award-winning book, The Bartender's Manifesto. Some of the topics covered in this conversation include: How Toby thinks about cocktail development, including the importance of inspiration, intention, comfort, and curiosity The importance of curated attention in the creative process, allowing you to notice aspects of the world around you that can be used as inspiration and structural components for cocktail building A live cocktail development case study, where Toby and Eric riff on a menu prompt and create their very own custom cocktail worthy of inclusion on a seasonal menu. Along the way, they explore the Fall-friendly flavors of pisco and tequila, the strange betrayal of curried potatoes, the speculative physics of anti-gravity cocktails, and much, much more.
In this modern classic conversation with bartender and beverage consultant Toby Maloney, some of the topics we discuss include: Toby's journey through the food and beverage world, from bussing and dishwashing, to culinary school, to tending bar, eventually landing gigs at famous venues like Milk & Honey, and Pegu Club, and going on to open The Violet Hour in Chicago. The decisions and philosophies (plus the techniques and ingredients) that allowed Toby and his cohort at The Violet Hour to open the hearts and minds of the people of Chicago to the paradigm shift that was the Cocktail Renaissance. What it's like to open a bar in 2025, specifically with respect to the ingredients and philosophies that carry over well from the last 15-20 years, and which practices and vibes might need a refresh. Then, we take a close look at how Toby is setting the tone at The Elbow Room with pre-batched "Flavor Booms," free pours, dirty dumps, a Hawthorne strainer moratorium, and other service speed innovations. Along the way, we learn why people hated The Violet Hour Team at first, how to "David-Chang-ify" a food or beverage program, why Gen Z is primed for their "Fern Bar" moment, and much, much more. If you like this conversation with Toby, well buckle up for part 2, where we dig even deeper into how he develops cocktails, complete with a live, on-air cocktail building exercise. But for now, please enjoy part 1 of this super fun interview with Toby Maloney.
In this smokey, robust conversation with cigar and whiskey expert Maggie Kimberl (@lougirl502), some of the topics we discuss include: A working definition of "cigar blend whiskey," plus some specific thoughts on the ideal proof point for these types of blends. The two primary pairing strategies that you can use to pair any two items in the flavor world, whether you're talking about wine and food, whiskey and cigars, or even building the perfect charcuterie bite. How to think about "flexibility" in the whiskey and cigar pairing space. Essentially: is a given whiskey designed to pair with a wide range of cigars, or has a blender designed it to pair with one cigar in particular? Then, we look at cigars. We talk about how a cigar is going to change as you smoke it, how to think about size metrics like shape and ring gauge relative to other factors like robustness and country of origin, and the best way to leverage online reviews and your local tobacconist to help you navigate the scene. We wrap up by talking about some of the more recent trends and collaborations in the whiskey and cigar world, exploring certain ways in which cigar blends and pairing collaborations are getting better, and even more complex at the same time. Along the way, we cover what your breakfast beverage of choice says about your taste in cigars, which $25 bottle of whiskey Maggie ended up pairing with a $1000 cigar, the results of her 7-month Manhattan study, and much, much more.
In this smooth-sailing conversation with Malcolm Gosling Jr., 8th generation steward of the Goslings Rum company, some of the topics we discuss include: How a lapsed ship charter to Virginia kicked off the Gosling family's spirited enterprise on the humble 21 square mile rock in the middle of the Atlantic known as Bermuda. The ways in which Goslings rum both conforms to and expands what most rum nerds think of when they hear the term "British-style Caribbean rum," and why the family's roots in sourcing, blending, and retail are key to the entire flavor profile and identity. We also dig into two key brand stories: the origins of the "Black Seal Rum" name and logo, which involves upcycling Champagne Bottles used by the British navy, and of course the legend of how one poor bartender's failure to politely cut off a drunk guy is responsible for the Dark 'N Stormy cocktail. And we wrap up by covering some of Goslings Rum's longer-aged and special edition products that will pique the interest of any rum enthusiast, including their "Spirited Seas" project that's aged aboard the Oleander cargo ship. Along the way, we discover why pigs gave Bermuda a scary reputation back in the day, explore some of the creative activations Malcolm and his team are pursuing as "The Official Rum of Leisure," take a spin in crazy aunt Shiela's industrial rum swizzle machine, and much, much more. SPECIAL RESOURCE: Webinar Link: Signature Serves: Building Simple, Viral, Brand-Driven Cocktails
View the video of this seminar: here! What's shakin' drinks fans? Thanks for joining me for this special industry shop talk episode, where I give you a free, behind-the-scenes look at some of the content I produce specifically for people who work in the spirits and cocktail industry. This time around, you'll get to sit in on a seminar I presented a few weeks ago at the 2025 American Distilling Institute Conference & Trade show in San Antonio, TX. The title of the seminar is: "You've Been Served: On Premise Strategies for a Saturated Market," and it presents a bunch of different looks at things distillers and spirits brands can be doing to create successful partnerships with bars and restaurants.
In this true, blue interview with Lucas Bols Co. Master Distiller Monique ten Kortenaar (@distillermo), some of the topics we discuss include: The history of the Curaçao liqueur category, how it differs in production and flavor to similar products like Triple Sec, and how the color blue first entered the picture about 100 years ago. How Bols Blue 1575 separates itself from non-premium Blue Curaçaos by incorporating signature botanicals and fruity Jamaican rum into its production and blending process. The role that bartenders, sensory panels, and distillery guests played in the development of this and other products that Bols brings to market. We also take the time to have a very open conversation about the nature of "additives" in the spirits world. Given the striking hue and excellent stability of the Blue 1575, it should be no surprise that Bols uses a food grade dye. But there's a lot that goes into the R&D and testing process for such an important component of the product, especially in the EU, where food standards are notoriously stringent. Along the way, we plan out an epic day-long food and culture tour to experience the best and most interesting cuisine and drink that Amsterdam has to offer, learn why Monique's perfumer Grandfather was known as "The White Giant," reveal which Bols product is criminally underappreciated by bartenders and consumers, and much, much more.
In part two of my conversation with rum trailblazer Maggie Campbell, CEO of American Cane, some of the topics we discuss include: The project of American Cane, and why Maggie is excited to kick off the brand with an affordable rum offering that's focused on conviviality, celebration, and togetherness. How the American rum category differs in its identity from the many Caribbean traditions we are familiar with, and what factors like fermentation substrate, diurnal temperature shift, and cooperage sourcing have to do with it. Why America isn't as primed or well suited for a strict geographic indication as other places in the world And what it's been like for Maggie to move gradually away from the production side of rum and more into the strategy and business development side of the work in her role as CEO. Along the way, we provide a functional definition of the Trinidadian verb "liming," explore what spirits brands can learn from Formula One motorsports strategy, learn why it's important to never distill while you're angry, And much, much more
In this spirited conversation with Maggie Campbell, CEO of American Cane, some of the topics we discuss include: Maggie's road to rum, which winds through philosophy, spice shops, wineries, and legendary brandy houses before arriving at her break-out role as distiller (and later President) at Privateer Rum Why sales and distribution are the hardest part of the spirits industry and how her experience working in the sales trenches and partnering with distributors paved the way for a great adventure working as a project leader for Mt. Gay Rum in Barbados We touch on the functional aesthetics of both vineyards and cane fields - the ways in which soil health, drainage, and cane-specific indicators like, lodging, arrowing, and low MOC factors can contribute to a healthy and beautiful cane growing operation And we also discuss how to think about terroir in spirits - specifically how it's derived not only from landscapes and climate conditions, but also from the perspectives taken and decisions made in these diverse locales over long periods of time. Along the way, we muse on why you can't hide anything in a rum distillation, the multinomial nature of cane dogs, why only foreigners like the monkeys in Barbados, and much, much more.
Eric tastes through several rare and vintage Benedictine Liqueur expressions, alongside friends and colleagues from the spirits industry at the 2025 American Distilling Institute International Spirits Competition. In this recording, he's joined by: Mr. David T. Smith (who generously provided the Benedictine samples from his personal collection) and who is the head steward at the ADI competition Joe Barber from Stargazy Spirits (who, for the first time, had a functional microphone for one of these recordings) Author and Spirits expert Eric Zandona, who runs the International Spirits Competition Reece Sims, founder of Flavor Camp, representing Canada Aaron Knoll, creator of The Gin is In, my favorite gin review website Sara Sargent of Alpine Distilling, one of the award-winning-est distillers I know And Vanessa Piromallo, the 2024 World Drinks Awards Icons of Gin Communicator of the Year The Benedictine expressions we taste through in this sitting are: Your standard, straight-up, run-of-the-mill, but still ICONIC Benedictine Vintage Benedictine (likely from the 60s or 70s) Benedictine and Brandy (AKA B&B) Benedictine 1888 (a special, premium Blend) Benedictine Single Cask
In Part 2 of my high-flying conversation with Charles Joly, some of the topics we discuss include: The 2014 Diageo World Class win that elevated Charles to global bartending celebrity, and the story of the innovative cocktail that put him in the winner's circle. The importance of timing in cocktail builds and presentation and how effective manipulation of timing can play on a guest's anticipation, which Charles refers to as a "6th sense." The genesis of Crafthouse Cocktails, a ready-to-drink cocktail brand that has its roots way back in 2013, at time when most people viewed the RTD category as either a non-sequiter or a complete heresy. We cover what the very early RTD landscape looked like, how Charles and his team went about designing canned beverage that actually taste like a real cocktail, the decision to partner with leading spirits brands, and even Crafthouse's recent placement on United Airlines. We wrap the conversation by discussing some of Charles' other favorite projects, like Cayman Cookout with chef Eric Ripert, his own line of custom barware, and even his online vintage store side hustle. Along the way, we cover Charles' most important tips for succeeding in a cocktail competition, why Crafthouse opted for a Paloma over a Margarita in their RTD portfolio, a maximalist itinerary for a full day of eating and drinking your way through Chicago's culinary gems, and much, much more.
In part 1 of my conversation with acclaimed bartender Charles Joly, some of the topics we discuss include: The two predominant "schools" of cocktail programs you might encounter in the early 2000s, and how Charles found his home and his voice in the seasonal and ingredient-focused program at a place called The Drawing Room. The conditions and events that led Charles to take on his break-out role on a national stage as the beverage director of the incredibly high-profile bar at The Aviary--a venue renowned for its avant-garde, highly technical molecular mixology drink preparations. How Charles handled the culture shock of transitioning into that role - the feeling of being parachute-dropped into a foreign land - and why a round of cheeky Tequila shots with guests helped to humanize the service style just a little. We also discuss what it means for a cocktail or ingredient to make "sense," which involves using context cues and narrative structure to help communicate the "why" behind the "what" and "how" of a drink. Along the way, we explore the tattoos you'd see on Charles' arms if he were to prepare a drink in front of you, why every bartender should know somebody peddling rare tea and Iberico ham, the beauty of "vibe-based" bartender's choice cocktails, and much, much more.
In this cask-strength conversation with spirits judge, educator, and master blender Nancy Fraley, some of the topics we discuss include: Nancy's journey to spirits blending, from Harvard Divinity School, to maritime law, to her apprenticeship under the legendary brandy maker Germain Robin. The story of the first Cigar Blend Bourbon (developed, of course, by Nancy) and how she weaves together factors like fermentation style, maturation humidity, cask finishes, and more to achieve the elusive flavor note known as rancio. A crash course in blending theory, which draws on architectural and corporeal metaphors to describe how to build flavor profiles in barrel-aged spirits Why the terms "master distiller" and "master blender" have become watered down in recent decades, which underscores the importance of humble practice day after day, year after year, in the pursuit of world-class distillates. We also explore the tension between the intellect and the instinct in spirits blending, using Nancy's experiences to illustrate how and when to let the wisdom of the body triumph over the chaos of "monkey mind" and the dance of contingency. Along the way, we divulge the connection between French brandy and rotting pheasant, trace the story of an all-but-forgotten yeast strain, share how you can sign up to taste some of the rankest, most flawed distillates in Nancy's "Nosing for Faults" class, And much, much more. This episode was made possible with editing and sound design by Samantha Reed, whiskey blending insights and some delicious pours brought to you by Nancy Fraley, and support from The American Distilling Institute. This has been a Direct Fire Studios production, copyright 2025.
Eric presents selected recordings from the 2024 ADI Gin Summit to provide a few extra perspectives on botanical spirits from some of the world's best category experts, including: David T. Smith - a prolific gin judge and author of The Gin Dictionary and many other excellent cocktail books, Natasha Bahrami - creator of The Gin Room in St. Louis and Gin World, which is an international gin education series for bartenders and other industry professionals), and Virginia Miller - experienced spirits judge and travel writer (The Perfect Spot) who works with esteemed organizations like the World's 50 Best and the James Beard Foundation During this session, we'll discuss topics ranging from: What constitutes a London Dry gin from a technical standpoint building a botanical library Use of character-forward distillate bases Deployment of color in gin and related products And much, much more!
In this Navy Strength conversation with Bobby Freeman (@nononsensegin), creator of the hit YouTube Channel, No Nonsense Gin Drinking, some of the topics we discuss include: Bobby's journey through gin, beginning with the gin & tonic that launched his obsession and all of the stylistic preferences and affinities he's developed along the way A discussion of recent gin trends in the UK, including the "Pink Gin Bubble" that occurred during COVID and the current obsession with citrus-heavy gins. We also cover the popular cocktail trends that are dominant right now in the London bar world, including Pisco & whiskey sours, porn star martinis, and brambles. And of course, this wouldn't be a true gin nerd conversation if we didn't take the opportunity to sample some of our personal favorite gins featuring outlandish botanicals, like oyster shells, elephant dung, ants, and prickly pear cactus. Along the way, we discuss why Bobby gets a little nervous when ordering a Mojito, which South American country has suspiciously good deals on distilled spirits, the gin with a flavor profile that can only be described as "pure fart," And much, much more.
Eric continues his two part investigation of the rise of Artificial Intelligence in the cocktail and bar world with special guest Rob Nester, creator of the hit podcast, Drinking with Robots. Some of the topics covered include: Why AI and human bartenders have some of the same tendencies, especially when it comes to picking base spirits for cocktails. The role that "cognitive outsourcing" plays in our lives, and how to think about "outsourcing" certain tasks to artificial intelligence. The reason why LLMs can often produce cocktails that are about 90% perfect, but often fall short of actual greatness. Some thoughts about how the "intersubjectivity" of flavor is actually a human superpower A few mind-boggling statistics about the computing power of the human brain when compared to the supercomputers that run ChatGPT And much, much more This episode was made possible with editing and sound design by Samantha Reed, AI and cocktail insights courtesy of Rob Nester, creator of the hit podcast, "Drinking with Robots." This has been a Direct Fire Studios production, copyright 2025!
Eric interviews Rob Nester, creator of the hit podcast, Drinking with Robots, about the rise of artificial intelligence in the cocktail space. This is part 1 of a two-part investigation that poses the following question: in what ways might AI transform how we create, enjoy, and perhaps even think about cocktails in the future? In this installment, we talk about Rob's origin story, how he came up with the concept for Drinking with Robots, and the insights he has gleaned about datasets, prompt generation, and the human-AI divide over the course of the first season of the show. Next time, we'll tackle slightly thornier questions, like whether or not LLMs possess the ability to surprise and delight a human palate, the ways in which AI can be effectively (or poorly) implemented in existing bar programs, and some of the big, philosophical questions that arise when you put computers in a position to dictate what we drink and how it tastes.
Courtesy of the illustrious David T. Smith, author of The Gin Dictionary, Disco Cocktails, and other fine bibulous publications, I and a group of friends were treated to a rare Chartreuse tasting after we had wrapped up all of our work at the American Distilling Institute's annual conference and trade show this past August in Baltimore, MD. Our casual panel of tasters included: Eric Zandona, author of The Tequila Dictionary and The Bourbon Bible Sara Sergent, botanical savant and owner of Alpine Distilling in Park City, Utah Joe Barber of Stargazey Spirits and The Wrecking Coast Distillery in the UK And Reece Sims, creator of Flavour Camp Here's a (hopefully) somewhat complete list of the stuff we tasted, which may explain our silliness toward the end: The standard Green Chartreuse and Yellow Chartreuse - but these were both taken from the soleras or "infinity bottles" of David T. Smith, so they felt a bit more special Liqueur d'Elixir - A tribute to one of the early proto-variants of Green Chartreuse - this is essentially a half-step between the elixir vegetal and Green Chartreuse 9iere Centennaire - A tribute to the 900th anniversary of the founding of the Order of St. Bruno (also known as the Carthusians) Chartreuse Verte VEP (that's the fancy green Chartreuse) A bottling by the French Order of master Sommeliers from 2018 - which is a small batch, custom variant of Yellow Chartreuse Tarragona, which is another Chartreuse recipe, celebrating either Tarragon (the herb) or the formulation that the monks made when they were in exile in Spain for a couple decades in the early 20th century Three variants of Chartreuse Genepy (the traditional, intense, and abrupt) And finally, a lovely Florio Amaro bottled in the 1970s, provided by yours truly. Other topics we discuss include: The Carthusian monk documentary entitled Into Great Silence The mythical "beast of Gevaudan" that ravaged the French countryside once upon a time The taxonomy of the Artemisia botanical family A whole bunch of strong cocktail-related opinions about Chartreuse and genepy, And much, much more
Eric leads a panel discussion about flavored whiskey at the 2024 American Distilling Institute Conference and Trade show in Baltimore, Maryland. The esteemed panel includes: Virginia Miller, The Perfect Spot, World's 50 Best Brad Nichols, Flavor Man Sara Sergent, Alpine Distilling Keven Szady, Murlarkey Distilled Spirits We cover a range of important topics in this discussion, all related to the art and craft of bringing flavored whiskeys to market in a crowded and opinionated market. Some of the specific threads we pursue include: Who's drinking flavored whiskey and how we can grow that demographic Using chefs, bartenders, and culinary inspiration as fuel for product development Navigating the regulatory grey areas pertaining to flavored whiskey and distilled spirits specialties Optimizing your formulation when using both fresh botanicals and manufactured specialty flavors How to approach branding and product placement of flavored whiskeys within an existing portfolio with other, non-flavored whiskeys. What might set a "high-end" flavored whiskey apart from the perceived "low-brow" options that currently crowd the shelves. And much, much more
Eric presents a "soup-to-nuts" crash course on how to crush your next cocktail competition. If you'd like to view this seminar with slides, you can watch it on YouTube. Some of the topics covered include: How to structure your approach to cocktail competitions so that they can help to advance your career goals An overview of the three main types of cocktail competitions (digital, local, and "the big leagues") Spotlights on technical learning, networking, photo and video capture, & social media Cocktail design strategies and professional presentation techniques And much, much more
In this globe-trotting, Japanofilic conversation with Awamori champion Jeremy Webb of Webb's Grainworks, some of the topics we discuss include: The technical definition of Awamori, especially with respect to how its distillate base, koji treatment, and aging practices differentiate it from Shochu and Japanese Whisky. How the history and culture of the Ryukyu Kingdom - a nation separate from the rest of Japan until the late 1800s - impacted how Awamori developed in relation to other traditional Asian spirits. The special role that materials like ceramics and stainless steel play in the production and service of Awamori. Why Jeremy decided that now is the time to import, blend, and spread the good news of Awamori in the US Market and how his flagship product, Taniguchi Awamori, took home the gold at the 2024 ADI International Spirits Competition. And the best ways to enjoy Awamori, both in a spirits-and-food pairing context and as an ingredient in classic and original cocktails. Along the way, we explore why Okinawans aren't impressed by American copper stills, Awamori's pivotal role in the development of the martial art, Karate, the fun and surprising story behind the name "Taniguchi," and much, much more.