David Blackmore brings suaveness, Scottish-ness, and charm to Ardbeg and Glenmorangie. As the global brand ambassador, he traverses the world sharing some of the most delicious drams in the world. With a keen background in wildlife, entrepreneurialism, and whiskey, he brings a certain flair to the conversation. Always the life of the party, he returns to the road for the newest Ardbeg release DRUM for Arbeg's commemorative day 6/1/19. We chat health, Deep Purple, grooviness, and more.
Sometimes you never realize where an advanced degree in fermentation might take you. Now decades later, it's easy to say, you get to create the best Scotches in the world with creative carte blanc. Dr. Bill Lumsden is one of the most insightful and humorous figures in Scotch whiskey. A fan of music, art, and dream journaling, his creative output is unparalleled. So much so, that in the last Glenmorangie Private Edition series Allta, he found a yeast never before used and made a Scotch out of it. We chat Prince, writing, inspiration, and age.
Diageo's Scotch Expert Ewan Morgan has achieved many accolades across his 25+ year career in Scotch. But perhaps most important is that Ewan is a humble, good guy. Whether traveling, fishing, farming, or just exploring the world of distillation, Ewan has kept a level head about it all. Perhaps it's the community of punk rock ideology, or maybe it's a penchant for horror movies? Either way, his love of people and process makes him an encyclopedia of Scotch knowledge. We chat GOT, John Carpenter, Clynelish, and more.
Jared Brown has been chronicling the world of spirits and bar culture for many decades. His efforts to bring understanding to cocktail culture, distillation, and overall "mixology" have resulted in publishing over 20 books on these subjects. But being an accomplished author wasn't nearly enough, as Jared now works for the British Gin company Sipsmith; a delicious concoction actually made within the London city limits. We chat about craft distilleries, love, traveling, peace, and more.
Lynnette Marrero has earned entry into the esteemed Tales of the Cocktail's "Hall of Dames"; a loving moniker dedicated to the work of great women in the hospitality industry. Her interest in the human condition, art, music, and helping others has resulted in some of the best collaborations the hospitality industry has seen. For many women, the ability to compete in Speed Rack, one of Lynnette's many project, is enlightening and introspective. Further, as an educator, Lynnette's work unearths what might be otherwise the lost history of powerful women breaking boundaries in hospitality. What's next? And where can we take inclusivity? We chat the 20's, singing, Puerto Rico, and more.
Jameson's Simon Nicolian is no stranger to travel and the ease of island life. Raised on the small island of Anguilla, he helped with day to day duties of his father's hotel. Hospitality was strong as a very young age. As relationships change, so do families and Simon then started to explore the streets of London. Never leaving his hospitality roots, Simon travels the world delivering great cocktail program, choice jokes, and a charisma you won't soon forget. We chat Thanksgiving, hats, mezcal, and more.