Benedicte Hardy has been representing the delicious flavors of Cognac for 30+ years. Her family has a legacy of making some of the finest Cognac's in the world. With the recent release of Hardy Legend 1863, the brand tries to modernize the elegant spirit and help bartenders get creative with Cognac. The introduction of Cognac into American culture is an interesting story, and a brilliant history lesson. We chat wine, tradition, family, and more.

For Noble Oak's Tom Johnson, a serendipitous moment drove him to the hospitality industry and another to bike across the country to end up in Seattle. Each chapter of his life becoming clear eventually, but there is no master plan. A thoughtful, funny, and experience hospitality vet, Tom never thought that whiskey would end up bringing him the largest opportunities yet. We chat Baby Yoda, Twitter, Trees, and more.