I always applaud transparency and creativity in spirits. And in the world of Scotch, sometimes a different approach is the breath of fresh air we all need. This is Compass Box. James Saxon, assistant whisky blender at Compass Box, has an interesting background and introduction into blending. As a literature student, he quite literally looked for alcoholic references in books and translated how that reflected a characters significance. Compass Box has recently created new packaging and new blends for their flagship Artist's Blend and Glasgow Blend. But why 2 blends, why 2 cities? James tells all as we sip through the 2 delicious marks. We chat colors, season, and the Compass Box way.
Juan Coronado has an exceptional resume of pursuits from behind and beyond the bar. With travels all the over world imparting creative cocktail expertise, and sharing that certain something over 25 years in the hospitality industry can provide, one could call Juan "accomplished". But as it happens with truly brilliant people, there is always a new frontier. Juan's creation Mijenta Tequila combines his years of spirits expertise with his love of Mexico. We chat DJ'ing, daq's, history, and more.
Roberto Contreras Jr is a 5th generation distiller in Sonora, MX. His family's legacy is capture in every beautiful bottle of Rancho Tepúa. With his new Vinatero series, Roberto captures even more nuance of the ranch with a beautiful Lechuguilla and Palmilla. His mix of rancher and academic balance perfectly pair to spread the beauty of Bacanora in the states. We chat Deftones, wrestling, education, and facing our age.
Read Spear is a determined, ambitious, and insightful business person. His thirst for ideas and bringing his projects to fruition are imbibed with great passion. So when he started to delve into the world of agave, it was just a matter of time until he'd bring some of the most amazing spirits into the US. His brand, Cuentacuentos Mezcal, is just NOW hitting Texas in a big way. The delicious marks demonstrate Read's commitment to wonderful flavor and quality. Back in January of 2019 we sat down and chatted about this journey and so much more, but the story is more relevant than ever.