On & Off

In this episode, we begin with Cheers Editor Melissa Dowling discussing her time at Tales of the Cocktail 2023, the enormous and long-running bartender conference in New Orleans, as well as several notable alcohol events she recently attended in Manhattan. Afterwards, Beverage Dynamics Editor Kyle Swartz talks with veteran whiskey writer Steve Coomes about what MGP's recent changes to their sourcing program means for the whiskey industry at large.

Why can't rum grow like whiskey or tequila? What's holding this category back? And what signs are there that rum might be about to break out? For answers to these questions, we chatted with our colleague Marina Velez, research director, data & insights, at The Beverage Information & Insights Group. Velez is an all-around rum and rum cocktail enthusiast.

The handbooks she references are available at epgspecialtyinformation.com/pages/beverage-handbooks.

In this episode, we're joined by tequila connoisseur David Suro. He is the founder of the Tequila Interchange Project, owner of the tequila brand Siembra Azul and the owner of Tequilas, an upscale Mexican restaurant in Philadelphia. Suro discusses opening a Mexican restaurant in 1986 during a "catastrophic" time for tequila, why he vehemently dislikes cristalino, and his concerns for the sustainability of agave growth and culture. He also talks about his new book on tequila, which you can purchase at this link: tinyurl.com/2c6cwcck — or by emailing him for a signed copy at [email protected].

In this episode about alcohol sales data and statistics, we sit down with NABCA President and CEO Neal Insley, NABCA Sr. VP Trade Relations and COO David Jackson and Campari America General Sales Manager Control Region Sean Noble, to talk about the importance of NABCA-collected data and what it tells us about the current state of the industry. Also, we see which man is willing to admit that they went down the resort center's waterslide while attending last month's 86th Annual NABCA Annual Conference.

What's the latest trends in whiskey and tequila, two of the hottest alcohol categories? Editors Melissa Dowling and Kyle Swartz recall what they observed in these two trendy categories during several recent media trips and alcohol conferences. This includes trips to Jack Daniels Distillery for a celebration of Women in Whiskey, and Louisville for the 2023 Bourbon Classic whiskey fest.

Independent bottling is common in Scotch, but not in American whiskey. Why? We ask Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski, founders of Lost Lantern, a fast-growing independent bottler of American whiskeys. They talk about the process of discovering unique spirits, picking which distilleries to work with, and what's next for American single malt, which has been a category focus for them.

Buffalo Trace Distillery is doubling their distilling capabilities. This has monumental ramifications for the whiskey industry, and represents an enormous production undertaking. Helping oversee this project is Danny Kahn, Distillation and Aging Operations Director at Sazerac. We talked with Kahn about the massive upgrade at Buffalo Trace, while also delving into Sazerac's future overall, whether whiskey terroir exists, his career path with a past in brewing, what's next for the modern bourbon boom and more.

Fresh off being named the new Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve, Elizabeth McCall joins us to talk about what's next for the brand, learning under the former Master Distiller Chris Morris, expanding Woodford's production, sustainability in the whiskey industry, and how young people can get involved in the industry.

In this episode, we discuss current legal topics in the alcohol industry, which will be explored further during the annual Legal Symposium (March 13-15) of the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA). Joining us are NABCA CEO Neal Insley and NABCA Associate General Council Buddy Buckner. What are the pressing alcohol legal questions of the day? And how much did the Covid-19 pandemic affect that? Tune in to find out! And for more information on NABCA and its annual Legal Symposium, which anyone can attend, visit nabca.org or nabca.org/meeting.

Beverage Dynamics Editor Kyle Swartz talks with small-business expert, author and BARC speaker Tom Shay about the importance of beverage alcohol retail mastermind groups.