Miguel became a mainstay of the burgeoning Spanish cocktail scene in the early 2000s, and we met in 2008, when he brought a crew of Spanish bartenders to the Bols Bartender Academy, which I had founded in Amsterdam. We stayed friends and soon after he moved to the USA, where we reconnected after I moved to NY in 2012. 

Miguel had a wild ride, from his native Spain to his parents' Venezuela, back to Spain and then on to the Dominican Republic, and finally the US, where he crushed his biggest challenge: opening 50 (!) bars restaurants and clubs for the Jose Andres Group in less than 9 years, all of which made mega revenue, both independently and in hotel groups, and on four continents, before opening his own shop, CORE Consulting. 

Miguel is a weapon, and if you can hire his firm, you should, and if you want to know how good he is...give this a listen! 

Miguel on IG: https://www.instagram.com/miguel.f.lancha_drinks/

Miguel's firm, CORE Consulting: https://www.corebarconsulting.com/

Get in touch with Duff!

Podcast business enquiries: [email protected]
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview or Zoom.)

Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected]

Philip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/
Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff
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Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com

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Me and Christian met almost twenty years ago; when I was still living in the Netherlands, my friend Robin Weiss asked me to help judge the Havana Club Germany bartender contests, and Christian was involved even back then. 

In the next few years we hung out at Havana Club contests in Sylt, Dusseldorf, Havana itself and several other cities I can't recall, plus of course Bar Convent Berlin, and Christian always impressed me with his ability to both hang with even the newest and most junior of competing bartenders, and still be up and supervising things  at 8am the next day. 

We had a chat recently at the Cologne Bar Symposium in Germany and I learned that Christian had actually created the new global advocacy program for Pernod-Ricard, SIP, so that was it: I wanted him on the podcast, to catch up with an old friend and professional colleague, and share the tea on how to get a global advocacy program off the ground. 

This one is GOLD - if you work in advocacy, it's a must-listen. 

Christian on IG: https://www.instagram.com/herr_balke/

SIP on IG: https://www.instagram.com/sip_global?igsh=MWRleDRnczZ0cTdncg==

Get in touch with Duff!

Podcast business enquiries: [email protected]
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview or Zoom.)

Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected]

Philip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/
Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff
Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter
Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com

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This is the last of our Tales-recorded episodes, and our final collab with The Speakeasy!

Amir, originally from Tel Aviv, runs the cocktail program at one of Manhattan's hidden gems, the amazing Ophelia Lounge on top of the Beekman Tower, one of NY's last remaining true Art Deco skyscrapers, overlooking the UN. 

He was down at Tales helping us at The Australian Embassy, so myself and Greg dragged him out from behind the bar and into our makeshift podcast studio for a quick martini and a chat - enjoy!

Amir on IG: https://www.instagram.com/amirbabayoff/

Ophelia Lounge on IG: https://www.instagram.com/opheliany/

Get in touch with Duff!

Podcast business enquiries: [email protected]
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview or Zoom.)

Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected]

Philip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/
Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff
Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter
Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com

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Francois escaped growing up in Belgium and, God help us, working in banking, to become a drinks writer, relocating to his beloved Spain and becoming an in-demand consultant to brands and bars, a World's 50 Best Bars Academy Chair, a drinks writer, drinks book author, and one of the two or three most expert and authoritative voices in the industry on vermouth. 

We've been friends for a long time, and this was a joy to tape and catch up on - enjoy!

Francois on IG: https://www.instagram.com/francoismonti/?hl=en

Francois's consulting firm: https://www.amargueria.com/a

Subscribe to Francois' Substack: https://substack.com/@jaibol

Get in touch with Duff!

Podcast business enquiries: [email protected]
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview or Zoom.)

Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected]

Philip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/
Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff
Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter
Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com

Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos
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Sahil was down in New Orleans to re-launch Australian Bitters Co. in the US, and also because Australian Bitters Co scored both gold and silver medals in the New Orleans Spirits Competition, so me and Greg Benson of The Speakeasy lured him into our makeshift podcast studio and talked about the benefits of having royal family license plates, taking on the Goliath of cocktail bitters companies, and how he sees the bitters market as a whole. 

Enjoy!

(Pic credit: The Cocktail Lovers, link: https://thecocktaillovers.com/meet-the-maker-sahil-beri-the-man-on-a-mission-to-put-australian-bitters-on-the-global-map/

Sahil on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahil-beri-19691b141 

Australian Bitters Co on IG: https://www.instagram.com/australianbitters?igsh=NWlpbXZuYXFtYXd6

Get in touch with Duff!

Podcast business enquiries: [email protected]
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview or Zoom.)

Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected]

Philip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/
Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff
Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter
Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com

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Jake's one of the OG's of the UK bar scene, first making waves by winning multiple cocktail and bartending contests (including one where he won a £10, 000 diamond) when based out of his native Leeds, working in Leeds' top bars and then opening one of his own, then moving to London and opening beloved industry hangout The Portobello Star bar, co-founding the Alternative Bar Awards in the Star, and then upgrading both the Star and its in-house gin still to much larger premises, the Ginstitute, where the brand he co-founded Portobello Road Gin, is produced. 

Jake's a hilarious man, concealing a deep knowledge of spirits and mixology behind an affable, self-deprecating Northern exterior.

The Star, after a period of non-existence, is now back and thriving, as is Portobello Road Gin, and Jake is, God help us, an elder statesman of the UK bar world. 

Jake was in New Orleans at the same time as me, so we pre-gamed Tales of the Cocktail by meeting up for a martini and some beers,  and we shot the shit for an epic three hours one afternoon, enjoy!

Jake on IG: https://www.instagram.com/jakefburger/

The Portobello Star on IG: https://www.instagram.com/portobello_star/

Portobello Road Distillery: https://www.instagram.com/spiritofportobelloroad/?hl=en

Get in touch with Duff!

Podcast business enquiries: [email protected]
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview or Zoom.)

Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected]

Philip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/
Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff
Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter
Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com

Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos
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Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...

Down in New Orleans during the Tales of the Cocktail festival, I helped Procera, a luxury gin from Kenya, to run a private hospitality House, which came complete with a pool, so myself and Greg Benson of The Speakeasy had the bright idea to interview the Procera founders, Guy and Alan, while drinking martinis on the rocks, in the pool.

Yep, we invented poolcasting!

Alan, born and raised in Nairobi, is one of Kenya's most celebrated chefs, a restaurateur, trained brewer (he founded Kenya's first craft brewery) and as well as co-founding Procera, is raising Africa's first herd of cattle for wagyu beef! 

Guy, who is from Australia, got his MBA in France and spent almost his entire career in microfinance throughout Africa, helping small entrepreneurs gain access to capital to start and grow their businesses, before moving to Nairobi and co-founding Procera. 

I loved this taping, and, oh yes, HERE the link if you'd like to WATCH this - yep, we recorded video! Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ko1RWuYfYWE

This episode is a dual-cast collab with The Speakeasy, the longest-running spirits / bar / cocktail podcast around, to which you should certainly subscribe, link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4MPPFrIDI1sDVjurk9UIGy?si=7kAeza_pS0i6UgtP0oOvXg

Greg Benson on IG: https://www.instagram.com/100proofgreg/?hl=en

The Speakeasy on IG: https://www.instagram.com/speakeasypodcast/?hl=en

Alan Murungi on IG: https://www.instagram.com/alanmurungi/?hl=en

Guy Brennan on IG: https://www.instagram.com/guybrennos?igsh=MXU1d2hzNHE4amp0Nw==

Procera Gin on IG: https://www.instagram.com/proceragin?igsh=ZWViYXJyNWJlcmhn

Get in touch with Duff!

Podcast business enquiries: [email protected]
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview or Zoom.)

Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected]

Philip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/
Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff
Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter
Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com

Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos
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Myself and The Speakeasy Podcast co-host Greg Benson were both in New Orleans last week at the Tales of the Cocktail festival, and so were Alexandre Gabriel, master distiller and blender at Maison Ferrand & Planteray rum, plus Matt Pietrek, spirits author & publisher, who lives in the Crescent City. 

AND Alexandre and Matt had just published (with Matt's WonkPress company) "The Rum Never Sets: A History of Naval Rum", so we all decided to get in the pool (where else to tape a podcast about naval rum?!) and talk about Mr Fogg, Alexandre's journey from being a cognac distiller to a rum blender, naval rum, historical research, and a whole lot more - enjoy! 

Oh, and we drank Mr Fogg Navy Rum, the latest Planteray rum that pays homage to Michael Fogg, who you will learn about in the podcast, and the book, and HERE: https://planterayrum.com/limited-edition/mister-fogg-navy-rum/

Oh, and HERE the link if you'd like to WATCH this - yep, we recorded video! Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI975RFZXxI

This episode is a dual-cast collab with The Speakeasy, the longest-running spirits / bar / cocktail podcast around, to which you should certainly subscribe, link: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3K545VNuOTdTSICk7D2jvB?si=1jQuzjaiTFuZtZM4qjHlGA

Buy The Rum Never Sets: https://www.wonkpress.com/products/the-rum-never-sets?srsltid=AfmBOooimTmyM_c6CZ6aiSmWIAXTX0OdkGo1XM5w6Mylq3wt8Be6HetE

Greg Benson on IG: https://www.instagram.com/100proofgreg/?hl=en

The Speakeasy on IG: https://www.instagram.com/speakeasypodcast/?hl=en

Alexandre Gabriel on IG: https://www.instagram.com/alexandregabriel.masterblender/?hl=en

Planteray on IG: https://www.instagram.com/planterayrum/?hl=en

Matt Pietrek on IG:

Get in touch with Duff!

Podcast business enquiries: [email protected]
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview or Zoom.)

Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected]

Philip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/
Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff
Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter
Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com

Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos
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Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: ...

I first met Christian, who is Argentinian, in 2000, at the Quest for the Best world bartending championships in Orlando. 

I'd competed in Quest and Roadhouse and other contests like those quite a few times, but when many of us saw Christian that year - who competed in the Rookie division - a lot of us just decided to retire from competition and become judges! 

He was that good; next-level, Michael Jordan-good. 

And he was just getting started: Christian went on to utterly dominate flair bartending contests, becoming practically unbeatable, not just in exhibition and working flair, but also in pourtesting and speed rounds. 

Headhunted to bartend and perform in Las Vegas, he spent 14 years there before relocating to Miami almost a decade ago, working at the Fontainebleau, Sweet Liberty and Sexy Fish. 

He's just opened Presidente Miami, the third branch of an Argentinian group of cocktail bar-restaurants and their first American opening, and that was as good an excuse as any for us to sit down and catch up on old times. 

Enjoy!

Christian on IG: https://www.instagram.com/christiandelpechofficial/?hl=en

Presidente on IG: https://www.instagram.com/presidentebar.miami/

Christian's Freepouring Masterclass: 

Shaken And Stirred, documentary about flair: https://www.shakenandstirredthemovie.com/

Get in touch with Duff!

Podcast business enquiries: [email protected]
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview or Zoom.)

Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected]

Philip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/
Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff
Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter
Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com

Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos
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I've judged many a cocktail contest with Ian, and he's got a new book out AND just been awarded the Lifetime Achievement award by Tales of the Cocktail, so it was time for us to catch up over a rum or two. 

Having played basketball in his native UK, and rapped - he still gets royalties from a song of his featured on the soundtrack of "Space Jam" - Ian built a career as the self-styled Global Rum Ambassador, evangelising the whole category at a time when there was very little education about, or even respect for, rum. 

That led to Ian founding the world's first (and now longest-running) rum festival, UK RumFest, travelling the world to teach about rum, co-founding the Equiano Rum brand, and writing his books, "Rum: A Tasting Course". 

Enjoy!

Ian on IG: https://www.instagram.com/therumambassador/

Buy Ian's book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/rum-a-tasting-course-ian-burrell/21335716

UK RumFest on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ukrumfest/

Equiano Rum on IG: https://www.instagram.com/equianorum/guides/

Get in touch with Duff!

Podcast business enquiries: [email protected]
(PR friends: we’re only interested in having your client on if they can talk for a couple of hours about OTHER things besides their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is.
They need to be able to hang.
Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won’t supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either, and no, you can't sit in on the interview or Zoom.)

Retain Philip’s consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, liquor brand creation and repositioning: [email protected]

Philip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/
Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff
Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter
Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com

Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos
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