Jon Taffer is back, and this time he’s raising hell in honor of Season 10 of Bar Rescue. The hospitality hitman joins me to talk about a decade of blowups, breakdowns, and barstool breakthroughs, what still shocks him after all these years, and why so many owners keep screwing up the same fundamentals. We get into the psychology of failing bars, the art (and science) of turning them around under the glare of reality TV, and what this milestone season says about the state of the bar business in America.

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This week on What We’re Drinking with Dan Dunn, we welcome one of the true mad scientists of the spirits world: Alexandre Gabriel, founder and master blender of Maison Ferrand.

Our main focus is the release of Batch No. 2 of Planteray Mister Fogg Navy Rum, a bold, high-seas-inspired expression that channels the swagger, strength, and storytelling tradition of classic Navy rum. Alexandre walks us through his long-standing fascination with maritime rum history, from the British Royal Navy’s daily tot to the complex blending traditions that defined the category. What started as historical curiosity evolved into a full-blown passion project, and ultimately into Mister Fogg itself.

We also dig into the innovative techniques behind the bottle, including Maison Ferrand’s dynamic aging philosophy and the uniquely named “Navy Active Vatting” process—a method designed to mimic the movement, mingling, and oxidative influence rum once experienced aboard ships at sea. The result? A layered, muscular spirit that manages to feel both historically grounded and strikingly modern.

If you’re into rum, naval lore, obsessive blending, or simply listening to a master at work, this one’s for you. Pour yourself something sturdy and join us.

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National Margarita Day falls on February 22nd, and we’re celebrating accordingly at WWD Headquarters. On this special episode, Dan is joined by Margarita Time author Caroline Pardilla and spirits expert Brad Japhe for a deep dive into America’s most beloved tequila cocktail, and the agave spirits that make it all possible.

We break down why the Margarita remains endlessly popular, deceptively simple, and perpetually reinvented, then get into an in-depth assessment of standout agave spirits that shine in the glass. The tasting lineup includes four tequilas—Código 1530, Olmeca Altos, G4, and El Tesoro—alongside two mezcals, Del Maguey and Hedonistas de la Fe.

It’s part history lesson, part tasting session, and part spirited debate about what really makes a great Margarita...just in time to raise a glass on February 22.

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Essential Mardi Gras Cocktails is a spirited, history-soaked romp through New Orleans drinking culture, with Dan joined by WWD’s official roving correspondent Brad Japhe and Abigail Gullo, Bar Director at Loa and a James Beard Award semifinalist. Together, they trace the roots of Mardi Gras itself before diving deep into the cocktails that define the season and the city: the Hurricane, Ramos Gin Fizz, Sidecar, French 75, Vieux Carré, Sazerac, Bourbon Milk Punch and a new instant classic that Abigail created. Along the way, they unpack technique, lore, and evolution, spotlighting featured spirits including Rabbit Hole Distillery Bourbon and Rye, Planteray Rum Three Stars and Original Dark Rum, Wilde Irish Gin, and Maison Ferrand’s Cognac 1840 Original Formula and Dry Curaçao. The result is equal parts cocktail masterclass, cultural history, and laid-back New Orleans hang. Perfect for anyone who likes their Mardi Gras with a little depth in the glass.

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Dan and roving correspondent Brad Japhe dive into The Wonders of Italian Wine, spotlighting standout pours from Luca Bosio Vineyards and Bel Colle, including a lineup of single-vineyard Barbaresco and Barolo. Along the way, they unpack what makes Bel Colle’s celebrated Monvigliero and Bussia Grand Cru holdings so special, and explore how Luca Bosio blends generations of vineyard know-how with modern, low-intervention winemaking to deliver wines defined by clarity, structure, and sense of place. Dan also weighs in on reports that Gen Z is drinking less, and what that might mean for the future of drinking culture.

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The episode opens with Dan getting candid about the weird emotional math of making a weekly podcast—and creative work in general—when the world feels like it’s perpetually on fire. He talks through the balancing act: staying engaged, staying human, and still showing up to do the job without pretending everything’s fine.

From there, Dan shifts gears to something grounding and familiar: his friend and frequent guest Maynard James Keenan, and his latest venture, a thoughtfully curated coffee club that combines quality beans with the same obsessive attention to detail Maynard brings to everything else he does.

Then it’s on to today’s main event: a wide-ranging, relaxed conversation with Steven Soderbergh. With National Singani Day around the corner, Steven talks about his passion for Bolivia’s national spirit and the story behind his brand, Singani 63—why singani matters, how people should drink it, and why it deserves a bigger place in the global spirits conversation.

Steven also digs into his latest film and television projects, including a documentary he’s producing built around the final interview John Lennon and Yoko Ono ever did together, recorded just one day before Lennon was killed. A haunting, historically significant moment that’s only now being revisited.

To close things out on a lighter note, Dan puts Steven through a game that tests his bullshit detector: guessing whether a series of obscure “holidays” are real or completely made up. Some he nails. Some… not so much.

Heavy thoughts, good drinks, pop culture, history, and a little nonsense. Pretty much the full What We’re Drinking experience.

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On this edition of What We’re Drinking with Dan Dunn, Dan sits down with writer, cultural agitator, and longtime professional pundit Joel Stein for a conversation that cuts straight through wine, journalism, mortality, and modern American weirdness.

Dan and Joel talk frankly about the sad, shrinking state of journalism. What it used to be, what it’s become, and why so many writers now find themselves operating outside the old institutions, whether they planned to or not. That leads naturally to a discussion of the recent death of Scott Adams, and Joel’s clear-eyed, unsentimental piece on Adams for The New York Times, a meditation on talent, provocation, and what happens when a cultural figure spends years daring the world to turn on him.

The conversation turns darker with news that the investigation into Hunter S. Thompson’s death has been reopened. Dan, who was friends with Hunter for years, offers his own perspective—measured, personal, and skeptical—on what reopening the case means, what it doesn’t, and why some legends refuse to stay buried no matter how definitive the ending once seemed.

Dan also runs through his favorite cities to drink in across America. Places where bars still feel lived-in and drinks are poured with conviction. And, in a moment of humility rarely captured on tape, he admits to losing a football bet to Braiden Albrecht of Mayacamas Vineyards, proving once again that confidence and gambling are distant cousins at best.

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In this episode of 3-Minute Bartender, Dan turns his attention to one of winter’s most reliable coping mechanisms: a mug filled with something hot, boozy, and unapologetically indulgent. Cold weather is not his natural habitat, so when temperatures drop, the response is simple: build a drink designed to push back.

The Hot Buttered Rum is a cocktail that often gets dismissed before it’s properly understood. Dan explains why it works so well, tracing its roots to early American drinking culture, when rum was abundant, butter was a staple, and comfort mattered more than restraint. He breaks down the two essential approaches: a classic batter-based version that delivers richness and depth, and a streamlined method for nights when speed matters but quality still counts. Along the way, he offers guidance on rum styles, spice control, and common missteps that can derail the drink.

The result is a clear case for Hot Buttered Rum as a cold-weather essential. Practical, comforting, and far better than its reputation suggests.

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Dan kicks off 2026 by lighting Dry January on fire and warming his hands over the flames. In this year-opening episode, he makes the case that voluntarily quitting booze for a month is less about “wellness” and more about public performance, misplaced guilt, and punishing yourself for having enjoyed December like a normal human.

Along the way, Dan digs into why Dry January culture has become weirdly smug, why mocktails are not a personality, and how the beverage industry somehow survived thousands of years without a wellness calendar telling it when to behave.

On the happier side of the ledger, Dan reveals one of his newest LA obsessions: Yakun—a low-key, deeply comforting restaurant that’s quickly worked its way into his regular rotation. He also shares an update on his upcoming mystery novel, A Cheesesteak to Die For, including where the manuscript stands, what’s changed since the last draft, and why 2026 is shaping up to be a very good year for Philly-flavored crime.

Dry January skeptics, food obsessives, and mystery readers: welcome back. The year is officially underway!

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To close out 2025 in proper holiday fashion, Dan wraps the year with a festive, slightly unhinged, and deeply drinkable finale. The episode opens with a Yuletide tale from Dan’s childhood that is equal parts nostalgia, family lore, and seasonal chaos, before welcoming one of the true legends of the bar world: Dale DeGroff.

The world-renowned barman joins Dan for an eggnog-themed extravaganza that proves this classic deserves far more respect than it usually gets. Dale walks through not one, not two, but three of his favorite eggnog recipes, breaking down technique, history, and why the drink still matters. Two of the nogs lean into rich, whiskey-forward holiday comfort thanks to Michter’s, while the third offers a clever curveball: an egg-free “faux-nog” built around The Reid Vodka for anyone who loves the flavor but not the texture or the raw eggs.

It’s a warm, boozy, informative send-off to the year, full of craft, conversation, and just enough holiday spirit to get you through the season. Consider it a masterclass in eggnog, with one hell of a tour guide, and a fitting toast to the end of 2025.

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