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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It’s that magical time of year when the lights twinkle, the relatives bicker, and the bottles pop. On this special holiday edition of WWD, Dan kicks things off by diving into the surprisingly chaotic history of sparkling wine — a tale involving accidental bubbles, chilly French cellars, and a certain monk named Dom Pérignon. Then it’s time to bring in reinforcements. WWD’s Official Roving Correspondent, Brad Japhe, joins Dan in-studio for a festive tasting flight. Together they work through three standout bubblies perfect for any holiday table or New Year’s Eve countdown: the bright, fruit-forward sparkle of Campo Viejo, the elegant California craftsmanship of Paula Kornell, and the crisp, celebratory pop of Kendall-Jackson’s varietal-driven Brut.

Expect tasting notes, unexpected tangents, a couple of minor disagreements about mousse quality, and at least one moment where Dan tries to convince Brad he can absolutely taste “holiday spirit” in a glass. Whether you’re hosting, toasting, or simply trying to survive your in-laws, this episode has the bubbles you need. Fizz responsibly.

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Dan sits down with Greg Lambrecht, the brilliant mind behind Coravin, the revolutionary wine-by-the-glass system that forever changed how we drink, share, and hoard our favorite bottles. Greg walks us through the origin story: the early prototypes, the science, the skepticism, and the moment the wine world finally realized this wasn’t a gadget… it was a paradigm shift.

He also gives us a look at how Coravin has shaped modern wine culture, from restaurants to home cellars, and teases the latest innovations the company is rolling out for enthusiasts, collectors, and anyone who likes to stretch a great bottle just a little longer.

Plus, the triumphant return of our ever-popular “Drinks of the Week” segment, featuring standout pours you’ll want on your radar right now.

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This week on What We’re Drinking, things get Philly, funky, and downright fantastic as Dan sits down with his old friend Garrett “G Love” Dutton, frontman of the legendary G Love & Special Sauce. It’s a reunion decades in the making, and the conversation hits all the sweet spots: the early days, the grind, the gigs, and the weird, wonderful road that took a couple of scrappy East Coast kids into the big wide world. G Love opens up about his long, genre-bending musical career, what keeps him inspired after all these years, and how he’s found a whole new artistic groove with his vibrant paintings. And because the man never stops creating, we crack into his latest venture — his very own wine label — and talk about how a blues-soaked musician ends up bottling something that’s surprisingly soulful in its own right.

Then it’s time for our beloved segment, “History at Work and in the Making,” proudly sponsored by Warbringer Big Cockerel Aguardiente, where we shine a long-overdue spotlight on the true unsung heroes of whiskey: the women who kept the spirit alive while the men were out there doing their level best to screw it all up. Dan pays tribute, raises a glass, and learns a thing or two along the way. And speaking of learning, Dan also reveals the many lessons whiskey has taught him over the years. Some profound, some ridiculous, all very on brand.

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