Winebow Spirits Sessions

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In this conversation, Misty Kalkofen discusses her role at Suro Imports and the importance of education and conversation in the spirits industry. She also talks about her work at Liquid Productions and her involvement in the Bar 5 Day program. Misty emphasizes the need for transparency and protection of traditional practices in the agave spirits industry. She also mentions her recent articles on liquor.com, one about David Suro and Gary Nabhan's book and another about additives in tequila.

Follow Misty @mistymezkalkofen

Main theme: Off The Path by Macabe
Intro theme: West End by Macade

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In this conversation, Misty Kalkofen shares her journey in the hospitality industry and how she discovered her passion for cocktails. She talks about her early bartending experiences in Boston and the influence of her mentor, Brother Cleve and the moving to the B-side lounge. 

The conversation highlights the importance of classic cocktails and the connection between cocktails and their place of origin. Misty shares her experiences working at the B-side Lounge and Green Street Grill in Boston, where he learned about hospitality and developed her bartending skills. She emphasizes the importance of hospitality and creating a welcoming and memorable experience for guests. They also discuss Misty's impact in the beverage industry by being featured in publications like Esquire and Bon Appétit, which led to opportunities to travel and bartend in other cities. She highlights the differences in bartending styles across the country and how it sparked her creativity.

Misty highlights the transformative experiences she had in Oaxaca, Mexico, and the deep connections she formed with mezcal producers. After almost 10 years with Del Maguey, Misty joined Suro Imports as their Brand Ambassador in the US  where she continues to share her passion for mezcal and work closely with producers and distributors alike.

Follow Misty @mistymezkalkofen

Main theme: Off The Path by Macabe
Intro theme: West End by Macade

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This is the second part of my chat with Elena Urbani, the brand ambassador for Mancino Vermouth, Rinomato Aperitivo and Lucano Amaro. 

This time around. Elena shares her journey from bartending to becoming an ambassador. She discusses the challenges and rewards of her role, the importance of repetition in mastering presentations, and the need for self-care while traveling. Elena also reveals her love for champagne and her dream of participating in a grape harvest in France. The conversation concludes with a discussion about their favorite cocktails and upcoming travel plans.

Lars, thanks for getting ice for us so we can chill our vermouth :) Shout out to Chris Gerber from Smyth for hooking us up with a last minute reservation at Alinea. One of the best restaurants in the world.

Follow Elena on Instagram @_elenaurbani @mancinovermouth

Music credit
Show Intro and Outro: "Off The Path" by Macabe
Monologue: "West End" by Macabe

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In this conversation, I interview Elena Urbani, the brand ambassador for Mancino Vermouth, Rinomato Aperitivo and Lucano Amaro. We discuss the popularity of vermouth in Italy and its different styles, the misconceptions about vermouth, the resurgence of vermouth in the last 20 years, and Elena's journey into the hospitality industry. 

Elena shares her experience starting as a barista and eventually becoming a world trotting bartender, the importance of hospitality, and the value of being humble and willing to learn from the veterans. Elena and I bond over our shared journey from working in kitchens to becoming a bartender and brand ambassador in our own rights. We both experienced different cities and the challenges along the way while learning new skills. We talk about the importance of mentorship and the differences in the bartending industry in different countries. 

It also happens that we both share experience working in fine dining restaurants so we talk about the mental and physical toll it takes on people.

Lars, thanks for getting ice for us so we can chill our vermouth :)

Follow Elena on Instagram @_elenaurbani @mancinovermouth

Music credit
Show Intro and Outro: "Off The Path" by Macabe
Monologue: "West End" by Macabe

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What are Richard and Pablo drinking? Is it  green tea, whiskey, tequila, or both? They touch on the future of the industry, and the importance of staying ahead of trends. Richard shares insights on how Winebow is diversifying into spirits and the challenges of keeping salespeople engaged. 

 Overall, the conversation highlights the need for innovation and adaptability in the beverage industry. Richard discusses the challenges and opportunities in the beverage industry, emphasizing the importance of staying true to one's values and evolving with the market. He highlights the role of strategy and supplier interactions in his job and praises the leadership of Jessica Partington and Monique Houston.

Richard also discusses Winebow's success in doing more business with fewer suppliers and the growth potential of their portfolio. He shares his love for mushroom foraging and outdoor activities like fishing and skiing. 

This is the perfect end of Season one of Winebow Spirits Sessions!

Music credit: "Off The Path" by Macabe.

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Richard Driscoll, head of Spirits Business Developments and former EVP of Spirits for Winebow National, discusses his journey in the spirits industry and the growth of Winebow's spirits portfolio from it's inception more than 30 years ago. He shares how Winebow became a player in the spirits business and the importance of family-owned brands in their portfolio. Richard also talks about the early days of the agave movement and the visionary people who helped shape Winebow's agave portfolio.

Richard's passion for wine and spirits started early in his life, and he credits his success to the support and guidance of mentors along the way. In this conversation, Richard and Pablo discuss their early experiences with spirits and how they got into the wine and spirits industry. They also discuss the evolution of the spirits industry over the years and the challenges and rewards of working in the hospitality and beverage industry. They emphasize the importance of great people and great products in driving the success of a company like Winebow.

Music credit: "Off The Path" by Macabe.

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In this conversation, Monique and Pablo discuss the importance of tasting and how to drink like a professional.  They highlight the challenges of controlling consumption as port of the job and the need for responsible drinking at trade shows with emphasis on the value of education and the variety of activities offered at these types of events. They conclude by discussing the presence of non-alcoholic spirit at trade shows, the normalization of sober culture and strategies for approaching consumption at professional events and even social gatherings.

Music credit: "Off The Path" by Macabe.

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In this conversation, Pablo and Monique discuss the art of tasting and drinking with intention. Monique shares her journey in tasting, starting with her first experience of tasting a 40-year-old Scotch that opened her mind to the possibilities of flavor. They discuss the importance of developing a sensitive palate and the role of smell and memory in tasting. Monique provides tips on how to taste spirits, including the use of appropriate glassware and the importance of consistency in the tasting process. They also discuss the challenges of being analytical in social settings and provide advice for encouraging analytical tasting in sales presentations. 

Music credit: "Off The Path" by Macabe.

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On the second part of our conversation, Dan Searing and I look at our primary topic through a whiskey soaked lens. The conversation explores the evolution of whiskey in the consciousness of modern consumers and utilizes rye whiskey as a key example on how awareness and palates evolve. One key topic is the influence of social media platforms as a new tool to reach new generations and sectors of the population that otherwise, wouldn't be exposed to the craft brands we love  to represent. 

Listen to Dan's music here. https://www.discogs.com/artist/969880-Dan-Searing and follow his spirits journey on Instagram @dansearing.

Music credit: "Off The Path" by Macabe.

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In this conversation, Dan Searing discusses his journey in the spirits industry and the evolution of the industry over the years. He shares his background in music and how it influenced his passion for spirits. The conversation explores the evolution of spirits in bars and stores, the rise of small brands and the influence of bartenders along with the shift in consumer preferences.

Listen to Dan's music here. https://www.discogs.com/artist/969880-Dan-Searing and follow his spirits journey on Instagram @dansearing.

Music credit: "Off The Path" by Macabe.