WSWA Access Live: Spirits, Stories & The Big Crossover (TCGS S5 E6)

TCGS S5 E6 - WSWA Crossover with BRC_Transcript
===

[00:00:00] announcer: Jonathan Pogash is the cocktail guru, a mixologist and hospitality expert. Ah, 

[00:00:08] Jonathan: see? You know big words. Dude, I'm, I'm the cocktail guru. Cheers. 

[00:00:12] announcer: Jeffrey's his dad, a wine and spirits author, historian, and consultant. 

[00:00:18] Jeffrey: Well, I do my homework. 

[00:00:20] announcer: With decades of experience, they're always looking for the next big thing.

[00:00:24] announcer: Join this father-and-son duo for a few laughs as they explore the hottest trends in hospitality with the service industry's leading trailblazers and taste makers. Welcome to The Cocktail Guru Show. 

[00:00:38] Kerry: Hello, good evening, good afternoon, whatever time it is you are catching the show today. Today on the show we have a very special show, because today I am here with Jonathan Pogash- Hi

[00:00:46] Kerry: host, host and co-host of The Cocktail Guru Show. But today, it's gonna be a crossover event. 

[00:00:53] Jonathan: Whoa, what? What? 

[00:00:56] Kerry: We're here in Las Vegas at the WSWA Access [00:01:00] Live. What? So Jonathan. 

[00:01:03] Jonathan: Yes, Carrie. 

[00:01:04] Kerry: You were up this morning. 

[00:01:05] Jonathan: I did, yeah. 

[00:01:06] Kerry: What have you seen so far? 

[00:01:07] Jonathan: Well, what you see behind me, this crazy wheel, um, Access Live, which is a, the, has massive, uh, exhibitions with liquor brands and are ready-to-drink c- canned cocktails and cannabis drinks.

[00:01:20] Jonathan: We've run into some great friends, some old friends. We've made new friends. New friends. We've had some yummy food, yummy drinks. Uh, it's been a whole vibe. 

[00:01:28] Kerry: We actually stepped outside from a party right now that's going on- Yeah ... because it was too loud in there to talk to you guys. Um- 

[00:01:34] Jonathan: Too loud? 

[00:01:34] Kerry: Too loud. It was too loud.

[00:01:36] Jonathan: That's like what my dad would say. 

[00:01:37] Kerry: Well, it is what your dad would say. 

[00:01:38] Jonathan: Yeah. 

[00:01:39] Kerry: Um, but we're gonna head back into the party here shortly, but, uh, before we go, we wanna let you know what to expect on this edition of the Cocktail Guru show and the Barrel Room Chronicles. Who did you talk to today? 

[00:01:51] Jonathan: Oh, who d- who did I t- Oh, I s- I spoke to Tracy Franklin.

[00:01:54] Jonathan: Tracy Franklin. Oh my gosh. 

[00:01:54] Kerry: Love 

[00:01:54] Jonathan: Tracy. A legend. Love Tracy. Um, I spoke with Sean from Von Payne. 

[00:01:59] Kerry: Von [00:02:00] Payne, we also love Von Payne. 

[00:02:01] Jonathan: Um, I spoke with our friends over at Leonie Soul Tequila. 

[00:02:05] Kerry: Ah, tequila. 

[00:02:06] Jonathan: Mm-hmm. 

[00:02:06] Kerry: Tequila. 

[00:02:07] Jonathan: Um, who else did I sp- I don't know, other people as well, and we're gonna keep going. It's just gonna be tons of fun.

[00:02:12] Kerry: And we have more people to talk to right now at the party, so stick around and we will be right back. 

[00:02:17] Jonathan: Cheers. At the Cocktail Guru, it's all about the experience. We want our clients to taste and feel the aroma, the temperature, the flavor, to make memories when they try our cocktails. The Cocktail Guru was born in 2006, when there was a need for high quality cocktails, bartender training, and expertly crafted drinks for special events.

[00:02:38] Jonathan: Then the Guru team moved to Massachusetts and expanded nationally. We even provide cocktail demonstrations on morning television institutions, like the Today Show. Consider the Guru team for all of your events. Corporate clients enjoy our entertaining team building exercises. Bachelorette mixology classes are fun for everyone.

[00:02:56] Jonathan: We can craft a signature cocktail bar for any occasion. [00:03:00] Plus, the Guru team can design cost-effective beverage programs with staff training for any bar or restaurant. And be sure to join us for the Cocktail Guru podcast, where we regularly interview some of the hospitality industry's best. So why not consider the Cocktail Guru for your next project?

[00:03:16] Jonathan: Cheers.

[00:03:21] Jonathan: All right, I'm here at the Taste at Access Live. Buzzy Sklar, good to see you, man. 

[00:03:25] guest 1: Jonathan, it's always a pleasure. You've been a, a fan of all of our stuff and a supporter for many, many years, so I wanna thank you for that. 

[00:03:34] Jonathan: Oh, absolutely. It's my pleasure. And- 

[00:03:35] guest 1: We've done from Boat Show to- 

[00:03:37] Jonathan: Yeah, all of 

[00:03:38] guest 1: it ... OBS all the way.

[00:03:39] guest 1: Yeah. All of 

[00:03:39] Jonathan: it. But you're, um, Florida-based. 

[00:03:41] guest 1: Florida-based, 

[00:03:42] Jonathan: yes. And you have these beautiful products, these beautiful Japanese products. Can you, can you give us a little, um- 

[00:03:47] guest 1: Well, they're actually not Japanese. Oh, 

[00:03:48] Jonathan: I'm sorry. Oh. 

[00:03:49] guest 1: We're, we're one of the only- Good ... American-made sake companies. There you 

[00:03:52] Jonathan: go. 

[00:03:52] guest 1: And, uh, the nice thing about what we do is, uh, this is the first all-natural RTD because it's sake-based.

[00:03:59] Jonathan: Yeah. 

[00:03:59] guest 1: We did an [00:04:00] amazing collaboration with In the Raw using their zero-calorie monk fruit sweetener, no added sugar, less than 100, uh, calories, and we've got some amazing hits since our launch only six months ago. 

[00:04:11] Jonathan: That's amazing. And you competed in the, um, brand battle today. 

[00:04:14] guest 1: Yeah, 

[00:04:15] Jonathan: we were lucky. And you did, you did really well.

[00:04:16] Jonathan: I heard great things. Thank 

[00:04:18] guest 1: you. Yeah. 

[00:04:18] Jonathan: So congrats. 

[00:04:19] guest 1: I gotta tell you, you know, when they say it's really a, an honor to be nominated? 

[00:04:22] Jonathan: Yeah. 

[00:04:23] guest 1: It... Something like brand battle, when you can get up there and introduce your brand to 1,000 people in the industry that might never even known who you were- 

[00:04:32] Jonathan: Yeah ... 

[00:04:33] guest 1: before that, it's an incredible opportunity.

[00:04:35] guest 1: So just being up there really is a win for a brand like us. 

[00:04:38] Jonathan: Yeah, totally. I, I'd love to... Can I try a couple of these? 

[00:04:41] guest 1: You better 

[00:04:42] Jonathan: try some. Let's... Okay, let's do it. Um, let's see. So- 

[00:04:46] guest 1: This is our mango 

[00:04:47] Jonathan: This is the man- 

[00:04:48] guest 1: This is a clean glass ... 

[00:04:49] Jonathan: mango yuzu. Okay, mango yuzu spritz. Excuse 

[00:04:51] guest 1: me for that for a few minutes.

[00:04:53] Jonathan: Let's give it a taste. Yum. Beautiful fresh mango. A little bit of citrus [00:05:00] spice in there. Really nice, very drinkable 

[00:05:06] guest 1: Thank you. It's funny, all, all the, the Gen Zs are saying they're crushable. 

[00:05:10] Jonathan: They're... Yes, that's what, that's exactly what it is. Crushable, right? 

[00:05:13] guest 1: Yep. Here's our, uh, our coconut lemongrass. Oh.

[00:05:16] guest 1: Again, we try to do nice, fresh, bold flavors- Yeah ... not competing with what's going on out, the rest of the RTD world. 

[00:05:24] Jonathan: That's tasty too. 

[00:05:25] guest 1: Yeah? 

[00:05:26] Jonathan: Very nice. Again, crushable. 

[00:05:28] guest 1: Yeah. And then, uh, just gonna have another one open here. This is our most powerful one. That's our lychee lemon. 

[00:05:35] Jonathan: Most powerful, as in just the flavor?

[00:05:36] guest 1: Wait till you get the nose on that. 

[00:05:38] Jonathan: Oh, yeah. Well, I, I love lychee. 

[00:05:41] guest 1: Yeah, that's 100% all-natural lychee. Very good. That'd 

[00:05:45] Jonathan: be 

[00:05:45] guest 1: good for a cocktail tomorrow. 

[00:05:46] Jonathan: That's good. I, yeah, I think so. That's what we're gonna use tomorrow at my seminar. Buzzy Sklar, thank you so much for 

[00:05:53] guest 1: being here. Jonathan, always, I gotta tell you, I appreciate the support you've given us all, all these years, so thank you.

[00:05:59] Jonathan: [00:06:00] Absolutely. My pleasure. 

[00:06:01] guest 1: Thanks, buddy. 

[00:06:01] Jonathan: Cheers, everyone. 

[00:06:02] guest 1: Cheers. 

[00:06:04] Kerry: Joe, it is so good to see you. I love- You too ... coming to events and finding you here. It's great to see 

[00:06:09] guest 1: you. 

[00:06:10] Kerry: Uh, we're gonna do another Whiskey Whereabouts again with Joe Beatrice from Barrel Craft Spirits. Uh, you are kind of here tonight at the WSWA and the Taste, so, uh, how did you end up being, um, one of the tastes at the 

[00:06:24] sam: Taste?

[00:06:28] Joe: Well, we were, um, we were, we use MHW as a clearing house 

[00:06:33] Kerry: Okay ... 

[00:06:34] Joe: and they asked us if we wanted to participate in their table, so we're here. And we're here just seeing some of our distributors and meeting some of our customers. 

[00:06:42] Kerry: Fantastic, 

[00:06:43] Joe: and- All in all, a good time ... 

[00:06:44] Kerry: how often do you get out to Las Vegas? 

[00:06:46] Joe: Um, let's see.

[00:06:48] Joe: I was here about four months ago, so, uh, we were out here for the Total Wine, uh, event that they had. Uh, not that often, every couple of years. 

[00:06:57] Kerry: Okay. Well, it's good to see you. More [00:07:00] on my coast than your coast, 'cause I, uh, have to travel far to see you on your coast. Um, but, uh, so since I saw you at the, um, at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival last year- Yeah

[00:07:10] Kerry: not this year, um, what ne- what's new and what's changed? 

[00:07:15] Joe: Oh, well, we've only had about a dozen different new products. Uh, so what's new right now? Uh, the 12-year-old, uh, French Oak is, is a beautiful bourbon. Um, our triple rum cask whiskey is, is spectacular, and we're about to release a cigar blend. 

[00:07:33] Kerry: Nice.

[00:07:33] Joe: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Nice. We're really excited about that. Those are the new things. 

[00:07:37] Kerry: Okay. And how are things overall? I know that spirits as a whole has kind of dropped a little. Is, have you been seeing that with your brand or- 

[00:07:46] Joe: Yeah, we're, we're all experiencing the same thing. I mean, it's, it's a tough market out there.

[00:07:51] Joe: Um, a lot of fragmentation, but we're doing okay. I mean, we're, our sales are gonna be up this year in, in a down market, so I'm really [00:08:00] excited about that. 

[00:08:00] Kerry: That's great. 

[00:08:01] Joe: Yes. 

[00:08:01] Kerry: Joe, it's always a pleasure to run into you. I'm gonna go taste some more stuff at this party called The Taste. Thank you very much. Good to see you.

[00:08:07] Kerry: And, uh, I'll see you next time- Yes ... we run into each other. Yep. All right. Bye, all. 

[00:08:13] Jonathan: All right, Jonathan again. We keep running into friends all over the place here at accessLIVE. Just ran into my old friend, like two years ago, Patton Smith with Campesino Rum. Welcome. 

[00:08:25] guest 2: Thank you. 

[00:08:26] Jonathan: Two years ago we met on the Brand Battle stage because you were competing for the title of Brand Battle, bre- best brand of the Brand Battle, and you won.

[00:08:35] guest 2: Won. I got the- 

[00:08:36] Jonathan: Which is why you have- ... the belt right 

[00:08:37] guest 2: here ... 

[00:08:37] Jonathan: you've got the belt. Yeah. And I was able to f- I was fortunate enough to crown you or to belt you, uh- 

[00:08:42] guest 2: Appreciate that ... the 

[00:08:42] Jonathan: champ. 

[00:08:43] guest 2: Yeah. 

[00:08:43] Jonathan: Yeah, so what's been happening since then? 

[00:08:45] guest 2: So since the Brand Battle Championship, we've grown a lot. We've taken on an investment group.

[00:08:51] guest 2: We've partnered with Terry Bradshaw- Oh ... who, of Bradshaw Bourbon. Yeah. So we share a same investor. 

[00:08:56] Jonathan: Okay. 

[00:08:56] guest 2: Uh, we've recently been turned on into Walmart in all of [00:09:00] Florida, as well as select Total Wines across Florida, Texas, and California. 

[00:09:04] Jonathan: Amazing. 

[00:09:04] guest 2: Yeah, so we've had some great success that we're super happy about.

[00:09:07] guest 2: We're have access to a sales team now. The company's funded now, so really got the WSWA to thank, you to thank- Yeah ... for crowning me. 

[00:09:15] Jonathan: Hey, I do what I can. 

[00:09:18] guest 2: Yeah. 

[00:09:19] Jonathan: Uh, how many states are you in now? 

[00:09:20] guest 2: We're in six states now. Okay. Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Arkansas- Yeah ... and Texas. And, uh, we're growing by the day, so we're growing into more as we speak.

[00:09:29] Jonathan: That's amazing. And, um, what is next? What, what are you looking forward towards, uh, in the future for Campesino? 

[00:09:36] guest 2: So the future for Campesino is about to get really interesting. We're about to release a single origin, single estate 12-year rum. Oh. Zero additive from Panama, so a 12-year Panamanian aged rum. I can't wait.

[00:09:50] Jonathan: That sounds delicious. I can... My mouth is watering as you- Oh, yeah ... speak of it. Um, but this is great. I, I, I love coming to accessLIVE and seeing folks like yourself, updating [00:10:00] me and seeing that the brands are growing. That's really what it's all about. 

[00:10:04] guest 2: I couldn't agree more. 

[00:10:05] Jonathan: So really great to see you. Good to catch up.

[00:10:07] guest 2: Good to see you, too. 

[00:10:07] Jonathan: Cheers. 

[00:10:08] guest 2: Cheers. Salud.

[00:10:12] Jonathan: All right, uh, here again at Access Live, one of the parties. Ran into Sam. How you doing, Sam? 

[00:10:17] sam: I'm doing great. It's really great to see you again, 

[00:10:19] Jonathan: Jonathan. It's great to see you, and my father and I talk about our interview with you, and we speak very fondly of you and your products. And, um, can you give us a little update of where, where you're at these days?

[00:10:30] sam: Things have been crazy. I think when we met and when we first did the podcast, w- we really didn't have any distribution yet. We were brand new- Right ... to the industry. 

[00:10:38] Jonathan: Right. 

[00:10:39] sam: Uh, now we're in 17 states, uh, 700-ish locations now- Wow ... in just a few months, um, and growing at breakneck pace. We're about- we're, I think, adding another seven or eight states in the next two months.

[00:10:53] sam: Uh- That's amazing ... uh, we're going through containers, and the orders just keep on coming. 

[00:10:59] Jonathan: That's [00:11:00] great. Well, it's well-deserved. It's great products. Um, I look forward to what's in store in the future for you. 

[00:11:05] sam: Thank you- Mm-hmm ... and your dad and Carrie for recognizing what we were doing and giving us a leg up at the very beginning.

[00:11:14] Jonathan: Our pleasure. 

[00:11:15] sam: Well, 

[00:11:15] Jonathan: thanks. Cheers. Thanks. 

[00:11:17] Kerry: Coming up, Jonathan talks to Clyde Davis Jr. and UFC champion Aljamain Sterling, owner of Funk Harbor Rum. Then Jonathan meets up with old friend Tony Abeganom to create the perfect Pisco Punch. Stay with us. 

[00:11:30] commercial ad: New Orleans lit up for the SSE TV launch party, a celebration of culture, creators, and the craft of great storytelling.

[00:11:38] commercial ad: Featuring Clear Creek's eight-year apple brandy in the unforgettable Tickle Monster, a signature cocktail created by the cocktail guru, Jonathan Pogash. SSE TV, the story starts here. 

[00:11:50] Jeffrey: For your next event, offer a cocktail that feels truly unforgettable. Ophelia's Tears blends Bellini Limoncello, Gin Gigi India Dry Gin, and Mayer Lavender [00:12:00] Blossom Syrup into a bright, aromatic creation by the cocktail guru.

[00:12:03] Jeffrey: It's a sparkling, floral showstopper that elevates every gathering. Sip, saver, explore TV. Crafted experiences begin here. 

[00:12:12] Jonathan: All right, so this is amazing because we have an old friend, Clyde Davis Jr.- Yeah, yeah, yeah ... and a new friend, Aljamain, and we have a beautiful brand-new product that I just tried earlier.

[00:12:24] Jonathan: And I really would love to know a little bit about you, you know, and the product itself, and kind of why it came about. 

[00:12:32] guest 3: Uh, I would say the product came about because as a athlete, I like to indulge. I like to have a good time, but there wasn't many, like, great traditional products out there on the market at the time.

[00:12:44] guest 3: I started fighting in, as a pro, 2011. And like I said, I like to have a good time. I know Jon Jones. If you know Jon Jones, you know he likes to party. So I like to have a good time, but I wanna do it in moderation. And of course, uh, there's no better way to get into something of a business. I [00:13:00] didn't wanna do an energy drink.

[00:13:01] guest 3: I didn't wanna do protein bars. Oh, yeah. Not very fun, not very sexy. This was, like, more something up my speed and I can enjoy even through the growth phase. As I'm learning, as a sole owner, um, a lot of, uh, licks and bruises, but I appreciate it. I'm learning. It's a brand-new space the same way it was for me coming up in, uh, MMA.

[00:13:20] Jonathan: Yeah, that's awesome. And, um, Clyde and I go way back, like way, way, way back. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you're, you're a spirits expert. You're a rum expert. Can you tell us what makes this rum stand apart from a lot of the other rums out 

[00:13:34] guest 4: there? It's, it's funny. As you know, people send us stuff all the time. Yeah.

[00:13:37] guest 4: They're like, "Yo, try this, try this." And then my friend Melanie said, "I have this great rum. It's got Aljamain." And I was like, "All right, just send it." I, I don't, I don't like to do a lot of talking. Just send it first. And so I got the product, and, and it's a Jamaican rum, and it's a true Jamaican rum. You open it, you get those esters, you get that funk.

[00:13:54] guest 4: And what, what I loved about it is, like, it wasn't overpowering. It is some... I feel like it's [00:14:00] the greatest rum to introduce people to Jamaican rum with. You know what I mean? Yeah. And that makes it exciting to me 'cause it brings more people into rum, brings more people into Jamaican rum. Because a lotta times, Jamaican rum scares people off.

[00:14:12] guest 4: You know what I mean? Yeah. And so, 'cause it's, it's stronger, it's bolder. Um, but this was a product that I felt like was accessible but still had the characters- characteristics of strong strength and boldness. And then to meet this guy who's the epitome of strength and is actually still active athlete, you know, still doing that.

[00:14:31] guest 4: You know me. I'm... I, I have this whole thing going, a hashtag fit drunkes. Like, you know what I'm saying? That people who have balanced lifestyles who still can go out and party, still gonna drink, but they're still gonna exercise, eat right, do the best for themselves. Yeah. So that's always been kind of my thing anyway, so it just matched from a mental and spiritual perspective, and the juice was so damn good.

[00:14:51] Jonathan: It's really good. And, you know, this just had me thinking, um, Aljamain, how do you like to drink this particular rum? Do you have a specific way that you [00:15:00] prefer? 

[00:15:01] guest 3: I like to drink everything neat, to be honest. 

[00:15:03] Jonathan: Yeah. 

[00:15:03] guest 3: On the rocks, neat, but, um- Cocktails are great. So we tested this with maybe 30 different brands.

[00:15:12] news anchor: Mm-hmm. 

[00:15:12] guest 3: Different levels of those brands as well. 

[00:15:14] news anchor: Mm-hmm. '

[00:15:14] guest 3: Cause we want to have something that's gonna be competitive, but still the tasting profile so we can know exactly where in line we want to compete with, right? From the tasting standpoint, but at the same time, the price point. So all that mattered to me Um, I just enjoy the process.

[00:15:30] guest 3: This is- Yeah ... this whole thing has just been a quite the experience for me. 

[00:15:34] Jonathan: Yeah. 

[00:15:34] guest 3: Fighting is one thing. 

[00:15:35] Jonathan: Well, yeah, how does it compare, how does it compare to fighting? Are there, are there parallels? Are there crossovers? 

[00:15:40] guest 3: Different kind of punches. These are- Different kind of punches, but when people try the product, I'm pleasantly surprised by the, the response, and just having people try it.

[00:15:50] guest 3: Most people don't drink rum unless they're on vacation. 

[00:15:52] guest 4: Yeah. 

[00:15:53] guest 3: So when they try this they go, "Oh, I didn't know rum could taste like that." Yeah, yeah, yeah. I go, "That's what I want." I want people to know and [00:16:00] enjoy rum all aspects of life, all occasions, not just when you're on vacation. Yeah. When you're hanging out with your friend in the backyard, you're cooking up barbecue, you're watching the fights.

[00:16:09] guest 3: It goes with any occasion. So I'm super proud and happy about everything, and to have a Clyde, have a Melanie, and, um, w- And we have drinks. 

[00:16:17] Jonathan: Oh, 

[00:16:17] guest 3: yes ... drinks. Yes, yes. And of course, winning the awards has even been even better. 

[00:16:22] Jonathan: That's delicious. 

[00:16:23] Joe: Same. Cheers. 

[00:16:24] Jonathan: Cheers. Oh, this is lovely. Oh, yeah. 

[00:16:29] guest 3: Yeah, so is- 

[00:16:30] Jonathan: That's got so much character.

[00:16:31] guest 4: Yes. Right? That's what I was saying. When it came to me, I was like, "Hey, this is a winner. This is a winner-" Really ... "because it's a thing that it's for rum lovers and even rum haters." 

[00:16:43] Jonathan: Yeah, right. 

[00:16:43] guest 4: And that's a big deal that capture both those marks. To be authentic and still accessible is hard these days. Yeah.

[00:16:50] guest 4: And that, and that's the part I love about it. And then, again, this guy being a sole owner, as you know, I, I created my own brands. Yeah. And to see that, and be able to pour into a [00:17:00] business like this as a elder consultant is a lot of fun. I can't believe we're still doing it. 

[00:17:06] Jonathan: An elder, an 

[00:17:06] guest 4: elder. I'm older now.

[00:17:07] guest 4: That's what they told me. I know. So am I. I'm a unc. They told me I'm a unc. So am I. I'm a unc too. 

[00:17:10] Jonathan: An unc? 

[00:17:11] guest 4: A unc, yeah, yeah, yeah. That's 

[00:17:12] Jonathan: right. 

[00:17:12] guest 4: Yeah. But I tell them I'm still a cousin too. 

[00:17:15] Jonathan: All right, Unc, um, where do you- Where do you see the industry heading? 

[00:17:19] guest 4: Um, what I think, we get a lot of bad news about younger people not drinking, and the issue is that we've allowed the liquor industry is no longer connected with young people.

[00:17:33] guest 4: You know what I mean? A- and that's, that's the issue. What my friend Robin wrote a, a piece about this, is that marketing for spirits is still stuck in the early 2000s, late '90s. Yeah. And so we're not connecting with the people. You need to be connecting to the youth and tell them that you can have a balanced lifestyle.

[00:17:49] guest 4: Yeah. You can enjoy yourself. Um, this is the number one social lubricant in the world. You know what I mean? If a party's dead, squeeze a little WD-80 Proof on it- Yeah ... and now the party's alive. [00:18:00] And this is for enjoying ourselves, and I think if we can humble ourselves enough to reach out to the youth in a way that connects with them, in the methods that connects with them, we're gonna be...

[00:18:13] guest 4: We'll be dope. We'll be back to where we were. 

[00:18:15] Jonathan: That's awesome. I, I, so great to meet you. So great to see you, Clyde, Al Jermaine. You guys are awesome. The product is awesome. I love what you're doing. 

[00:18:23] guest 3: Thank you. And I got one thing I wanna say. 

[00:18:25] Jonathan: Yeah. 

[00:18:25] guest 3: This brand was inspired by Jamaican roots, but built by the American dream.

[00:18:32] guest 3: So I was born here. My parents are from Jamaica, Kingston. My grandparents are from, uh, Jamaica as well. My great-grandparents are from the Dry Harbour Mountains. That's how we came up with the name. My nickname is the Funk Master, and Jamaican rum is known to be funky, so we got Funk Harbour Rum. There it is.

[00:18:46] guest 3: That's it. 

[00:18:46] Jonathan: Amazing. Thanks, guys. Thank you. Cheers. Okay. Hey, Tony. 

[00:18:52] Dale: What's going on, Jonathan? I- 

[00:18:54] Jonathan: This is oddly familiar because I think last time, two years ago, I did something with you and we made a pisco punch [00:19:00] together. 

[00:19:00] Dale: I've been talking about pisco, Peruvian pisco. 

[00:19:03] Jonathan: Yeah. 

[00:19:03] Dale: I'm trying to push it over the, uh, you know, just to get every bar should be making a pisco drink.

[00:19:10] Jonathan: I absolutely agree with you. Absolutely, 100%. I'm so glad that I ran into you here because you're gonna walk me through making a pisco punch. 

[00:19:17] Dale: Okay. This is my recipe, and a lot of recipes you'll see call for lime juice. 

[00:19:21] Jonathan: Yes. 

[00:19:22] Dale: I like lemon in it. Yeah. So we're gonna use- Mm-hmm ... fresh lemon juice. Mm-hmm. Fresh pineapple juice.

[00:19:27] Dale: We're gonna use the Liber & Co. Pineapple Gum Syrup. 

[00:19:30] Jonathan: Amazing. 

[00:19:30] Dale: And then La Bandrina- Yeah ... uh, Torrontés. 

[00:19:34] Jonathan: Oh, yes. 

[00:19:35] Dale: Love the Torrontés- Beautiful ... in a pisco punch. Yeah. 

[00:19:37] Jonathan: So 

[00:19:38] Dale: I do one, one, one- Yeah ... and then two of the pisco. 

[00:19:41] Jonathan: So I'm doing one pineapple, one lemon. 

[00:19:44] Dale: One pineapple gum. 

[00:19:46] Jonathan: One pineapple gum. 

[00:19:47] Dale: You know what they say?

[00:19:48] Dale: Love this stuff. Too much lemon, drink's sour. Too much pineapple gum, drink's sweet. Too much pisco, drink is perfect. Yes. So you can just eyeball that one. I- 

[00:19:59] Jonathan: Oh, yeah? 

[00:19:59] Dale: [00:20:00] Yeah. That's for Michael, so he'll, he'll be happy with that. 

[00:20:03] Jonathan: You know, I have fond memories of- ... fond memories of visiting Peru. 

[00:20:07] Dale: Mm-hmm. 

[00:20:07] Jonathan: Um, and I would love to go back.

[00:20:09] Jonathan: It- When was the last time you were there? 

[00:20:10] Dale: I was there with Melanie Asher, and I was there- Yeah, I just 

[00:20:13] Jonathan: saw Melanie ... 

[00:20:14] Dale: she was just here. She dropped off a couple of her bottles. Um, boy, that had to been-

[00:20:23] Dale: 12, 13 years ago It's been a 

[00:20:25] Jonathan: while. 

[00:20:25] Dale: It's been a while, yeah. 

[00:20:26] Jonathan: You're overdue. 

[00:20:27] Dale: I am overdue. Uh- 

[00:20:29] Jonathan: And h- and 

[00:20:29] Dale: what's- You wanna- 

[00:20:30] Jonathan: Is this one- 

[00:20:31] Dale: That's ready for Michael. 

[00:20:32] Jonathan: Okay. So you- Is that a, is that a- It's- ... fresh glass? 

[00:20:34] Dale: Doesn't matter ... it's a, it, it, it- Here's to him ... you poured a little splash in there. Oh, that's, that's for- You can top up us if you got any extra- I mean, top us up.

[00:20:41] Jonathan: Oh, yeah ... 

[00:20:42] Dale: because otherwise that would be alcohol abuse. 

[00:20:46] Jonathan: Oh, a little garnish. 

[00:20:47] Dale: Yeah. Love it. There you go, if you want to- 

[00:20:49] Jonathan: Thank you. 

[00:20:51] Dale: Dehydrated pineapple. Dehydrated pineapple, just to tie in with the pineapple juice and the pineapple gum. Beautiful. 

[00:20:56] Jonathan: Oh. [00:21:00] Look at that. 

[00:21:01] Dale: All right, here's the... Obviously, you taste with all your senses- Yes

[00:21:05] Dale: but your hearing is the best. Happiness. 

[00:21:08] Jonathan: Mm, I love it. Cheers. 

[00:21:12] Dale: Oh. 

[00:21:13] Joe: Ooh, nice. 

[00:21:14] Dale: Yummy is the, Michael, is the technical term is- Yummy ... yummy. Yes. 

[00:21:18] Jonathan: It's nicely, nicely balanced. Mm-hmm. Perfect dilution. That big cube really makes a difference, and I love, I love whenever you say that we taste with all five of our senses.

[00:21:27] Jonathan: Yes. Amazing. 

[00:21:28] Dale: Because 

[00:21:29] Jonathan: temperature is so important, so how it feels in your hand. 

[00:21:32] Dale: Yep. Glassware. Anyone I've ever made a pisco sour for has always just lit up. They said, "The best thing I've tasted." 

[00:21:39] Jonathan: Cheers. 

[00:21:40] Dale: Cheers. Cheers. 

[00:21:41] Jonathan: Tony. 

[00:21:42] Dale: Happiness. 

[00:21:45] ad 2: Unleashed Coffee is a farm-to-cup adventure like no other. Step into a world where exceptional flavors, tantalizing aromas, and rich mouthfeel take you on a journey from your kitchen to the picturesque coffee plantations at origin.[00:22:00] 

[00:22:00] ad 2: At Unleashed Coffee, we believe in fostering connections between coffee lovers and the hardworking farmers behind each bean. Join the journey through our coffee subscription program and gain access to our exclusive online community, connecting you to fellow enthusiasts and the producers of your morning brew.

[00:22:18] ad 2: To help you extract every nuance of flavor from our beans, take part in our on-demand coffee brewing courses right in the comfort of your own home. If you are seeking B2B coffee solutions that go beyond just beans, our comprehensive wholesale packages cater to the diverse needs of mobile carts, farm stands, restaurants, cafes, retail shelves, and more.

[00:22:40] ad 2: Look no further than Unleashed Coffee to quench your thirst for quality coffee. Use coupon code COFFEEBRC at the checkout to receive 10% off your first purchase at unleashedcoffee.com.

[00:22:56] Jonathan: All right, uh, we are here at WSWA Access Live in [00:23:00] Las Vegas, Nevada. Once again, we're here almost practically every year, and I have my good pal Bobby with Leonel y Sol Tequila, and I wanted to bring you all in with me to give you a little bit of a taste, a little bit of s- of a sampling of exactly what the brand is, what it's about, and kind of a little bit of backstory.

[00:23:18] Jonathan: How you doing, Bobby? 

[00:23:18] guest 5: Good. Good. 

[00:23:20] Jonathan: Yeah, good 

[00:23:20] guest 5: to see you. Great to talk to you. 

[00:23:21] Jonathan: Yeah, likewise. Um, can you give me a little breakdown, a little bit of backstory on Leonel y Sol? 

[00:23:25] guest 5: Absolutely. We started, we started the company about five years ago, uh, really centered around, I mean, the long story short is, uh, family was around the hospitality, um, world, if you will.

[00:23:34] guest 5: Never saw my dad. Best times were around tequila, so we decided five years ago to really kind of dig in and, and build a tequila brand. Um, our, our brand is all about the best memories, so bringing, bringing together the best memories. I love 

[00:23:46] Jonathan: that. I love that. Well, you mentioned how you never saw your dad.

[00:23:49] Jonathan: This, this podcast I do with my dad. 

[00:23:51] guest 5: Oh, that's 

[00:23:52] Jonathan: awesome. He's not here right now. So sometimes I see way too much of him. Um, not saying anything else about that. Um, okay, [00:24:00] so, um, how has WSWA Access Live been for you so far? I know it's, it just begun. Yeah. Today is, just began. Today's the first day. 

[00:24:08] guest 5: Absolutely.

[00:24:08] guest 5: No, we were here last year, too. Uh, this is a great show. G- uh, great to connect with people. Great to see some of the vendors that we work with, some of the, uh, the, the companies, the tech companies that we work with. So it's awesome. 

[00:24:19] Jonathan: Do you have any, um, specific cocktails you recommend with Leonel y Sol? 

[00:24:23] guest 5: Oh, we do a bunch.

[00:24:24] guest 5: Um- Yeah ... we have, uh, what, what we call on our website La Miel. Uh, so if you get a chance, check it out. It's like sup- it's almost like an old-fashioned, but with tequila. It's great. It's awesome. 

[00:24:33] Jonathan: Nice. And can I have a little, let's do a little taste. Yeah, absolutely. Does that, does that- 

[00:24:37] guest 5: Let's do it. Let's do it

[00:24:37] Jonathan: does that work? Okay. 

[00:24:38] guest 5: Yeah. 

[00:24:39] Jonathan: Nice. Just poured it. So I love it. So, um, yeah, 100, 100% blue agave always. Um, kosher certified. Kosher certified. Pa- Passover kosher certified. 

[00:24:49] Dale: Yes. 

[00:24:49] Jonathan: Um, non-GMO, organic, slow-cooked, of course, traditional. Thank you. 

[00:24:57] Dale: Cheers. 

[00:24:57] Jonathan: Cheers. Really nice nose of some [00:25:00] herb and spice action happening

[00:25:07] Jonathan: Very nice. Very light and crisp, yet full-bodied. Kind of creamy, caramely. Um, I think it would work really well in margarita classic-style drinks- Yeah ... even, you know, cream-style drinks, like, uh, dessert drinks or- Exactly ... espresso martinis, that kind of thing- Exactly ... too, right? 

[00:25:23] guest 5: Absolutely. Hopefully it becomes one of your favorites.

[00:25:26] Jonathan: It is on its, on that track. 

[00:25:28] guest 5: That's 

[00:25:28] Jonathan: awesome. It is on track to be- That's aw- ... one of my favorites. Um- That's 

[00:25:31] guest 5: awesome ... 

[00:25:31] Jonathan: Bobby, this was great. Thank you so much. 

[00:25:32] guest 5: Absolutely, thank you. 

[00:25:34] Jonathan: Cheers. All right, we're here back on the Access Live showroom floor. I'm here with Shawn from Van Pain. 

[00:25:42] guest 6: Yeah, 

[00:25:42] Jonathan: thanks. What's happening, man?

[00:25:43] guest 6: Yeah, we're, we're having a great time. We're in Vegas. 

[00:25:46] Jonathan: We sure are. Yeah. This is great. Um, I'd love to kind of get a little bit of backstory on Van Pain, what it is, how it came to be. 

[00:25:53] guest 6: Absolutely. So Van Pain is, uh, well, we have two different SKUs, but I'm gonna focus today on Van Pain Black. It's our [00:26:00] flagship product.

[00:26:01] guest 6: Um, it is a three-year-old bourbon that we infuse with all-natural black currant. It's one of the only infused bourbons in the world that I know of. Mm. It is the most awarded infused whiskey. By definition, we have to call it a whiskey once we infuse it. 

[00:26:14] Jonathan: Sure. 

[00:26:15] guest 6: But the backstory kinda started four years ago.

[00:26:17] guest 6: We're, we're relatively new to the industry. I've been in the industry for over 20 years, so I'm an old man in the industry, but- Sure ... this is my funnest project. Yeah. It's, it's the most experiential spirit, I'd say, on the market. Um, every single one of our bottles comes with a pour spout. We have a pat- 

[00:26:34] Jonathan: Right, right out of the, uh- 

[00:26:35] guest 6: Out of the mouth

[00:26:36] Jonathan: right out of the mouth. 

[00:26:37] guest 6: Yeah, so every, we have a patent on that, so no other brand will be able to actually ship with that, so that's makes us really kinda unique. And, you know, when it's at a bar or at your friend's house and someone pours it, everyone wants to come up and, and see. You wanna pour it? 

[00:26:51] Jonathan: Yeah, let's, I, I- All right

[00:26:52] Jonathan: I would like to. 

[00:26:52] guest 6: Wanna have, we gotta have a sh- little drink. 

[00:26:54] Jonathan: All right. 

[00:26:55] guest 6: There you go. Go higher. There you go. Go higher. 

[00:26:56] Jonathan: There you go. Oh, there she is. 

[00:26:58] guest 6: All right. 

[00:26:59] Jonathan: Beautiful. 

[00:26:59] guest 6: [00:27:00] Thank 

[00:27:00] Jonathan: you. That's for you. And one for 

[00:27:00] guest 6: yourself. 

[00:27:01] Jonathan: And one for me. Here we go. Nice. 

[00:27:05] guest 6: All right, here. Cheers. Cheers. Yeah, back at you. 

[00:27:09] Jonathan: Mm, very nice nose.

[00:27:12] guest 6: Yeah, sip it. Don't shoot it like me. But, um- 

[00:27:15] Jonathan: Very nice ... '

[00:27:16] guest 6: cause for, for 90 proof you don't feel the burn that you would normally feel. Yep. It's, uh- 

[00:27:19] Jonathan: And it's not, it's not like, um, artificial sweet or anything like that. It's very, very mild, very balanced. 

[00:27:26] guest 6: And we pride ourselves on that. The infusion process is, uh, it's one of a kind, you know?

[00:27:31] guest 6: Yeah. We, we don't, we don't mash it. We kinda let it sit- Yeah ... and really just absorb it. And- It's great. That's the best ... and it's, you know, it... You can see the color. Yeah. It's beautiful. It's, uh, kinda ruby red. And, you know, it's one of a kind. Like I said, I've been in the industry for a long time, and this is, uh, by far the coolest brand that I've ever been a part of.

[00:27:48] guest 6: And, you know, I'm lucky to be here and- 

[00:27:51] Jonathan: Yeah. It's one of the coolest that I've ever encountered. Yeah. Um, well this is great. And, um, I'm using Von Payne on TV tomorrow morning. 

[00:27:58] guest 6: Awesome. 

[00:27:59] announcer: [00:28:00] So this is an espresso martini variation. I'm featuring Von Payne Black. This is a black currant 

[00:28:04] Jonathan: infused whiskey. Oh, nice.

[00:28:06] Jonathan: It's actually all natural, and then this little gargoyle- Oh, 

[00:28:08] news anchor: the gargoyle on the top. Oh 

[00:28:09] anchor 2: my goodness. 

[00:28:10] Jonathan: I love it. Look at that. 

[00:28:11] anchor 2: I have a dragon one at home. You 

[00:28:12] news anchor: got a dragon one? Yes. Like Game of Thrones style 

[00:28:13] anchor 2: dragons? Yes. 

[00:28:14] Jonathan: This one I call- I want the 

[00:28:15] anchor 2: dragon. 

[00:28:15] Jonathan: This cocktail I call No Payne, No Game. This is- No pain, 

[00:28:18] news anchor: no game.

[00:28:18] news anchor: G-A-M-E. That's right. 

[00:28:19] Jonathan: Yes. I love it. No Payne, No Game. I love 

[00:28:21] anchor 2: that. 

[00:28:21] Jonathan: I've got, uh, the espresso that I added in there as well. I've got some honey mixed in with the espresso. We're gonna give it a little bit of a shake. 

[00:28:28] anchor 2: Shake in. 

[00:28:28] Jonathan: Yeah. Here we go. 

[00:28:31] anchor 2: Take advantage of 10% off corporate team building mixology, as well as bar and restaurant consulting when you mention Las Vegas Morning Blend.

[00:28:40] news anchor: And for all info just visit thecocktailguru.com. 

[00:28:43] anchor 2: Cheers. Cheers. 

[00:28:46] Sean: I love it. All right. Cheers. Thanks, Sean. All right. Cheers. Thank you. 

[00:28:52] Kerry: Next time on Barrel Room Chronicles, we go deeper into the craft. I'll talk Texas honey with Brett from Silver Star, complexity and culture with Sid from [00:29:00] Filibuster, and a fresh take on Bradshaw Kentucky Straight Bourbon with Terry Bradshaw's son-in-law, Noah Hester.

[00:29:05] Kerry: Plus, Dezalle brings Tennessee's ole smoky energy to Las Vegas. Then later in the show, Jonathan Pogash, the Cocktail Guru, meets up with Tracy Franklin of Edmund's Honor for a special crossover conversation. Don't miss the second half of our crossover event next week on Barrel Room Chronicles. 

[00:29:22] Jeffrey: That's a wrap.

[00:29:23] Jeffrey: If you enjoy what we do, please rate, review, and subscribe to the show and our newsletter. To watch or listen to today's episode or to see the show notes, visit thecocktailgurushow.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok. The Cocktail Guru Show is produced by First Reel Entertainment and is available via Sip Saver Explore TV on Roku and Fire TV, YouTube, Spotify, Zencastr, Apple, Amazon Audible, and wherever you enjoy your favorite [00:30:00] shows