Episode 302 - Shop Talk: On-Premise Positioning for Spirits Brands
View the video of this seminar: here! What’s shakin’ drinks fans? Thanks for joining me for this special industry shop talk episode, where I give you a free, behind-the-scenes look at some of the content I produce specifically for people who work in the spirits and cocktail industry. This time around, you’ll get to sit in on a seminar I presented a few weeks ago at the 2025 American Distilling Institute Conference & Trade show in San Antonio, TX. The title of the seminar is: “You’ve Been Served: On Premise Strategies for a Saturated Market," and it presents a bunch of different looks at things distillers and spirits brands can be doing to create successful partnerships with bars and restaurants.
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Episode 301 - Into the Blue with Monique ten Kortenaar
In this true, blue interview with Lucas Bols Co. Master Distiller Monique ten Kortenaar (@distillermo), some of the topics we discuss include: The history of the Curaçao liqueur category, how it differs in production and flavor to similar products like Triple Sec, and how the color blue first entered the picture about 100 years ago. How Bols Blue 1575 separates itself from non-premium Blue Curaçaos by incorporating signature botanicals and fruity Jamaican rum into its production and blending process. The role that bartenders, sensory panels, and distillery guests played in the development of this and other products that Bols brings to market. We also take the time to have a very open conversation about the nature of “additives” in the spirits world. Given the striking hue and excellent stability of the Blue 1575, it should be no surprise that Bols uses a food grade dye. But there’s a lot that goes into the R&D and testing process for such an important component of the product, especially in the EU, where food standards are notoriously stringent. Along the way, we plan out an epic day-long food and culture tour to experience the best and most interesting cuisine and drink that Amsterdam has to offer, learn why Monique’s perfumer Grandfather was known as “The White Giant,” reveal which Bols product is criminally underappreciated by bartenders and consumers, and much, much more.
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Episode 300 - American Cane with Maggie Campbell
In part two of my conversation with rum trailblazer Maggie Campbell, CEO of American Cane, some of the topics we discuss include: The project of American Cane, and why Maggie is excited to kick off the brand with an affordable rum offering that’s focused on conviviality, celebration, and togetherness. How the American rum category differs in its identity from the many Caribbean traditions we are familiar with, and what factors like fermentation substrate, diurnal temperature shift, and cooperage sourcing have to do with it. Why America isn’t as primed or well suited for a strict geographic indication as other places in the world And what it’s been like for Maggie to move gradually away from the production side of rum and more into the strategy and business development side of the work in her role as CEO. Along the way, we provide a functional definition of the Trinidadian verb “liming,” explore what spirits brands can learn from Formula One motorsports strategy, learn why it’s important to never distill while you’re angry, And much, much more
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Episode 299 - Cane Dawgs with Maggie Campbell
In this spirited conversation with Maggie Campbell, CEO of American Cane, some of the topics we discuss include: Maggie’s road to rum, which winds through philosophy, spice shops, wineries, and legendary brandy houses before arriving at her break-out role as distiller (and later President) at Privateer Rum Why sales and distribution are the hardest part of the spirits industry and how her experience working in the sales trenches and partnering with distributors paved the way for a great adventure working as a project leader for Mt. Gay Rum in Barbados We touch on the functional aesthetics of both vineyards and cane fields - the ways in which soil health, drainage, and cane-specific indicators like, lodging, arrowing, and low MOC factors can contribute to a healthy and beautiful cane growing operation And we also discuss how to think about terroir in spirits - specifically how it’s derived not only from landscapes and climate conditions, but also from the perspectives taken and decisions made in these diverse locales over long periods of time. Along the way, we muse on why you can’t hide anything in a rum distillation, the multinomial nature of cane dogs, why only foreigners like the monkeys in Barbados, and much, much more.
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Bonus: Rare Benedictine Tasting
Eric tastes through several rare and vintage Benedictine Liqueur expressions, alongside friends and colleagues from the spirits industry at the 2025 American Distilling Institute International Spirits Competition. In this recording, he's joined by: Mr. David T. Smith (who generously provided the Benedictine samples from his personal collection) and who is the head steward at the ADI competition Joe Barber from Stargazy Spirits (who, for the first time, had a functional microphone for one of these recordings) Author and Spirits expert Eric Zandona, who runs the International Spirits Competition Reece Sims, founder of Flavor Camp, representing Canada Aaron Knoll, creator of The Gin is In, my favorite gin review website Sara Sargent of Alpine Distilling, one of the award-winning-est distillers I know And Vanessa Piromallo, the 2024 World Drinks Awards Icons of Gin Communicator of the Year The Benedictine expressions we taste through in this sitting are: Your standard, straight-up, run-of-the-mill, but still ICONIC Benedictine Vintage Benedictine (likely from the 60s or 70s) Benedictine and Brandy (AKA B&B) Benedictine 1888 (a special, premium Blend) Benedictine Single Cask
The Modern Bar Cart Podcast is a weekly discussion of the tools and techniques that make great drinks. Hosted by Modern Bar Cart CEO Eric Kozlik, this cocktail podcast gives great information for home bartenders and industry professionals alike. If you’re looking to take your cocktail game to the next level, this is the podcast for you.
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