The Liquor Store Podcast

In this episode, Jill talks to Katie Phillips, Winery Ambassador for Cambria Winery. Katie grew up a short hour drive from Napa and Sonoma and has been passionate about food and wine for as long as she can remember. She is a Certified Specialist of Wine and in January she celebrated her 16 th  anniversary of working for Jackson Family Wines. She plays an important role in educating the public abou...

In this episode, Matt talks to Gregg Snyder, Master Distiller at Chicken Cock Whiskey. Established in 1856 in Paris, Kentucky, a town tucked away in the heart of Bourbon County, the original Chicken Cock American Whiskey rose to popularity during the 19th century. James A. Miller built a distillery and started making Chicken Cock, a type of whiskey unique to the bluegrass region. It was an infamou...

In this episode, Matt talks to Greg Hughes, President of Beam Suntory North America. As a world leader in premium spirits, Beam Suntory is inspiring human connections. With a performance objective of being the world's most admired and fastest-growing premium spirits company, and a vision of Growing for Good, they're driving growth through quality craftsmanship, consumer connections, and entreprene...

In this episode, Matt talks to Dave Pardus, President and CEO at TBS. Total Beverage Solution launched in late 2001 and Dave has been at the helm through the entire life of the business. TBS is a premium importer and supplier to the Beverage Alcohol business. They focus on premium brands that have a market presence but still have the opportunity to grow. Total Beverage Solution has been dedicated...

In this episode, Jill talks to the winemaker at Leviathan, Andy Erickson. Leviathan was founded in 2004 by winemaker Andy Erickson, former winemaker of Screaming Eagle Winery. The goal was simple: to create one, unique red wine, drawn from some of the best vineyards in Northern California. The resulting bottling, was born of a passion for blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Fra...

In this episode, Matt talks to Dave Schmier, owner of Proof and Wood.  If you want to try any of the spirits Matt discussed on the show you can ORDER ONLINE or from the BIG RED LIQUORS APP for Curbside Pickup Service. It's as easy as 1,2,3! Start Your Order -   bigredliquors.com Simply select your store, browse and search for Proof and Wood products, and start a CURBSIDE order. Your store will not...

In this episode, Matt talks to Fawn Weaver. Fawn Weaver is the CEO of Uncle Nearest Whiskey and she is working to ensure the legacy of Nathan Green lives on through whiskey.  Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey is inspired by the best whiskey-maker the world never knew, the first known African-American master distiller, Nathan "Nearest" Green. The Uncle Nearest brand, wholly owned by Uncle Nearest, Inc....

In this episode, Matt talks to the co-founder of Villa One, John Varvatos. Villa One is an ultra-premium, hand-crafted tequila founded by Nick Jonas and John Varvatos. These creatives from the worlds of music and fashion, respectively, came together over a love for tequila and for experiencing "life as it should be," with friends old and new, one glass at a time. Unlike other tequilas, Villa One s...

In this virtual tasting we're featuring Banshee. In the episode, Jill talks to Matthew Schneider, Luxury Estate Manager for Foley Family Wines, which owns, Banshee. Banshee Wines in 2009 at a bar in the Dogpatch neighborhood of San Francisco. With money borrowed from friends and family, Banshee Wines was launched with eight barrels of coveted Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir. The initial intent was to make...

In this episode, Matt talks to Matt D'Alio, Joe Swanson, and Caroline Hupp from Vision Wine & Spirits. Vision Wine & Spirits is a national importer and marketing company that represents a portfolio of high quality wine and spirit brands. Vision has the expertise, resources, people and national distributor network to market and grow world class brands and currently represents some of the finest sup...

In this episode, Matt talks to August Sebastiani, President of 3 Badge Beverage. Named after old fire service badges from the Sebastiani family, 3 Badge Beverage Corporation is built upon a philosophy of commitment and craftsmanship. The company is led by 4th-generation vintner, August Sebastiani out of an old fire station in Sonoma, California - the very same station his grandfather helped build...

In this episode, Matt talks to Andrew Moldenhauer, Brand Ambassador for Mount Gay Rum. It takes every drop of their heritage - past and present - to make Mount Gay rums. From the founding in 1703, to the legendary leadership of Sir John Gay Alleyne. To the digging of their first and only well. The well that still operates to this day, over 300 years later. To the single-strand fields of cane they'...

In this episode, Jill talks to Fess Parker Winery & Vineyards CEO , Tim Snider. When Fess Parker purchased the 714 acre Foxen Canyon Ranch in 1988 his plan was to run cattle, plant a few acres of vineyard and perhaps someday, establish a small winery. His dream was to start a family business that he could pass on to future generations. Dreams do come true. Eli Parker and his sister, Ashley, remain...

In this episode, Matt talks to Eric Dopkins, Founder & CEO of Milestone Brands. Milestone Brands is a premium spirits company based in Austin, Texas, and was founded in February 2016 by two local entrepreneurs and veterans of the beverage and spirits industry, Eric Dopkins, former CEO of Deep Eddy Vodka and Chad Auler, co-founder of Deep Eddy Vodka. The current management team collectively has ove...

In this episode, Matt talks to Hotaling & Co. CEO, Dan Leese.  Hotaling & Co., formerly Anchor Distilling Company, is an importer and distiller of fine spirits headquartered in San Francisco. Originally established in 1993 by beverage visionary Fritz Maytag, fueled by the bold realization that there were no pot-distilled whiskies or high-end craft gins being made legally in America at the time. As...

In this episode, Jill talks to Barefoot Winemaker, Jennifer Wall. Barefoot got its start in 1965 when California winemaker Davis Bynum first created Barefoot Bynum Burgundy in his garage. The unconventional name referred to – what else? – the free-spirited method of crushing grapes barefoot. Fast forward to 1986. Things really kicked off when visionary entrepreneurs Michael Houlihan and Bonnie Har...

In this episode, Matt talks to Robert Furniss-Roe, CEO of Samson & Surrey. Samson & Surrey are responsible for brands such as Widow Jane, FEW, Mezcal Vago, Brenne, Bluecoat, & Tequila Ocho. Their company started with a question. From there, they created an answer to change the way the world enjoys craft spirits. Their question was this: "In a world of big look-alike spirit companies, wouldn't it b...

In this episode, Matt talks to Adam Fagan, co-founder of Hiatus Tequila. The team at Hiatus set out to find a family-owned distillery in the place that gave tequila its name. In the town of Tequila, in Jalisco, Mexico, they found a family that makes award-winning tequila—traditionally, transparently, and passionately. Together they crafted something unique while staying true to how real tequila sh...

In this episode Matt talks to Teeling Whiskey Master Distiller, Alex Chasko live from Dublin.  Whiskey making and entrepreneurship have been in the Teeling genes as far back as 1782 when Walter Teeling set up a small craft distillery on Marrowbone Lane in the industrial heart of Dublin City. Since 2012, Jack and Stephen Teeling, the latest generation of Teeling Whiskey makers, have been putting th...

In this episode, Matt talks to Jay Erisman from New Riff Distilling about the new Big Red Single Barrels that will be coming soon.  Founded in 2014 by Ken Lewis, a visionary Kentucky liquor retailer and entrepreneur, New Riff is led by a team of corporate refugees ranging from craft beer to politics and more. New Riff crafts a range of whiskeys—Bourbon, Rye, and eventually Malted Rye and a host of...

In this episode, Matt talks to Jason Holland, Senior District Manager, and Paul Coffey, Senior Brand Manager from Fistful of Bourbon. Fistful of Bourbon is a blend of five straight American bourbons and was created by William Grant & Son's Master Blender Brian Kinsman and Kelsey McKechnie, William Grant & Son's Whisk(e)y Blender. After sampling loads of straight bourbons, they landed on five that...

In this episode, Jill talks to the director of winemaking, Michael Eddy, from Louis M Martini Wines. When he first settled in Napa Valley, Louis M. Martini sought to source from the most coveted vineyards in the region. With the 1938 purchase of the Goldstein Ranch in the Mayacamas Mountains, he embarked on a new chapter in advanced viticulture and vineyard-driven winemaking. The vineyard, renamed...

In this episode, Jill talks to Jean Arnold, coproprietor at Kate Arnold Wines. Kate Arnold Wines are sourced from California, Oregon, and Washington. Jean and his Wife, Kate believe to produce the best wines one must locate the best growing areas for each varietal. Lake County in California for Kate Arnold Sauvignon Blanc, Oregon for their Pinot Noir, and Washington for their Cabernet Sauvignon. T...

In this episode, Matt talks to Master Blender, Peter Lynch, and National Ambassador, Doug Ward from WhistlePig. WhistlePig began when they purchased their farm in 2007. After a few years of deep consideration and personal reflection, they committed ourselves to crafting the world's finest and most interesting Rye Whiskeys. With help from Master Distiller Dave Pickerell, they discovered and purchas...

In this episode, Matt talks to Kyle Henderson from Angel's Envy. Rooted in 200 years of bourbon heritage, Angel's Envy creates hand-finished spirits that aren't afraid to improve on the classic tradition. Inspired by legendary Master Distiller Lincoln Henderson's lifetime spent crafting fine spirits, ANGEL'S ENVY is their masterpiece. If you want to try any of the Spirits Matt tasted on the show y...