What We're Drinking with Dan Dunn

Dan sits down with Geoff Whitman —Pearl Jam’s official tour photographer and a seasoned pro in the wine world—to talk about his stunning new book, Pearl Jam ReactRespond . The book captures the band on their Dark Matter tour with a level of intimacy and immediacy that only someone embedded in the inner circle could pull off. Geoff shares what it’s like documenting one of the most iconic bands on t...

Dan reunites with his longtime buddy Zane Lamprey, a man who has somehow turned drinking on camera into a multi-decade career and lived to write about it. Zane joins the show to talk about his new book Glass Half Full , a funny, self-aware look at the highs, lows, and hangovers that come with chasing a dream in the booze business. Along the way, he and Dan swap war stories from the road, talk abou...

This week Dan sits down with Johnny Depp to talk about his newly launched rum brand, Three Hearts . The conversation covers everything from the rich, rebellious history of rum (pirates, privateers, and plenty of bad decisions) to what drew Johnny into the spirits world in the first place. He also makes a compelling case for why dark rum is where the real soul of the category lives—deeper flavor, m...

Dan and Brad Japhe raise a glass to one of the world’s most enduring cocktails in this celebratory deep dive into National Gin & Tonic Day . From its roots as a medicinal mashup of quinine-laced tonic and British gin in colonial India to its modern status as a global go-to refresher, the G&T gets the full treatment—history, technique, and why it still hits like nothing else on a hot day. Then it’s...

March has not exactly been Dan’s month, so in the interest of preserving what was left of his sanity, he headed south to San Diego for a change of scenery and a stiff drink with Trey Zoeller, the founder of Jefferson's Bourbon . Trey was in SD for a pretty wild reason: Jefferson’s has teamed up with Holland America Line to launch a new ocean-aged whiskey project, which involves loading a barrel of...

We took the show to Townhouse in Venice Beach for a live recording with the incomparable William H. Macy and, yeah, he more than delivered. Alongside Brad Japhe , we talk through Bill’s decades-spanning acting career, his involvement with Woody Creek Distillers , and the single best nugget of wisdom he ever got from David Mamet . As a bonus, Bill caps off the night with a few original tunes on the...

In this episode of What We’re Drinking , Dan is joined by Colm O’Connor , Guinness Brewery Ambassador straight out of the legendary Guinness Storehouse in Dublin. Together, they dive deep into all things Guinness—its rich history, the craft behind the perfect pour, enduring myths, and why it remains one of the most iconic beers on the planet. With St. Patrick’s Day upon us, Colm shares how the hol...

In this St. Patrick’s Day–themed episode, Dan is joined by esteemed spirits writer Brad Japhe for a deep dive into the rich history and remarkable resurgence of Irish whiskey. Tasting their way through five standout expressions— Jameson Triple Triple, Redbreast Moscatel Wine Cask Edition, Midleton Barry Crockett Legacy, Green Spot, and Powers Gold Label —the two explore what makes each bottle uniq...

Jon Taffer is back, and this time he’s raising hell in honor of Season 10 of Bar Rescue . The hospitality hitman joins me to talk about a decade of blowups, breakdowns, and barstool breakthroughs, what still shocks him after all these years, and why so many owners keep screwing up the same fundamentals. We get into the psychology of failing bars, the art (and science) of turning them around under...

This week on What We’re Drinking with Dan Dunn , we welcome one of the true mad scientists of the spirits world: Alexandre Gabriel , founder and master blender of Maison Ferrand . Our main focus is the release of Batch No. 2 of Planteray Mister Fogg Navy Rum , a bold, high-seas-inspired expression that channels the swagger, strength, and storytelling tradition of classic Navy rum. Alexandre walks...

National Margarita Day falls on February 22nd, and we’re celebrating accordingly at WWD Headquarters. On this special episode, Dan is joined by Margarita Time author Caroline Pardilla and spirits expert Brad Japhe for a deep dive into America’s most beloved tequila cocktail, and the agave spirits that make it all possible. We break down why the Margarita remains endlessly popular, deceptively simp...

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...

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 mod...

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 a...

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 themse...

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 un...

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 weird...

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...

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 Corresp...

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...

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 int...

On this week’s episode, Dan finally claws his way out of the novel-writing fog long enough to pour a drink and have an honest-to-God conversation with someone who isn’t a fictional character. Fortunately, that someone is Danielle Frank, author of the hilarious and sharply observed new book A Wine Lover’s Guide to Parenting . Danielle and Dan get into it: wine, love, parenting… though not necessari...

In this hilariously enlightening episode, Dan lays down The 10 Rules of Day Drinking, a guide to mastering the fine art of daytime debauchery without completely ruining your afternoon (or your life). From choosing the right setting (“sunlight forgives”) to knowing when to stop giving drunken TED Talks about friendship, Dan walks listeners through the unspoken commandments of responsible irresponsi...

In this delightfully indulgent episode of What We’re Drinking , Dan is joined by WWD's Official Roving Correspondent, Brad Japhe , for a spirited deep dive into the world of cordials, those sweetened, flavored liqueurs that make life (and cocktails) a little more delicious. From nutty to citrusy, herbal to creamy, Dan and Brad explore what defines a cordial, how they’re made, and why they’ve been...

In this Halloween special edition of 3-Minute Bartender , Dan unearths one of mixology’s most delightfully macabre creations, the Corpse Reviver #2 . Equal parts gin, Cointreau, Lillet Blanc, lemon juice, and a dash of absinthe, this zesty elixir was first prescribed to jolt the dead (or at least the deeply hungover) back to life. Dan digs into the drink’s spooky origins from the Savoy Cocktail Bo...