What We're Drinking with Dan Dunn

Sipping on a budget means your cocktail might occasionally taste like paint thinner—but hey, it's all part of the adventure! Imbibing low-budget cocktails is an art form perfected by thrifty tipplers and college students worldwide. Picture this: a dimly lit kitchen, a motley crew of friends gathered around, each clutching a plastic cup filled with something vaguely alcoholic. The ingredients? What...

On this episode, Dan waxes nostalgic about Zima, which was for one brief shining moment in the 1990s, a sparkling sensation on the adult beverage scene. For those of you too young to remember, or who may have repressed the memory due to trauma, Zima was a clear, lightly carbonated alcoholic beverage that the Coors Brewing Company burped out in 1993. Basically, Zima was training wheels for people w...

It's Springtime, friends! That enchanting spell when Mother Nature peels off her chilly garb and dons a more revealing ensemble. It's that golden slice of the calendar when the globe stretches out, groggily murmurs, "How about we uncork a bottle?", and honestly, who are we to decline? As flowers burst into a riot of hues and trees deck themselves out in lush finery, there’s simply no grander stage...

Ah, Springtime! That magical season when Mother Nature shakes off her frosty duds and slips into something a little more comfortable. It's the time of year when the world seems to be stretching its limbs and saying, "Hey, how about a glass of wine?" And who are we to argue? As the flowers put on their Technicolor dreamcoat and the trees get all leafy, there's no better backdrop for a bit of vino....

Imagine, if you will, a cocktail that stares back from the abyss with a frothy grin, daring you to dive into its depths. That, my friends, is the Death Flip . A concoction born of tequila's fire, Chartreuse's mystic herbal whispers, and a velvety curtain of egg white, this libation is not for the faint of heart. With a dash of sugar to sweeten the deal, it flips death on its head, offering a sip o...

Ah, day drinking, that glorious bastion of hedonism where time ceases to hold sway, and societal norms take a well-deserved nap. It's the art of declaring, "To hell with productivity!" before noon has a chance to turn its judgmental gaze upon us. There’s a certain je ne sais quoi to sipping something spirited as the sun gallivants across the sky, a brazen act of rebellion against the nine-to-five...

Today we welcome Matthew Lillard, star of iconic films like "Scream," "Scooby Doo," and "Five Nights at Freddy's." Matt, a lifelong gamer, passionately believes in the magic of community in fandom. He's channeled this love into Find Familiar Spirits, a fantastic booze company he co-founded with screenwriter Justin Ware, known for "Bloodsucking Bastards." In this episode, Dan and Matt will be toast...

Hold onto your shamrocks, because "Somebody Feed Phil" host Phil Rosenthal is back, teaming up with the hilariously talented Emmy-winner Tom Caltabiano for a deep dive into the amber waves of Irish whiskey. Just in time for St. Paddy's, they're uncorking the good stuff—Teeling, Natterjack, Tullamore D.E.W., Egan's, Bushmills, and Slane. Ah, Irish whiskey, that silky-smooth elixir with a storied pa...

Oh Bloody Mary, why are you so bedeviling to the brunching masses? What makes you okay to drink before 11 am? Is the Bloody Mary really named after someone named Mary? In the time it takes to make toast (it is brunch, after all), Dan answers these and other questions about fortified tomato juice. Our Sponsors: * Check out Diet Smoke and use my code WWDPOD20 for a great deal: https://www.dietsmoke....

Barbecue and whiskey are a match made in heaven, or at least in the smoky depths of a pitmaster's dreams. The bold, robust flavors of barbecue, with its charred edges and succulent meats, find a perfect companion in the rich, complex notes of whiskey. It's a pairing that's as timeless as it is delicious. Recorded at the famed Baby Blues BBQ in Venice Beach, Dan is joined with the Yum Yum Foodie, E...

Ah, the spirited history of U.S. Presidents and their beloved booze! George Washington, our founding father, ran a mean whiskey distillery at Mount Vernon. Thomas Jefferson, a true oenophile, had a wine collection that would make Bacchus blush. Honest Abe Lincoln, while not much of a drinker, did own a tavern in his younger days. Teddy Roosevelt, the Rough Rider, was partial to a mint julep, sippe...

It's time to learn a thing or two about the Hanky Panky cocktail, a bewitching concoction that whispers sweet nothings of gin and sweet vermouth, with a Fernet Branca flick that'll tickle your fancy like a feather in a magician's cap. Conjured up by Ada Coleman at London's Savoy Hotel in the early 20th century, it's the liquid equivalent of a sly wink across a crowded room. This potion's not just...

Despite its name, the Long Island Iced Tea has about as much to do with tea as our host has with teetotalism. Indeed, there's not a single drop of Earl Grey or Darjeeling in this bad boy. It's a masterclass in misdirection, the Houdini of highballs, if you will. A boozy Trojan Horse masquerading as a refreshing summer sipper, only to unleash its spirited fury once inside the gates of your palate....

In celebration of National Irish Coffee Week — ya, that's a real thing — Dan recounts a harrowing tale about one of several occasions in which he was nearly beaten to a pulp at a Dublin pub. Also, everything you ever needed to know about Irish Coffee, AND the funniest Karate Kid joke of all time, courtesy of one of Dan's comedic idols. Please be sure to check out Dan on Instagram @TheImbiber, and...

Dan has spent years researching and experimenting various combinations of food and alcohol and has come to a single, earth-shattering conclusion: We could all learn a lot from the Japanese. There’s seemingly no esculent the Japanese find so repulsive that a little steamed rice and soy sauce won’t fix, and this appetite for disgusting extends to potables as well. This got Dan thinking about conveni...

So we all know about Dry January, right? It's the time of year people boast about 'detoxing' while secretly crying into their non-alcoholic beer. It's grown like a bad rumor, spreading worldwide with people bragging about better sleep and more cash, all while secretly dreaming of the moment February 1st arrives. Well, Dan has had enough, for a number reasons. And so he's kicking off the year by pu...

Dan says goodbye to 2023, but not before dishing on his most challenging interview of the year AND reviewing a brand new boozy product — the beverage equivalent of a unicorn wearing a sombrero... we're talking about Empirical x Doritos Nacho Cheese Spirit. Oh boy! Also, a Christmas poem and a special 3-Minute Bartender all about that most beloved holiday libation, Eggnog. Our Sponsors: * Check out...

Our annual Winter Wonderland of Wine continues with special guests Katia Dragotis and vino expert Kaitlyn Harrah. Wines featured on this episode include: Terlato Pinot Grigio 2022, Rodney Strong Russian River Valley Pinot Noir, Beronia Reserva Rioja 2018, Scaia 2020, Harveys Medium Dry Sherry and Dows' 2018 Late Bottled Vintage Port. Recorded on location at Dear Jane's in Marina Del Rey, Californi...

Dan celebrates, evaluates and appreciates the wines of winter, 2023, long with Purple Banter Network's Katia Dragotis and Kaitlyn Harrah, wine director for the Citrin and Melissa Hospitality Group. Recorded on location at Dear Jane's in Marina Del Rey, California. Wines featured on this episode include Bottega Vinaia Pinot Grigio ($22), Landmark Vineyards Hop Kiln Estate 2021 Pinot Noir ($50), J.O...

Alcohol was originally considered a medicine, Indeed, during Prohibition one of the most reliable places to get your hands on a bottle of liquor was the pharmacy. So with that — and everyone’s general health and well being in mind — we present the Penicillin. With fresh ginger, lemon and a healthy dose of Scotch, this little wonder, invented by Sam Ross in 2005, does indeed have an ineffable heali...

Everyone's favorite wine expert, Clair Coppi of SOMM TV, returns for a wide ranging exploration of the wonderful world of New Zealand wine. Among the many fun facts discussed: Marlborough is New Zealand's largest wine-producing region, and Hawkes Bay is the oldest; winery growth in NZ really took off in the 1990s; and due to its location, its vineyards are the first on our planet to see the sun ea...

Pleased to welcome back longtime friend of the show Joe Beatrice, founder of Barrell Craft Spirits. Joe and Dan discuss the brand's latest releases, which include a Cask Finish Series and Barrell Foundation, its first non-cask strength bourbon. Also, Dan recounts his "Sunday Funday" shenanigans in Beverly Hills, including an extremely chichi lunch atop the Gucci store and some after-lunc...

Five years ago this month the spirits industry lost a titan in master distiller Dave Pickerell, whose imprimatur is on such iconic brands as Maker's Mark, Blackened and WhistlePig among others. This episode features an interview Dan and his former "Drinky Fun Time" cohost Emma Patterson conducted with Dave at the 2017 Bourbon & Beyond Festival in Louisville, Kentucky. Also, updates o...

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Soderbergh returns, and he brought along Nicolas Granier, whose family's Bolivian distillery produces Soderbergh's delightful spirit, Singani 63. They talk cocktails, movies, government agencies and other cool stuff. Also on the show, WWD's Official Brooklyn Correspondent Scott Alexander is back to discuss Dan's recent woes — namely a serious eye injury and h...

Dan's beloved 12-year-old pit-lab mix Buna has unfortunately been facing some health issues of late. As anyone who's ever dealt with an ailing, aging pet knows, when your fur baby suffers so do you. And at times like these it helps to have someone to talk to who can not only empathize, but educate... and there's no one better at doing both than Ellen Ballon, founder of Deity Animal Rescue in Los A...