The world of agave is constantly changing and without the efforts of Jason Paul Cox, this narrative wouldn’t be moving forward as boldly. After years of translating Spanish to English for those in need, a combination of emotionally gravity and worldly compassion changed Jason’s trajectory completely. A risky foray into food brought him to open the lauded Oaxacan culinary landmark El Destilado. The heavy focus on agave of the region naturally transitioned into the creation of Cinco Sentidos destilados de agaves. We chat empathy, entrepreneurialism, Puebla, and more.
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Ep 271 – Arik Torren: If You Build It, They Will Come
When you decide that your journey as an entrepreneur has begun, that trek will never end. Arik Torren had family inspiration, and a lust for life when he set out to do that thing that would ultimately define his career. Agave Spirits have grown profoundly as a category in the US, but much the interest in Mezcal and Raicilla wouldn’t have occurred without Arik’s passion and tenacity. We chat restaurants, his baby Fidencio Mezcal, teaching, and more.
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Ep 270 – Aaron Kolitz: Mi Casa es Su Casa
Aaron Kolitz has traveled around the world, sometimes cooking, sometimes sipping, but always learning. The San Antonio native has always been interested in education. And once the hospitality bug settled in, his ability to adapt and learn landed him gigs at various wonderful restaurants. Now as a brand ambassador for Casa Noble tequila, his kindness, interest in raw ingredients, and ability to connect with folks keeps propelling him forward. We chat shuttering a restaurant, top golf, and agave.
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Ep 269 – Nicole Austin: Dickel, the Next Frontier
Nicole Austin brings a new breath into the world of whiskey. Former King’s County blender and project engineer, Nicole has a blend of science and art in her blood that is truly unique. Her understanding of chemistry and love of music managed to converge into the world of whiskey. Now with her highest profile role yet, the distillery manager for Cascade Hollow Distilling Company, how can she bring the delicious George Dickel back to the limelight. For some of us it never left, but the saturated world of whiskey leaves lots of work to be done. We chat hardcore, horse riding, and the new Dickel Bottle in Bond.
