Hacienda de Chihuahua is the biggest Sotol producer in the world. They embrace cognac style elements of production and fermentation to deliver a very elegant result. But as the world of Sotol changes, what can be done for sustainability and continued growth of the category? Hector Amaya, commercial sales at Hacienda de Chihuahua, discusses the increased expansion of global sales, while detailing the popularity growth of Sotol in the United States. We chat basketball, travel, language, and more.
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Ep 319 – Ben Williams: Always Be Creating
Ben Williams is not new to creating products, companies, or excitement in his community. His family has a rich history of entrepreneurialism in Houston, but sometimes you have to push yourself further. Ben’s fascination with flavor and distillation led him to create the lush and delicious Highway Vodka. Learning how to distill from scratch and often under the cover of moonlight, he chose to use the highly nutritious and rich oiliness of hemp seed to ferment his Vodka. Made from scratch and batch distilled, the resulting distillate is really incredible. We talk about classicism, prejudice, Texas distilling, and more.
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Ep 318 – Alexandra Dorda: Getting Back to Your Roots
Alexandra Dorda has spent her entire life in the hospitality and spirits industry. Her family created and produces the much lauded Chopin Vodka. After a departure for academia and the finance industry, a healthy creative bug threw Alexandra back into the world of spirits. The resulting Kasama Rum is a homage to Alexandra’s love and connection with the Philippines. A delicious rum with beautiful tropical notes, Kasama Rum launched right before the world changed with COVID, but now, the momentum is building back up as Alexandra travels the states sharing her beautiful spirit. We chat inspiration, art, and travel.
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Ep 316 – Ben Scott: The Good, The Bad, and The Crazy
Ben Scott has had an illustrious career in the hospitality industry. And as many of us have those “dark nights in a Mexican bar drinking Mezcal” stories, Ben turned this into a life changing project. As the importer for Mal Bien and Lalocura mezcales, he has built amazing relationships with families and is sharing spirits in the right way. But as the category continues to grow and prices continue to fluctuate, how do you continue to navigate such a treacherous industry? We chat whiskey, NY, change, and legendary drinking tales.
