Houston native Stephen Caronna has worked in every conceivable role in the hospitality industry. A king of content and service, his career trajectory has led him to a gig of a lifetime as Texas market manager for Compass Box whisky. The exploratory and supremely cerebral whisky brand pairs the best of art and flavor in each bottling. There is a catch though, sometimes the perfect marriage of whiskies is only as accessible as a few hundred cases. Stephen never faces a closed door with Compass Box whisky in hand, but how do you have those intricate conversations about blending and scarcity, simply? It takes Stephen’s creativity and kindness to start.…
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Ep 312 – James Saxon: A Tale of Two Blends
I always applaud transparency and creativity in spirits. And in the world of Scotch, sometimes a different approach is the breath of fresh air we all need. This is Compass Box. James Saxon, assistant whisky blender at Compass Box, has an interesting background and introduction into blending. As a literature student, he quite literally looked for alcoholic references in books and translated how that reflected a characters significance. Compass Box has recently created new packaging and new blends for their flagship Artist’s Blend and Glasgow Blend. But why 2 blends, why 2 cities? James tells all as we sip through the 2 delicious marks. We chat colors, season, and the…
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Ep 296 – Kerrin Egalka: Fireside Chat #3
The world of whiskey has been forever changed by Compass Box, but the brand is knocked into the stratosphere by folks like Kerrin Egalka. Good with numbers, cats, cocktails, and conversation, we chat about this interesting time and her recent experiences in Houston on lockdown. Listen for some Black Sabbath, Pickles, Nintendo, and whiskey chat.
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Ep 287 – John Glaser: Guided by Myths and Legends
Without the efforts of Compass Box creator John Glaser, the world of Whisky wouldn’t be quite the same. A lover of literature and wine, John Glaser has challenged assertions about flavor and providence in Whisky. He’s continued to fight for transparency in the wake of much controversy. And now, with the latest release of Myth’s and Legends, he takes almost a textbook approach, but not exactly. We chat R.E.M., art, and influence.
