For Noble Oak’s Tom Johnson, a serendipitous moment drove him to the hospitality industry and another to bike across the country to end up in Seattle. Each chapter of his life becoming clear eventually, but there is no master plan. A thoughtful, funny, and experience hospitality vet, Tom never thought that whiskey would end up bringing him the largest opportunities yet. We chat Baby Yoda, Twitter, Trees, and more.
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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.
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Ep 257 – The Story of Nickel City
The dynamic duo of Travis Tober and Brandon Hunt have created the modern legend of a bar Nickel City. At first apprehensive of one another, the 2 forged a long lasting relationship over a few Old Fashioned’s. Nickel City is the apex of hospitality and accessibility in the cocktail movement. With inexpensive food, rare whiskey, and an unparalleled staff, the Austin staple has quickly become one of the most lauded bars in the United States. But the only way to truly understand Nickel City is to sip a dram and enjoy a burger. Thanks to Travis and Brandon a monument to community thrives in East Austin.
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Ep 256 – Benny Hurwitz: Bringing DC to the World of Whiskey
Wild Turkey’s Benny Hurwitz has no problem working any gig on the totem pole. For him, mastering even the smallest of things, leads to a much better and well-rounded life. After realizing the suit and tie lifestyle wasn’t for this skateboarding Maryland native, he entered the freeing world of hospitality. This land of little structure, no lectures, and a lot of creative freedom set his career on a whole new path. With his great experience at the Columbia Room and Jack Rose Dining Saloon, he attending his first session of Behind the Barrel. This connection to the Wild Turkey family continued to grow and now he travels the states sharing…
