In this episode, we are treated to a conversational journey with award-winning bourbon writer Susan Reigler. Join us as we discuss her non-linear, adventurous path to becoming one of the most multi-faceted, well-respected, and award-winning bourbon writers in the industry.

Key Moments:

(00:00) Intro

(03:57) Zoology

(05:40) Brass bands, miners, and pubs - have your drinks and play with them too

(08:36) Write something every day

(10:00) A cockroach walks into an article

(12:50) Restaurant critic and fortuitous Chinese food

(15:20) Moving into whisky

(16:43) The birth of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail

(18:45) Flavour practice

(20:42) Star Hill Farm Wheat Whiskey

(22:47) French water in Kentucky bourbon

(30:40) Non-Linear paths

(32:47) A Music History Lesson in the Old British Library

(35:25) Latin Never Dies

(37:44) I have an entomology lab downstairs…as people do

(38:42) Bourbonology

(42:05) Always follow your curiosity

(44:17) Don’t Be A Chair

(45:56) Legacy

(48:30) The Future of the whisky market

(51:11) Bourbon Community

(52:36) Memorable sipping experience

(54:36) Charles Darwin

Learn more about Susan and her work

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In this episode we are treated to a cocktail masterclass with the one and only Cocktail Contessa aka Heather Wibbels. Join us as she guides us through using sensory to craft elevated cocktail experiences.

Key Moments:(00:00) Intro

(05:11) Bourbon and bitters class

(06:03) Find your old fashioned

(06:22) Your palate changes

(08:24)Choosing a cocktail

(09:06)The Whiskies

(09:40) The Amari

(14:12) Choosing the spirit, amaro combination

(16:00) First cocktail

(17:25) Choosing to add or not add bitters

(19:52) How to choose fruit for garnishing vs juicing

(21:31) Try black manhattans at different temperatures

(23:16) Building a cocktail

(29:47) How bitters change a cocktail

(37:57) Second cocktails

(44:20) Comparing second cocktail notes

(47:00) Third cocktail

(49:17) Dankness and balance in cocktails

(56:52) Who is Heather Wibbels?

(01:00:22) Comparing three Black Manhattans

(01:02:02) What’s that flavor?

(01:03:44) Taste testing amari

(01:05:23) The Origin of Cocktail Contessa

(01:07:47) Who is a whiskey drinker?

(01:10:00) Blind Tasting

(01:14:15) Your palate is actually okay

(01:17:51) Ordering what you want at a bar/restaurant

(01:20:13) Favorites of cocktails we made

(01:22:15) Sipping cold vs room temperature

(01:29:37) Flavor differences between palates are okay

(01:30:56) Different is how you define why something is better

(01:32:48) All experiences are informativ

(01:38:14) The reality of glassware in bars/restaurants 1:38:14

(01:41:08) Expectations of a whisky drinker

(01:44:02) The role of memory in cocktail experience

(01:49:46) What makes a whiskey drinker a whiskey enthusiast

(01:52:14) Whiskey [more than] neat

(01:53:19) The hazmat people

(01:54:11) Creme brûlée cinnamon or churro cinnamon

(01:57:11) Elevated cocktails

(02:00:32) One person, dead or alive, you’d want to sip with

(02:02:20) Drinking with Thanos

(02:05:18) New book

(02:11:24) Are low sugar, low carb cocktails possible?

(02:12:56) Having a healthy relationship with alcohol

(02:15:40) Flights + Comparison + Sensory

Base Black Manhattan recipe from the episode:

• 2 oz bourbon or rye
• 1 oz amaro
• 1 dash (8-10 drops) of bitters
• lemon peel garnish

Rye whiskey from the episode:

• Castle and Key Restoration Rye
• Russell's Reserve 6 yr Rye
• New Riff Single Barrel Rye

Amari from the episode:

• Amaro Braulio
• Amaro CioCiaro
• Amaro Montenegro
• Foro Amaro

For more on amari checkout Heather’s recent post - https://www.cocktailcontessa.com/whiskey-and-amaro-cocktail-playground/

Follow Heather on Instagram @cocktail_contessa

Hit follow to be notified of future episodes.⁠

Follow us on Instagram⁠

Every week we share explorations in flavor, sipping, and curated experiences.

Join the newsletter to follow the journey

New Name. New Vibe. Same Curious Palate.

After a long break, the podcast is back, and it has a wild new twist.

Say hello to Wyld Pours 🥃
(formerly Distilled: Legends & Lore)

We’re diving into blind tastings, bottle battles, and offbeat conversations with the people behind the pours: distillers, brewers, vintners, sommeliers, and industry pros.

Less lore, more flavor. Less script, more sip.

Hit follow to be notified of future episodes.⁠⁠⁠

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Let's get Wyld!