Gin has been a bartending fixture for hundreds of years and stars in countless famous cocktail recipes.    On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk about gin’s roots and how the spirit has evolved and kept current for centuries—including during the modern cocktail renaissance. Sebastien Derbomez, manager of brand advocacy for William Grant & Sons, joins in on the discussion to explore where gin might head next and what parts of the world...

The launch of Grand Marnier in the late 1800s helped to establish a new standard for luxury liquor brands. The Cognac-and-orange liqueur also inspired the creation of several delicious cocktails, including the original version of the Bijou.    On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the origin of Grand Marnier, why citrus was so sought-after at the time, and the important role Paris played in creating global trends. This discussion is...

Everyone has heard at least one story about how the Margarita came to be—at last count, there were seven credible origin stories.   On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum explore the possible stories behind the Margarita’s invention, as well as a groundbreaking advertising campaign by José Cuervo that made the drink a household name. This discussion is inspired by entries in Wondrich and Rothbaum’s brand-new book, The Oxford Companion to Spirits...

The Negroni and the Americano are perennial favorites of professional and amateur bartenders around the world. But when were these classic cocktail recipes created? And how did Italy’s bar culture become a sensation?    On this special episode of Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum delve into the backstory of these drinks and the important cocktail connection between America and Italy. Their discussion was inspired by entries in their brand-new book, the Oxford...

For nearly ten years, Life Behind Bars co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum have been working on a special project: The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails.   A few weeks ago, the nearly 900-page book debuted with more than 1,100 entries from 150 contributors. On this special episode, Wondrich and Rothbaum take you behind the scenes of this massive book to talk about how it came to be and how they put it together. This kicks off a short mini-series of episodes inspired by...

Rye whiskey beguiles the palate with a range of slow-to-reveal flavors. The same could be said of the spirit’s long and complex history, which continues to delight (and frustrate) modern distillers, historians and journalists.   On this special live episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum assemble a panel of rye-whiskey luminaries: Nicole Austin, general manager and distiller for Cascade Hollow, home of George Dickel; Todd Leopold,...

The rebirth of the cocktail started in big cities, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles. But over the last few years, smaller markets have arguably made the biggest bartending strides.   On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by chef Cheetie Kumar and bartender John Gertsen from the acclaimed restaurant Garland in Raleigh, North Carolina. Kumar and Gertsen share their fascinating life stories...

People have been writing about drinks as long as they’ve been enjoying them. And with the rebirth of the cocktail during the last 20 years, prices for vintage drinks books have risen dramatically and bargains are much harder to find.    On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by two experts—antiquarian bookseller Lizzy Young and Oxford-educated sociologist and Pomp & Whimsy Gin Liqueur founder Dr. Nicola Nice—to...

Single malt Irish whiskey is in distiller Darryl McNally’s blood. His ancestors made the historic spirit for centuries in Ireland. Now he’s trying to rebuild his family’s Limavady distillery at the northern tip of the island. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by McNally to talk about his project and his new sherry cask–finished single malt Irish whiskey that just launched in the United States. The trio also...

From bartenders to craft spirits brands to liquor behemoths, everyone seems to be launching a new canned cocktail these days.    On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by acclaimed Half Full columnist Wayne Curtis to discuss the historic roots of these pre-mixed beverages. (Spoiler alert: They’ve been around in some form for about 150 years.) The trio also talks about some of their favorite canned cocktails, the...

Forget wine. Forget vodka. Forget tequila. Celebrities are starting American whiskey brands.    Over the last few years, quite a few professional athletes, actors and musicians began selling bourbon or rye. Is a whiskey brand the new ultimate celebrity status symbol?    On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by retired tennis champion Andy Roddick and master blender Marianne Eaves from Sweetens Cove Tennessee...

Whether you love it or hate it, it’s hard to escape the Long Island Iced Tea.    The enduringly popular guilty pleasure—which calls for a potent combination of white spirits, triple sec, sweet and sour mix, and cola—was invented in a bar on New York’s Long Island for a cocktail competition. It first became a sensation in clubs and bars around the area and then across the country. Ultimately, it become one of the signature drinks of the 1970s   On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life...

It’s hard enough to make a round of four delicious classic cocktails on a slow night for a couple of regulars. Now imagine trying to make them on stage in front of a screaming crowd for a group of prestigious judges prepared to critique them—out loud.   This scenario, which is the stuff of nightmares for many, describes the global and charitable all-female cocktail competition Speed Rack. It’s not all about creating perfectly crafted cocktails in record time: The efforts of the bartenders...

Nick Offerman should not be confused with Ron Swanson, the character he played on the hit show Parks and Recreation. But the two share at least one thing in common: A love for Lagavulin Single Malt Scotch Whisky.    On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, Offerman joins co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum to talk about the latest Offerman Edition of Lagavulin, the possibility of a whiskey barrel project on his crafting show Making It and how he has Chris Pratt to...

It’s been one hell of a year for bartenders and bar owners.    Now that America is starting to reopen, bars are trying to navigate this new post-COVID world while dealing with industry burn-out, labor shortages, evolving business plans and changing drink trends.    On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss the changing landscape for the bar industry with Robin Nance, portfolio trade engagement manager for Beam Suntory, and...

Can the flavor of a whiskey reflect the place where it’s made? How about the people who produced it?   Distillers around the globe are exploring the idea of terroir, experimenting with locally grown heirloom grains, and making barrels from regional species of oak. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum discuss this movement and its feasibility with Half Full columnist Lew Bryson and Westland Whiskey’s co-founder and master...

The Martini is the most famous drink. Its signature glass is equally iconic and perhaps even more ubiquitous.    But the world of cocktail glassware is vast and there are all kinds of supposed rules for using each style and type. So where did all of these traditions and customs come from? And does it actually matter if you use an elegant coupe or a jam jar for your Daiquiri?    On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk about...

Love it or hate it, the Piña Colada is one of the most popular cocktails in the world. But it’s been largely forgotten by craft bartenders.   On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum are joined by tropical drinks expert Jeff “Beachbum” Berry from acclaimed New Orleans bar Latitude 29. The three talk about the history of the Piña Colada, its rise in popularity and Berry’s recipe for it.   So fix yourself a cocktail and listen to...

Nobody has ever accused Milk Street founder Christopher Kimball of being indifferent.    Viewers of his acclaimed PBS television show and readers of his newsletter and books are accustomed to his strong opinions on cooking and ingredients, as well as his fascinating stories of eating and drinking around the world.   On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, Kimball joins co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum to give his pointed takes on his favorite drink the...

From important still designs to the real reason why distillers began charring barrels, many important details of bourbon history are often missing from modern accounts of the spirit.   On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk about some of the most interesting American whiskey discoveries they have made over the years—including six varieties of so-called “Kentucky whiskey” made back in 1870 that are no longer available...

The greatest bartenders in the world bring disparate ingredients and flavors together to create new cocktails—and they do it seemingly with ease.    On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk about the art of cocktail creativity and how the pros make it look so easy. They also offer advice and tips from their own lives to help inspire you to experiment with some new drinks.    So fix yourself a cocktail and listen to this...

Never mind Pappy Van Winkle and Sazerac 18-Year-Old Rye Whiskey: Some of the most sought-after bottles of liquor are the dusty, obscure ones hiding on liquor store shelves and in the back of home liquor cabinets.   Over the last few years, bartenders and drinks enthusiasts alike have become increasingly interested in locating forgotten bottles that are like a shot of liquid history. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum talk...

From the cocktails to the speakeasies to The Great Gatsby, there are few periods in history as celebrated in modern culture as the Roaring Twenties.  As we look forward to the end of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s worth exploring how the Roaring Twenties followed the last global pandemic: the 1918 Spanish Flu. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum examine this joyous decade and set the record straight on a number of common...

You can buy bourbon as young as a few years old and as old as 30 years. But what is the perfect age?   Half Full columnist and whiskey authority Lew Bryson tried to answer this question in a recent article he wrote, which went viral. On this episode of the award-winning podcast Life Behind Bars, Bryson joins co-hosts David Wondrich and Noah Rothbaum to talk about what inspired his piece. The trio also share their own preferred bourbon age and how they ferret out American whiskey...