An Ocean Of Cocktails

It's July in New Orleans, which means two things: scorching temperatures and the hottest event in the spirits world -- Tales of the Cocktail! On this week's show, we look at the annual summertime conference that brings the international cocktail scene to the Crescent City.

Host Poppy Tooker with Jesse Falowitz of Mizu Sochu

JOE SHRINER / LOUISIANA EATS

We begin with Maggie Campbell, head distiller at Privateer Rum, a historic rum company in a seaside New England town. A kind of privateer in her own right, Maggie describes how she's working to make her industry more inclusive. 

Then, New York Times cocktail writer Robert Simonson discusses the role New Orleans has played in the decline and revival of craft cocktails. He also tell us about his acclaimed book, The Old-Fashioned, which is devoted exclusively to the lore and legacy of an iconic drink.

After meeting an outside observer of the cocktail industry, we now turn to an industry insider — a brand ambassador.  Charlotte Voisey of William Grant & Sons fills us in on the globe-trotting life of a brand ambassador.

Finally, we meet Jesse Falowitz, an American cocktailian who has become an expat for The Cause. Jesse is the founder of Mizu Shochu in Japan. He recalls how he and his Japanese counterparts rediscovered an ancient liqueur called shochu that is now entering a modern market.