Tales of the Cocktail 2026 - The Spirited Awards

From Chardonnay to Sake with Nikki McCutcheon

Nikki McCutcheon started working with Tao Group Hospitality when she was eighteen. Now she's the VP of Beverage in New York and her career has progressed from passing the level two somm exam, to designing cocktail menus, to opening a punk rock sake bar. She chats with Sother and Greg about what’s changed in the world of wine, how she and her team decide which drinks make it onto the menu, and how their tasty instagram snacks and Magnum Mondays work to bring guests (including Sother) through the doors. PLUS bars around the country are “benefitsmaxxing” by finding clever workarounds for healthcare and wealth inequality. Is it ingenuity, an indictment of a broken system, or both? LINKS * Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars [http://patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars] * For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ [http://nouswithoutyou.la/] and @thenycalliance [https://www.instagram.com/thenycalliance/?hl=en] * The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast [http://youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast] * Learn more about Luxardo at luxardousa.com [http://luxardousa.com] * Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com [http://quioteimports.com] and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Tales of the Cocktail 2026 - The Spirited Awards

Greg and Sother are live on the red carpet at Bartending’s Biggest Night! They speak to the winners of the 2026 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, including Amanda Gunderson and Travis Nass who took home Best Bar Mentor for their work with Another Round Another Rally, the team from Allegory in Washington, DC fresh off their win for World’s Best Cocktail Menu, Moe Aljaff from schmuck which snagged the plate for Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar, and the inimitable David Wondrich after he was honored with the Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award. PLUS Charlotte’s back to reflect on her time as a judge for the Spirited Awards, and she shares a life hack she wishes more people knew: that you can just nominate yourself! Follow Tales of the Cocktail at @tales_of_the_cocktail LINKS * Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars [http://patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars] * For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ [http://nouswithoutyou.la/] and @thenycalliance [https://www.instagram.com/thenycalliance/?hl=en] * The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast [http://youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast] * Learn more about Luxardo at luxardousa.com [http://luxardousa.com] * Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com [http://quioteimports.com] and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Monkey Business with David Muhs

Next week David Muhs is going to open his cocktail bar Monkey Thief for the third time. He sits down with Greg and Sother to talk about the different incarnations of his concept, what he’s learned by opening the same bar three times in Hell’s Kitchen, and how the bar has been refined in the process. They also discuss the other concepts on that same street corner, including Rita’s a taco and margarita joint, Same Same Wine Bar and Sama Za, a pizza place that manages to pull of 90s nostalgia in a non-cringe way. PLUS Greg and Sother are safely returned from Tales! They talk about what they saw, what they learned, why their voices sound like late-stage Johnny Cash, and what sparked them at this year’s festival. Follow David at @muhsman Follow Monkey Thief at @monkeythiefbar Follow Sama ‘Za at @samaza_nyc Follow Same Same at @samesamewinebar LINKS * Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars [http://patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars] * For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ [http://nouswithoutyou.la/] and @thenycalliance [https://www.instagram.com/thenycalliance/?hl=en] * The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast [http://youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast] * Learn more about Luxardo at luxardousa.com [http://luxardousa.com] * Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com [http://quioteimports.com] and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Poolcasting at Tales of the Cocktail! - Day 4 with Shawn & Vay from Vandell

Greg and Sother are back in the pool at Tales of the Cocktail 2026! On Day Four they’re joined by Shawn Lickliter and Vay Su, the owners of Vandell in Los Angeles which is up for best new cocktail bar at this year’s Spirited Awards. They discuss what makes Los Angeles different from New York City, their approach to inventing drinks (and when you cease tweaking a classic and start inventing something new) and what the incredible success of their bar has meant to them and their team. Then everyone gets a poolside spritz delivery, courtesy of Luxardo. PLUS Charlotte returns to talk about her career in the industry, going from bartender to brand rep to her current position at Tales, and what she’s looking forward to in the hospitality industry. Follow Shawn at @shawninverta Follow Vay at @bearandstone Follow Vandell at @vandell.losangeles Follow Luxardo at @luxardousa LINKS * Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars [http://patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars] * For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ [http://nouswithoutyou.la/] and @thenycalliance [https://www.instagram.com/thenycalliance/?hl=en] * The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast [http://youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast] * Learn more about Luxardo at luxardousa.com [http://luxardousa.com] * Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com [http://quioteimports.com] and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Poolcasting at Tales of the Cocktail! - Day 3 with Kate Gerwin

Greg and Sother are back in the pool at Tales of the Cocktail 2026! On Day Three they tough out tropical storm Bertha with Kate Gerwin, the owner of Albuqurque’s Happy Accidents and a Top Four Finalist for Best US Bar Mentor. Kate walks through her philosophy of bar mentorship, how her feelings on being a mentor have evolved over the years, and what it’s like to go from bartender to bar owner. Plus, she teases her new concept Bad Apple over some delicious apple brandy from Laird’s PLUS, Charlotte Voisey joins Greg and Sother to talk about the good work Tales of the Cocktail Foundation does behind the scenes. Follow Kate at @alchemistkate Follow Happy Accidents at @happyaccidentsbar Follow Laird’s at @lairdsapplejack LINKS * Become a Regular: patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars [http://patreon.com/SpeakeasyRegulars] * For resources on dealing with cold hard water agents in your community visit nouswithoutyou.la/ [http://nouswithoutyou.la/] and @thenycalliance [https://www.instagram.com/thenycalliance/?hl=en] * The Speakeasy is now on YouTube! Tune in to “see” what we’re talking about at youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast [http://youtube.com/@Speakeasy.Podcast] * Learn more about Laird’s at lairdandcompany.com [http://lairdandcompany.com] * Check out Quiote Imports at quioteimports.com [http://quioteimports.com] and use promo code “Speakeasy” to get free shipping at checkout. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].