André Hueston Mack: My Favorite Movie

0:00 Hey everyone. Before we get into today's episode, I just wanted to remind you that we have a ton of extra content over on our patreon. We do movie watch parties special page here on the bonus episodes and all other sorts of wacky stuff that you can access easily. If you head on over to patreon.com slash film Whiskey on today's film and whiskey, we are hanging out with the one and only Andre Houston Mac. You might know him from his YouTube videos, with bone Appetit, which have amassed hundreds of millions of views. Or maybe you've dined in one of his many restaurants, we're going to talk with Andre about his history as a Somali a as well as his favorite movie. That's all ahead on film and whiskey.

0:57 Hey everybody. Welcome into the film and whiskey pod. Cast. I'm Bob book, I'm Reggie and we're coming at you with another special bonus episode. Bonus episode, Brad. You know, I don't often Pat us on the back, but I gotta say these bonus episodes, man. We've been, we've kind of been killing it, you know. Tell her really, really good. We've had some incredible interviews this season and I think we are capping off season 6 with maybe my most anticipated guest ever. Yeah, I was going to say, aye. I don't know if we are doing a great job interviewing but I know that our guests have been killing it lately and I do not have any doubt that, that is going to change tonight, Bob?

1:40 Yeah, no pressure. He's hanging out in the background here, but no pressure at all. Today, we are joined by one of my very favorite people to go down the YouTube rabbit hole with and that is Somalia and entrepreneur. Andre Houston. Mac, Andre, how are you today? Yay, I'm doing great, man, I'm doing great. I'm excited. That's some whiskey you know gonna chat it up with you guys and talk about movies man man I like the the timing of this is the most fortuitous thing I've ever experienced in my life because you know I've been watching your videos. Bone Appetit has using this incredible series of videos with you that have seen, tremendous success. And the whole season of our show, I've been like man, I really want to get this guy on the show.

2:23 He he gets what we're about when we review whiskies. We judge on five categories and it's you know, like your standard taste And categories. And then we throw in a fifth category which is value. Like is it worth the money? And I'm like, I'm watching you put dollar bills down next to a bottle of wine and measure out how much it costs and I'm like this guy gets it. Yeah, I literally said right before we got on, I was like when I'm watching his video and I see a 25 and three ones next to a bottle of wine, I'm like I know what it feels like to. You know, slap that on the counter to buy a bottle of whiskey or a bottle of wine like You just have such an approachable way of dealing with something that can be, you know, kind of snooty and pretentious.

3:08 And it's, that's man, you have friends in US. Andre, what the fuck, you think, you know? It's, I don't know. So, it's funny. It is kind of comes naturally in a way of like, you know, why did it already from the outside looking in is pretty pretentious, you know, and I was at one time on the outside looking in and, you know, it didn't feel. A really good. But like, once you got over that hump, you realize that, you know, everybody was pretty nice, right? You know, there's a, there's a few, there's a few that, you know, a few bad apples. But like, other than that, I, you know, wind to me was that I just felt like something everybody should have. And, you know, I spent some time grew up in Europe. I would say go up there, you know, I lived like three or four years there as a child, but wine was something that we always saw on the table. It was, you know, it was never a centerpiece like I mean it wasn't like like the bottles were sitting this thin at a table and everybody who's watching it? Where's Trina began?

4:05 You know, just wasn't a meal without without want. Yeah. And I think that was something that stuck with me. It just, it just felt part of the, the European like Diet. Yeah, for sure. Well, I mean, I say that the timing was fortuitous because I reached out to your people and I was like, hey, I'd love to have Andre on the show and they're like, yeah, actually, he has a new whiskey that he'd like to talk about to what are the freaking odds, man. This is incredible and we had It's a great, we got sent a bottle of your rye and Sons, which, you know, spoiler alert. We will get into tasting here in a little bit, but it's phenomenal stuff, man. No, and again, at the price point, like, yeah, Brad, if we're scouring this out on the value category is 10/10 value.

4:46 Yeah. Easily, I mean, the level of quality you're getting with a 2-year Rye for $28, I like you said, Bob will get into the tasting notes later but this Is a daggone good whiskey, my friend. Thank you, thank you. That's, you can sit on the point. Exactly, like, for me, it was to over deliver right to like, like, like rarely do we pay for something and feel guilty that or but what price we paid for it, right? It's generally the other way around. And I think what's really great about Ryan son's is like we made the best possible whiskey that we could at the best product, possible price and I feel like the value is there something. That you can taste it's undeniable. And I you know that's I mean I think that was what I really wanted to contribute to like starting this Fierce brand. Yeah, it is very similar.

5:40 What we've what I've built in the wine industry is you know, building, you know, undervalued price wines that. I think that over-deliver and that are delicious. We are Andre, let's talk a little bit about that history, you know? I was just watching a video of you today to prepare when you were giving a TED talk and you talked about how your first job was at McDonald's. And yeah, and once again, I was like, this is my people right here. Like tal. Tell us a little bit about the journey from McDonald's, to internationally. Renowned Somalia, it's pretty funny. And remarkable to kind of look back on, you know, I'm not a big Reflections guy. Yeah, but yeah, I think my first job was McDonald's. I was 16, I needed. I needed a job.

6:23 I lived, right? It was right around the corner from my house by Seaworld was living in Texas. And yeah, I was just it was an interesting thing because I actually wanted to work the cash register and they were like, oh no, it was kind of like a weird felt like a weird sexist thing. It was like only the girls who work the cash register and I had to take like rack fries or some shit like yeah. You know what? I think that's kind of all. What I kind of knew was just like was food and beverage, right? You know, I worked there. I you know, I worked at a place called Jack-in-the-Box. Yeah, yeah, I'm with the ultimate cheeseburger, you know, it felt like those jobs were easy as I was like You know getting ready to you know like in high school and fell in like not a big of a commitment. And then I started working at Red Lobster. Let's just, you know, just you know, I think the actress she had wines on the wine list there. Yeah.

7:11 That's rewinds. They were all, they were all white zinfandel right so who's pretty. It was pretty, it was pretty interesting, you know. And you know and I worked I worked at Red Lobster for quite some time. I would probably say about, you know, about eight years on and off, you know, I moved to Oklahoma for college, you know, I Didn't it was interesting because like I wasn't, I guess what? I learned from those places, I would say they weren't really great food places and the sense of where I ended up. But you know, it taught me that like I really like the interaction with people. I think that's my biggest. Takeaway when I went on to my bigger and better thing and, you know, I end up working for citicorp Investment Services, the idea of walking up to a group, a table of strangers and getting to know them over the next 60 minutes and getting things from them and you know what I mean?

7:57 Like, yeah, it was Then about that that I enjoyed you know and I think when I went on to finance you know it's kind of what I meant and I think what kind of like pulled me back to coming back into restaurants. But I think from I think for me I was working in those kind of jobs and then we went on to my, you know, to work in citicorp Investment Services but You know, I started to watch old episodes of Frazier and the way that they talked about wine, I think was really inspiring to me. I had never won, was never a big deal for me. I think mostly at this point I probably drank beer and, you know, a lots of like, you know, blended whiskey, you know, from like Johnnie Walker applied using the one that but it wasn't, it didn't, you know?

8:43 So like that kind of drinking didn't have this camaraderie around it that it seemed like wine did and Although Fraser and his brother, you know, they were these top is kind of almost characters of themselves and very snooty there was something very funny about it and how they made fun of themselves that that show really gave me the courage to walk into a wine store for the first time in my life. Mmm, right. And I think, you know, I've always felt like the graded soil to pretension is through humor. And, you know, somehow by watching that show I could arm myself with some type of comedic antidote. That would like somehow protect me. I know it sounds dumb but that's what it took for me to get into a wine store.

9:25 And I think the rest is kind of history and that sensitive. Like I realized that they were open and that we just we went in almost every single like two or three times a week and talked and really, you know what, we like to call in the wine industry, you know, caught the wind bug, and I think that was it for me. And then I went back to restaurants, I heard of this thing called a sommelier, which I had never heard of. And my mom was like, so, what you do baby? What's it called? She's like, you like wine to the table, like really, you get paid to do that, you know, it was like, it was something like that. And, and that was it, you know what, I think, you know, I move kind of fast. I think after, you know, within 18 months of really getting into wine, you know, I was, you know, so sommelier at The French Laundry. Wow, you know at the time was considered the best restaurant in the world.

10:15 So I talked a little bit about this Ted Talk of yours that I was watching earlier today. And Talked a little bit about your first line of wines called Mouton Noir, which translates to Black Sheep, and how you embraced that role or that title of black sheep. And, you know, we were talking right before we press record about, you know, if I can call it your brand like you're just, you just a super approachable guy. And I think that's that's the hook is that no one feels condescended to when they're talking to our learning from you. And I guess my question then is, like, do you think that your ability to keep things approachable? All, even at such a high level that you're at now. Can that be traced back to you being kind of a wine Outsider or Black Sheep? I think so.

10:59 Yeah. I think not growing up with it and also, like, really understanding where I come from. Yeah, you know, you know, I mean like, you know, I just recently found out. I turned 15, you know that I was in foster care, you know me like earlier this year like you know what I mean? Like so I don't you know, I never came from a place. 50 plates of wine, but it was something that, you know, something that I respected and understood. But also I think I understand talking to people and there's a certain way to talk to people. Yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. Everybody thinks that it was to have like a an ascot on or something like that. But like that's not it. I'm a you know, you can be a regular guy and appreciate wine and I think I've always challenging the status quo in that by just showing it up.

11:45 Yeah. I mean it's it's so easy to be intimidated. By what you perceive about people. And yet, when you sit down, if you're able to find something that you like that, they also like, man, it doesn't matter how much money they make versus what you make, what city? They're from verses where you're from like man, if you guys both like wine and can commune o compare notes and enjoy your time to get a drink of wine, then all of a sudden you're on an equal playing field and it feels like you are just out there leveling the playing field of You know, the world of wine for so many people. Yeah, it's been pretty remarkable, you know, just the feedback we've gotten out of like, people, you know, people had somebody just traveled from Hungary to competent to the restaurant and to bring Bo bottle of wine and, you know, maybe catch a glimpse if I was in the restaurant while, you know, like so it's definitely resonating with people and connecting with people. You know, people who aren't really into the wind. I think someone was like I don't even drink but they you know, they consume the content.

12:50 I think I'm it feels good. I think I'm pretty fortunate in that way that, you know, people are responding to it but I must say there's no trick or anything like that. It's just it's just really just me. Yeah, you know, and I think just like being, you know, we talked a lot about like, you know, but we say gluten War and the black sheep. I think me also just like, you know, I think what's most relatable. And naming my company that was that, we've all felt out of place. Mmm. We all felt like an outcast Misfits at some point in our life. And I think it's a feeling that we all know. And I think for me, it was like, why don't I just Embrace, what makes me different? Yeah. All right, Andre, you're going to get me preaching here in a second, man.

13:34 Come on, man. Let's go. You know, I mean and I think like to me that's really true. I guess. Like and in that, Ted Talk what I thought was most interesting is as I was standing There because you, the people in the crowd, see me. They the odd. Most obvious thing is that I look different than most of them. Hmm, but that's not really what I was talking about either. I mean that's the obvious part, right? The, you know, is that I look different than most people that are in the wind or that were in that in that room. But what embracing embracing What Makes You Different was that also you just embracing who I am but also like I just don't do things the way everybody else does them are, right? And, and also taking on that moniker allowed me to do Do, do, do do things that were unconventional.

14:17 Like you can't name your company, the black sheep in like be straight-laced like we gotta do, some interesting stuff. And yeah like in and I think it's really kind of helped me, you know, just like kind of leaned in and say, well, you know, there is no blueprint to this, you know, I don't have a great, great, great grandfather, you know, quote unquote, who would be rolling over in his grave? If I could you know it? Because I decide it's like you know to like wear this t-shirt somewhere. Yeah. Well it's speaking of like, you know, doing things? Own way. How did the YouTube opportunities come about? Like? I don't feel like wine somalis are often, you know, on YouTube, just, you know, given their thoughts on stuff. So did you did you know that it was going to be a hit when you started it?

15:01 Did you expect this kind of reception? No, I didn't. I'd the opportunity. I came. You know, they reached out and said, hey, would you like to, you know, maybe shoot a video? It's cute. And I think, for me, you know, I've done a lot of that kind of stuff, you know, at this point and I think I had a commercial with Microsoft. I had a commercial, which, like, Cadillac also had dabbled and done, you know, some stuff in front of the camera, but this was a little different and, you know, I think I was more worried about, like, what kind of content it was, right? You know. It's like, for me, I think we live in a world where, you know, everything is Savaged and it's about to take down. Yeah, am I think is, like, I only want to talk about stuff. We're talking about.

15:45 Yeah. And and so I think upon upon that they agreed and we, you know, they said, I sound like a three pilot deal and I think after we aired the first one, they offered me a full contract. Yeah, yeah. I mean it's incredible stuff, man. And I think that you really, obviously if you went into with this intention it's succeeding. Because one of the things I love about them is that you're not savaging. The wines that you don't like like you're finding things. In the wine that you do like or you're picking out notes and saying like, oh maybe of this developed a little bit more, it would be really robust. And I just, I like that. There is a way to say hey this is not for me without saying this isn't for anyone. Yeah.

16:30 Trash like I don't like everybody's gonna sell, this is trashed. But like, you know, like there has to be some type of a decorum, you know, like you know, for most of my training as a sommelier. When you taste wines, there's there's sales reps that are standing in front of you. Hmm, right? And and sometimes The owner or the winemaker of the wine is standing in front of you. And so you know there's a there's a you know I was always taught talk about the why, right? Like it's all about goes back to the mine. Well you know what this happens a little bit too much. Too much Oak and Oakland sauvignon. Blanc doesn't really work with the chef's food. Hmm. You know I mean like so it's like there's ways of being a do that. I think I just kind of carried that over, you know, it's always you know. What's interesting to me is like you film them and then you're in an empty room, right? Okay, you know what I mean?

17:15 So it's like so it's like the camera guy. You like you trying to crack some jokes and like nobody's laughing. And I'll be here all week, right? You know make sure you tip your waitress and snow it's like oh and then and so the now the video comes out and then like it's still kind of empty in a way, right? Because all you see all I can see is the views, hmm right. And then so it's still not real. Right. I think for me the with a real connection is is being out in the wild and people running into people who watch it, right? Who's actually consume it right? Because those numbers aren't real to me that you see on views because I'm thinking to myself, that was watching this right here. It is, you know you know I was at a bar guy walked, he was grabbing Pizza.

18:06 He was the patron walked past me and then came back and was like Hey you know, he works at him. A one-star Michelin restaurant in Brooklyn, and he's like, I like your videos have taught me so much, he works there. He's like the industry. People are watching it. What's that, you know what, your interesting like, like, that makes me feel good. Like, as, you know what I mean? Like, and I try and that was like, so that's why I try to keep it professional and and that way because like, you know, not only are like, novice like looking at this content, but it is also being consumed by people who are in the industry. and that feels good to me, you know, that like that's the payoff I think for me is, is like, you know, it's touchy world people in the world I think it's a great segue to start talking about this whiskey because you know you've got your hands in things outside of the wine industry. Now and I guess my first question about the whiskey brand is like why now and and and why whiskey, you know you could have very easily launched, another line of wines if you'd like to but what is it about whiskey aside from just hey the markets exploding that attracted you to this? Yeah, you know I mean and just being honest like I felt like I felt like it was over right now.

19:21 It's like yeah it's like the market. I was like it. It seems pretty saturated sure. Like you know, so I was like maybe I missed that boat like whatever like you know what I mean? Like it wasn't like pie. I was I was going to Pine over. It's just like how the opportunity came. But like I said before, like I dream you drink whiskey, that was kind of that's what I did before I was even in twine. So like being in college you know I one of the waiters at Red Lobster was the bookie or I had a How to book even really tight with a bookie and so he got me gambling and so, you know we but you know I think like 40-something college games, you know, of college football on Saturday almost every single NFL game. Oh and heart it guys. Make sure you use Flash like a 1-800 number up here.

20:03 For people who have a gambling problem. Yeah. Would cover our bases here. Exactly. If you or a loved one, has a gambling problem and and so Was an interesting guy and like I think Monday's were paydays, right? So like a Monday night, he would take us out. And when we would go to a bar, he would walk in and, you know, he said, you know, something like, let me get a Weller's. What rock? Or something like that? This night, like, in 1996 95? Yeah. And, you know, I'm like, well, there's like, we're gonna shit. It was that, you know, you know, you know, like in the bar, the barns were spending our site. We don't have it. He's like, all right, we're getting out of here. So then we would leave and then we would go somewhere else and I was thinking Like what old is this?

20:47 Like what is he had never heard of. Yeah, but it seemed like it was readily available there and it's so funny. That was kind of like my first connection with American whiskey was was drinking it, you know, in Oklahoma and what was so funny to me is, like now, I guess what's now is considered top shelves, right? Almost like even hard to find that kind of yeah, allocate it. But like this guy like that's all we drank. And, you know, I've always enjoyed Spirits. I think what a lot of people don't know is that Some ways most sommeliers are in charge. It's our job to know anything across the spectrum of Beverage. Hmm. So that's not an alcoholic beverage. I ran the bar program, right? At per se, so I just like, knowing Spirits knowing cocktails that is part of our repertoire as a sommelier, it's not just wine.

21:37 And so, you know, we kind of always dabbled in that kind of thing and the whiskey opportunity came along, just threw a friend. Actually someone who I had worked with that per se, you know? So Saint Joseph's of Pinhook. One of the cofounders of the Pinhook we worked in a restaurant together. Mmm. And you know and we had remain friends. You know, he opened I think one of the first American whiskey forward restaurants called Char number four and me. And we used to be there all the time. You know, and I kind of watched that rise of him opening these restaurants and then really getting into whiskey and then taking a leap and saying, hey, you know, we should start Whiskey company and you know, that's creating pain, fuck. And so, over the last ten years, it's been in a really interesting to see that bar and grill. You know, ads, I'm out doing Market work, you know, all across the United States.

22:30 You know, walking into stores and bars, you know, seeing seeing it there, you know? And so we've always been friends and we'd like, to just would like shooting the he's like, hey, you know, we're doing a collaboration series, you know, we've always had this winemakers approach, you know, because Shawn was in some way. Two whiskey and he sits a man. Like if you're up for it like you know, you seem like the perfect candidate and I was like, oh yeah well what the hell? Like it's early 2021. I think we New York City had just shut back down because the Cove it. And I was like, yeah, Jordan. He's like I have 10. Barrels of ten-year-old, Wyoming whiskey. And he came by the office. And, you know, we blend it for about six or seven hours and shot. The shit was pretty fun. And I think, you know, me and, you know, really coming up with something that, you know, we both felt comfortable with and then fast forward, we released Those bottles and and I think all I got was like a whole bunch of nasty emails from people.

23:20 I had never met before, right? They were like hot wrong. They're like, I didn't like to do those. I didn't know that I had to buy your wine in order for us to get a bottle of whiskey because I don't even know who you are. I don't even know like what you're watching is but if I would have known I would have bought it was like all these angry people and I'm like, Sean, like hey man. I like, you know, I don't understand what's happening like, all these people were mad at me. Me, like, I don't even know these people and he says, oh no, he goes. It's okay. I go. What do you mean? It's okay. He's like, no, no. Everything is going according to plan. I go, when he goes, he goes because in this business because you're not doing it right? If somebody's not mad at you.

24:01 This is kind of how it works and and, and, you know, it was, it was fun. It was fun to like, to plan to kind of do that thing and like to see it out in the wild in like really great. And the fact that people were enjoying it. I think the gray Market got out the hand a little bit. I mean I don't I wouldn't say I don't know. Yeah I mean I think got a man but sure you know I think now bottles are somewhere around six seven hundred dollars if you can find them right? But you know Sean and I were talking and we were just like hey man when it just be cool like to do it again. Let's run it back. Yeah but like this time let's do it. Let's do a different. They don't be like let's run it back and like let's do something that's more readily available at kind of more my style and I've always been a fan of rye and you know, ride was in America.

24:45 Has first Spirit you know you know I mean it's like it's kind of the underdog and I think what if most people understood that they probably should be drinking ride young anyway instead of bourbon, right? You're like in that in that sense of like be more accessible and I was like I always tell people is like most Cabernet drinkers are probably should be Soraka drinkers, right? Because it's exactly what they want and they can't sell Sera right now. So what you're getting and Sarah is an amazing value of what you would get for cabining. But Rai is something that spoke to me and you know, John were canoodling and you know and trying to figure out like oh if we had to explain you know that you know how it's like wine. You know what I Cabernet bourbon is like Cabernet. It's made from corn sweet so it's Rich it's round it's ripe. So think like more like Napa Cabernet and then Rai has like, you know, has that spice but like it has complexity to it. It's a little bit leaner, right?

25:39 It changes and evolves in the glass very much like peanut wine. And and so for me, that was something that I wanted to go. Gravitate to and that was that I think we hit the ground running with the idea and it's and it's like hey like this would just be really fun. And and in the end you know it's like wow like every time I taste it I end up drinking a whole bottle not by myself, right? But it's you know, it's something that's really easy drinking that I think, you know, that's a little bit different if you look at the mash Bill compared to most rise out there which I think are, you know, 9010 I think here. What's different is You know, it's, you know, 60 2020 and that last 20 be Carly and I think that's really really what makes it bright. And that's what I that's what I really enjoyed her. That feels like more of a refreshing thing to me than like something like big and Vanilli, you know, that kind of thing and and Sandalwood.

26:35 So yeah, we've been and I think it really, you know, people drink it, you know, take a couple steps and, you know, their eyes aren't really light up but they're like, oh, this is great. And then when they see the price, their eyes light up. Yeah, yes 100%. And I just have to say Andre, I have been preaching the gospel of Rye since nearly damn near day one on this pot and what literally my friend the other day said he was over drinking a little bit and I gave him your Ryan sons and he looked at me and he goes Dammit Brad. Are you turning me into arrived guy? And I was like that's right I am every now and then every now and then we have Whiskey's on this show that, you know I like to refer to as almost like gateway drugs. This is a gateway rye and I say that in that, you know, I'm a guy who leans more towards bourbon than Rye, Brad likes Rye, a little bit more than bourbon. You know?

27:34 If it all is going to wash out and the notes on this are reminiscent enough of bourbon, that I think, if you're trying to dip your toe, To Rye, it's perfect for you. But then it also brings that like you're talking about that big bold complexity. There's tons of pepper on this. Like it has everything you want in a rye, but it also is just like it has these big Open Arms that's like bourbon drinkers. You will find rest and Solace here. Like it's just, it's a wonderful Gateway, right? Yeah. I hope so. Like, I think, you know, I was trying to explain the other day. It's like for new whiskey drinkers, I feel like it's a big bear hug, but, you know, it's like, Come on in. And, you know, this is something a little bit different but like that gets you started like you might stay here at the station but you might get on the train and go all the way to Bourbon Ville, right? You know, and for, and, for like the season that's behind the bar or season drinkers, like, you know, you got like, your secret dap and handshake, right?

28:30 And everybody's like, you know, like you know what I mean? Like this is like, this is great. I feel you on this, right? Like like, you know, and that's that to me, like feels great. Like I feel like that it like straddles the line and I think You know, when we thought about package Dean and that kind of stuff to me, it just felt like, you know, let's, let's be more fun and, you know, black and white and something totally different than like the old kind of what I call I call it. Like Manila, like all it. Like no one uses white. They use like old Nick from? Yeah. It looks like like Miller kind of thing and so yeah, we just wanted to do something that like felt different and intakes, right? Like I don't know. I feel like to talk about packaging. Being like sometimes, you know, people said that at that really takes away from the art, I don't write. I think.

29:18 Like there's generally something about packaging that I think that resonates with people. Did you design the artwork for this? I did not again, we worked, we worked with an artist Chris that the people at Pinhook, like put me onto and I thought was really great. He did these extraordinary very detailed drawings with a pencil that if you look up close, you're like, wow, that kind of looks like a black-and-white photograph and so there's lots of detail. And a sprig of rye and you know, and then there's a cartoon hand there, you know, to me, it's like, you know, it's like I'm not taking, you know, what's really serious about this is the right? That's where you see the detail. You know the cartoon hand is to me is more about just, you know, having fun, you know, like holding onto my trying to hold on to my youth rightful and a cartoon hand could be anybody. You know what I mean?

30:06 Like it kind of anybody reaching for this bottle of Rye, correct. Well, I region, I think it's thought was the thought was my kid, but I think we can't say it's child's hand seven-year-old reaching for the bottle of Rye. All right? Brad. I'm gonna put you in me on the spot here a little bit. We've got this poured out in front of us. I do want to give some quick tasting notes on it because it is just stellar. And, you know, we've got the man himself here to just judge us harshly as we do it. But, you know, the great thing about this is when I first popped the cork, I immediately poured it into my Glencairn here. The first note that I took on it, on the nose, which is bright it Did me and brights. Usually a word that we reserve for like Irish whiskey. It means something.

30:47 It's what we normally get. When we talk about getting melon on the nose and I got quite a bit of like cantaloupe a little bit of Pineapple on the nose with this took my first sip that was all there was a real Pleasant sweetness real caramely on the palate into some of that black pepper I sat down for about 10 minutes Brad and I came back to it and the nose had really transformed for me away from some of that melon into a lot of those more classic American bourbon. Denotes there was a lot of brown sugar, there was a lot of caramel on this. I love that this was kind of a shape shifter in the glass. Yeah, for me on the nose I felt like it was almost like like a buttery frosting on top of like an almond cake. Hmm.

31:28 That just it was a little bit nutty with all sorts of Rich, you know, creamy butter. And then yeah, there there's some hints of orange. I got a little bit of like a peppermint on the nose that like this, this Those was so rich and Bayard and I had not looked at the price point, the first time I, you know, drink this. And I was just like, oh my gosh, this is like, this is some really great whiskey, just right off the bat with the nose. Yeah. And then I find that the more I come back to it, like, I hate to keep saying classic American notes, because that's really explain anything, but I'm getting green apple on it now. Like it just, it continues to have this perfect balance of tart and sweet on the nose. And it's evolved on the palate as well. Brad like we drink a lot of Whiskey's on this podcast. Obviously there are some that definitely punch above their weight class.

32:21 So to speak when their price yet at a certain price point when I saw that, this is $28 a bottle, like I crapped my pants, I'm not going to lie, this is I. If you had asked me just point blank, what do you think this is priced at I would say like well, you know, considering who is blending it and the packaging is great and like the names that are attached to it. This is Probably between fifty and sixty dollars a bottle at $28 Brad. Like I said before, this is a 10/10 value. Yeah, I mean at like 38 40 dollars, this is a solid value in the Rye World. Bob how much does this cost again? Yeah, that would be a 28 American dollars.

33:04 Brett 28 USD Andre. That's not hats off, man. It's great. I'm over here smiling from ear to ear, but, you know, if that that that's exactly how we wanted to hit, like it was like that's those are the first impressions that we had and it definitely translates to other people. And, and that I think that's kind of the point. It's like to make the best whiskey we can do each year. We're not, we were not distillers, right? So we don't just do, you know, we like to think of the barrels that we bring in as our Harvest, right? So, this is vintage dated. Is 2022 and it basically, you know, extends from, you know, from pin hooks, winemakers approached to Wine.

33:50 I mean, my makers approach to Whiskey, and so that's kind of each chair. We're not chasing a style. We're just trying to make the, you know, and that, and I think in some of that way. It's like, it's like this, this I wouldn't call it homogeneous, but it's this style that like, that, that will alter key. I like Walter keep, you know, what I mean? Just like, every year, it's exactly the same and I understand that, but I think here is a A little different where, you know, we want to just make the best whiskey that we could possibly make each year. Man, Andre, I feel like we could spend another hour to three hours, just talking about whiskey and wine and all of these things. But we are not just the whiskey podcast where, you know, the film and whiskey podcast and I am just so excited to talk about your favorite movie.

34:41 Today, can you tell us what you chose for us to talk about? Yes, Kingpin. One of my favorite movies with Woody Harrelson. And Randy Quaid it's a bowling that I'm a huge fan of bowling. I think most people don't know that about me, right? And like, you know, I played I played Sports other sports, you know, I played basketball at a pretty high level. But most, if most people ask me if I wasn't doing what I'm doing now, it'd probably be knocking down some pins, that's it. First of all. So we're about to record a review of The Big Lebowski in like a week here. So this is okay, it's very own brand for us right now. But also like, you know, your assistant send us over the name of your favorite movie and it said Kingpin. And I was like, you know, he's a really down-to-earth guy, so maybe it's the Woody Harrelson movie. But then I was like, man.

35:31 I'm going to feel like an idiot. If I think it's this bowling movie and then he's like, no, this is a very serious, like cartel drama. There's like, I'm just so glad to hear that it is. Kingpin directed by the Farrelly brothers. Yes. You know who helmed Dumb and Dumber? And There's Something About Mary. And weirdly green book a couple years ago where do we have are very out of character, you know but what is it about? Kingpin that keeps you coming back to it as your favorite movie? It's the classic man like I love bowling. I mean there's so many one-liners in that and that movie and if and to be honest on the serious tip, like, I'd like I never liked the first time I've ever heard of someone being Amish and what that meant was in that one. Yeah.

36:17 Because Randy Quaid paint, you know, big things. The Amish character there that was like, you know, the bowler. Yeah, I don't know. I just like it was a movie about bowling and I things like you didn't, there weren't that many. And I think most Studios this came out, maybe right around the same time that the Big Lebowski came out. But yeah the humor and you know it definitely has that dumb and dumb humor attached to it but it's a really funny movie and and you know I'm not sure that it's aged all that well as focus on the PC side. So, you know, you know, I might I find myself Watching alone, most of the time, no one else in the room, you're not going to understand any tastings where you guys go watch, Kingpin afterwards.

36:58 We might, we might, I might have to just, you know, bring up, bring HR long but you know, but also I feel like you in that era, it was in the height of like movies happened soundtracks. Yeah. Right. Like yeah they don't I don't think they do that anymore. At least like you don't even listen to them on Spotify but you know like they would have the Kingpin soundtrack and I mean, it was like, they had a lot of the, a lot of the hits and like memorable music from that time. So Blues Traveler, right? It's like on there, right? So like, you know, that person was on there and like, you know, I mean, it's like, it's, it takes me back to 1996. But, you know, I spent a lot of time on a grown up in the military at a like bowling, you know, I think bowling was like 78 cents a game or something like that, so, but the movie is just like classic, you know?

37:46 We Woody Harrelson big. Ern McCracken. Yeah. Castor the gas, the characters are just, you know, they were legendary. I love it, man. Great pick. Yeah, I was going to say, hey, speaking of bowling. How many perfect frames have you bowled? Three, hundreds, man. I'm actually pretty decent. You know, I was telling someone and the funny thing is kind of like the drunker I get you know, in that City the better the better that? I mean, I'm that way with pool and I don't have a drink. In me I am Judge, but anywhere from two to five drinks in. Yeah, I'm putting it on really like, really like, yeah. So yeah, yeah.

38:31 I mean, I think maybe. Maybe, five or six? Perfect Games. Wow. Something like that. Wait, you bowled 5 or 6 foot table, Dre? I don't know if, you know this, it's really, really hard to pull Bowling a few weeks ago and I cracked a hundred though. That's my that's my standard. I can usually do it but hitting triple digits, is my statement for sure? Yeah I think I think last time I was probably maybe 29 okay when I bowled a perfect game but like you know I mean it's so funny because like is it something you did like you were in a bowling league you bold and like that was it but like you know, you know how like when a movie comes out and it's the sport that you're into or something like that. Like, You kind of gravitate to it. And, and I think, you know, for me, it was when I'm, you know, Bill Bill Murray's went to one of my favorite character characters of his.

39:29 Yeah. But follow. Yeah. All right. Before we let you go, Andre, we've been implementing this thing on the podcast. When we have interview guests and is based on the TV show Inside the Actors Studio with James Lipton. I don't know if you're familiar used to air on Bravo and at the end of every one of those episodes, James Lipton would sit down with the movie star and he would go through a quick. Questionnaire that they developed that we have kind of shamelessly stolen and adapted for our purposes here. We're calling it inside the whiskey studio. So we've got about 10 12 questions for you. Kind of Rapid Fire. Are you ready for inside the whiskey Studio? Yes, I am ready for the inside of the room studio. All right. It's a little longer I know we're going to kick you off here with this one.

40:12 What is your favorite word and what is your least? Favorite word? Horse seems pretty my favorite were right about now the third question was what is your favorite curse word? So there's a I got one I have one for that. What's your least favorite word is? I haven't been trained for that I guess I don't know something like that. All right. Well what's your favorite curse? Word. Favorite. Curse. Word is probably gone. Yeah. Yeah. Now it now is that one word? Yeah, it's kind of string it all along. Okay.

40:54 There's like I would say Qualls that sounds like a very New York type. Yeah. Sounds like you've assimilated while there. I've been told that as a New Yorker I imagine this next one's going to be near and dear to your heart. What sound or noise? Do you love? What sound or noise? Do you hate? Oh Sound annoyed that I love is. It's like the birds outside are Wendy like, just like birds in the morning. Yeah. Like, and you can definitely get still here that in New York, that's something that that, like it almost feels that that I'm not in New York. Yeah. And then what comes along is probably my least favorite thing is, is the sirens.

41:37 Hmm, no. Yeah. And actually, it's probably not even the spider, that's the horn. So we live right around the corner from a fire station and they kind of roll down on our block. For the sirens. You can kind of like it's all it. It feels like I'm not annoyed by that. It's the honking of the horn. Hmm. Because it seems, it seems pointless. Yeah dude. But yeah right. I lived in Philly for a year and I am with you there. Yeah. All right. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt bowling? He's already perfected it. I mean, yeah, it's an easy transition this point but we'll see. We'll see if I still got it.

42:19 It's a role. I think I'm Christmas. I think I rolled like, like just slow to hundreds when you think about movies books, that you've read, who are your favorite fictional Heroes? Oh wow. I you know I have to say just most recently Walter White from breaking from Breaking Bad Man. Like I think you might've missed the point of the show Andre you know. You do. I yeah he was you know you know like you take things into your own it like you know. Yeah. Like I felt I felt like you sure. Didn't know he was a hero in that. I think his wife.

43:00 I think his wife was considered the villain. Actually I just pictured Andre Watching like the pilot like episode 1 and being like this guy. He's I don't need a watch anymore. These a hero. Well you know it's like what you can see where he turned like where he was a good person. Absolutely. You know when he like when he watched oh boys, girl, choke on over young man and didn't do anything. He's changed. Yep. Right, you know what I mean? Like, just for he became. That's where he became hard. But like you he was always trying to do good and like on the path. But you know, he was a hero and I think in a in a Worst type of situation, you know? Yeah. All right. Next up. If you could have any persons singing, voice Dead or Alive, whose voice would you choose?

43:46 Wow. That lets a guy. My favorite band is, it's been called City and Colour. Hmm. And he used to be part of a screamer band. And but like, he doesn't scream in this, he has like one of the one of the best forces I've ever heard like between him and the weekend. Oh nice. But just amazing, it's called City and Colour. I got to look at my think. It seems like it's like Dallas, he's like He's a Canadian from Toronto, but we're like, damn, like been fascinated with his music. And if I could ever, if I could ever have anybody singing voices, that guys check it out.

44:27 Shout out to Dallas as a, yeah. All right. I think I got you guys think you guys would dig it the most the right, the right answer to that question. Was Freddie Mercury, but that's okay, yeah. What is a natural gifting that you don't have that? You wish you possessed. Just to be handy like I'm like I'm not I can't I can't do and I can't do anything. I'm not mechanically inclined. I can't build. I can't. I'm like panting. Somebody $75 an hour to hang a picture frame. I'm just hot. It's not good at that right. Yeah? Right.

45:10 Yeah. Okay. Well, let me know if you need a bordo recommendation, I guess, right? Yeah. That's all for your housewarming party. Yeah, I remember a mentor of mine when I was a kid telling me. He had just become a homeowner and he was like, man, becoming a homeowner is just a process of realizing that you can't take on the projects that you already started, then? All right. We got two more for you, polar, you forgive the dark turn. Here. But okay. You had a say in how you died. How would you like to go out?

45:52 Oh man. All right, let me I got my very first. Get a PG thought. Yeah. And then I've always been my example is. Like, I've always wanted to be the guy in the cartoon that just gets the piano dropped on him because it's like, yeah, it's like you're done quick. Yeah, exactly. It's quick, it's easy. I would probably say in my sleep, I think the whole deathbed thing kind of, you know what people crowded around here, that kind of like is weird to me like, hmm, I go my sleep. It's, you know, if you know of things like hiccups like body jerks and so yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah, all right. Well, the most important question that we will ask what. Brad? Yeah. Give him a preface for how this came about. Well, a while back I don't know if you, you know, the national brand sponsor for Cameron George. He's an incredible guy, but he was talking about pairing Whiskey's with fast food items, and I just think that, that is the most fascinating idea.

46:52 So if you were to pair Ryan Sons with a fast food item or even with, you know, a fast-food restaurant in general, what would you pair it with Ryan's whiskey to call it? What if we call it? We its defects Only known as yoga mat but it is the McRib. Oh nice, let's go McRib feeling fancy, I might like you know shave it a couple black truffles on it but there you go. That is but I'm Ryan Sons whiskey with the McRib. I love it bratty. This is how I know Andre is like our people. No hesitation yeah. Like you can tell the he'd already prepared that it's like right there.

47:35 I friend of mine. He's eating a McRib. Right now, it's actually no longer available. I know, I know. Yeah, no, totally. I did a whole well, you know, having a fast food background and then, you know, we did a whole episode of pairing wine with fast food and and so it was something that was like you know near and dear to my heart and fun. Yeah. But but yeah when I think it when I think about rhinestones whiskey and I've had to pair it with anything like ants down in the crib. Yeah yeah. Andre I cannot thank you enough for Sitting down with us today. This has been just an absolute pleasure. I mean, you have an open invitation, anytime you want to come report on your bowling progress and he tied, you any new vintage of Ryan Sons.

48:18 We would love to sit down and talk with you again. Thank you for joining us now. Are you kidding me man? Thank you, man. I was my pleasure. All right, everybody, this has been Andre Houston Mackey, probably already know him from YouTube. And or one of the many restaurants that heats worker, his new line of Rye. Ryan Sons. This vintage 2022 is If you find it on the Shelf $28, it will be. One of the best. 28 bucks you've ever spent Brad. I don't know if you agree, but I am. Oh, I'm gonna go through my bottle real quickly here. Yeah, I will be sharing it with all of my friends. So yeah, it's like you've read about whiskey, all right, everybody, we will be back on Monday with another regularly scheduled episode. But until then I'm Bob book, I'm Brad G and we'll see you next time.