Podcast appearances and mentions of David T Smith

Eric presents selected recordings from the 2024 ADI Gin Summit to provide a few extra perspectives on botanical spirits from some of the world's best category experts, including: David T. Smith - a prolific gin judge and author of The Gin Dictionary and many other excellent cocktail books, Natasha Bahrami - creator of The Gin Room in St. Louis and Gin World, which is an international gin education series for bartenders and other industry professionals), and Virginia Miller - experienced spirits judge and travel writer (The Perfect Spot) who works with esteemed organizations like the World's 50 Best and the James Beard Foundation During this session, we'll discuss topics ranging from: What constitutes a London Dry gin from a technical standpoint building a botanical library Use of character-forward distillate bases Deployment of color in gin and related products And much, much more!

Courtesy of the illustrious David T. Smith, author of The Gin Dictionary, Disco Cocktails, and other fine bibulous publications, I and a group of friends were treated to a rare Chartreuse tasting after we had wrapped up all of our work at the American Distilling Institute's annual conference and trade show this past August in Baltimore, MD. Our casual panel of tasters included: Eric Zandona, author of The Tequila Dictionary and The Bourbon Bible Sara Sergent, botanical savant and owner of Alpine Distilling in Park City, Utah Joe Barber of Stargazey Spirits and The Wrecking Coast Distillery in the UK And Reece Sims, creator of Flavour Camp Here's a (hopefully) somewhat complete list of the stuff we tasted, which may explain our silliness toward the end: The standard Green Chartreuse and Yellow Chartreuse - but these were both taken from the soleras or “infinity bottles” of David T. Smith, so they felt a bit more special Liqueur d'Elixir - A tribute to one of the early proto-variants of Green Chartreuse - this is essentially a half-step between the elixir vegetal and Green Chartreuse 9iere Centennaire - A tribute to the 900th anniversary of the founding of the Order of St. Bruno (also known as the Carthusians) Chartreuse Verte VEP (that's the fancy green Chartreuse) A bottling by the French Order of master Sommeliers from 2018 - which is a small batch, custom variant of Yellow Chartreuse Tarragona, which is another Chartreuse recipe, celebrating either Tarragon (the herb) or the formulation that the monks made when they were in exile in Spain for a couple decades in the early 20th century Three variants of Chartreuse Genepy (the traditional, intense, and abrupt) And finally, a lovely Florio Amaro bottled in the 1970s, provided by yours truly. Other topics we discuss include: The Carthusian monk documentary entitled Into Great Silence The mythical “beast of Gevaudan” that ravaged the French countryside once upon a time The taxonomy of the Artemisia botanical family A whole bunch of strong cocktail-related opinions about Chartreuse and genepy, And much, much more

In this RTD redux with Keli Rivers, David T. Smith, and Joe Barber, some of the topics we discuss include: Emerging trends in the post-pandemic RTD (ready to drink) and RTS (ready to serve) cocktail space, including more bottled RTS SKUS, continued innovation by small producers, and marked improvements across the board in stability and flavor. Thoughts on the very real limitations of launching an RTD, such as flavor drift, limited off-premise shelf space, and market saturation. Increased adoption of RTDs by event venues and airlines, including a stunning demo of flight attendant choreography by David. A breezy romp through some of the more “populist” categories of RTDs, including boozy iced teas and vibrantly colored mermaid lemonades. And some discussion about the pros and cons of using a malt alcohol (i.e. fermented) base, versus employing distilled spirits in RTDs and RTSs. Along the way, we explore the use cases for “urinal cake” as a tasting note, the color “bleen” (coming to a crayon box near you), a spicy debate about sidecars and dividends, and much, much more. This is a light-hearted departure from our normal, buttoned up interview format, but don't let our casual rapport and bubbling excitement fool you: there's a ton of great insights here for anyone who's interested in producing or enjoying RTDs in the year 2024 and beyond.  

In this lively chat with David T. Smith, spirits judge, consultant, and author of Gin Tonica, some of the topics we discuss include: A history of the Gin & Tonic cocktail, which turns out to be a bit more punk and DIY than it's often played up to be, as well as a bit more recent than we like to romanticize. The ways in which cultural differences in the US and the UK, like the widespread adoption of ice and the proximity to fresh citrus, worked to generate strikingly different conceptions of what we imagine as a “classic” gin & tonic. Then, of course, we explore how a few chefs in the Basque region of Spain took this drink into the kitchen in the last 20 years and completely transformed the way the cocktail can look, feel, and taste. We also take a moment to zoom out - as we gin nerds like to do - and examine some of the current trends in the gin world, both here in the US, and elsewhere in the world, such as the strategic deployment of local botanicals and the targeted deployment of distillate base AS a botanical. Along the way, we answer pressing questions like: why does David know what blood plasma tastes like?, is that a lego piece in your mixing glass?, did you just let Chat GPT write your tasting notes for you?, and much, much more. This episode is brought to you by Near Country Provisions. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic and want to enjoy ethically raised (and delicious) meat from local farmers delivered to your door every month, then you need Near Country in your life. Head over to NearCountry.com and enter the code BARCART when you sign up for your subscription to receive 2 free pounds of bacon or ground beef in your first delivery.

We love this time of year. Not only do we get to layer up in our favourite winter clobber (huzzah), it gives us the chance to highlight some of our favourite warming spirits. Like The Busker, a delightful new range of Irish whiskies and Ron Santiago De Cuba Ron Extra Añejo 11 Years Old, a deliciously smooth, agreeably sweet rum all the way from sunny Cuba.Our bar review takes us to the Highlands, courtesy of The Macallan Manor House at Rosewood London while our library pick celebrates the many wonders of one drink, the Negroni, a tiny book packed with over 30 inventive recipes from gin lovers David T. Smith and Keli Rivers.Another book very much in focus in this episode is The Art of the Bar Cart by Vanessa Dina. We were so inspired by her fabulous tips and tricks on styling home bars that we tracked her down in San Francisco to find out more.What we're mixing:Jameson Orange Hot Chocolate50ml Jameson Orange200ml hot chocolate50ml whipped double creamDark chocolate shavings and orange zest to garnishMethod:Mix 50ml Jameson Orange with 200ml hot chocolate. Layer the top with the whipped double cream. Garnish with dark chocolate shavings and grated orange zest.For more from The Cocktail Lovers, including signing up for our digital and print magazine, visit our website, thecocktaillovers.comTo see the products featured in this episode, check out our Instagram page @thecocktaillovers and check out their websites below:The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T Bone' WatsonNegroni by David T. Smith & Keli Rivers, published by Ryland Peters and available from all good book shopsRon Santiago de Cuba Extra Añejo 11 Years OldThe Art of The Bar Cart by Vanessa Dina published by Chronicle Books and available from all good book shopsThe BuskerThe Macallan Manor House at Rosewood London Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What should we think about the assertion that Christians are facing persecution in America? Is the American Church making claims of persecution that are unfounded or is this something we should truly be worried about? Is the Christian church in America under religious persecution or is it in need of a reality check? All that and more on this edition of Questions From The Pew.RESOURCES:Religious Persecution and Political Order in the United States, David T. Smith“Christians faced widespread harassment in 2015, but mostly in Christian-majority countries,” Pew Research Center“Americans and ‘Cancel Culture': Where Some See Calls for Accountability, Others See Censorship, Punishment,” Pew Research CenterWorld Watch List, Open Doors USA“The Evangelical Persecution Complex,” The Atlantic“Why Do White Christians in America Think They Are Persecuted?” The Canopy Forum“Is There Really Anti-Christian Discrimination in America?” The Gospel Coalition“May a religious institution give preference to hiring adherents of the same religion? What is a ‘ministerial exception' under Title VII?” SHRMLeave us a short voice message or text message at (312) 725-2995.Support us on Patreon: www.patreon.com/questionsfromthepew

In this bitter and botanical deep dive with Keli Rivers and David T. Smith, we preview their new book, Negroni, and discuss the ins and outs of this classic equal-parts cocktail. Some of the topics we discuss include: The various origin stories of the Negroni - both the conventional story about count Camillo Negroni, and also some stunningly international accounts that cast doubt on when and where this cocktail was truly invented, and by whom. What it’s like to assemble a cocktail book during a pandemic, and why Negroni turned out to be a timely tool for home bartenders affected by lockdowns and a lack of bars. The three primary buckets that all negronis can fall into: perfect ratio through formulation, perfect ratio through balance, and perfect ratio out the window. Some of the more exotic or avant-garde Negroni recipes in the book, including tiki negronis, creamy negronis, and even a negroni served hot. We learn the story behind Keli’s tattoo, the importance of having a bottled negroni in the fridge at all times, the virtues of gin and cola, and much, much more.

We talk with a panel of esteemed guests about the rise of "Ready-to-Drink" cocktails (RTDs). These are the canned counterparts to contemporary beers and wines, and they are on the rise around the world. Our guests include: Lead Steward for the American Distilling Institute (ADI) and prolific spirits judge and cocktail writer David T. Smith - author of The Gin Dictionary. Keli Rivers, who is the US Brand Ambassador for Sipsmith Gin. She’s also a passionate gin collector and educator, and I really enjoyed learning from her as a lead judge during this year’s event. Bernadette (aka Bernie) Pamplin, the mind behind UnderTheGinfluence.com, contributor to many spirits publications, spirits judge, and all-around juniper-infused bad-ass. And finally - Joe Barber, who holds a title with ADI that I know a lot of fans of the American version of The Office will appreciate: Assistant to the Lead Steward. Now, Joe is actually the lynch pin of this episode. He’s the educated palate that chooses to use his powers to speak for the average person...which is why he is our “Johnny on the Street” - an advocate for all that is efficient, effective, and uncomplicatedly delicious. He’s the voice of reason in complicated times- and for that, we love him.

The surprising popularity of CBD products for pets has led to an alarming number of pet poisonings. Dr. Dave from the Sarasota Veterinary Center will be talking with us today about why treating your pets with CBD can be a risky proposition. There currently is no regulation of these supplements to ensure what you are buying is what the label says it is. If the products contain any THC, it can be toxic to your pets. Pet owners need to understand that if they want to try CBD products, they need to know they are not regulated, and you must proceed at your own risk and the risk it may cause to your pets. The American Kennel Club’s Chief Veterinary Officer sums it up best when he says, “..the popularity and marketing of CBD is outpacing the research and regulation.”BIODr. David T. Smith has been a veterinarian in Florida for 29 years. He currently has two practices in Sarasota – the Sarasota Veterinary Center and the Parkway Veterinary Center. Dr. Dave is the past President of the Broward County Veterinary Medical Association where he was previously the medical director of two emergency and critical care centers and several veterinary hospitals. More recently Dr. Dave is a past president of the Southwest Florida Veterinary Medical Association.

The surprising popularity of CBD products for pets has led to an alarming number of pet poisonings. Dr. Dave from the Sarasota Veterinary Center will be talking with us today about why treating your pets with CBD can be a risky proposition. There currently is no regulation of these supplements to ensure what you are buying is what the label says it is. If the products contain any THC, it can be toxic to your pets. Pet owners need to understand that if they want to try CBD products, they need to know they are not regulated, and you must proceed at your own risk and the risk it may cause to your pets. The American Kennel Club’s Chief Veterinary Officer sums it up best when he says, “..the popularity and marketing of CBD is outpacing the research and regulation.” BIO Dr. David T. Smith has been a veterinarian in Florida for 29 years. He currently has two practices in Sarasota – the Sarasota Veterinary Center and the Parkway Veterinary Center. Dr. Dave is the past President of the Broward County Veterinary Medical Association where he was previously the medical director of two emergency and critical care centers and several veterinary hospitals. More recently Dr. Dave is a past president of the Southwest Florida Veterinary Medical Association.

Christmas is getting quirkier every year - and the advent calendar market is no exception. You can now get them with all kinds of fillings from biscuits, to cheese, to high class beauty products. So much for pretty festive pictures! And now you can even get ones with a wee tot of booze behind every door...This year it seems that alcohol advent calendars are projected to be the newest trendsetters and Gin is the drink on everyone’s lips, as sales of the spirit are at a record high; the UK alone now has more than 400 distilleries- including two right here on the Isle of Man (Seven Kingdoms and Fynoderee). Boutique-y Gin have released their own calendar with a dram-a-day behind every door. Christy caught up with Steph DiCamillo from the retailer to find out more, and also spoke to David T. Smith, author of The Gin Dictionary. They gave us hints and tips on the best gins, how to drink them and why they think gin is so popular..

In this episode, we pull up a mic with gin expert David T. Smith, author of The Gin Dictionary.  In this interview, some of the topics we cover include: The fascinating world of spirits judging and awards - essentially, all those cool medals your favorite distillers keep winning. How David fell in love with gin, and became the author of this gin-driven reference guide. A stroll through the most common botanicals used to make gin around the world. Some discussion of different gin styles, both old and new, dry and sweet, aged and unaged. How to properly operate a Martini tester Why Timothy Dalton might not be the worst James Bond (key word being might) And much, much more.