Episode 162
Discovering Hidden Gems in American Whiskey with Blind Barrels!
Discovering Hidden Gems in American Whiskey with Blind Barrels!
In this captivating episode of the Whiskey Wisdom Podcast, co-hosts Chris Kellum and Tyler Y. are joined by Bobby DeMars, the founder and CEO of Blind Barrels. Bobby delves into the journey of creating Blind Barrels, a unique subscription service for small American craft whiskeys. Learn the intricate legal hurdles faced, the importance of blind tastings, and the meticulous process behind curating each quarterly release. Bobby also shares insights into his passion for connecting whiskey enthusiasts and the burgeoning craft whiskey scene. Don't miss out on this engaging discussion that amplifies the essence of discovery and education in the world of fine spirits!
00:00 Introduction to the Whiskey Wisdom Podcast
00:04 Meet Bobby from Blind Barrels
02:31 The Origin of Blind Barrels
03:31 Navigating Legal Challenges
05:13 Craft Distilleries and Unique Whiskeys
10:02 Gamifying the Whiskey Experience
11:52 Subscription Details and Expansion Plans
13:04 Challenges and Opportunities in the Industry
18:31 Navigating State Regulations
20:42 Southern California Barrel Picks
20:59 The Special Barrel from Southern Star
22:11 Pricing Philosophy and Member Satisfaction
23:08 Best Practices for Tasting
24:25 Upcoming Lineup and High Proof Whiskeys
25:37 Whiskey Tasting Tips and Preferences
31:47 Curating the Perfect Whiskey Experience
32:14 Challenges and Success in the Whiskey Business
33:47 The Importance of Community and Sharing
39:05 Final Thoughts and Future Plans
Transcript
Sweet.
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:Cool.
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:So welcome back to the
Whiskey Wisdom Podcast.
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:I'm your co-host Chris
Kellum, and I'm with Tyler y.
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:And we are bringing on a special
guest who I've been seeing around
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:the internet for a while now.
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:I'm happy to finally have you
on the owner starter found.
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:I don't know all the fun
titles you have, uh, but you're
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:from Blind Barrels, correct?
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:Yeah,
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:Bobby: correct.
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:Yeah.
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:The founder and CEO of line barrels.
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:Chris: Yeah,
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:Tyler: and this is Bobby by the way.
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:Since we didn't
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:Chris: actually announce who we
have, I was like, there's so many.
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:When you get into the entrepreneur
world, it gets really confusing as
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:to what titles people have nowadays.
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:Bobby: Yeah, we're, you know, like,
uh, I'm, I'm thinking of me messing
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:up the cards for some of my guys.
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:So like, instead of like, they like
on it says like, whiskey Wizard.
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:Oh yeah.
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:But they like, they prefer a
curator 'cause that soft touch card.
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:But I'm thinking like
Chief tasting Officer.
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:So ct.
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:Yeah, I like
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:Tyler: it.
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:Yeah.
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:Bobby: You know, so you can, yeah,
you can get fun and, you know, I've
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:seen some of those titles, but yeah,
I just usually go founder and CEO.
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:Tyler: Nice.
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:I feel like you could, it really
lends itself too for like good.
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:Internet personality, I guess you could
say naming yourself Bobby Barrels.
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:Bobby: It could be Bobby Blonde Barrels.
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:Well, it's funny if you, so if you go look
up Bob DeMars, you'll find documentaries
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:I've made, and if you look up Robert
DeMars, you'll find an education.
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:I've run a company that
I've run and then Oh wow.
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:Uh, Bobby DeMar.
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:So it was almost like
I've never been Robbie.
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:You know, I always feel like
Robbie's gonna steal you, girl.
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:Right.
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:I just wanted to make a coffee
table book where it's like, you
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:know, like four slides of like,
what Bob, Robert, Bobby, and Robbie.
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:You know, like you're golfing
and like, oh yeah, Robert, Robert
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:never steps on the line, right?
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:Yep.
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:Bob buys round of beers.
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:Robbie shits in the hole.
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:You know that there's something,
you know, that, that Robbie's like,
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:Robbie's gonna steal your girl.
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:Or Robbie's like, I don't know.
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:There's something lewd about Robbie,
about what Robbie's gonna do.
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:You know?
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:I don't know.
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:That's
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:Tyler: awesome.
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:Sounds
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:Bobby: pretty accurate.
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:It write, it writes itself.
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:It does.
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:It does jump right.
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:The shit in the hole, but you
know, it writes itself basically.
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:Chris: Alright, so in general, I've
been following you and the amazing
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:stuff you've been coming out with
and doing for a little while now.
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:I don't remember exactly
when Tyler sent me the first.
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:Lovely thing on social media is like, oh,
we need to check this dude's stuff out.
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:But tell us a little about
yourself and the company.
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:Bobby: Yeah, so I mean, this whole
thing, this was a Covid baby.
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:My, my buddy at Merrill Lynch
was doing blind tastings
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:while we were all quarantined.
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:And you know, the films that I was
in the process of developing and the
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:education company that I ran, basically,
you know, everything died for like
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:a period of three to six months.
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:And, you know, you can only bake
so many accent walls in the house.
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:And I, you know, put in, put in two
bts and, and, uh, you know, my buddy
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:was like, Hey, I'm doing blinds.
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:You want to.
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:You wanna jump in?
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:I'm like, yeah.
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:And I had never done it with whiskey.
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:I'd done it with wine before.
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:Oh yeah.
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:And I called him afterwards and he had
like eight samples and, and he was very
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:generous 'cause he was literally making
you pay like exactly what he paid.
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:So he had like an old fits
dusty or something that was
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:really like a $800 bottle.
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:Yeah.
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:But he got it for like 80 bucks.
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:So he was only charging
like, you know, $3.
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:A, a poor or whatever it was.
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:Yeah.
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:And so it was really generous for that.
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:And afterwards I call him like,
this feels like a business.
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:And he goes, yeah, okay.
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:And I said, nobody's
ever done this before.
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:Like, why?
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:And I quickly figured out why.
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:It's because there's a lot of hoops
you have to jump through in order to
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:be compliant for the three tier system.
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:And so I, I called up an a, b, C attorney
and I'll call beverage control attorney.
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:Right.
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:And by the way, this is a great life
hack If you ever need legal advice,
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:you can pretty much do a free hour
long consultation with any attorney.
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:Right.
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:That's true.
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:Hmm.
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:So I did a free hour long
consultation, lasted seven minutes.
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:The guy's like, look, there's eight
federal laws you're trying to break.
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:And I was like, okay.
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:Tyler: Oh, alright.
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:Bobby: So then I did 16 more
free hour long consultations
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:with different a, b, C attorneys.
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:Wow.
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:And then I came up with a way to do it
before we raised the money, and then I
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:came up with a better way and then even a.
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:Better way.
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:And we are even thinking about
tweaking it, but there's multiple
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:ways to do what we're doing.
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:And it's not easy.
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:We're not in a basement with a funnel.
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:You know, the, the bottling
is a whole separate process.
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:There's a lot of stuff that legally
happens with the labels and Right.
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:You know, to be compliant with
the, the, the trade tax bureau.
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:So there's federal, there's state,
there's county laws, there's all
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:these things and there's a lot of
key partnerships that are in play.
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:So we spent a whole year creating those
partnerships, creating the branding.
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:You know, I did try to get you
guys a kid in times so you could
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:really experience it yourself, you
know, you know, you've done blinds
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:before and, and blinds are so great.
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:'cause they're about discovery
and they're about education and
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:ultimately it's, it's really communal.
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:Right.
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:And it's, it's mindful really, you're
being present with the liquid and
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:your friends and, you know, somebody's
getting different flavors and you
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:guys are bouncing off each other.
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:Or someone's guessing that it's a bourbon
or a rye and, and it's a single mom.
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:You were both wrong.
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:Yeah.
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:There's always a fun thing to that usually
people that are quiet that don't want to
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:say what they're getting are usually the
ones that are actually really accurate.
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:Oh, makes sense.
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:And, and you know, they have
to like gain that confidence.
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:Right.
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:What we're gonna be doing, so
when you guys do get your kit,
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:you'll see that there's a, you
know, it's a high end soft touch.
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:You know, we wanted everyone to associate,
'cause we only do small American craft
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:distilleries, we only feature craft.
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:Oh, that's awesome.
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:You know, we're not gonna
have mixers and makers Mark.
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:Uh, in the lineup.
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:We don't want things that
are really accessible.
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:There's 3000 distilleries
that you haven't heard of.
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:Wow.
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:And half of them suck, but, uh,
but, but you know, like we've kissed
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:a lot of frogs, I will say that.
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:I'm sure.
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:But man, you know, ever since we
did a partnership with Fred Minnick
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:and, and really we just started
opening up to really cool craft.
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:There's craft distillers.
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:You've chased since we started that
We're now getting in the lineup.
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:I see.
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:And, and just, and not just getting
them in the lineup, but getting
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:like a special release from them.
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:Tyler: Oh, nice.
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:Bobby: And, and you know,
our rules are, it's gotta be
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:craft, it's gotta be American.
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:We haven't had a bottle that was less than
$50 retail you know, at the distillery.
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:Wow.
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:Yeah.
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:Most bottles are in that 50 to 130 range.
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:Okay.
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:But when we sell $130 bottle, it's, it's
usually really like a 200 or $240 bottle.
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:Right.
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:So the blinds are fun.
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:People usually come for the blinds,
but they really stay for the access.
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:You know, we've done a barrel pick
with Fray and one with Southern
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:Star that was the Sister Barrel.
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:Barrel.
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:Oh, yeah.
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:That won the New York Spirits competition.
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:So Pete gave us, it was so dark,
it was the darkest whiskey I've
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:still ever seen in my entire life.
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:If I had, you know, a thousand of
those bottles, we would've sold them.
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:That's amazing.
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:We, we had a 15 year ride matured in a
Weller barrel that we did with Mammoth.
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:We just did a barrels pick
with still Austin, so.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:We have too many members now where we
can't really do a barrel pick 'cause
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:all everything would go into samples
and we couldn't sell the bottles.
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:Right.
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:So, uh, we trademarked the name,
the Smallest Batch, and we do what's
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:called the smallest Batch series.
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:The smallest small batch can
be, which is two barrels.
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:And so we picked two barrels and
it wasn't just picking two favorite
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:barrels, it was picking two that
really blended well together.
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:Tyler: Oh, okay.
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:Bobby: And so that was the
first in that series that we
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:just did that was still Austin.
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:We had the lost barrel of
a, of a whiskey outlaw.
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:We, have you seen the doc holiday bottle?
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:Like there's a big gimmicky
one now with like the actual
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:guns and it's like the case.
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:Yeah, I
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:Tyler: did actually.
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:Yeah.
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:Bobby: And.
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:Uh, world Whiskey Society.
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:They do the White Earp.
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:They do a bunch of those.
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:And the thing is, the Dock Holidays, they
have like a six year and a seven year.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:That special one is a 10 year, but
it's not the tenure that we had, uh,
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:'cause we sold it out of existence.
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:So most of the stuff
they're sourcing is MGP.
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:But some of it's from, you know, the,
the one, one of 'em from Oklahoma,
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:like, I don't know where they're
sourcing all their stuff, but Right.
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:They sent us a bottle.
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:It was good, you know, it was, but we
don't like just a white label situation
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:where somebody just takes a whiskey.
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:And just throws their label on it.
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:Right?
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:'cause there's no story there.
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:Yeah.
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:And they sent me the tenure and I
was like, what the fuck is this?
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:And I was like, is this this 10 year MGP?
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:And they're like, no, it's, it's this
this family, Carlos Lavelle, these
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:laves out of Georgia, okay, were
moonshiners for 150 years and they were
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:making this sour mass, Georgia bourbon.
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:And they'd bounced around to
the Appalachians and they evaded
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:the feds for four generations.
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:Uh, got caught a couple of times.
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:Carlos Lavell.
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:See, when most people start making
whiskey, unless they've apprenticed
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:or they're really a scientist or they
come from a background, they're usually
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:not good at it right off the bat.
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:It takes 'em a while to get good
at it if they ever get good at it.
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:Well, this guy was making whiskey
since he was seven years old, and when
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:he was in his seventies, his daughter
convinced him to go legitimate and he
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:started Ivy Mountain Distillery and
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:Tyler: okay,
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:Bobby: three year.
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:So he was making really moonshine.
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:He wasn't aging it, and then he
was aging it like six months.
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:And then what happened was
about three years in he died.
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:Oh wow.
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:So all these barrels that
he made sat there, he wasn't
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:really aging 'em that long.
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:All the stuff he's ever
made, ever really was aging.
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:And it sat there for
about four or five years.
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:Bardstown bought a bunch, put
it in their explorer series.
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:In their fusion series.
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:Okay.
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:The rest, and you know, they
sold that for 130 bucks.
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:The rest ended up in Texas and
you know that, that Texas heat?
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:Yep.
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:Like it's, it does this,
you know, like, oh yeah.
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:Four years is eight years.
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:So it was in Texas for four years.
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:These guys found it, brought it back
to Georgia, aged it to 10 years.
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:And we don't pick brands generally.
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:We pick whiskey.
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:So people send us
whiskey and we do blinds.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:And we taste everything blind
that the lineups get determined
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:through blind tastings.
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:Oh wow.
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:And I set it up for my guys, and
I like, I like to throw 'em a
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:curve ball every now and again.
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:Put their favorite whiskey in
there and see if they shit on it.
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:You know what I mean?
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:Just like ruin everything
that they thought they loved.
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:Yeah.
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:And, uh.
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:They're like, are you fucking with this?
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:Bobby?
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:Did you put William Le Ru Weller,
like in a blind for us to like,
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:it was so rich and so dark.
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:And so just on this other plane
of existence, it's maybe one of
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:the best whiskeys I've ever had.
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:Wow.
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:And yes, if I, we, we sold every bottle
that, and I know there's a couple
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:barrels of it, less that they're, that
they're taking a 12 year, but that.
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:Specific juice that was in
that doc holiday bottle.
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:And my issue was that they never
differentiated the six and seven to
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:10 years just a doc holiday bottle
with a different age statement.
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:But yeah, I said, look, this
guy's legacy's on this bottle.
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:Tyler: Yeah.
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:Bobby: So if we're gonna do a white
label situation, we gotta make a
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:neck tag that tells this guy's story.
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:And, and yeah, like that.
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:So this is the type of things
that we do in the lineup.
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:And we're now gamifying it.
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:So starting in March, we're right
at the end of figuring this out.
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:So our march release ships in about two
weeks, and you're gonna guess the age,
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:the proof, and the type of whiskey.
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:Mm-hmm.
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:And you're gonna get a score that
tells you how accurate your palate is.
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:Tyler: Oh, nice.
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:That's pretty neat.
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:That'll
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:Bobby: be fun.
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:So that'll be fun.
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:Yeah.
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:Tyler: That's awesome.
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:I love that.
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:Chris: Are you putting it on like an
app or on the website so people can
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:like compare themselves to others?
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:Bobby: You know, we, we've thought
about creating a leaderboard, but
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:the reality is, someone could easily
cheat and just use a different phone.
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:Yeah.
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:So it's like the, like for instance,
Wordle doesn't have a leaderboard.
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:Right?
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:True.
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:Because it's all like, I could just use
my computer, find out the word, or I'm
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:like, I get it in two guesses every time.
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:It's crazy.
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:I, you know, seven, one word thing.
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:Right?
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:But so we thought about that we are
gonna have a log so people can do it.
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:We're gonna, uh, have a
shareable function to it.
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:Tyler: Nice.
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:Bobby: But yeah, like the, you, you
technically could cheat, so we didn't
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:want to create anything like that.
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:But yeah, we're gonna get people
to rate the spirit too, so that
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:way we can get these distilleries
some data on what territories are
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:really like in their products.
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:So when they think about
expanding in other states, we
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:can help them out a little bit.
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:Tyler: I like, oh, that's fantastic.
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:That's a great idea.
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:So.
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:Bobby: Oh, go ahead.
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:No, I was just saying that gamification
to me is kind of the next level
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:in marketing where you're, you're,
you're creating engagement with
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:the community but you're, you're
challenging the consumer a little bit.
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:Like we all have that buddy that thinks
they know everything about everything.
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:Well, let's, let's put you to
the test and, and you know what,
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:let's put a bottle on the line.
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:Right.
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:Loses gotta buy the other person a
bottle from the lineup, you know?
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:Tyler: I like it.
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:Yeah.
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:We have a few friends that we
could definitely do that with.
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:So that'll be high on the list.
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:Chris: Gosh, yes.
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:Bring it to the,
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:Tyler: the
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:Chris: whole.
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:A consortium and be like, all
right, let's see what you got.
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:Yeah, that's true.
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:So for those who, who've heard the name
but don't, haven't done enough research
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:about you, how does Blind Barrels work?
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:Bobby: So, blind Barrels is,
is, is really a subscription.
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:So if you go to Blind Barrels and
you, you can get a one-off kit, right?
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:Mm-hmm.
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:But then we have a quarterly and
an annual option and essentially,
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:uh, we are seasonal curation.
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:So.
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:Everybody gets the same
kit at the same time.
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:Tyler: Okay.
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:Bobby: So like right now we're
really close to the March release.
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:So somebody that joins today,
we, we generally say, Hey,
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:we're close to the next release.
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:Do you want a kit now?
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:And then we dial the
renewal back before March.
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:Or do we, you just wanna wait another
two weeks before we get this release out.
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:But if somebody orders and
let's say April 1st, right?
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:We send 'em to March kid immediately.
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:Gotcha.
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:And then they'll get our, so
the next kit come out mid-June,
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:mid-September, mid-December.
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:The only one that we kind of
usually get out a little bit early
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:is June because of Father's Day.
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:Oh, okay.
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:And someone's like,
what about Mother's Day?
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:And I'm like, look, we backed up from
Christmas, we started at Christmas,
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:December, and then went September, June.
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:And yeah, we have, we have a ton of.
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:Female members in our group, so.
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:Sure.
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:Yeah.
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:We're not trying to overlook, they
have the better palettes by the way.
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:Like when we do action, action, we
do a couple lives with everybody.
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:But then we, you know, we
we're in about 44 states.
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:You know, we've, we're just
shy of like 4,000 members now.
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:Wow.
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:At some point we, we will probably
cap out the whiskey subscription.
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:We are gonna add tequila at some point.
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:Tyler: Oh, that's nice.
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:Bobby: There might be a way to do
beer and wine, and we're in the
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:middle of a capital raise right now
to expand to hotels and restaurants.
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:Chris: Oh, wow.
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:That'll be fun.
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:What would, so do you have an idea
of like, I'm sure you do, but broad
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:spectrum, what would that look like?
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:At like a hotel just come in and sit
down like, Hey, I want a blind fight.
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:Bobby: Well, at a hotel
it would be in the room.
399
:Right?
400
:So, so you go to Vegas and you got these
mini bottles, they're, they're charging
401
:60 bucks for Johnny Walker block.
402
:50 ml, right?
403
:Yeah.
404
:Yeah.
405
:And people buy that shit 'cause they
don't want to go down, Hey, they just
406
:lost a bunch of money, or they just
want a bunch of money, they want to
407
:commiserate and I'm gonna take this
$30 vast water and I'm gonna Right.
408
:Gosh.
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:Tyler: Yeah,
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:Bobby: just to it out a bag of chips.
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:But yeah, hotels will probably, you
know, creating an experience in the room.
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:The thing that we want to be able to
make sure is that the hotel's gonna
413
:carry the product in all their bars, and
that's gonna be the upside for these.
414
:At the end of the day, we're, we're trying
to create symbiotic relationships with
415
:these small American craft distillers.
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:We're showcasing them.
417
:We don't do what.
418
:Other subscriptions do.
419
:We're the only double blind out there.
420
:Right.
421
:But there's other whiskey subscriptions
out there and we know how a lot of them
422
:operate 'cause we talk to all the brands.
423
:Yeah.
424
:And a lot of times they charge
marketing fees or they want the whiskey
425
:for free or, or at, at below cost.
426
:And because we're working with
small American businesses, what
427
:we're trying to do is make sure that
they're winning, that we're not.
428
:You know, putting a burden on them to be
in the lineup, you know, in the industry.
429
:It's, it's all, you know,
what's getting the liquor on the
430
:lips, that's the hardest thing.
431
:Oh, for sure.
432
:You know, I mean, you've had that buddy
that says, you gotta get this bottle,
433
:and you get the bottle, and you're like,
I don't think it was that fucking good.
434
:You know, like.
435
:Your, your palate doesn't align with what
their particular flavor preferences are.
436
:Uh, but then you're making a choice
based upon popularity or how cool
437
:the bottle looks or price, right?
438
:So all these components come into
play, but what's not in play is
439
:whether you like the spirit or not.
440
:Right?
441
:And if you do something blind, as you
know, not only are you more likely to,
442
:become a bigger fan of that brand by
discovering it on your own, you're more
443
:likely to be loyal to that brand too.
444
:So we'd want people to go, go visit these
distilleries, you know, go try their food
445
:pairings, you know, join their email list
for when their special releases come out.
446
:We've had a bunch of times where
members that are in their own whiskey
447
:clubs choose a barrel from distilleries
that have been in our lineup.
448
:Oh,
449
:Tyler: cool.
450
:Bobby: And, we've been offered commissions
on that, but we don't accept that.
451
:So we, we really take heart to the
history of the whiskey community.
452
:It's, it's an interesting industry that
you don't see in a lot of industries.
453
:Like the wine industry
is very competitive.
454
:It's very cutthroat, very you know,
when, when Heaven hills, you know,
455
:Rick House burns down, you know, people
don't, you know, laugh and cheer that on.
456
:They say, Hey.
457
:What can we give you some product
to help you get back on your feet?
458
:Right?
459
:So the history of that community is really
important to us, and, and we really you
460
:know, are, are, are tethered in a strong
way to that that ethos and how we operate.
461
:So when we're working with the distiller
and getting 'em in the lineup, sometimes
462
:we love a brand and we wanna get 'em
in lineup, and the timing doesn't
463
:work out for the amount of product
they have and what they want to do.
464
:And so we just say, Hey, you tell us when,
and we'll build up a lineup around that.
465
:You know, it's, it's, we
try to keep it low pressure.
466
:We try to keep it, every now and again,
you'll get a distillery that doesn't we.
467
:So we had a brand, uh, that's
was just in our lineup.
468
:Taconic, have you guys heard of
Taconic from Upstate New York?
469
:Tyler: Uh.
470
:Bobby: Like it, their stuff is awesome.
471
:They were on our list from day one,
and they were supposed to be in our
472
:very first lineup, and there was a
person that we were dealing with just
473
:didn't understand the math of, of
how the, the samples work versus the
474
:bottles, and they, they, they fell out.
475
:You know, and it didn't happen.
476
:Right?
477
:And then years later, earlier this year,
one of my guys made a video about like
478
:a whiskey wishlist and put to konic on
it, and the owner reached out and he's
479
:like, well, how do we get in the lineup?
480
:I'm like, well, we tried
like three years ago, can we?
481
:I'm like, here's the process, here's
the math, here's what the thing is.
482
:He goes, oh, that's all very reasonable.
483
:I'm like, I know.
484
:And, uh, and I'll tell you, we,
we, we have this, uh, barrel
485
:proof rye from to Taconic.
486
:All their products are
really good, by the way.
487
:They have a maple bourbon.
488
:I mean, they have some, we had just done
a maple, uh, infusion in our September
489
:lineup from Vermont Distilling number.
490
:Vermont number 14.
491
:The only time we've done a flavored
whiskey and it's 5% Maple fusion.
492
:So it's, it's really subtle.
493
:Oh yeah.
494
:I was worried about putting
the flavored whiskey in lineup.
495
:But I gotta tell you, man, we've
never sold so much of one bottle
496
:in our lives like that bottle, like
in a blind with newbies and with
497
:experienced people, it kills in a lineup.
498
:So we didn't do the maple from to
Taconic for that reason, but that
499
:rye, that barrel proof rye, it's a
bottle I will always have at my house.
500
:It's just that, it's that I mean, it's
so bold, but it's also, it's not weird.
501
:It's deep, it's rich.
502
:It, it tastes like it's, it, it,
I think it's only, you know, four
503
:or five years old, maybe six.
504
:But it tastes so much
deeper and richer than that.
505
:And, and it's not, it doesn't
have like all those, you know,
506
:rise can be so nuanced, right?
507
:It doesn't have to be spicy.
508
:Mm-hmm.
509
:It can be fruity, it can be floral.
510
:And when someone comes over and they
go, I wanna be, and I go, oh, okay.
511
:And I'll pull on a.
512
:You know, I'll pull 'em a middle
west, pumpernickel rye, or I'll
513
:pour them, uh, I'll, I'll pour them.
514
:The d Taconic rye.
515
:Yeah.
516
:And they're like, this is an amazing
B and and I went, it's a rye.
517
:Well, exactly.
518
:Pull the rug out.
519
:Tyler: So here's, here's
the question for you.
520
:So we're in North Carolina and we're
very strictly regulated by the A, B, C.
521
:So I know some of the answers
to this, but then it goes to
522
:someone that I don't can we order?
523
:Blind barrels as a subscriber from you.
524
:And two, if there is a bottle that
we love, how can we buy it if we
525
:can't get in an a, b, C store?
526
:Bobby: It's, it's all
fulfillment partners, right?
527
:So, so there's, there's, there's a lot of.
528
:You know, for, for instance,
Washington DC is a big loophole.
529
:Mm-hmm.
530
:Right?
531
:DC doesn't follow any of the other
rules, so when you look at a lot of
532
:I mean, I'm not gonna say how other
companies operate, but a lot of
533
:companies do operate within that realm.
534
:But yeah, we can get
product to North Carolina.
535
:Awesome.
536
:And so it, but it's, it's not easy.
537
:And there's a bunch of states
that we're not in because
538
:it's, it's not possible yet.
539
:You know, like Kentucky, Kentucky
doesn't want anything coming in, right?
540
:They wanna sell their
own product within it.
541
:And the irony of that is
Kentucky's really kind of paving
542
:the way for direct to consumer.
543
:Mm.
544
:Yeah.
545
:So the wine industry did
this in the seventies.
546
:California really led the
charge for direct to consumer.
547
:So all the, you know, in 48 states
or something like that, wineries
548
:can ship direct to consumer.
549
:So beer and spirits kind of fall
under a different category, right?
550
:Chris: Yeah,
551
:Bobby: that's weird.
552
:So it's, so, it's, and, and
look like Texas is super weird.
553
:Like there's, you know, they have
like a four tier system there.
554
:I mean, there's all sorts of Oh wow.
555
:Every state.
556
:It kind of has its own thing.
557
:I mean, we'll see what happens and, you
know, they're really pushing really hard.
558
:People want direct to
consumer for spirits and beer.
559
:Right.
560
:And, and so the demand
is there and it's just.
561
:Can they remove somebody because there's
federal, there's state, there's county,
562
:there's all these different laws.
563
:So, you know, navigating all those
things and having a good attorney
564
:and trying to figure out how to
navigate it, it's always difficult.
565
:Tyler: Yeah, I definitely wanted to
ask because we have a lot of people
566
:that listen and when they hear, like
when we bring other like whiskey
567
:vendors on, they're like, ah, well I'm
not gonna listen to this one 'cause
568
:I can't get access to it or whatever.
569
:Which I think is so crap.
570
:Bobby: You guys, Southern Star man.
571
:Southern Star is such a, see
people on the West Coast don't.
572
:So have you guys heard of Fray Ranch?
573
:Tyler: I've heard of it.
574
:I've never had it before
575
:Bobby: though, so, so it's funny, like
people on the West coast know about
576
:Fray Ranch and, and people on the East
coast don't, and then on the East Coast
577
:everybody knows about Southern Star.
578
:Mm-hmm.
579
:And the West Coast people
didn't know about them.
580
:So we have a, a bunch, we're
in Southern California.
581
:We have a bunch of, you know,
California members and uh, yeah,
582
:we're gonna do a barrel pick with
Southern Star again like we did.
583
:We're gonna probably be coming through
in late September, early October.
584
:Oh.
585
:We do ski trip every year.
586
:Tyler: Yeah.
587
:Bobby: So we'll probably have
to meet up with you guys when
588
:we're Yeah, that'd be awesome.
589
:But, but we think Southern Star
is just really special that we
590
:did bourbon, that cast drank.
591
:Mm-hmm.
592
:Especially the barrel picks.
593
:And Pete, uh, the owner, Pete
Barger, he's just a good dude.
594
:You know, I called him after
you know, the hurricane and just
595
:check in on our people and just,
Hey, is there anything we can do?
596
:Are you guys safe?
597
:And, you know, luckily Statesville
you know, ended up being okay, but,
598
:he sent us like five samples that were
different barrels, and he was like,
599
:don't, don't be swayed by the color.
600
:Don't let the color, but, because
there was one that was like, they were
601
:all, and they were all really good,
but there was one that was so dark.
602
:I've never, I still, I don't know
if I've ever seen whiskey this
603
:dark and, and you never know why in
the Rick House or the Rack House,
604
:Tyler: right.
605
:Bobby: Why one barrel becomes this, like
the, the airflow or whatever it is, but
606
:when they won the New York Experience
Competition earlier that year, I.
607
:The sister Barrel, the barrel right next
to it was that sample that he sent us.
608
:Tyler: Oh, okay.
609
:Bobby: And uh, you know, he wanted
to put his best foot forward, but
610
:we said we would blind everything.
611
:And we did.
612
:But man, that, that particular
barrel was just on this other level.
613
:It was the same a BV, the same color
as the Sister Barrel that won the
614
:New York Experience Competition.
615
:And, and yeah, I mean, when we sold that.
616
:At the distillery, a cast strength
bottle is, I think, 70 bucks, right?
617
:Yeah.
618
:Yeah.
619
:And this is a barrel pick, so we could
have, and, and it's a special barrel
620
:pick, so we could have probably sold
that for 90 or a hundred dollars.
621
:Mm-hmm.
622
:And we would've done that,
but we sold it for 70.
623
:Tyler: Hmm.
624
:Bobby: You know, the, the goal is to
sell it for the same price and oftentimes
625
:less than if you were at the distillery.
626
:So we don't do this big upsell
on the bottles themselves.
627
:We don't say, Hey, this is a bottle
that you could never get, so we're
628
:gonna charge another 15, 20% more.
629
:Right.
630
:And we talk to venture
capitalists and they hate that.
631
:We don't do that.
632
:Tyler: I'm
633
:Bobby: sure.
634
:Of course.
635
:And, uh, I'm like, but you know, we, we
keep our, our members happy and at the end
636
:of the day, I want them to order bottles.
637
:We don't make very big margins
because we have fulfillment partners.
638
:And then they get a piece.
639
:And so there's, there's and we have
shipping discounts and all this
640
:other stuff that, and so we don't
lose money when we sell a bottle.
641
:We really don't make money
when we sell a bottle.
642
:And we do indirectly because our members
are happy and then they stay members.
643
:Yeah.
644
:Tyler: Right.
645
:Yeah.
646
:So when we subscribe, we get a box.
647
:What's the best practices when
we open this box to get the
648
:best experience out of it?
649
:Bobby: Uh, you know, I mean,
so I would get four glasses.
650
:So, you know, if you have four
Glens, obviously it's, you can
651
:do one and you can rinse it out.
652
:Everyone does it a little bit differently.
653
:We don't like to tell people like,
this is the way that you have to do it.
654
:Okay.
655
:Yeah.
656
:But we, we do host a, a blind live
for our members twice every quarter.
657
:So we suggest, Hey, come on and do
the live with us 'cause you'll meet.
658
:People in the whiskey community
you know, newbies kind of feel
659
:like the new kid at school.
660
:Yeah.
661
:And then there's the people that
have been in every single one of 'em.
662
:And yeah, we get a little loose.
663
:We get a lot of fun.
664
:My two guys lead the tasting and
really start the educational component
665
:about the four phases of tasting,
the color, the appearance, the
666
:aroma, the taste, and the finish.
667
:What each of those
phases are we go through.
668
:Yeah, I mean, we always
just say take notes.
669
:You know, there's a lot of things
that we could do in the kit that we
670
:didn't do where it's like, oh, do we
put a journal in there or do we put
671
:like, you know, some limestone rich
672
:Tyler: water right?
673
:Bobby: And you could dilute
it and, you know, it could, we
674
:put coffee grounds in there to.
675
:To cleanse your palate and your,
your aroma in between samples.
676
:We could, there's a lot of things that we
could have done to enhance it, but it just
677
:felt like too many bells and whistles.
678
:And also, we have a lot of people that
are new to whiskey and, and we don't
679
:want it to be overwhelming for them.
680
:Right.
681
:So the only thing that we do suggest
sometimes, so the upcoming lineup
682
:that we have in March is called Heat.
683
:Uh, it's a partnership with, uh,
Randy Sullivan from Bourbon Real Talk.
684
:Tyler: Oh yeah.
685
:Yeah.
686
:Bobby: And Randy's a good dude.
687
:And yeah, this March lineup
is just all bangers and they
688
:are all really high proof.
689
:You know, we've got a
hazmat that's in the lineup.
690
:Yeah.
691
:The last time we, we did this
was, it was all barrel picks two
692
:years ago in March, 2023, and it
was like a hundred and foolproof.
693
:And then the Southern
Star one, which was 116.
694
:Mm-hmm.
695
:The Fray one, which was 116,
and then we had a 26 year.
696
:Rye.
697
:That was 151 proof.
698
:Oh my gosh.
699
:It was actually 1 59 and
I had 'em proof it down.
700
:'cause there's some states you
can't ship to if it's above 1 53.
701
:Oh wow.
702
:So there was like a interesting
kind of curve ball with that.
703
:So that was the first time
we did Hazmat the sec.
704
:So that box was called some, like it hot.
705
:We always do kind of a, usually
a pop culture reference.
706
:Tyler: Yeah,
707
:Bobby: right.
708
:Uh, to a song or a movie.
709
:In this case Heat, you know,
where you got Pacino and De Niro.
710
:You got, yeah.
711
:Two.
712
:And so in this case it's Randy and, and
me and my guys is the Pacino De Niro.
713
:And and then obviously the heat
level that's coming from it, right?
714
:So we do suggest on, especially with
newbies, we have to like, you know,
715
:sit there and 'cause they're going to
take a sip and be like, that is like
716
:a lot of whiskey and it's gonna be,
and yes, I always say try it hot and
717
:then, you know, the whole point of
cast strength and, and barrel proof,
718
:whatever you wanna call it, whatever
marketing term you want to use is not.
719
:Well, let's put some hair on our chest
and be tough and let's know, well,
720
:let's proof it down to your liking.
721
:That's what the whole point of it is.
722
:You know, the only thing I I,
you know, you wanna mix it,
723
:you want to put ice cube in it.
724
:You wanna do whatever you want, like do a
big cube and then it evolves in the glass.
725
:That's really cool.
726
:I have a brother-in-law that like
throws crushed ice on the end.
727
:I'm like, dude, don't do
the crushed ice thing.
728
:I say, yeah, that's
729
:Tyler: different.
730
:Bobby: Yeah, bring your, bring
your Jack Daniels Tennessee honey
731
:thing and go do that with your,
with your crushed ice over there.
732
:But, uh, you know, so that's the only
thing that I kind of like would suggest.
733
:I'm like the crushed ice thing.
734
:I don't recommend that.
735
:Yeah.
736
:'cause at the end of the day,
we're not taking shots, right?
737
:Yeah.
738
:We're not rushing through this.
739
:We are we, we are I vibing in a
responsible way, but also in a, in a way
740
:that connects with the people around you.
741
:Right?
742
:Yes.
743
:This is a healthy way to approach alcohol.
744
:Tyler: Yeah.
745
:I like that.
746
:Yeah, that's one of my favorite ways
of doing it too, is I'll, I always
747
:try it without any type of water or
ice in it first, just to see what is
748
:this like straight outta the cask.
749
:And then I'll usually put a large ice
ball in it, just to have the evolution
750
:of what the taste is like as the ice
is slowly melting into the whiskey.
751
:Bobby: Yeah, it's interesting there,
you know, I wish somebody would do
752
:the, the math and the research on like.
753
:I mean, you could get into the
physics and just the, the, the
754
:melting ratio to the proof.
755
:And like I'm sure you could do a lot of
math to figure out how long is too long to
756
:be chilling with your whiskey, you know?
757
:Uh, but I usually will
proof it down a little.
758
:Like whiskey stones are
just annoying to me.
759
:Same.
760
:Yeah.
761
:You know, I saw this, it was like a
Kickstarter or something where they
762
:have a, like an electric thing that
keeps the glass cold or something.
763
:Mm-hmm.
764
:And I'm like, I like that idea.
765
:Tyler: Yeah.
766
:I can see that.
767
:If
768
:Bobby: it works, you know?
769
:Yeah, exactly Like that.
770
:There's some element that somehow
has a component that keeps, I'm sure
771
:it's really easy to keep it hot.
772
:Uh, but is there something that keeps
it cold that like I would dig something
773
:like that if some invention that actually
works you know, that or that keeps
774
:the glass chilled somehow, you know?
775
:Like, that'd be dope.
776
:That way I kind of get
the best of all worlds.
777
:Tyler: Yeah.
778
:Bobby: But I mean, everyone to each
their own, we don't you know, what
779
:we also like about Randy with Burn
Real Talk is that he's not like, I'm
780
:the professor and you're the student.
781
:It's, it's like, no, well
do what you like, you know?
782
:Mm-hmm.
783
:What are, you know, you want to, you
wanna put some Coke Zero on that After
784
:you, at the end of it, I'm like, Hey,
someone's gotta experiment with it.
785
:Right.
786
:I have a buddy that always saves a little
of each one, and then he does a, he's
787
:like, he likes to be an amateur blender.
788
:We all have that one buddy.
789
:Yep.
790
:And he likes to do a blend with,
with, with the samples that are in
791
:whatever kit it is and say whether
it was a good blend or not, you know.
792
:Tyler: Oh, that's interesting.
793
:I wouldn't have thought about doing that.
794
:Yeah.
795
:Bobby: I mean,
796
:Tyler: we
797
:Chris: have
798
:Bobby: a
799
:Tyler: lot of
800
:Chris: bottles to blend.
801
:Bobby: Yeah.
802
:Oh, and then, yeah, the single
multiple mess, anything up.
803
:So you have to be
careful with that, right?
804
:Yeah.
805
:But the, we have a tasting table.
806
:We converted the wheel into a table.
807
:And, and the wheel.
808
:Do I have one around here?
809
:No, I don't.
810
:But the, but it, it's meant to
open up your senses on what you're
811
:getting and the aroma and the
flavors and the finish and all that.
812
:And then the qr, that code then
tells you everything about.
813
:The spirit.
814
:So the age, the proof, the type of
whiskey, the aroma, the taste, the
815
:finish, the backstory, the distillery.
816
:And then, yeah, if you wanna
buy a full bottle, you can.
817
:Tyler: Nice.
818
:That's neat.
819
:So, how often are people buying like
the full bottles after they try it?
820
:Or does it really depend on how the,
the tasting goes for each person?
821
:Bobby: It really depends.
822
:You know, we, we have some members that
buy three of every bottle every time.
823
:Oh wow.
824
:They buy one to drink, one
to share, and one to save.
825
:You know, for the special releases.
826
:So that barrels pick that we did, the
small batch that we did was still Austin.
827
:Yeah.
828
:We had to limit that to one per person.
829
:Makes sense.
830
:Sense.
831
:Yeah.
832
:We sold out.
833
:You know, I was hoping it was
gonna last to six weeks in, but
834
:it lasted about three weeks and
everybody wanted a bottle of that.
835
:You know, you can always tell when
a, a lineup is really well balanced
836
:because you have an equal amount
of all the bottles being ordered.
837
:You know, you have somebody that
will get a single malt and a
838
:bourbon and, and especially when,
you know, not all single malt.
839
:People are bourbon
drinkers and vice versa.
840
:Right.
841
:So when you see somebody, a, a large
group of people that are ordering the
842
:bourbon and the single malt, that's
how you know you did something right?
843
:'cause we are going for diversity
generally in the lineup.
844
:We want there to be a
different experience.
845
:We want it to be a roller coaster.
846
:And so sometimes, you know, I'd say
the only time we kind of screwed
847
:it up, that Vermont, uh, number 14,
that has that 5% maple infusion.
848
:Yeah.
849
:That was sample A in September.
850
:And 'cause we didn't really know where
to, 'cause it was the 90 proofer.
851
:We didn't really kind of
know where to put her.
852
:92, something like that.
853
:Right.
854
:And then we had Kings County.
855
:Uh, they're straight bourbon after that.
856
:Now I love Kings County and
Kings County is awesome.
857
:Have you guys ever had Kings
County or heard of Kings County
858
:out of, uh, outta Brooklyn?
859
:Tyler: I don't think so.
860
:I haven't really heard of many out
of New York in general, to be honest.
861
:I.
862
:I mean, the girls have talked about it.
863
:Uh, I mean,
864
:Bobby: Penelope at a jersey, right?
865
:Right.
866
:Yeah.
867
:You got black button, black
button outta I think Rochester.
868
:Yeah.
869
:You know, they've been in New York, but
yeah, the, so Kings County's kinda one of
870
:the OG kind of craft distilleries, and I
love their stuff, but I gotta tell you,
871
:after that, maple and Fusion, I don't
think it shined as well as it would.
872
:So we kind of told everybody,
I'm like, look, do sample B at
873
:a later date on its own too.
874
:Don't just run it through, because
sometimes it's that juxtaposition
875
:of one versus the other, and we're
trying to make sure that it's, it's
876
:not really a competition, but we're
trying to make sure that each of.
877
:You know, the expressions are, are
shining on their own and so sometimes
878
:we are just ramping up in proof and
sometimes like single marks are, you
879
:kinda can't put them in the middle.
880
:You have to either put 'em
in the front or the back.
881
:Right.
882
:'cause it messes up the flow.
883
:Tyler: Yeah.
884
:Bobby: So, you know, there is a rhyme
and a reason and we sometimes have
885
:debates about the order and it's
usually like B and C, we know what A
886
:and D are and just trying to figure
out what those two middle ones are.
887
:Chris: Mm.
888
:Bobby: Yeah.
889
:That makes sense.
890
:Chris: I love that you guys.
891
:Put so much into this.
892
:Like it's not just a, Hey, you
know, we, we found some bottles.
893
:We think this'll taste okay.
894
:You guys go.
895
:You actually, like, the reason why
it's quarterly is because you put
896
:a lot of thought and process into
like, what makes the most sense?
897
:How can we curate this, uh,
experience for everybody new
898
:and old in the, in the business.
899
:Bobby: It's, it's a lot of
work to create a lineup.
900
:You know, just the reveal page and the
copy and working with the distilleries
901
:and, you know, there's all these freights
with all the liquid and there's, there's,
902
:it's when we, when we were starting
the company, we were gonna do whiskey
903
:every other month and we were gonna do
tequila and the off months, and then.
904
:Somebody brilliant was like,
you should just focus on whiskey
905
:'cause you're going to split the
audience and you'll fail at both.
906
:Like you're probably right and tequila
and importing it is a whole other
907
:animal that we're still cracking
and that we, we have it figured out.
908
:It's just we're trying to find
the right timing for that.
909
:But then whiskey, you know, the
whole process of what it takes, I
910
:mean, just with labels and creating
custom labels and, and getting.
911
:Certificate of label acceptance and
you know, all these legal things
912
:that actually have to happen.
913
:There's a lot of steps and it's,
it's a, it's a lengthy process.
914
:So it's not just the curation,
it's all the things that we have
915
:to do to make sure that the lineup
happens and that it syncs up.
916
:So it's, it's almost like we're doing the,
you know, four releases every quarter.
917
:'cause each one is its own deal and
every distillery operates differently.
918
:And so getting that timing to sync up.
919
:You know, every now and again,
we'll have one that falls out
920
:right as we get close to a release.
921
:And we always have kind of one
in the wings just ready to go in
922
:case something like that happens.
923
:And so we're, we're always kind
of, we, we've always been on
924
:time with all of our shipments.
925
:We're, we're you know, our bottling
partners bottling all this week.
926
:The packaging will be
all the week after that.
927
:And then we get it to fulfillment
partners and we get everything out.
928
:So the idea is that if
you have a friend or a.
929
:You know, sister or mother or
father, you know, a coworker or
930
:somebody that's in another state.
931
:Everyone gets that same
lineup at that same time.
932
:Tyler: Mm-hmm.
933
:Bobby: So, you know, we always say
great whiskey's meant to be shared.
934
:Right.
935
:And that's really, you know, once
again, the, the whiskey community, the
936
:heart of the whiskey community is, is,
well, let's not sit around and have
937
:this goal of getting really drunk.
938
:No, let's sit around and make
connections with other people,
939
:whether it's our members, whether
it's our members making it.
940
:When we do our lives we'll have.
941
:Several people on the live
where there's, you know, 4, 5,
942
:6 people on just that one zoom.
943
:So we might have a hundred people
in the Zoom, but there's really
944
:like 200 'cause there's a lot
of couples that do it together.
945
:Oh yeah.
946
:You know, there's a lot of, and it's
great 'cause a lot of times the.
947
:People think that all whiskey
drinkers are men, and that's not true.
948
:30% of bourbon drinkers are women.
949
:Tyler: Oh, wow.
950
:Bobby: And, but a lot of times women
will buy our product for their husband
951
:and then they end up doing it with them.
952
:Yeah.
953
:And, and it, and it can make, you
know, your relationship stronger,
954
:you know, to think, oh, I think
my wife would like whiskey.
955
:And then it turns out Yeah, it's,
it's, we're not a whiskey brand.
956
:We're a whiskey experience.
957
:Right.
958
:Yeah.
959
:Ah, yeah.
960
:That's good.
961
:And, and that whole concept and
yeah, sometimes, we'll, we will have.
962
:Uh, a brand that I think the
most accessible of a brand that
963
:we ever had was Three Chord.
964
:Tyler: Mm.
965
:Mm-hmm.
966
:Oh
967
:Bobby: yeah, I know that one.
968
:Uh, which is, uh, Neil Alto's
it's Pat Penit guitar's husband.
969
:He's a guitar player for Pat Pinar.
970
:That's right.
971
:Yeah.
972
:And so three court is, is in a lot
of states it's fairly accessible.
973
:Yeah.
974
:But we did their strange collaboration,
which, uh, his daughter was dating
975
:Johnny Strange, who was this Daredevil.
976
:And their family had a winery and
they, they used their cabernet
977
:barrels to finish the whiskey.
978
:So there was a cool story there.
979
:Yeah.
980
:Johnny Strange actually passed away during
one of his crazy things he was doing.
981
:So it was a way to kind of, uh, the
families to kind of pay respect for each
982
:other through this thing that kind of
lived you know, in the wake of his death.
983
:So.
984
:You know, there's a story behind every
single whiskey that's in the lineup.
985
:And for me that's, you know, the, the
hard thing is sometimes there's a great
986
:story and there's not great whiskey.
987
:Yeah.
988
:You know, I mean, we get, you
know, tons of bottles sent to us
989
:and I make blinds for my guys.
990
:And you know, I, that's the
irony of my role is that I
991
:never get to do blinds anymore.
992
:Right.
993
:That good point.
994
:So I, I do have a couple members that
now send me blinds, which is really cool.
995
:Tyler: Oh, that's neat.
996
:Bobby: You know, or I'll
come onto their YouTube.
997
:Thing.
998
:And you know, they got 10 subscribers
and I'll just come and do the live
999
:with them and just 'cause I like, I'm
like, I never get to do blinds anymore.
:
00:36:04,016 --> 00:36:04,256
Right.
:
00:36:04,256 --> 00:36:04,526
Tyler: Yeah.
:
00:36:04,956 --> 00:36:06,786
Bobby: So it's, it's the way
that I get to still kind of
:
00:36:06,786 --> 00:36:07,866
have a little bit of fun too.
:
00:36:08,556 --> 00:36:08,946
Tyler: Sweet.
:
00:36:09,036 --> 00:36:09,486
I like that.
:
00:36:09,666 --> 00:36:12,366
So since you are kind of coming up on
our time now already there is a question
:
00:36:12,366 --> 00:36:15,816
we like to ask all of our guests,
and that is, if you were to tell your
:
00:36:15,816 --> 00:36:17,706
younger self one thing, what would it be?
:
00:36:20,096 --> 00:36:20,546
Bobby: Wow.
:
00:36:20,936 --> 00:36:21,356
Okay.
:
00:36:21,446 --> 00:36:24,236
So like, like I'm Marty
McFly, I'm going back in time.
:
00:36:24,296 --> 00:36:24,536
Yeah.
:
00:36:25,256 --> 00:36:26,906
You know, my mom's baby trying to date me.
:
00:36:26,911 --> 00:36:27,101
Tyler: Yeah.
:
00:36:28,946 --> 00:36:29,516
Bobby: Uh,
:
00:36:31,576 --> 00:36:33,107
to remember to enjoy the hard days.
:
00:36:34,126 --> 00:36:34,336
Tyler: Hmm.
:
00:36:34,396 --> 00:36:37,246
Bobby: This was advice somebody gave
me before I was making a documentary
:
00:36:37,246 --> 00:36:40,876
that was really difficult to make and,
uh, it's something that I still think
:
00:36:40,876 --> 00:36:45,366
about when there's really difficult
days that when you're faced with
:
00:36:45,726 --> 00:36:49,326
something that feels insurmountable and
you eventually get through it and you
:
00:36:49,326 --> 00:36:51,396
look back on those times with pride.
:
00:36:51,846 --> 00:36:55,716
So it's so easy to get swept up
and to be overwhelmed in these
:
00:36:56,106 --> 00:36:59,316
times that are difficult or these
days that are difficult that.
:
00:36:59,976 --> 00:37:03,486
Just part of you has to remember to
enjoy it while you're in the moment
:
00:37:03,486 --> 00:37:08,106
of difficulty because it is gonna
be either a lesson you learn from
:
00:37:08,106 --> 00:37:10,626
failure or it's gonna be a point of
pride where you're gonna grow from
:
00:37:10,626 --> 00:37:11,736
going through something difficult.
:
00:37:11,736 --> 00:37:17,316
So I don't know if I would listen,
but when my buddy told me that,
:
00:37:17,376 --> 00:37:20,856
uh, you know, I was at the right
age to be receptive of it, so.
:
00:37:20,856 --> 00:37:20,946
Right.
:
00:37:20,946 --> 00:37:21,036
Good.
:
00:37:21,786 --> 00:37:22,146
Tyler: That's awesome.
:
00:37:22,146 --> 00:37:22,596
I love that.
:
00:37:22,596 --> 00:37:23,646
Chris: I don't think
we've had that one before.
:
00:37:23,646 --> 00:37:24,276
That's really good.
:
00:37:24,336 --> 00:37:24,606
Yeah.
:
00:37:25,146 --> 00:37:27,516
So I have two final questions.
:
00:37:28,296 --> 00:37:32,916
One super simple kind of, uh, what
does success look like for you?
:
00:37:33,456 --> 00:37:36,336
Uh, whether it be with blind
barrels or just personally,
:
00:37:37,686 --> 00:37:39,726
Bobby: uh, you know, the success
always starts with the home.
:
00:37:39,726 --> 00:37:43,206
So if my, my wife and my kids
are happy, then I'm happy.
:
00:37:43,206 --> 00:37:45,726
So they're, they're my big rocks.
:
00:37:45,756 --> 00:37:46,926
You know, if you've ever heard of, uh.
:
00:37:47,571 --> 00:37:49,041
The expression what the big rocks are.
:
00:37:49,131 --> 00:37:49,221
Yeah.
:
00:37:49,221 --> 00:37:52,191
You know, this guy has this container
and he puts in big rocks and then he
:
00:37:52,191 --> 00:37:55,701
puts in these, these pebbles, and then
he puts in the sand and is it full?
:
00:37:55,821 --> 00:37:58,131
And then he pours in the
water and it's still not full.
:
00:37:58,311 --> 00:38:01,671
And the reality is, is what makes
that possible is that you gotta
:
00:38:01,671 --> 00:38:02,841
put in your big rocks first.
:
00:38:02,841 --> 00:38:04,461
So my family is my big rock.
:
00:38:04,811 --> 00:38:05,891
You know, I put them first.
:
00:38:05,913 --> 00:38:07,653
And those are always on
the forefront of my mind.
:
00:38:08,416 --> 00:38:10,816
But you know, I always feel
success is a choice because
:
00:38:10,816 --> 00:38:12,496
it's about perception, right?
:
00:38:12,501 --> 00:38:12,551
Mm-hmm.
:
00:38:13,726 --> 00:38:13,727
And.
:
00:38:13,727 --> 00:38:17,621
I think, you know, when you, you get
into the concept of where you're not
:
00:38:17,621 --> 00:38:20,321
where you want to be yet, and you
don't have gratitude for where you've
:
00:38:20,561 --> 00:38:24,341
come from, that I try to take a moment
each week and carve out a moment
:
00:38:24,341 --> 00:38:28,361
to have gratitude and be thankful
because I think if I would look, I.
:
00:38:28,516 --> 00:38:31,336
From three, four years ago when this
started to where we are now, I would be
:
00:38:31,336 --> 00:38:32,926
super grateful that we're where we are.
:
00:38:33,286 --> 00:38:35,056
And now I'm thinking about
where we want to take the
:
00:38:35,056 --> 00:38:36,436
company and we're not there yet.
:
00:38:36,496 --> 00:38:36,856
Tyler: Yeah, right.
:
00:38:37,206 --> 00:38:39,756
Bobby: And there's that expression,
comparisons, the thief of joy.
:
00:38:39,756 --> 00:38:43,266
We all get caught up into it
and, and no one else cares.
:
00:38:43,266 --> 00:38:43,326
I.
:
00:38:43,381 --> 00:38:45,841
About your success or your failure
that much except for the people
:
00:38:45,841 --> 00:38:47,641
that really love you and the people
that are really rooting for you.
:
00:38:48,031 --> 00:38:51,661
So for me, success is really
about perception and gratitude.
:
00:38:51,661 --> 00:38:55,171
So right now because we're thriving
and we're growing and we're doing all
:
00:38:55,171 --> 00:38:58,871
these things and we're expanding yeah,
I, you know, rather than thinking
:
00:38:58,871 --> 00:39:01,841
I'm not where we want to be at, I'm
super grateful for where we are.
:
00:39:01,841 --> 00:39:04,271
And that mindset will allow
us to get to the other goals.
:
00:39:04,571 --> 00:39:04,841
Chris: Nice.
:
00:39:05,141 --> 00:39:05,381
Bobby: You're right.
:
00:39:05,381 --> 00:39:05,831
I love it.
:
00:39:06,281 --> 00:39:09,641
Chris: So, last one, for those
who don't already subscribe,
:
00:39:10,061 --> 00:39:11,201
uh, it's a blind barrels or.
:
00:39:11,731 --> 00:39:13,141
Just wanna keep up with you guys.
:
00:39:13,351 --> 00:39:15,181
Uh, where can they find you?
:
00:39:16,261 --> 00:39:18,571
Bobby: Uh, so you can follow us
on Instagram at Blind Barrels.
:
00:39:18,571 --> 00:39:21,391
That's also our TikTok, that's
also our YouTube, right?
:
00:39:21,391 --> 00:39:22,441
So we locked them all up.
:
00:39:22,621 --> 00:39:25,231
In fact, if you looked up blind barrels
before your company, it was just a lot
:
00:39:25,231 --> 00:39:27,931
of blind people surfing Seven barrels.
:
00:39:27,931 --> 00:39:30,631
It was like 20 videos
of blind people surfing.
:
00:39:30,631 --> 00:39:31,171
Barrels.
:
00:39:31,171 --> 00:39:31,172
Barrels.
:
00:39:31,641 --> 00:39:32,421
And so.
:
00:39:32,871 --> 00:39:36,441
You go to blind barrels and look, if
you use the Code Whiskey 10, uh, you
:
00:39:36,441 --> 00:39:39,771
can get 10% off of anything, whether
it's merchandise, whether it's a one
:
00:39:39,771 --> 00:39:43,821
off box, if you just wanna try a box,
uh, before you jump into a subscriber.
:
00:39:43,821 --> 00:39:47,991
But if you wanna get 10% off an annual
or quarterly and any new member.
:
00:39:48,086 --> 00:39:51,596
For quarter of your annual, we always
send you a custom tasting glass Oh, nice.
:
00:39:51,596 --> 00:39:52,376
With your first kit.
:
00:39:52,796 --> 00:39:55,706
And, uh, and our tasting glasses are
really thick, so they're kind of like
:
00:39:55,706 --> 00:39:57,566
got a restaurant quality element to it.
:
00:39:57,566 --> 00:39:59,816
So a lot of tasting glasses
are very, you know, you knock
:
00:39:59,816 --> 00:40:00,746
'em over and you shatter them.
:
00:40:00,746 --> 00:40:01,256
You right.
:
00:40:01,256 --> 00:40:04,256
These ones are a little thicker than
normally threw a lot of glass in there to
:
00:40:04,256 --> 00:40:05,726
just make sure there was some heft to it.
:
00:40:05,726 --> 00:40:05,816
Nice.
:
00:40:06,226 --> 00:40:09,076
But yeah, you can check out blind
barrels and, uh, you know, if you hit
:
00:40:09,076 --> 00:40:12,556
up our support email, you're gonna get
me you know, all our members have my
:
00:40:12,556 --> 00:40:16,366
cell phone so that they can shoot me
suggestions on distilleries in their area.
:
00:40:16,366 --> 00:40:16,396
I.
:
00:40:16,829 --> 00:40:19,589
I think September we're gonna try
to make a members only kit where
:
00:40:19,829 --> 00:40:22,559
it's gonna be all suggestions from
members that end up in the Oh, nice.
:
00:40:22,949 --> 00:40:23,369
That'd be cool.
:
00:40:23,424 --> 00:40:27,119
So, so we're trying to create different
themes like that and, uh, and yeah, we're
:
00:40:27,119 --> 00:40:30,539
working on another partnership with Fred
Minick you know, for later this year.
:
00:40:30,539 --> 00:40:33,039
So, that's gonna be
another fun one for sure.
:
00:40:33,489 --> 00:40:33,879
Chris: Awesome.
:
00:40:34,119 --> 00:40:34,479
Tyler: Sweet.
:
00:40:34,749 --> 00:40:37,629
This episode hasn't come out yet,
but we just interviewed one of the
:
00:40:37,629 --> 00:40:41,409
wholesalers of Liberty in P Plenty,
which is outta Durham, North Carolina.
:
00:40:41,889 --> 00:40:42,009
So.
:
00:40:42,629 --> 00:40:44,489
There's a nice, there's another
one for you if you need it.
:
00:40:45,149 --> 00:40:45,539
Well, no,
:
00:40:45,539 --> 00:40:46,289
Bobby: send, send them.
:
00:40:46,289 --> 00:40:47,189
Send them our way.
:
00:40:47,219 --> 00:40:50,309
'cause that's the thing is if it
holds up in a blind, you know, and
:
00:40:50,309 --> 00:40:53,099
especially, you know, craft's great
because they're doing all the things.
:
00:40:53,849 --> 00:40:57,359
They, they set the trends, you
know, oh, they're taking chances.
:
00:40:57,419 --> 00:40:59,339
You know, you got guys like Alan Bishop.
:
00:40:59,339 --> 00:41:02,064
That was out of French Lick that
now started old homestead and he's
:
00:41:02,064 --> 00:41:05,784
putting Kasha and he's doing like,
he's doing all sorts of weird grains
:
00:41:05,784 --> 00:41:09,264
and he's putting, he's doing a four
grain that has oats in it and or he'll
:
00:41:09,264 --> 00:41:12,384
say buckwheat 'cause buckwheat's,
there's 2% in all the rye has buck.
:
00:41:12,384 --> 00:41:16,014
Wheat is, so, he puts it as part of
Nashville, you know, so, so the craft
:
00:41:16,104 --> 00:41:19,584
movement is, is shaping the future
and they have been for a while.
:
00:41:19,584 --> 00:41:22,594
So, you know, the people that are doing
the weird and interesting and awesome
:
00:41:22,594 --> 00:41:24,364
things are all coming from craft.
:
00:41:24,364 --> 00:41:26,554
So any suggestion that comes through.
:
00:41:27,234 --> 00:41:30,534
You know, we're obviously very
open-minded and I'll put it in a
:
00:41:30,534 --> 00:41:31,944
blind and we'll put it to the test.
:
00:41:32,124 --> 00:41:32,274
Chris: Cool.
:
00:41:32,274 --> 00:41:32,604
Tyler: Sweet.
:
00:41:32,724 --> 00:41:33,084
Chris: Love it.
:
00:41:33,264 --> 00:41:33,684
Love it.
:
00:41:34,194 --> 00:41:37,464
Thank you so much for taking the
time outta your busy day, uh,
:
00:41:37,524 --> 00:41:38,904
'cause Oh, I appreciate you guys.
:
00:41:38,909 --> 00:41:39,819
Thank playing me on.
:
00:41:39,894 --> 00:41:40,524
Thank you.
:
00:41:40,864 --> 00:41:45,244
But yeah, I, and for those who
are watching, uh, check out.
:
00:41:46,204 --> 00:41:50,554
What happens afterwards when me and Tyler
record us trying to, trying our blind
:
00:41:50,864 --> 00:41:55,964
and seeing how horribly wrong we are
when it comes to guessing these things.
:
00:41:55,969 --> 00:41:56,089
Bobby: I know.
:
00:41:56,174 --> 00:41:57,284
I can't wait to listen to that one.
:
00:41:57,374 --> 00:41:57,464
Right.
:
00:41:57,464 --> 00:41:59,744
You guys should, you know, 'cause
the kit that you have isn't
:
00:42:00,044 --> 00:42:02,354
gamified yet, so I would guess.
:
00:42:02,729 --> 00:42:08,579
Uh, age proof, uh, type of
whiskey and uh, bottle price.
:
00:42:08,639 --> 00:42:09,239
Tyler: Okay.
:
00:42:09,239 --> 00:42:09,749
Okay, perfect.
:
00:42:09,839 --> 00:42:10,739
We'll definitely do that.
:
00:42:10,769 --> 00:42:11,429
We'll make it fun, creative,
:
00:42:11,429 --> 00:42:14,849
Bobby: a scoring system, maybe put
something on, put some stakes on the line.
:
00:42:15,029 --> 00:42:15,659
Oh, I can do that.
:
00:42:15,719 --> 00:42:16,469
Tyler: We'll definitely do that.
:
00:42:17,189 --> 00:42:17,309
Awesome.
:
00:42:17,309 --> 00:42:18,419
You might even put stakes on the line.
:
00:42:18,569 --> 00:42:20,554
Yeah, actually stakes on the line.
:
00:42:20,984 --> 00:42:21,474
Bobby: Exactly.
:
00:42:22,829 --> 00:42:23,129
Awesome.
:
00:42:23,129 --> 00:42:23,699
Well thanks guys.
:
00:42:23,699 --> 00:42:24,359
Thanks for having me on.
:
00:42:24,359 --> 00:42:24,929
Appreciate you.
:
00:42:25,019 --> 00:42:25,889
Thank you so much, Bobby.
:
00:42:25,949 --> 00:42:26,369
Cheers.
:
00:42:26,369 --> 00:42:26,819
Cheers.
:
00:42:26,999 --> 00:42:27,359
Cheers.