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Sal Chavez has adapted beautifully to shut down. Despite all of the challenges in launching a brand during COVID, he finds a way to bring his Michoacán Mezcal, La Luna, to the lips of many. It’s no wonder that he continues to bring amazing products to the hospitality industry because he grew up in it. We chat basketball, music, and returning to your roots.

Jesse Hubbard has been a cocktail slinging, ex-moshing, creator for his entire life, but like many, has really dove into his passions during shutdown. With a background in radio, production, and bartending, where does the passion go when you can’t be behind the bar? Pairing punk rock with cocktails seems like a no-brainer, but Jesse finally articulated it with his new book Punk Rock and Cocktails, where he pays homage to his roots and nods to his future. We chat New Jersey, KROQ, pit camaraderie, and more.

Ryan Perry is the master blender for Heaven’s Door whiskey. The collaborative project with Bob Dylan is one of many in Ryan’s career. With his sights set on big city opportunity as a kid living in rural Michigan, the goals kept getting bigger, and the achievements more vast. We chat being present, retirement (or lack thereof), and blending whiskey with your sense of smell.

Ismael Gomez, founder of Laika Spirits, has brought some of the rarest and delicious spirits into the States. From a love of Sotol with Flor Del Desierto, Cruz de Fuego Mezcal, or Tuxca with Balancan, his affinity for the esoteric and seemingly unattainable flavors allow us to taste them en masse. But what makes this expanding catalog of spirits function, how have things changed in shutdown, and will Ismael every stop and lounge on a beach someday? We chat, GDL, college, laws, and fear.