Blast from the Caste with Lagralane Spirits Production Team
Release Date: 06/29/2022
In the Spirit of Bourbon: Cyndi Gatterdam & Chris Grecco
Lagralane Spirits
We reconnect with Jason’s long-time friend, Cyndi Gatterdam, and her husband, Chris Grecco. Cyndi has 20+ years experience in the bourbon industry, currently serving as the District Sales Manager at Republic National Distributing. In classic “Cocktail Confession” fashion, Jason and Yvonne discuss how bourbon has become an integral part of culture, a symbol of identity, and a bridge between generations. In this episode, we enjoy homemade cocktails by Jason – self-dubbed the “Best At-Home Bartender in Studio City.” The sounds of Jason making another round of drinks, setting...
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In the Spirit of Bourbon: Castle & Key
Lagralane Spirits
In this episode, Jason and Yvonne take listeners on a trip through the grounds of the Old Taylor Distillery – a historic site that was abandoned for over 30 years before Castle and Key brought it back to life in 2018. At the time of our visit, our lovable guest and guide, Valerie (Val) Colella, was Castle & Key’s Single Barrel Specialist and National Brand Ambassador. Join us as we explore the castle-inspired architecture, the rich history of bourbon-making, and the untold stories of the women and enslaved individuals who shaped the industry. As you listen to this episode, you’ll...
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In the Spirit of Bourbon: Brough Brothers
Lagralane Spirits
What does it take to break into an industry that hasn’t made room for you? For Victor Yarbrough and his brothers, the answer is clear: a whole lot of grit, a little bit of chemistry, and an unshakable commitment to their community. In this episode, we sit down with Victor, one-third of the trio behind Brough Brothers Distillery — one of the only Black-owned distilleries in Kentucky. In the Spirit of Bourbon: Brough Brothers was recorded in 2024. You know what that means? Any Bourbon releasing “this year” …is available now. So pour yourself a glass of Brough Brothers — this is one...
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In the Spirit of Bourbon: LIVE with Rob Beatty of the Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild
Lagralane Spirits
In this special episode, we chatted LIVE with Rob Beatty, Founder of the Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild — a groundbreaking initiative to preserve hidden histories, promote inclusivity, and celebrate the legacy of African Americans in bourbon culture. Rob was instrumental in the making of Lagralane Spirits Season 3. He connected us to several incredible guests this season and guided us through Louisville and Lexington’s rich Bourbon culture. It was a delight to pick Rob’s brain again. So please pour a glass of your favorite Bourbon and hear from a multi-faceted entrepreneur who is...
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In the Spirit of Bourbon: Woodford Reserve
Lagralane Spirits
In this episode, we meet with Elizabeth McCall, the Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve, who leads a tasting that feels more like an art class than a lesson in Bourbon. Elizabeth shows us how pairing curated foods with Bourbon releases new flavors. And together, we experience how pairing a few good stories with Bourbon can unlock an unforgettable conversation. Our greatest takeaway? Bourbon is more than a drink — it’s a way to explore identity and history. This episode also features the voices and palettes of our dear friend, Cyndi Gatterdam and our Producing Team. We hope...
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A Special Message About Season 3
Lagralane Spirits
Jason and Yvonne share a quick message about this special season of Lagralane Spirits.
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FOOD: Creating Connection Through Story with Chef B.B. Huff
Lagralane Spirits
Is food central or trivial to the formation of identity? In our final episode of the season, hosts Jason and Yvonne Lee welcome Yvonne’s sister, Chef B.B. Huff to the show. Chef Huff left the corporate world to begin her own company, , which is a boutique catering firm specializing in storytelling through food. In this episode, these three bring food into the story of our lives. They ask questions like how do we use ingredients and dishes to tell a story? How does art and the story of food connect us to the past? What is food’s role in preserving culture? This spirited...
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ACTION: Re-framing and Reclaiming the Narrative with Nambi E. Kelley
Lagralane Spirits
How do we personally take action to shift the narrative? With an energetic calm that is both inspiring and soothing, playwright/actor/producer Nambi E. Kelley (Native Son, Re-Memori, Jabari Dreams of Freedom) joins hosts Jason and Yvonne Lee for a discussion about how we take action to shift the narrative from one that is exclusive and often incorrect, to one that is authentic to ourselves and our stories. Knowing that small change can make a tidal wave of change, these three discuss their personal journeys as examples of how they have individually taken action to change the...
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Creating Access Through Film with Angela C. Lee
Lagralane Spirits
Why is film such an important medium for creating access? How can we use empathy to expand vision? Hosts Jason and Yvonne Lee share a moment with Spirit Award nominated producer (Songs My Brothers Taught Me), Angela C. Lee who also is the Associtate Director of Artist Development at Film Independent. By examining the ecosystem of filmmaking and producing, these three discuss the larger notion that access to “Hollywood” doesn’t come just because we deserve it. They explore how we can find (or even create) traction within a film system by showing myopic gatekeepers the capability of...
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Blast from the Caste with Lagralane Spirits Production Team
Lagralane Spirits
Can we move away from caste to create a more equitable society? How do we understand racism by looking at caste and class? Pull up a seat and join us for a special roundtable episode with the Lagralane Team. Using the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson as a source of exploration, we help define what caste is, and discuss how race has become the basis of our caste system in the United States. We also talk about how caste affects each of us personally – and what we can do to bring about meaningful change. Through the lens of...
info_outlineCan we move away from caste to create a more equitable society? How do we understand racism by looking at caste and class?
Pull up a seat and join us for a special roundtable episode with the Lagralane Team.
Using the book Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson as a source of exploration, we help define what caste is, and discuss how race has become the basis of our caste system in the United States. We also talk about how caste affects each of us personally – and what we can do to bring about meaningful change.
Through the lens of our multi-ethnic and multi-generational Lagralane Team, we seek to answer the question: can we move away from caste to create a more equitable society?
How can we be the guardians of truth?
Our team has a myriad of perspectives rooted in being adopted, Black, Asian, White, mixed-race, male, female, fluid and beyond … we are representative of America and we have also lived the experiences presented in Caste. We know first-hand that we’re all living in a time of discontent created by generations before us. While sipping The Comeuppance cocktail, knowing the task before us is huge, we also ask how can we make change? How can we live today so that healing can begin for so many? How do we share the task of being guardians of truth?
For more spirited discussions, make sure to subscribe to the podcast.
And if you’ve enjoyed thinking and cocktailing along with us, we’d love for you to leave us a review.
Cheers … and Please Drink Responsibly!
Links:
Guests:
The Lagralane Team
(in alphabetical order)
Peppur Chambers-Soraci -
https://www.instagram.com/peppurthehotone/
AJ Dinsmore -
https://writers.coverfly.com/profile/Amanda-Joy-Dinsmore https://www.instagram.com/aj.dinsmore
Courtney Oliphant -
https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtney-oliphant-6546818a/
https://www.instagram.com/cori_anne92/?hl=en,
Matthew Soraci -
https://www.facebook.com/matthew.soraci
Mentions:
Caste:The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/653196/caste-oprahs-book-club-by-isabel-wilkerson/
The Gilded Age
https://www.hbo.com/the-gilded-age
The Myth of the Model Minority: Asian Americans Facing Racism by Rosalind S. Chou, Joe R. Feagin
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-myth-of-the-model-minority-rosalind-s-chou/1124310184
Model Minority Myth
https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/what-is-the-model-minority-myth
How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America
by Clint Smith
https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/clint-smith/how-the-word-is-passed/9780316492935/
Belonging - Ben McBride
The Ideal Bartender by Tom Bullock
https://punchdrink.com/articles/tom-bollock-and-the-forgotten-legacy-of-african-american-bartenders/
https://euvs-vintage-cocktail-books.cld.bz/1917-The-Ideal-Bartender-by-Tom-Bullock/IV/
Additional Links + Special thanks to:
Podcast Haven - https://thepodcasthaven.com/
Liam E. Allen (original music) - @Liamea97
Cocktail Recipe: The Comeuppance
Jason renamed the Bizzy Izzy to “The Comeuppance” to fit the conversation around Caste in this episode. Although many believe it is “un-American” to challenge hateful and hurtful tropes or to demand reparations from the past 250+ years, that is exactly what we should be doing right now.
The Bizzy Izzy is a classic drink by an African American bartender in St. Louis from 100 years ago named Tom Bullock, who included this cocktail in his book, “The Ideal Bartender.”
1oz fresh pineapple juice (Dole or fresh)
1oz sherry (Lustau)
1 oz templeton rye whiskey (Templeton)
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
¾ simple syrup
A couple dashes (or more) of angostura bitters
1 oz chilled club soda
Lemon wheel garnish
Shake and pour into a highball glass.