Episode 298 - Above the Clouds with Charles Joly

In Part 2 of my high-flying conversation with Charles Joly, some of the topics we discuss include:

• The 2014 Diageo World Class win that elevated Charles to global bartending celebrity, and the story of the innovative cocktail that put him in the winner’s circle.

• The importance of timing in cocktail builds and presentation and how effective manipulation of timing can play on a guest’s anticipation, which Charles refers to as a “6th sense.”

• The genesis of Crafthouse Cocktails, a ready-to-drink cocktail brand that has its roots way back in 2013, at time when most people viewed the RTD category as either a non-sequiter or a complete heresy.

• We cover what the very early RTD landscape looked like, how Charles and his team went about designing canned beverage that actually taste like a real cocktail, the decision to partner with leading spirits brands, and even Crafthouse’s recent placement on United Airlines.

• We wrap the conversation by discussing some of Charles' other favorite projects, like Cayman Cookout with chef Eric Ripert, his own line of custom barware, and even his online vintage store side hustle.

• Along the way, we cover Charles’ most important tips for succeeding in a cocktail competition, why Crafthouse opted for a Paloma over a Margarita in their RTD portfolio, a maximalist itinerary for a full day of eating and drinking your way through Chicago’s culinary gems, and much, much more.