Episode 44: Catoctin Creek feat. Scott Harris

Pour a glass, settle into your favorite chair, and join us with our special guest, Joe Beatrice of Barrell Craft Spirits. 

Steve The Smoky Beast sits down with Jay Jadot of Armagnac.blog to talk about the meaning of life, obsession, and all things Armagnac. Jay is a writer after our own hearts who sees the beauty, irony, idiosyncrasy, and madness of becoming obsessed with a spirit and then trying to document your experience. He's also creating one of the best references out there for all many brands, bottlers, domaines, and vintages of Armagnac. *Warning this is a pretty wonky "deep in the weeds" discussion, but for your Armaganc lovers we dive into some of our favorite bottles and share the experience of discovering a new spirit.

 

It's been a long while since the Beasts were able to gather in full pack formation for a live barrel picking event, but we couldn't have been happier to sit down with our guests in the new Beast Lair in NYC to pick this barrel with Knob Creek Brand Ambassador, Allie Klug. 

The beasts sit down with Zhana Londoner from the Brooklyn-based spanish food market Mercado Central and Nic Palazzi from PM Spirits (exclusive importers of L'Encantada Armagnac) to talk about pairing tapas with unique hand crafted French & Spanish spirits.

Some spirits are not meant to be sipped in a vacuum. They're meant to be paired with rich, spicy, and delicious foods! We recreate the bar scene from San Sebastian in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain where they serve boquerones with Cognac-infused grape juice, Iberian Jamon with Armagnac Vin Mute, and cheese with cidre eau-de-vie. And we wrap up with dessert - chocolate paired with Armagnac D'Esperance!

In one of the most random and amazing trips of our lives, the intrepid Beast Masters Club heads to the Gascony region of France and meets Jean-Phillippe from Domaine de Charron.

In a sheer act of blind faith, four faithful Beast Masters follow your's truly The Smoky Beast on an adventure through Armagnac country. In this first of three half-hour podcasts, we deplane to discover tiny french automobiles, missing Chateaux, a very old part of the world, and a great new friend who makes some of the most incredible Armagnac we've ever tasted!

The first Beast Masters Club Armagnac barrel was a 1988 Domaine de Léberon, which we released in 2018 at 30 years old. It was a game-changer for us and many other folks in the whiskey game, showing how Armagnac could compete in terms of flavor with our favorite bourbons and ryes. Right now in our shop (www.beastmastersclub.com/shop), you can pick up a 1994 Léberon single cask that mirrors much of what we loved about that original 30-year. When we heard that the latest generation of Armagnac-makers Caroline Rozes and her husband Roman were in New York, we were lucky enough to persuade them to join us at the Beast Lair for a super informative and fun podcast. We talk about the Armagnac region, the multi-generational family estates of Léberon and Aurensan, their completely traditional and organic techniques of farming and distilling that create these brilliant spirits, and even an old-fashioned French country romance!

Steve the SmokyBeast is joined in his dining room by friends new and old - L’Encantada Armagnac aficionados Vincent Cornu and Frédéric Chappe, and self-proclaimed spirit nerd Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits. 

Calling all beastly francophiles - this episode is for you. 

Steve the Smoky Beast (and self-proclaimed CEO of Beast Masters Club) is joined at home by Eric Kaye and Maura Gedid, spirit experts at the hilt of Holmes Cay Single Cask Rum. They sample their way around the world with a vast array of easy sippers and beasts. 

Clinking and slurping sounds abound - the sure sign of a good time, if you ask us. 

Watch out for this drop on Friday, beasts and beavers. You don’t wanna miss it.