[00:00:10] Ray Latif: Hello, and thanks for tuning in to Taste Radio, the number one podcast for The Good and beverage industry. I'm Ray Latif, the editor and producer of Taste Radio, and I'm with my co-hosts for the podcast, John Craven, Mike Schneider, and Jacqui Brugliera. In this episode, we sit down with Emma Walker, the Master Blender for Johnnie Walker, for a 10-pack of questions about her trailblazing role And The future of the iconic Scotch whisky brand. Just a reminder to our listeners, if you like what you hear on Taste Radio, please share the podcast with friends and colleagues. And of course, we would love it if you could review us on the Apple Podcasts app or your listening platform of choice. You guys know that today, the day of this recording, it's National Beer Day. Now, I know we've talked about these brand or product holidays in the past, in past episodes, but National Beer Day is, I think, something really that we should all celebrate, especially given that we write and talk a lot about it.
[00:01:12] John Craven: I have an athletic on my desk, so I've started early drinking a beer.
[00:01:16] Ray Latif: Nicely done, Jackie. And you're really starting early because it's 10 30 on the West 10 30 a.m. Yeah, West Coast was athletic.
[00:01:24] John Craven: That's allowed.
[00:01:25] Ray Latif: You can have athletic anytime, you know, have it for breakfast, lunch, halftime. We like it at halftime, right, Jackie?
[00:01:31] John Craven: Mm hmm.
[00:01:33] Ray Latif: So this might be a little controversial, but I have some friends who love athletic And The're big, big fans. Everyone's a big fan of athletic, but they swear that after two or three, they're feeling a bit of a buzz, which I don't believe. But, uh, I don't know, Jack, have you ever felt the buzz? Totally, right?
[00:01:51] SPEAKER_??: Yeah.
[00:01:52] John Craven: I've never felt a buzz. I feel like people say the same about kombucha. I think it's a placebo thing.
[00:01:57] Ray Latif: I agree. Yeah, I feel like it's supposed to happen, and you're waiting for it to happen, And The it doesn't, and so you can kind of trick yourself into it, or you just probably had something else. Well, I think in kombucha's case, it probably was true, at least back in the day, when there was a little less regulation And The category, so yeah. Well, National Beer Day for me is Guinness. It might as well be National Guinness Day. That's pretty much most of the beer I drink these days. Guinness, draft, stout. This is the OG And The one and only for me. Although, you know, what's interesting is I recently got to try the new non-alcoholic Guinness, which comes in a similar looking can, although it's tinted with this blue color on the top and bottom, And The it has the blue zero in the middle as well to make it clear to consumers that this is a non-alcoholic variety. Some people have hated on this, but I actually think it's pretty darn good. And not for what it is. I think it's just pretty darn good, period. It definitely gives that same cascading flow head as you would expect from a full calorie, full alcohol Guinness. But remember, Guinness is low calorie, so it's not as hard to mimic the flavor of something that's low calorie with something lower calorie. So, I mean, Guinness is an achievement, man. I mean, that is a well-crafted beer. You think you're drinking a cheeseburger, but you're not. Do you guys ever get to try the Nitro cold brew Guinness? John Craven?
[00:03:32] Mike Schneider: I don't think I did. I don't really care for Guinness that much, so. Oh, blasphemy! Oh my gosh. I feel like I'm in Bizarro Land with Ray. Ray loves Guinness. He's a Guinness, Super Guinness fan.
[00:03:46] Ray Latif: Super Guinness fan.
[00:03:48] John Craven: I've been converted into a Guinness fan, just being around a bunch of Irish people. Uh, so playing Gaelic sports, I have to like Guinness. And I feel like as soon as all of these products drop, they have them ready for me to try. So I've tried all of The Bad I love all of them. Definitely converted. I think just being in the environment and feeling their love for their Guinness just makes me love it too.
[00:04:10] Ray Latif: I think coffee in Guinness. That is a great combination, right? I'd be interested in trying that. Just adding a little coffee flavor to Guinness would would work really well for me. I'll put one on your desk, Mike. Thanks. Oh, awesome. That's awesome. Hey, I broke, I accidentally broke Accidental Dry July with a Dogfish Head Trillium collaboration called True Action. It's like a double hopped IPA and it was awesome. Nice, nice. All right, John Craven. So you haven't tried a Guinness Nitro Cold Brew coffee, but you must've tried a Velveeta Veltini. I'm sure that's...
[00:04:46] Mike Schneider: I'm sure that was high on his list. Yeah. You know, I just ran right out of the office and went out and knocked down three or four of those. Right after he garbaged about the whole jar of Oathouse and and some trough, he went right for them.
[00:05:02] John Craven: They'll beat it with a beltini. Yeah, that gives us cheesy martini.
[00:05:08] Mike Schneider: I mean, it's it's at a restaurant that is not located anywhere near Boston, as far as I know.
[00:05:14] Ray Latif: Yeah, well, let's back up for a second. I mean, I feel like we've been seeing a lot of these, I guess, creative, I'll call them, brand collaborations, limited edition releases, etc. from big and small brands over the past month or two. And I just wanted to chat about a few of them, including the Velveeta Veltini, which according to a press release says that Velveeta, known for its cheesy melty smoothness that satisfies cravings in a way that other options can't. Those are their words, not mine, folks, is bringing its creamy rich goodness to a cocktail for the first time ever with the new Velveeta Veltini. They've teamed up with the BLT restaurant group to create this exclusive menu. It's offering a decadent and indulgent summer sip made for pleasure seekers. I am having a hard time reading any more than that. What does this even mean? This is like the evil opposite of the Fishwife Fly By Jing collaboration. Yes, exactly. Exactly. This is hurting my feelings. But I mean, you know, you guys are marketers, you know, Mike and Jackie. I mean, like, John is too. I have a college degree in marketing there, Ray. John's a marketer. We're all marketers. But yes. Hey, if you have, if you have a college degree in marketing, you are basically a PhD in marketing, right? Oh yeah, totally. You know me. In all seriousness, what is the purpose of this? I mean, is it for shock value? I mean, is it is it to reward the most loyal of Velveeta consumers? What's the point here? Any PR is good PR, right? You know that. So yeah, I think on some level it is. That is part of the idea. It's also, hey, who can we do something interesting with? kind of those things happen. And it also is a combination of things, too. Like, all right, we need we need some buzz in the market. Oh, we don't have other marketing priorities or ideas. Let's do a collaboration. Boom. You know that that can happen. I mean, it's usually those things are opportunistic or trendy. And it seems like right now there's a big trend, a big trend for cheese cocktails. I know a big trend of collaboration. OK. Yeah. All right, just because people are going to ask what the cocktail is all about. The cocktail consists of Velveeta infused vodka, olive brine and vermouth, garnished with a cheese drip and a cocktail pick of Velveeta stuffed olives and, oh my God, and jumbo Velveeta shells and cheese for the finishing touches. Let's move on. Let's move on. I'd rather have the Taco Bell Milk Bar collaboration than this. You're getting ahead of yourself, Mike.
[00:07:49] Mike Schneider: There's also the Applebee's lip gloss. wing sauce flavored.
[00:07:55] Jacqui Brugliera: I saw that. Oh my goodness.
[00:07:56] Ray Latif: Yeah. Okay. Do We're going to skip over the Taco Bell and Milk Bar collab. We'll definitely skip over the Apple Pea Lip Gloss because I want to talk about something that's actually kind of interesting and certainly in the wheelhouse of things that we talk about and brands that we talk about on a pretty regular basis. That's Ouroboros secret menu. According to an article on Adweek, Ouroboros has created a secret menu for sparkling water loyalists. It's their latest direct-to-consumer marketing approach. They have flavors like banana bergamot and guava eucalyptus and also a mango chili. Bergamot. Uh, which I think this is, this is a great idea. You know, this is something that actually makes sense because they're rewarding their most loyal consumers with these limited edition drops. Uh, And The is something we've seen before, you know, a number of times with a number of brands, but I think Ouroboros is getting a lot of traction from everyone I've talked to. and everything that I can see when it comes to the sparkling water category. And The just allows them to go a little bit deeper with their core base, get some consumer feedback on potentially, you know, scaling with these limited edition flavors and just, you know, have a little fun with their brand. And we had this conversation a while back with founder Paul Voge about doing some secret flavors. Remember, he threatened to do a Taste Radio flavor. What would that have tasted like? I am not like that really hot. We're loyal consumers of Hora Bora, at least loyal consumers of sample product that they very generously send to our office. I haven't tried any of the new flavors. Have you guys gotten any? Don't think so, I haven't seen them here.
[00:09:33] John Craven: Yeah, not yet.
[00:09:35] Ray Latif: Hopefully they'll fix that soon. Hopefully they'll come our way. And I've bought more than a few Ouroboros when I see it in the market.
[00:09:41] Mike Schneider: Yeah, I've definitely purchased it, you know?
[00:09:43] Ray Latif: Yeah, same. Solid stuff, solid stuff. All right, we're four for four on purchasing Ouroboros in the wild. Well done.
[00:09:50] Mike Schneider: Yeah, I mean, that's the thing. It's like, what does Ray Latif buy? Apparently just truckloads of Guinness.
[00:09:58] Ray Latif: Yeah, apparently.
[00:10:00] John Craven: And Ouroboros.
[00:10:01] Ray Latif: Yeah, the room, actually, I had to clear out cases and cases, pallets, actually, of Guinness before I actually recorded in here, so. Okay, here's something that's, yeah, I don't know how to describe this. This might actually be very interesting to some folks and just make others just want to stop listening to the podcast, perhaps for good. Heineken has launched its new HeineKix, a sneaker that lets wearers walk on beer. Okay. What? This is... Yeah, so Heineken teamed up with the quote-unquote shoe surgeon, who is a celebrated sneaker designer who has made kicks for the likes of LeBron James, DJ Khaled, and Drake. This is all also according to an article on Adweek. There are a few unique design elements to the Heine kicks. Each one has a removable metal bottle opener built into the tongue. Yet most distinctly, the sneakers actually contain beer or contain actual beer. They use a special surgical injection method to inject Heineken silver. I don't even know what Heineken silver is. Heineken silver into the soles, aiming to create a smooth, quote unquote, smooth sensation when walking in the shoes that supposedly mirrors the taste profile of beer. Shall we stop here? Shall we just... This is a Simpsons joke, right? This is like Disco Stu with his with his goldfish shoes for the goldfish are dead.
[00:11:23] Mike Schneider: But let's let's be honest. No one's going to wear these. These are for sneaker collectors, right? Yeah, whatever. You know, put some put some beer in there if you want. No one's going to go squishing around on that.
[00:11:33] John Craven: No, I think it's definitely for a collector for sneaker heads, something, you know, to show off to your friends that you purchased. I don't know if anyone's going to be wearing those around.
[00:11:45] Ray Latif: Probably not. It's pretty limited edition. I believe the article said that there were only 32 pairs being made that were made, but hey, we're talking about it. So this goes back to Mike's point that all PR is good PR. So yeah.
[00:11:58] Mike Schneider: We're definitely selling some sneakers here.
[00:12:03] Ray Latif: Or Heineken, but I'm not really enticed to be buying a Heineken anytime soon. Not to hate on Heineken. It's just not really a beer I drink very often. No, Ray's into Valtinis right now. No, you know what I'm into, And The is actually a true story, are mustard-flavored doughnuts. Really?
[00:12:20] Emma Walker: Yes.
[00:12:21] Ray Latif: Yes, I'm excited to try this. So French's, the iconic mustard brand, in celebration of National Mustard Day, didn't know National Mustard Day was on August 6th, has launched limited edition French's mustard doughnuts. They were developed with dough doughnuts. which according to a press release, is a maker of artisanal donuts for over 12 years. And The were available on August 6th at Dolo retail locations in New York City and nationwide via online shipping while supplies last. According to the press release, they've created a bold, craveable donut that combines the beloved flavor of French's with Dolo's signature brioche recipe, allowing mustard lovers to wake up And taste the tang. I like that. Taste the tang. Nicely done. John Craven is shaking his head, not vigorously, but in a very disappointed, fatherly way.
[00:13:16] Mike Schneider: Yeah, something like that. You don't want to try these? Mustard donuts? Yeah. I mean, do I want to try it? Doesn't mean I'd buy it, right? I mean, I think that's our job to try stuff. So sure. Am I curious? Yeah, why not? But I don't know, that's just, that just seems a little silly to me, but hey, whatever. Beef their own.
[00:13:38] Ray Latif: Until Grey Poupon and Sir Kensington's have competitors, there's not going to be a market for it anyway.
[00:13:43] Mike Schneider: So might as well try it now while it lasts. There's just a lot of donut gimmicks out there too. I'm more of a fan of the classics. I don't know.
[00:13:53] Ray Latif: Fair enough. But I do think actually this doesn't, maybe this is not the highest compliment, but this doesn't gross me out as much as some other things. perhaps other products that we've already talked about on this episode. And I feel like, you know, a tangy donut actually makes a little bit more sense than perhaps a cheesy cocktail. So maybe it's just me. And I think, you know, people, when was the last time you mentioned the word Frenchies? It's like on July 4th, you go out and buy Frenchies Monster without even thinking about it, because it's just part of the tradition. But this It's got me talking about it, got me thinking about The Bad in a way that I haven't in ever.
[00:14:32] Mike Schneider: And you're going to go get a dozen donuts right when we're done, right?
[00:14:35] Ray Latif: Here's to Tang. you know, full disclosure here. I have asked for samples, so let's see if they show up. I'm not sure.
[00:14:42] John Craven: Oh, great. Get to do a taste test.
[00:14:45] Ray Latif: Clearly I'm not sharing because no one at the office seems to want them. I don't know, Jackie, maybe I can send a few out to you in San Diego. I'll eat anything, Ray, if you... We should make a reel out of it, though.
[00:14:56] Mike Schneider: Yeah.
[00:14:57] Ray Latif: That's something...
[00:14:58] Mike Schneider: I just thought that feels like something we need to capture for content more than anything. Especially the part where someone's barfing off the deck.
[00:15:07] John Craven: We should do a blind taste test, tell them that it's a donut and just have them try it and see what happens.
[00:15:13] Mike Schneider: The blind taste test is sometimes fun, where you just, at least in our office, could give someone a sample of something without telling them what it's going to be at all. Yeah. That would definitely be a product that would be worthy of that sort of test.
[00:15:26] Ray Latif: Oh man, I wish my daughter was still interning. Weren't we going to do that with Brad? And, uh, you know, that, that ultra hot pocky one chip challenge. We were going to do that, but we kind of talked him out of it. I think he forgot and got busy. So hopefully he's, so hopefully he doesn't remember. He forgot and got busy. Yeah. Okay. What's the reason not to do it? No, because we, for the record said, don't do it. And The's like, Oh yeah, I want to do it. And we're like, All right. But we, we got it. I mean, we were going to film it, right? I was, I'm pretty sure I was the one who tried to talk him out of it. And The Mike, you were like, no, he has committed to doing it.
[00:16:08] John Craven: Brad, you're doing it.
[00:16:09] Ray Latif: No, no, no. You're misremembering Ray. It was, uh, Brad, if you're insisting, which is what he was doing, I want to make sure we have the cameras ready.
[00:16:18] Emma Walker: That's all.
[00:16:19] Ray Latif: Okay. Fair enough.
[00:16:20] Emma Walker: Fair enough. Guessing your margins? That's risky. Belay Financial gives CPG And The clarity to scale smarter, faster, stronger. Get your free inventory ebook by texting TASTE to 55123 and start making data work for you. Vibrant Ingredients is the natural ingredient partner powering food and beverage innovation, delivering flavor, function, and protection through a science-backed portfolio. Vibrant delivers purpose-driven solutions that help brands create extraordinary experiences. Discover what's possible with Vibrant today. Visit VibrantIngredients.com.
[00:17:09] Ray Latif: All right, one more promotion I wanna talk about, And The is definitely something, John, that you liked, is the new Tito's in a Can, which is a pretty interesting promotion. Can you explain what they're doing here? Yeah, I'm drinking one right now. There you go, he's got it in his hand.
[00:17:26] Mike Schneider: Yeah, it's just, it's an insulated cup that looks like a can. It's made by Igloo, apparently. They've been selling these for a little while. I went on their website. You can buy a nice Hello Kitty version of this, which is... I'd have a big beer can shaped thing with a Hello Kitty on it. Right. But anyway, yeah, they're just selling the. this insulated cup as I feel like a little jester or whatever you want to call it, a little ribbing of The Bad seltzer category and all the ready-to-drink cocktails out there. It's their way for saying, we're not doing a hard seltzer or ready-to-drink cocktail. They're selling an empty can and I think it's like 26 bucks or something like that. I don't know if it's like all sales or net proceeds or what the deal is, but there's a charitable component to the funds that they're raising too. So, I don't know, kind of interesting. I mean, definitely, I was walking around with this in the office the other day, you get some looks just rushing up. a big can of Tito's. I just have water in it, nothing exciting. So no, no Velveeta martinis or anything yet.
[00:18:37] Ray Latif: No, hopefully not. Hopefully never. But have I, have I told everyone how much I don't like this idea of Velveeta Viltinis? I think I have. I think it's clear at this point. To be clear, Tito's in a can contains no vodka. It's just a can for you to put your liquids in. And it's, I mean, it's interesting because it's like you paid for this thing and you're like walking around. It's like almost like free advertising for this because every time you put something in it, you're advertising for Tito's. You know what you should put in it, John, is you should put this bergamot, oolong, Reishi Tea in your Tito's can. This stuff's awesome. Yeah, what Mike is holding in his hand is a can of Rishi's Sparkling Botanicals, their newest variety, which is the bergamot, bergamot, which one? Bergamot oolong, which is, anyone know what bergamot is? Ray, you do, because you said it before. I do. Yeah, it's an orange flavoring. But it's almost, it's closer to lime. It's like somewhere in between orange and lime. It's pretty awesome. It's got a nice tart, tangy flavor. So there's a little bit of bergamot juice in here, 10 calories, and it's combined with oolong tea in it. So it's got a nice little, nice little kick to it.
[00:19:48] Mike Schneider: Yeah. There's a great liqueur called Italicus made out of bergamot.
[00:19:54] Ray Latif: Yeah, and John, I believe you have their new ready-to-drink cocktail behind you, one that I brought all the way from New Orleans when I was at Tales of the Cocktail. Is that what this is?
[00:20:06] Mike Schneider: It's a ready-to-drink cocktail? It's a ready-to-drink aperitivo. Oh, aperitivo. Okay, I was going to say, it says aperitivo on it. It looks pretty cool.
[00:20:14] Ray Latif: Yeah. And what's it called?
[00:20:17] Mike Schneider: Savoia?
[00:20:19] Ray Latif: Yes. Savoia. I was just waiting for you to say what it is. I was like, is the quiz over now, Ray? Not sure about aperitivo And The bergamot oolong tea, but mezcal for sure. This stuff's great. Thanks a lot, Rishi. Thanks for sending this stuff. Yeah, Rishi, I tried that stuff at the Coffee Expo when the Coffee Expo was held a few weeks back in Boston.
[00:20:39] Mike Schneider: Yes.
[00:20:39] Ray Latif: It was fantastic. And obviously the Savoy I tried at Tales of the Cocktail. So Tallacus, amazing job with your bergamot flavored liqueur and your Savoy. Rishi, amazing stuff as always with your sparkling botanicals, in particular the bergamot oolong. The Bergamot Oolong I can totally see, given that it's a non-alcoholic beverage, but one that actually feels like it could be an evening beverage as well, at a retail store called Boisson. B-O-I-S-S-O-N. which is a non-alcoholic beverage retailer that recently closed $12 million in a seed round. But they're going to use the funding to expand into Los Angeles and fuel the launch of a new on-premise business division, according to an article on BevNET. Now, I think we've all heard of these new retail non-alcoholic beverage stores opening up, And The I say non-alcoholic beverage, I'm specifically referring to beverages that are intended to be consumed as spirits or eating libations or social tonics. Obviously, kind of a niche concept. I didn't have, honestly, a lot of faith in these kinds of stores, because I just feel like it's not really a scalable proposition, given how many people or, I guess, given the limited audience for these products at this point. But I guess, you know, I'm in the minority these days because raising $12 million is nothing to sneeze at.
[00:22:02] John Craven: Yeah, I think it's interesting right now because there is, you know, a new wave of interest in non-alcoholic options and people are trying to drink a little bit less alcohol and be more conscious. I'm just curious, like you said, how it's going to scale because you have to generate that foot traffic and get people in the door to your physical retail stores, whereas Right now, if you go into a Whole Foods or you go into other traditional retailers, you're seeing that set grow. So it's like, why would people go to the set location when the non-alcoholic options are just increasing in other retailers that they're going to do their regular purchases at anyways? So I'm curious how that will kind of shake out.
[00:22:43] Ray Latif: Wausau currently has five retail stores between Manhattan and Brooklyn, And The are planning to open three stores in Los Angeles. In August and September, they will be located in Studio City, Brentwood, and Beverly Hills. Also recently reported on BevNET, the news that Celsius and PepsiCo have aligned on a new exclusive distribution deal in which the beverage conglomerate will be distributing the energy drink brand across the United States. PepsiCo also acquired an 8.5% stake in the company worth $550 million. At least that's what they paid for the stake as well. Pretty amazing stuff. Congratulations. Congratulations to the team at Celsius. Read all about the deal on betnet.com. All right, Mike, you mentioned Flyby Jing a little bit earlier, and obviously Flyby Jing- Can't stop, won't stop, right? Best for their, known best for their Chili Crisp. And so, you know, we've been seeing a lot more Chili Crisps coming to market, whether it's an independent brand, you know, a larger company like Momofuku Goods, but a really, really large player just got into that business, And The's Heinz. Heinz recently launched this new 57 collection of products. It's a higher end line of products for them. Premium ingredients, premium flavors. Here is one I have in my hand. This is their culinary crunch, which they call their chili pepper crunch. I also have with me the Heinz 57 collection infused honey. with hot chili, think Mike's Hot Honey, except the Heinz variety. Interesting stuff, interesting to see Heinz getting into this space. One would think that perhaps they would acquire one of these brands versus make their own line of products. Just from the way you shook the chili crisp there, or whatever it's called, chili oil there, Ray, I'm suspicious of it. It seemed to be awfully viscous. Yeah, but Heinz says in their press release that the collection was designed to inspire curious foodies, accelerate culinary trends, and embrace modern cultures. Interesting stuff indeed. I think you all have your own thoughts about that. But hey, I mean, I guess it just speaks to the interest for higher quality and more flavorful products coming from all angles. Also a brand that recently came across my desk, Motto, M-O-T-T-O, a maker of sparkling matcha drinks. These guys have been around for quite a bit. They were actually the winners of New Beverage Showdown 5 back in 2013. For the longest time, they've been in glass bottles, glass long neck beer bottles, And The just recently introduced new cans like the one I'm holding in my hand. Their cans come in these beautifully wrapped green labels. Right on the front of the can is their logo. It doesn't actually say motto on the front of the can. It's just their logo, which is like a plus sign with a tea leaf in the middle. The plus sign is in white. Everything else is in green. Good looking can. I guess my only feedback would be it almost looks like a cannabis beverage, just looking at it that way.
[00:26:07] Mike Schneider: Yeah, because of the leaf.
[00:26:10] John Craven: And The green.
[00:26:11] Mike Schneider: Quite a big upgrade for those guys though. Really excited to see that they're back. That stuff also tastes pretty darn good. I don't honestly remember if it's like what the difference is between the original, but I mean, it definitely tastes a little more mainstream oriented. So nice work. It's a lower sugar S word, right? Pretty tasty.
[00:26:35] John Craven: What also tastes really good is what I've been eating for breakfast all week.
[00:26:39] Ray Latif: Athletic Brewing.
[00:26:40] John Craven: Oathouse's granola butter. So good. And The just released this new coffee flavor.
[00:26:47] Ray Latif: The coffee's fire.
[00:26:49] John Craven: Yeah, it's really good. I love that they use decaf coffee beans and it's also mentioned on the label. So there is no caffeine in here, but it's really, really tasty. It's just so creamy, delicious on toast, on anything really. So yeah, I love this new flavor.
[00:27:06] Ray Latif: We made lattes with the granola butter and it was pretty tasty. Do We put a little bit of, I think we put like a teaspoon of granola butter into a latte to sweeten it And The did not suck.
[00:27:21] John Craven: I can imagine. Another kind of sweet treat that I found at my local Sprouts is Roland and Bolin peanut butter dates. So they were right next to the register, which I think is really interesting. There's three peanut butter filled dates. And it's just two ingredients. It's literally just dates and peanut butter. So it's a nice like guilt-free treat that you can grab at the register. And The's three dates in a pack and it's only 150 calories and four grams of protein and a little high in the sugars, but it's all from dates. So, I mean, you can't complain with that.
[00:27:58] Mike Schneider: I like rolling and bowling. I want to try that.
[00:28:01] John Craven: Yeah, yeah, I love the packaging too. It's clear what this is. It's kind of like a cartoony version of what the product is.
[00:28:08] Ray Latif: It looks like the three pack of Julie's that they launched a couple of years back. Yeah, we got the Juliet's in the office too. Those are those are pretty good. Tasty little chocolate covered date snack. Indeed. You guys mentioned coffee and latte and oat Milk Bar little bit earlier. Shocking that we would mention those things. I want to give a shout out to the folks behind Pocket Latte.
[00:28:33] Mike Schneider: Oh yeah.
[00:28:34] Ray Latif: I know Pocket Latte, the team behind Pocket Latte are fans of the show, fans of Taste Radio, and I've been wanting to highlight these guys for a while. Chris Young is the co-founder and CEO. And The was an article written about The Bad on Nosh a few weeks back about the launch of a new secondary line called Cocoa Nuts, which they embraced. the AAPI heritage of The Bad, particularly in their use of flavors like mango, yuzu, Vietnamese coffee, matcha, and black sesame, all those being the flavors of these chocolate-coated almonds, or excuse me, these coated almonds, that's what's choco-nuts. That product is so good, Ray. They sent us some of those And The didn't last very long. Let's put it that way. They taste similar enough so that if you eat one, you'll like the other one too, but there's enough variation in them that you want to try the other ones too. They're so good.
[00:29:33] Mike Schneider: Definitely good stuff.
[00:29:35] Ray Latif: Yeah. And of course, their flagship product, which they call the original coffee bar, on top of the packages, it says, ready to eat coffee, which I love, is also a pretty phenomenal product. That is like the best non-liquid latte you could ever ask for. The Pocket Latte, I don't, they came up with the perfect name for it. The size that it's delivered in is perfect. Everything about it makes you feel like you just had like a latte. It's so good. Mike was almost speechless there, just for a second. I was speechless. I love that brand a lot. I love everything about it. The packaging, the founders are super cool, so kind and generous and great listeners and just great members of the community And The product is spot on. I want them to win. hundred percent. Yeah. Their packaging is pretty phenomenal, by the way. That is something that like really, really stands that up with The Bad. They nailed the packaging. Yeah. All right, last but not least, I wanna mention a brand called Isidro. Isidro is a brand of sake spritzes. The one I'm holding in my hand is their grapefruit and sea salt variety. This might be their only variety, actually, their only flavor, that is. It's 6.9% ABV. It's made with premium Junmai ginger sake, organic grapefruit from California, and a touch of sea salt, according to an email that these folks sent to me. I'm going to try this now because I haven't had a chance to try it before. See, I can do this because here on the East Coast, it's actually 217, Jackie.
[00:31:16] John Craven: Still not five.
[00:31:17] Ray Latif: No, it's not five, but it is Friday. But this is fantastic. It's a lot more grape fruity than I thought it was going to be. The sake is actually a little bit more subtle than I expected it to be. But as far as like ready to drink spritzes or seltzers or whatever you want to call them. This is a damn nice product. Don't quote me on damn nice. We may cut that. I don't want to curse. I'm only known for cursing on the podcast. You swore earlier, Ray. You And The S word.
[00:31:47] John Craven: I think it's too late.
[00:31:49] Ray Latif: Anyway, it's recently launched its brand, Isidro, currently available nationwide through their website and is carried at hyper select retailers, according to the company, restaurants and hotels throughout Southern California, including, how about this, John Craven, Joosta.
[00:32:06] Mike Schneider: Oh, man. Nice. I mean, you know, I kind of wasn't really sure if I ever wanted to go to Joosta again, but this.
[00:32:14] John Craven: Yeah.
[00:32:15] Ray Latif: He meant today. We've been there three times in a day, right?
[00:32:28] Mike Schneider: Uh, I've been there three times in a day. I don't know if you have. I think so.
[00:32:32] Ray Latif: You literally recommended, someone was asking you for recommendations. I saw this on a tweet, John. Someone was asking for recommendations on where to go in Santa Monica, and you said just to, I think it was like, make sure you go three times a day. Something like that.
[00:32:47] Mike Schneider: Something along those lines, yeah.
[00:32:49] Ray Latif: Well, I would highly recommend that people continue to listen to Taste Radio three times a day. I say continue as I'm making a big assumption here that people are listening to the podcast three times a day. But in all seriousness, no, thank you so much to everyone who continues to listen to the show. It really means a lot to us.
[00:33:05] Jacqui Brugliera: Do you want more repeat buyers on Amazon? Well, this free resource in collaboration with Straight Up Growth will help your brand turn first-time buyers into long-term subscribers. Download Winning the Repeat Purchase Game on Amazon now at Taste Radio.com slash SUG. That's Taste Radio.com slash S-U-G to start building retention-driven growth for your brand on Amazon. Scaling a beverage brand into major retail comes down to operational readiness. From packaging lead times to co-manufacturing strategy, the details can make or break a launch. In a new e-book in collaboration with Octopi and Asahi Beer USA, industry leaders share what they've learned in helping brands scale. Download it now at Taste Radio.com slash octopi.
[00:33:55] Ray Latif: Alright, it's time to get to our featured interview for this episode. As I mentioned at the top of the show, Dr. Emma Walker is the Master Blender for quintessential Scotch whisky brand, Johnnie Walker. She assumed the role earlier this year, and in doing so became part of a small and highly select group of people, And The first female to be named Master Blender in The Bad's over two centuries of existence, the first being founder Johnnie Walker. I sat down with Dr. Walker, who prefers to be addressed as Emma, at the 2022 Tales of the Cocktail Conference for an expansive conversation about her work with Johnnie Walker, including her leadership style and stewardship of The Bad, her thoughtful way of communicating with colleagues and consumers, And The perspective on being a trailblazer for women in the whiskey business. Hey folks, it's Ray with Taste Radio. I'm here in New Orleans, Louisiana at the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail 2022. Sitting in front of me right now is Dr. Emma Walker, who is the Master Blender for Johnnie Walker. Emma, so great to see you.
[00:35:02] Johnnie Walker: Thank you very much for inviting me along. It's lovely to meet you.
[00:35:04] Ray Latif: It's lovely to meet you as well. I called you Emma. Should I have called you Dr. Walker as you prefer that? No.
[00:35:10] Johnnie Walker: Emma's definitely the way forward.
[00:35:11] Ray Latif: Okay, good. Good to know that. Is this your first time in New Orleans?
[00:35:14] Johnnie Walker: It is. I'm very excited. I've wanted to come to New Orleans since I was a kid. So I'm really excited to see New Orleans, but also it's my first time at Tales of the Cocktail, obviously. So it's, yeah, just very excited to see everything that's happening and all the different people.
[00:35:28] Ray Latif: Yeah, it's a pretty amazing city. And The is a pretty amazing trade show, convention, whatever you want to call it. It's my first time here as well. And it's bustling.
[00:35:35] Johnnie Walker: Yeah, that's a great description.
[00:35:38] Ray Latif: Yeah, there's quite a few people here at the Ritz Carlton where the sort of the headquarters for Tales, and everyone seems to be having a good time. The show was on hiatus for a couple of years, obviously, because of COVID. Definitely some excitement, some pent up energy that you're definitely feeling on all the floors. What's your immediate takeaway from the show?
[00:35:56] Johnnie Walker: It's just been absolutely brilliant. See, like you said, there's so much energy, there's so many different things going on. It's great actually to be able to talk to different bartenders as well. So when we're making whisky, we're normally best in Scotland. We don't always get to have the chance to talk to bartenders from And The world and ask them what they think of our products, what they feel about our whisky. So to be able to have that opportunity is really exciting.
[00:36:19] Ray Latif: Face to face, IRL, you know, because they could be lying. You can, you know, you can't really tell for sure on Zoom how a person's feeling about your brand or your products. But in person, there's a certain vibe, there's an energy, there's a halo effect of how they're feeling about you and your company and your brand.
[00:36:38] Johnnie Walker: Yeah. And yeah, that's really exciting. So I'm actually looking forward to taking back the lens that we've had from the session we've had today and just my time at Tails to take it back to the Whiskey Lab and share that with the rest of the team.
[00:36:50] Ray Latif: Yeah. So as I mentioned to you, I'd love to sort of frame this conversation as a 10 questions with Dr. Emma Walker. Before I get into that, though, before I get to those 10 questions, I want to ask you a little bit about your background. How did you come to become the Master Blender for Johnnie Walker?
[00:37:07] Johnnie Walker: For me it was actually quite a lucky turn of events. I studied chemistry as an undergraduate And The did a PhD in it. I was then working as a pharmaceutical chemist, saw a job advertised for a project scientist at Diageo, went for the interview and was interviewed by Dr Jim Beveridge, Maureen Robinson, all these amazing great names from Scotch whisky and it was that sudden realisation that you could actually be a whisky scientist. So I was very lucky to get the job and I've spent the last 14 years working in Scotch whisky.
[00:37:37] Ray Latif: And The did you become the Master Blender?
[00:37:39] Johnnie Walker: I became the Master Blender on the 1st of January, 2022.
[00:37:43] Ray Latif: Congratulations.
[00:37:44] Johnnie Walker: Thank you very much.
[00:37:45] Ray Latif: Yeah, that was a very specific day.
[00:37:47] Johnnie Walker: It is, yeah. I still remember when at Hogmanay on New Year's Eve, just watching the fireworks going off in Edinburgh and my partner going, that's it, you're in charge now.
[00:37:57] Ray Latif: Wow.
[00:37:57] Johnnie Walker: And The fear immediately.
[00:38:01] Ray Latif: Is there a passing of the keys or do you have a special process? Was there some sort of, I guess, way that you took the job?
[00:38:10] Johnnie Walker: Well, I've been very lucky. I've worked on the whisky team for four years, then I got to go and work in whisky production. So I worked at Leven, which is one of our bottling hall sites, worked on whisky blending, looked after the quality lab at Cameron Bridge Distillery, which was great fun. Then got to manage Nakando Distillery for a short time And The came back to the whisky team. So since 2015, I've been working very closely with Jim on innovation projects. So I've produced the first two Ghost and Rare, Johnnie Walker Blue Label Ghost and Rare editions, so in Port Ellen, which was great fun working with Jim and getting to work on those really special whiskeys. But I've also, in more recent years, worked with him on a lot of big strategic projects. So some of it felt like it was just business as normal, but some parts of it has been very different as well.
[00:38:56] Ray Latif: But you're the boss right now.
[00:38:57] Johnnie Walker: Yeah, don't say that. That gives me a panic attack.
[00:39:02] Ray Latif: It is. It is kind of weird when you, you know, you or the buck stops with you in a sense.
[00:39:08] Johnnie Walker: No, no, it's true. And as part of that, when you're very confident, you're like, yep, that's true. I'm very proud of that. But there is always that, that fear in The Bad of your mind as well.
[00:39:17] Ray Latif: Well, let's start with that. You know, first question, you know, how do you think about being a boss? How do you think about the person that is in charge? What is your, I guess, leadership style?
[00:39:27] Johnnie Walker: I would say my leadership style is very much, I'm part of the team, but I'm there to make sure that Everyone Loves on the team can do their job, that they've got the time and space, that they've had that training, that they feel comfortable in what they've been asked to do. So I think the Boeski team has always been very inclusive. It is very much a team effort. We're a team of 12 blenders and we do actually all like each other and get on. And I would say you never really work in isolation, you're always working together with the other people on the team. So that makes the process of that change a lot easier because you have the team with you and you're just there to, as I said, to help them do what they need to do.
[00:40:04] Ray Latif: I think a lot of our listeners love scotch, but they don't know much about scotch, or maybe they don't know much about scotch. I'm making some big assumptions here. There was a time when I didn't know a heck of a lot about scotch. But second question, can you give us just an overview of what scotch is And The difference between blended and single malts? You, Johnnie Walker, your brand is on the blended side. So can you explain the difference between the two?
[00:40:27] Johnnie Walker: Store For a whisky to be a Scotch whisky, it needs to be made in Scotland. It must be distilled in Scotland And The matured in Scotland as well. It's got to be matured for at least three years before it can be bottled. It's got to be bottled at 40% ABV. So they're the sort of regulation rules that we have. Scotch whisky is made from three things. So it's made from water, from yeast, and from grain. So traditionally, if we're looking at our malt distilleries, you'd be looking at malted barley that we use to make that. You can use other grains. Store For example, in one of our recent new products, Johnnie Walker High Rye, we included in that Taininic rye whiskey. So that's actually a single grain whiskey, even though it was produced at a malt distillery. We can do that And The work with it in different ways. We are very lucky, we've got more than 30 distilleries across Scotland And The all produce an individual whisky. They all have their own character, flavour and style, which is great for us Master Blender because it means we have that palette of flavour that we can work from. We also use a product we call grain whisky. So this is also distilled in Scotland, produced at one distillery. There we can use a mixture of malted barley and we can use grain. Do We tend to use, it tends to be wheat that we use in Scotland, but you can use other products there as well. A single malt scotch whisky will be produced at one distillery, for example Lagavulin. If it's a Lagavulin single malt whisky, all of the whisky in there is produced at Lagavulin, it's Lagavulin spirit, it can't be mixed with anything else. You can mix different ures, you can mix from different casks, so it's still a blending process to make that whisky. If you're looking at a blended malt scotch whisky, that will be a blend of different malt distilleries coming together into one bottle. Store For example, Johnnie Walker Green Label. If you're looking at a blended Scotch whisky, this is a blend of single malt and single grain whiskies. So from those two different production styles coming together into one bottle. And The, for example, covers whiskies like our Johnnie Walker Black Label and Johnnie Walker Blue Label.
[00:42:29] Ray Latif: You know quite a bit about Scotch. I think we just scratched the surface just The Bad now. How much do you lean on your education, your experience to drive what you're doing, to And The path for you And The Bad?
[00:42:43] Johnnie Walker: For me, with the role that I'm in, it's a mixture between my own education experience, but it's also, again, like I spoke before, the people that you're working with as well. So I would say that we're all experts, but everyone has slightly different expertise, And The's part of the reason that we have the 12 Blenders. A big part of actually being in the role as well is, when we're first interviewed to join the team, you need to show that you do have a sense of your ability. You might not have the full swathe of words that we use to describe Scotch whisky, but you need to show that you're able to translate what you're smelling, what you're tasting into words that you can communicate with the rest of the team or with our customers. So that is a big part of it. So I would say a strong driver is actually that communication skill. We need to be able to talk to the rest of our team. We need to be able to talk to our colleagues in supply. So by describing what are we looking for, what are the flavour styles we need, how we're looking at whisky in the future, but then also to be able to talk to our customers in our customers and our partners in the demand side of the business, so markets and our brand teams as well.
[00:43:44] Ray Latif: I guess that leads into my fourth question. Communication is extraordinarily important in anything you do. I get the sense that you're a bit more soft-spoken than A lot of folks in the industry, I saw, you know, for example, downstairs, you know, people yell And The's just their normal voice. You know, that's, that's, that's how they speak to people. But, you know, how do you communicate, And The is just a personal question, how do you communicate in a way that gets people to do what you want them to do?
[00:44:09] Johnnie Walker: I mean, there's lots of studies in this area, lots of great experts. So one of the things that as a whisky team that we have done over the past few years is we are essentially a team of scientists. Most of us come from a scientific background. But as we said, one of the big parts of the role that we have to do is communication, whether that's on speaking on film in different ways. Do We have actually done a lot of training with some experts to be able to help us to say how do you approach the situation. So it's understanding about who you're talking to, what approach do they need, what works best for them. So I think that's been actually a lot of the development of the team is that understanding of who you're talking to, why you're talking to them, what do they need to know.
[00:44:51] Ray Latif: Your role is very much on the production side, but it's also on the consumer and customer facing side as well. You're here at Tails as the Master Blender for Johnnie Walker. I'm sure you could walk someone through your distilleries, your many distilleries, and you would just be able to address it with the utmost of confidence because you know what you're talking about. You've been there, you've done that, you have the experience. This is a different kind of animal.
[00:45:14] Johnnie Walker: Yes, definitely.
[00:45:15] Ray Latif: How do you balance those two roles of face of The Bad in so many ways? And, you know, the role that you were really hired for, which is production, blending.
[00:45:27] Johnnie Walker: It's an interesting aspect and I think it's one that part of the role developed very much with Jim in the role was how you balance the two. One of the ways that you balance that blending side of the role and also the sort of forward speaking part of the role is again having that team around you. So even when I'm out travelling and talking about Johnnie Walker and talking about whisky, the rest of the team, so our 11 blenders are back in the lab And The are working very hard on projects. That's always again part of the role having the team is having that give And The and different people with different expertise. I think part of the reason that we And The Good in this role is that confidence, that understanding that we know about whisky making, that we've learned a lot about it, we've talked to a lot of experts in different areas and being able to translate that, being able to use those stories And The knowledge to be able to talk about whisky is one of the key skills that we've had to learn.
[00:46:20] Ray Latif: The stories that you have about The Bad And The the stories, personal stories and personal anecdotes that you can share with folks that are interested in The Bad. How much of your personal story do you try to incorporate into your current role and how you talk about The Bad and how you talk about the evolution of Johnnie Walker?
[00:46:40] Johnnie Walker: We used to have someone in our team, Keith Law, who he's now retired, And The was an amazing whisky maker. And The was great at mentoring the rest of the team. He was like, if you can actually make the story more personal to you, so if you can say that you've been to that distillery, that you've smelt that aroma coming from your kadoo and you smell fresh apples coming through, then the spirit cut has been taken just right. If you start to smell bananas in the spirit house, they've missed the end cut just that little bit, it's that knowledge that you've picked up from people as you're travelling about and talking to them. Being able to have almost those personal anecdotes is really great because I think part of it is it cements it in your own mind about what these stories are, how they're coming through. But it also helps to make, it makes it sound like the story is your own as well. We're not just learning the script And The sharing that out with people. Each of us within the team have our own ways of talking about certain things and what we've done, how we've done it with people, which I think, again, is part of the role that we have is almost putting a face or putting a story to that Scotch whisky making.
[00:47:43] Ray Latif: You know what would be a great story is if there was a direct relationship between you and Mr. Johnnie Walker himself. Question seven. I'm sure our audience has been wondering this all this time. Any relation between you and Johnnie Walker?
[00:47:58] Johnnie Walker: As far as I'm aware, I am part of Emma Walker family, but not that Walker family. There could be a connection decades, centuries back, but not as far as I'm aware. But we do like in the whisky team to, I think we work a lot on nominative determination. So I'Emma Walker, Emma Walker. The previous Johnnie Walker Master Blender was Jim Beveridge. So yeah, we do like to play on names.
[00:48:21] Ray Latif: The next one will be Scott Scotch or something like that.
[00:48:24] Johnnie Walker: That's what we're looking for.
[00:48:29] Ray Latif: You alluded to this. Johnnie Walker is a brand that's been around for a long time. Legacy brand built on heritage. I love The Bad. I love all the products. I'm a little bit older And The current legal age drinking or the someone who just turned legal drinking age. You know, I think getting people into The Bad and getting people to appreciate what Johnnie Walker represents And The variety of its products can take some time. It takes a significant effort, I think, in some ways to get people to become loyal Johnnie Walker consumers. It's harder these days because it's harder to convince Gen X consumers and millennial consumers that they should be spending their money on things like scotch, especially when a lot of them are drinking less beverage alcohol. What's been the approach for Johnnie Walker in getting more people, specifically younger consumers, interested in The Bad and I guess scotch as a whole?
[00:49:21] Johnnie Walker: Well, one of the ways that we look at that is we are always trying to understand who is going to be drinking our whisky. How do they talk about flavour? What do they expect to have when they've got that drink in front of them? How are they drinking it as well? So a big thing that we've looked at in Johnnie Walker over the past few years has been the serves. We've looked at the highball serve. And The has been used to talk about Johnnie Walker in a lot of markets. I think that's great because it's a good way of us being able to talk about Johnnie Walker but in a potentially low ABV situation as well. It also means that people that are maybe trying Johnnie Walker, we'd like them to try Johnnie Walker in a setting that's not traditionally a Scots drinking area, that's a great way to sort of approach it because it's a tall glass, lots of ice. If you're Johnnie Walker, but then you've got an amazing mixer that goes with it as well. So it can change almost the flavour perception, but it brings out certain flavours and certain aspects, but it's still very recognisable as Johnnie Walker. So that can help in that sort of space, but it can also help in making whisky seem more approachable. In Edinburgh, we have the Johnnie Walker Prince's Street, so it's a Johnnie Walker experience. And The's why we really explore Johnnie Walker in flavour. And one of the ways we do that is through things like highball serve, talking about the different flavours, talking about cocktail serves. So it's trying to break some of those perceptions about what people perceive Scotch whisky to be, that you must be sat on a leather armchair in front of a fire, you must have a very fine beard, have a scar to your side. You can't add anything to it. It's just trying to break down some of those perceptions and understandings that have developed over time and just show it's an amazing product. It's got great flavour and it can be used in different ways. We've also looked at how we, some of our innovations have been looking in that space as well. We did a great link in a few years ago where we'll look at cultural experiences. So how Do We get people that maybe wouldn't look at Scotch whisky? How Do We, how do you get them to think about maybe trying it? So there was some great work that was done with Game of Thrones. Do We did the release of White Walker by Johnnie Walker and also the Game of Thrones single malt series. Store For us that was a really exciting moment because it took on some learnings that we'd done for previous projects where we're looking at approachable whiskeys, so whiskeys that are easier to drink and to enjoy. We developed that then into White Walker by Johnnie Walker And The became, it was very well received And The were people that probably wouldn't have thought about drinking Scotch in the past that tried that because possibly that they were intrigued by the connection with Game of Thrones. The lens from that has then gone on to, we are releasing Johnnie Walker Blonde, which is one of these later accessible styles of Scotch whisky that is definitely in that space where it's great to drink in a sort of allure beefy style as well.
[00:51:58] Ray Latif: I guess this is going to be sort of a 8A question, And The is by no means my opinion, but I think some people might look at a product like Jonny Blonde and say, this is a watering down of this brand. It takes away from, you know, what Johnnie Walker represents and makes it a little bit, I guess the accessibility makes it less, I don't know, sophisticated. How do you address that?
[00:52:23] Johnnie Walker: It's quite interesting when you look at, we were in the seminar and we were talking about Johnnie Walker Black Label and Tim was talking about some of the history. So when Alexander took over the Walker business from his father, one of the things that he looked at was how Do We get whisky to more people? How Do We introduce it to the wider world? So he looked at what are the styles of spirits that are being drank in the wider UK and Europe? What are the flavour styles that people are looking for? And The was how Old Highlands whisky came about And The Johnnie Walker Black Label. So it's something that the Walker family have always looked at is what are the flavour styles, what are the things that people are enjoying, how Do We use that knowledge, those trends to create a Scottish whisky. So it is something that's always been a part of the DNA of what we do. The thing that Johnnie Walker is known for is big flavor. You've got these big recognizable flavors. Now again, traditionally in the past, that has been, it's been based around smoke, but there's lots of other flavors in Scotch whisky for us to explore. So that is one of the spaces that we've moved to with Johnnie Walker Blonde as well. It's looking at that sweet, the lighter fruit styles in there as well. Store For me, it's definitely not a watering down, but it's a continuation of that exploration of flavor.
[00:53:30] Ray Latif: You mentioned trends and trends is the question I wanted to get to next, which is, There are so many things happening in the spirit space right now. Two very notable trends that I've seen and I want to ask you about are low and no alcohol spirits and canned cocktails. There's been this insane explosion of canned cocktails. And I think in some ways it's been good for trial, getting people to understand that they're readily accessible or ready to drink cocktails out of a can. Some really, really good and some not so good. How do you evaluate a trend like that? How do you evaluate canned cocktails as a way to get more people to The Bad or introduce people to The Bad? And would you ever expect to get to a place where Johnnie Walker is looking at no alcohol variety and no alcohol expression.
[00:54:19] Johnnie Walker: Well, if you look at the Johnnie Walker family, ready to drink cocktails is something that we have explored and we do it in different ways in different markets because sometimes you are looking at sort of quite flavour specific things in other areas. A lot of that has led on from, as we talked about earlier, the highball serves. So it's that understanding of which of the highball serves are very popular, what are the flavour styles that people like. So I think it's something that Johnnie Walker does take, we've got a strong part in that and it is really interesting because It's how Do We create Johnnie Walker? How Do We serve Johnnie Walker that people will enjoy in different ways? There's ROTDs in different markets. They tend to be more specific.
[00:54:57] Ray Latif: Not in the United States though?
[00:54:59] Johnnie Walker: I'd need to double check that and come back to you.
[00:55:01] Ray Latif: Okay. Yeah, well, I haven't seen it and I see a lot of beverages all the time. So if I had seen it, I would have grabbed it off the shelf immediately.
[00:55:09] Johnnie Walker: For sure. We definitely have it in some markets. Do We've definitely seen it in places like Germany, parts of Europe. I think there's been some in Australia And The type of area. So it's definitely, it's how we work with our markets in different ways to create delight for our customers. In terms of the low and no alk, as I've said before, one of the ways that we've been looking at that, but still creating scotch is through the serves. So a big part of that has been looking at the highball serves, looking at cocktail serves, and understanding through things like Tales of the Cocktail, working with our brand ambassadors and people that are in the markets, is how can we use the great flavours in Johnnie Walker? That's still a Johnnie Walker scotch whiskey, but use them in the way that we're serving it to have great flavours, but at that lower ABV range. Obviously it's something that we will be looking at, but we need to make sure we're understanding if we're looking at low or no ABV Johnnie Walker, is that something our customers are looking for? Do We need to understand that. Is that something we're being asked to do? How Do We create the flavours? How Do We do it in a way that creates amazing flavour? But how Do We also do it in a way that's sustainable as well? So there's a lot of different questions that we're working through at this point in time, but it's something that we're interested in.
[00:56:25] Ray Latif: Last question. So yesterday I And The opportunity to meet the Chief Blender for Maison Covassier. I think he's been on the job about the same number of months that you've been on the job. And I asked him this question. It's the same question I'll ask you. You know, you hold a very important role in being a steward of this incredible brand, of this heritage brand. But at the same time, I would assume that you want to make your mark as the Master Blender for Johnnie Walker. How do you do both? And you know, what do you, I know it's, I know you've only been on the job for seven months, but I mean, what do you want your legacy to be? I'm sure that's something you've thought about, but how do you get people to remember you?
[00:57:05] Johnnie Walker: I would say one of the things that's really interesting about working for Johnnie Walker is that's the way Johnnie Walker's always worked. So I would say that when it was a family, the company have always looked to say, we make amazing quality scotch with great flavour, but we're always looking to the future. So as we talked about, Alexander created The Good Highland blends because it was a way to get that scotch out and And The world. Looked at how you would actually ship that And The world. How do you make the bottle stand out on the shelf? So there's always been changes that come along in that iterative way to say, this is how we want our whisky to be seen, to be enjoyed. So whatever we Do We'll always be looking to that heritage and learning from the heritage, but moving into the future as well. So that's a big part of the job is understanding how you can do that, but do it in the best way for Johnnie Walker. The legacy I would like to leave behind is, again, continuing that really strong team. So making sure that there's a great team around us, that they feel comfortable, they feel empowered to do the job that they're being asked to do, And The from that team we'll have someone that'll be the next Johnnie Walker Master Blender coming along as well. So making sure that we all continue to grow and develop together as well. Working with people within the Scotch industry we're also out with Do We can understand what are the trends, what Do We need to be looking at for the future. I think making sure we're making our whisky in the best possible way. Do We're all very conscious that we need to make sure that we're being as sustainable as we can. We want to make sure we can continue making whisky for as long as possible. So how Do We do that in the best way possible, but still create really exciting whiskies that people want to drink?
[00:58:35] Ray Latif: Emma, this has been so great and we've gone through the 10 questions. I do have a bonus question and I'm sure this is something that comes up all the time. In fact, I know it does because in the articles I've read about you, it's always probably one of the first or second questions. You're a female executive in the spirits industry. You're a female Master Blender. Not as many folks like yourself, unfortunately, in this business. But it seems like things are getting a bit better. It seems like we are seeing more female entrepreneurs in the beverage space. It seems like we are seeing more female executives in spirits and non-alch as well. I am feeling a little bit more optimistic about the future. How are you feeling about it? And, you know, are the challenges that have existed for so many years still as, I guess, challenging?
[00:59:22] Johnnie Walker: I always And The question really interesting. In my time in the whisky team, I've been one of 12 blenders. The gender mix in that team has always been approximately 50-50. One of my colleagues who I worked with from starting was interviewed by, I mentioned, She retired a couple of weeks ago after spending 45 years working in the whisky industry and is well respected and well known And The world for her skills. So I always find it quite an interesting conversation point about what's it feel like to be a woman in whisky. There aren't many of us. The environment I work in all the time is balanced. Everyone Loves there for the right reasons and we all just love talking about whisky, making whisky and enjoying whisky. I've been very lucky that I've got to work in production as well. And yet there are certain roles where it's more predominantly male, but it's never been a blocker. I've never had that being challenged to say you shouldn't be doing that or you can't do that. I've had a lot of male mentors and female mentors that have pushed me to like work in different areas. I think what's great to see is when you look at the apprenticeships that we have across Diageo Scotland, we're getting a lot more mixed. again, gender mixes into what would be perceived as more traditional male roles as well. So I think there's a lot of things that are going on there. It's a key part of our Diageo 2030 way of working. I think one of the things that we need to, that we have got better at over the years, but we need to continue to be better at, is almost lifting that curtain and showing that this is a normal way of working. This is what we do. And The hopefully one day I'll stop getting asked what it's like to be a woman working in whisky.
[01:00:59] Ray Latif: I hope that day comes sooner than later. I really do. Because I think it's like, oh, what's it like being a Master Blender versus what's it like being a female Master Blender? What's, you know, there shouldn't be a qualification to that question. Yeah.
[01:01:11] Johnnie Walker: So yeah, I'm pretty sure if you if you spoke to me or some of my colleagues in the team, it would be very similar. But yeah, and it's not based on X, Y, and Z. It's just based on your experience of being in that role.
[01:01:21] Ray Latif: Yeah. This has been such a great conversation, as I mentioned. I've learned quite a bit. I'm sure our audience will learn quite a bit as well. Thank you so much.
[01:01:30] Johnnie Walker: Thank you very much for the invitation.
[01:01:31] Ray Latif: Dr. Emma. I think you should use that, you know, you earned it. It's an organic chemistry, your doctorate.
[01:01:40] Johnnie Walker: I use it at times. You don't want to overuse it. You just use it at the most important points.
[01:01:44] Ray Latif: It's like my favorite soccer coach of all time. You know, he And The Sir. Sir Alex. Sir Alex Ferguson. He earned it. So people, you know, can't just call him Alex. This has been so much fun once again. Enjoy the rest of your time here in New Orleans at Tails. I'm sure I'll bump into you here And The among the throngs of people downstairs. But for the time being, it's been so amazing speaking to you one-on-one. Thank you so much. Thank you. That brings us to the end of this episode of Taste Radio. Thank you so much for listening, and thanks to our guest, Dr. Emma Walker. As always, for questions, comments, ideas for future podcasts, please send us an email to ask at Taste Radio.com. On behalf of the entire Taste Radio team, thank you for listening, and we'll talk to you next time.
