What We're Drinking with Dan Dunn – Details, episodes & analysis

On this episode, Dan sits down with Charles Braastad, ninth-generation member of the Delamain family and Cellar Master for Delamain Cognac, one of the oldest and most revered houses in the region. They dig into the intricate relationship between time and quality in Cognac, why Delamain works exclusively with Grande Champagne eaux-de-vie, and how climate change is reshaping the ripening curve and acid balance of the Ugni Blanc grapes that form Cognac’s foundation.

Also on the show, Dan shares a few of his all-time favorite celebrity quotes—some hilarious, some profound—and closes the episode with a reading of “Drinking Alone” by former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins.

It’s an episode that pairs perfectly with patience, poetry, and a fine pour of something aged to perfection.

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On this episode of What We’re Drinking with Dan Dunn, comedian Jonas Garvin drops by to promote his new stand-up special, Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Things go hilariously sideways as Dan and Jonas go “Full Old Man Mode,” griping and laughing their way through a boozy grab bag of topics, from the rise of non-alcoholic beer and outrageous drink prices to the plague of QR code menus, the overuse of pumpkin spice, and the unwritten rules of airport drinking.

Plus, Dan takes a detour into the inexplicable, enduring charm of Tony Orlando & Dawn, and we roll out a fresh installment of our fan-favorite segment, History at Work and in the Making, spotlighting the original showman of the bar, Jerry Thomas, the 19th-century legend who turned cocktail-making into an art form.

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In this episode, Dan takes you inside one of the best dinners of his life—an omakase feast at Asakura in Los Angeles, where legendary chef Makoto Okamoto (La Bombance, Tokyo) was behind the counter. We dive into the artistry of omakase, the history of sake, and a remarkable story from brewmaster Takafumi Sumikawa, whose family’s Sumikawa Brewery nearly collapsed after a devastating flood in 2013, only to come back stronger than ever with their award-winning Toyo Bijin sake. Also, in "Drinks of the Week," we keep the good stuff flowing with a few bottles you’ll definitely want on your radar.

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Dan is joined in-studio by WWD's Official Brooklyn Correspondent Scott Alexander for a lively, in-depth discussion about a service industry and tipping culture gone mad. The fellas take on “tipflation”— the proliferation of bars, restaurants and other establishments implementing digital payment checkout systems that prompt customers to select the gratuity rate before any service has even been rendered (if at all). They also discuss the rise in pricey dining experiences in which customers are expected to order from menus on their phones rather than from, y'know, actual human beings (with the added BS of having their data mined), yet incredibly are still expected to leave 20-plus percent gratuities.... FOR WHO? FOR WHAT? Oh, and let's not forget about the all-powerful delivery app companies, which over the past few years have fleeced us, their drivers and the restaurants to the tune of billions of dollars in profit. Get ready, cuz things get feisty on this episode!


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This one’s for anyone who’s ever woken up with a hangover and thought, "What I could really use right now is… another drink!" That’s right, we’re talking about that most morbid of libations, the Corpse Reviver #2, one of the few cases where the sequel is better than the original — it’s like the "Godfather Part 2" or "Wrath of Kahn" of cocktails. In just over 180 seconds, Dan dishes all there is to know about this killer combination of gin, lemon juice, orange liqueur, a white aperitif and a teeny splash of absinthe.


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As Dan sees it, there are precisely 10 things you must do in a bar before your LAST last call, from making a lifelong friend to having sex in the bathroom. Whether you’re a fellow stiff-necked sot bound for Satan-town or a holy roller who only drinks on the Lord’s day (because when you think about it, every day is the Lord’s day, isn’t it?), Dan is here to help, delivering the list in all its ingloriousness. Speaking of lists, Dan also comes correct in this episode with a rundown of 7 legendary American bars that should be on any serious pub-goer's bucket list. Among these wondrous watering holes are The Buffet Bar in Tucson, AZ, and The Horse You Came In On Saloon in Baltimore, MD.


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Friend of the show Jon Taffer returns to talk about his latest venture, Taffer's Browned Butter Bourbon. Other topics of discussion include, but are not limited to, Taffer's Tavern, the Las Vegas Knights, ageism, and the enduring appeal of Jon's long-running TV show "Bar Rescue" and the craziest things he's encountered on set. Also, another installment of "Drinks of the Week," highlighting offerings from one of Dan's favorite winemakers.


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Dan is joined by Johnny Van Zant, lead vocalist of the legendary band Lynyrd Skynyrd and proprietor of a new American whiskey brand called Hell House. They talk rock n'roll and booze. Johnny reveals which Skynyrd songs he loves to perform most, and Dan teaches him the Philadelphia Eagles fight song. Also, an update on Dan's next book, and another installment of "Drinks of the Week" featuring a new rye whiskey from Jack Daniel's, a high-end tequila line called Laneta, and Mozart Chocolate Liqueur. Oh ya, and.... Freeeeeee Biiiiird!!!!!


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In the course of 180-some-odd seconds, Dan lays out the history and proper preparation technique of the cocktail canon's most slovenly standout — a middling, uncomplicated cream drink from the mid-20th century that would likely have faded into obscurity had it not been plucked from a room crowded with milkshake-like beverages of the era and ushered into the spotlight by Jeff Bridges in the 1998 movie, "The Big Lebowski." We recommend listening while wearing sunglasses and a bathrobe, and perhaps a rug that ties the room together.


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"Somebody Feed Phil" star Phil Rosenthal and Emmy-winning comedian/writer Tom Caltabiano join Dan for an epic exploration of tequila and mezcal. Agave-based spirits are the hottest category in America, and on this episode the fellas sample some heavy hitters — on the tequila side, Tequila Ocho Plata, Nosotros Tequila Madera and El Tesoro de Don Felipe. Mezcal featured includes Hedonistas De La Fe Espadin, Mezcal Vago Ensamble and Del Maguey Chichicapa,


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