Episode 313 - Australian Spirits Trends with James Young

In this Down Under conversation with James Young of Old Young's Distillery, some of the topics we discuss include: The influence and defining characteristics of the Australian cocktail scene, which differs starkly from what you might find when you travel to Europe and is responsible for such mixological gifts as Mr. Black Coffee liqueur and the butterfly pea coloring craze. How to plan your travel itinerary around tasting delicious spirits in every state in Australia, including whisky in Tasmania, Gin & Brandy in Western Australia, and rum up in Queensland and Kununurra. The growing interest in distilling brandy using Australian grapes and aging it in local casks. This leads us down a number of interesting rabbit holes concerning grape varietals, process and maturation requirements, and even the importance of Australian dessert and fortified wines. Through this entire conversation, you'll be able to trace an underlying thread of quality, which seems to be a cultural hallmark that unifies the diverse flavors and landscapes that you encounter in the agriculture, spirits, and cocktails of Australia. Along the way, we muse on antipodean oddities like: why all white rum in Australia is technically cristallino, what the brandy distillers of the world could learn from Pisco, why you should be drinking gingin gin with Jim, and much, much more Chapters (00:00) Introduction (04:45) Australian Cocktail Trends (07:23) Distillery Destinations in Australia (13:47) The Rise of Australian Brandy (18:00) The Story of Gingin Gin (19:51) Standards of Identity through Production Rules (25:15) Australia as a Culture of Quality (27:59) Australian Brandy Grape Varietals (32:07) Conclusion