Taste of Black Spirits - Detroit
The feeling was electric - wine, spirit, and non-alcoholic beverage purveyors from AROUND THE WORLD gathered across the second floor of the DoubleTree Detroit pouring tastes and cocktails for each other, distributors, retailers, and the general public. It was supposed to be “work” but it felt like a big family reunion and I was just excited to have gotten an invite…
Friday began early and frantic with a 7:00 am text message I didn’t see until 7:20 am:
Dawn, Shirley, and Ursula waiting for interview to happen
The internal debates that raged before I dragged myself out of bed to brush my teeth and throw on last night's clothes to be down in the lobby in 10 minutes. Thankfully it was the radio and not TV since I would have needed a full 30 minutes to put on my face.
Ursula of the Sista Supply Chain Network and Shirey of OTC Beverages and I rushed to the studio only to wait… for an hour before we got on. In the interim, we did the requisite selfies and chatted about being women in the spirits industry and staying true to our values. We may or may not have both cursed Lazar Favors while also fan-girling over a man that true to his word was opening doors everywhere and providing not only space but opportunities for black people to break barriers - all while remaining calm and unfailingly positive. It is a dream of mine to shed the anxiety and just go with the flow, trusting in God and Mother Nature and I see Lazar as a role model and mentor as I journey towards that ideal.
Dawn @ KISS 105.9 with Mason & Star
And then the interview! A. Time. Was. Had. You never would have guessed three sleep deprived women with ten minutes' warning had walked into the studio. It helped of course that Mason and Star were warm, welcoming, and truly interested in our journey, our beverages, and sharing all of this with greater Detroit.
The high of our interview segued into a quick breakfast before Ursula and I were expected on the main stage - her to moderate a panel and me to present on sustainability in the spirits industry. The afternoon was delightfully low-key after the morning’s escapades and Dionne Galloway and I enjoyed connecting with the small group gathered for our session. I in particular continue to ponder how New Dawn could possibly collect our bottles for reuse rather than trusting them to recycling centers as part of our ongoing commitment to lowering our carbon footprint and waste.
Saturday, the day of the tasting event was cold and rainy and I certainly fretted - but only for a minute! Before channeling my inner Lazar and heading out to explore Detroit with Dionne and Malcolm. Learning from our mistakes the day before, we were sure to grab a hearty breakfast to tide us over since we knew it was going to be a long day.
And then it was time to set up. My first tasting event! Dionne and Malcolm only had to tell me to calm down once or twice, I was so excited. And to see the other vendors build out their spots! My earlier worries about the weather were calmed seeing how we all showed up and showed out. I just knew the evening was going to be perfect.
The love we received from Detroit! Several people including a buyer for a major grocery chain named us “best in show.” Everyone was tickled by our cocktails, The French Entanglement (with Grand Marnier) and The French Situationship (with amaretto) with the Situationship winning out much to the chagrin of everyone who wanted to only be in entanglements. At the end of the night we had people wanting to buy bottles but of course we were restricted by alcohol control laws. [Which we are furiously working to rectify!]
Too keyed up to sleep we retired to the bar for a nightcap and rehash of the evening before collapsing into bed. The memories of the night were just enough to propel me on my 10 hour drive to New York just in time to bottle the 10-year Wheated (but that’s another story!).
It should come as no surprise to anyone that I will OF COURSE be at the Inaugural Taste of Black Spirits Houston, November 9th. I’m dying to see how Texans feel about a NY whiskey and whether The French Entanglement will win out this time. Plus, we’ll be in a location where those who taste can immediately buy a bottle online to have it shipped right to their home - because you have no idea how much I hate saying no!
Tickets are on sale now for Houston! Our 6 year is available online with Free Shipping! And the 10-year Wheated Whiskey is dropping November 1! If you aren’t already on the mailing list to be the first to know about all that’s going on at New Dawn, what are you waiting for?
