Welcome to Episode 8 of the Bourbon & Breakthroughs Series, and today we welcome award-winning mixologist, Karla Green, who is the Creative Director of Watch Hill Proper. Karla’s focus is now squarely on menu design, creative drink ideas, education, training, and testing, and she brings 20 years of bartending experience into her current position. Karla also helped imagine and design the impressive bar at Watch Hill Proper, which boasts the world’s largest collection of American whiskeys. On the menu today is the Hemingway Rye First Edition, and we have a great time tasting and reflecting on this rather rare item, with Karla sharing her best tasting practices and the different ways she likes to serve it up. From there, our guest delves into some really interesting professional ideas, talking about her belief in taking ownership, setting a good example for her team, her quality control practices, and her prioritization of great communication. We get the inside perspective on her growth-oriented mindset, and listeners will come away with a fresh appreciation for the world of whiskey, and the need to trust the journey of life. So make sure to tune in and hear all that Karla has to say!
Key Points From This Episode:
– First impressions of today’s whiskey, Hemingway Rye First Edition.
– Karla talks about her tasting protocol and the best ways to experience a new whisky.
– Unpacking Karla’s role at Watch Hill Proper, and her proudest moments so far.
– How Karla approaches maintaining the integrity and standards of her recipes.
– Thoughts on customer complaints and how the team manages issues like this.
– Management and leadership strategies that Karla finds helpful and effective.
– The film that Karla featured in recently, highlighting women in the whiskey industry!
– Karla’s philosophy towards recipe development, and exploring the idea of ‘destroying to create’.
– Some thoughts on the state of bourbon culture and perceptions at present.
– The evolution of the Old Fashioned, and how it differs across states.
– Karla shares the recipe for her personal cocktail, The Devil’s Advocate!
– How to find and connect with Karla online.
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