Tasting Notes:

This episode is different.

No guest. No bottle on the table. Not even the One More Pour Studio.

Just me giving you an update on where I’ve been, what’s been happening over the last several weeks, and why I’ve made the difficult decision to officially put The Dram Amateur Podcast on pause.

Since July 1st, I’ve been dealing with some unexplained health issues—episodes of blurred vision, headaches, brain fog, elevated heart rate, chest discomfort, and just feeling disconnected from myself. I’ve been to doctors, made a trip to the hospital, met with a cardiologist, and I still have more testing and appointments ahead.

The good news? So far, the tests have looked good.

The frustrating part? I still don’t have an answer.

And until I do, I need to focus on the things that matter most: my health, my family, and being present.

⏸️ Why I’m Hitting Pause

I love this podcast. I love sitting down with people, hearing their stories, sharing great pours, and getting to know this incredible spirits community.

But I’ve always wanted to give this show everything I have.

Right now, I can’t do that.

I’ve stepped away from spirits and cigars while I work through what’s going on, and rather than force episodes just to keep the podcast moving, I’d rather pause, take care of myself, and hopefully come back when I can truly enjoy doing this again.

🥃 More Than the Pour

Looking back on the last three years, I keep coming back to one thing:

This was never really about what was in the glass.

It was about the people sitting around it.

The friendships, conversations, ridiculous stories, shared bottles, new experiences, and people I probably never would have met if I hadn't decided to start this little podcast.

That doesn’t disappear because I’m hitting pause.

So please stay connected. Reach out. Send me a message. Grab my number. Invite me onto your podcast. Hell, if you need a co-host, give me a call.

I'm still here.

❤️ Thank You

To every guest who trusted me with their story, every person who listened or watched, every brand that supported the show, and especially every friendship that came from this crazy little idea:

Thank you.

I don’t know exactly what the next couple of months will bring. Hopefully, I get some answers, get myself back where I need to be, and eventually sit back down behind that microphone in the One More Pour Studio.

Because this isn't goodbye.

It's just a pause.

Until we get to share one more pour together.

Cheers.

Tasting Notes: Three years ago, this podcast started with a microphone, a curiosity about great spirits, and the hope of creating something meaningful. Today, it's become something far bigger than I ever imagined.

In this solo episode, I'm taking a step back to reflect on the journey—from recording audio-only episodes at my kitchen table to building the One More Pour Studio, launching video on YouTube, and connecting with listeners from around the world. More than anything, this episode is about gratitude for the incredible community that's grown around the Dram Amateur Podcast.

But it's also a conversation about what kind of spirits community we should strive to be. After witnessing an unfortunate experience at a liquor store, I share why respect, encouragement, and community over competition will always be at the heart of this podcast.

And of course... no episode would be complete without opening a few incredible bottles and sharing the stories behind them.

🥃 What We're Pouring Into This Episode
- Celebrating three years of the Dram Amateur Podcast and the start of Season 4.
- How the podcast evolved from audio-only into the One More Pour Studio and YouTube.
- The incredible growth of listeners from countries all over the world.
- Why interviewing people—and hearing their stories—has become the heart of the show.
- A candid discussion about gatekeeping in the spirits community and why kindness matters.
- The unforgettable experience of finding a Fortaleza Winter Blend 2025 through an act of generosity.
- First impressions of Rey Campero Ponche de Frutas, a mezcal that immediately became one of my favorites.
- A look ahead at Season 4, returning guests, new ideas, and where the podcast is headed next.

🥃 Key Moments
🎙️ Looking back on where the podcast started—and how much it's grown.
🌎 The surprise of building a worldwide audience through a shared love of spirits.
❤️ Why relationships matter far more than bottle hype.
🥃 Community, not competition—and standing up for welcoming new enthusiasts.
🍹 Uncorking some incredible pours and sharing the stories that make them memorable.
🔮 A preview of what's coming in Season 4.

🥃 Follow The Dram Amateur
📸 Instagram: @dram_amateur
▶️ YouTube: The Dram Amateur Podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a fellow whiskey, tequila, or spirits enthusiast and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

🥃 Final Pour
Sometimes it's easy to focus on bottles, ratings, or chasing the next release. This episode is a reminder that the best part of this hobby has never been what's in the glass—it's the people standing around it.
Whether you've been here since Episode 1 or just recently found the podcast, thank you for being part of this journey. Here's to many more conversations, many more stories, and plenty more pours to share together.

Tasting Notes: Sometimes the best conversations aren't with industry insiders—they're with the friends who have been there for decades.

In this episode, Jason welcomes his longtime friend Greg to the One More Pour Studio for an evening built around a newly opened bottle of Wild Common Cuishe Mezcal. What starts as a simple tasting quickly turns into a conversation about how a random online video game led to a friendship spanning more than 20 years.

From late-night SOCOM sessions and unforgettable road trips to Bills vs. 49ers debates, Tree House beer, tequila, mezcal, and the memories that only longtime friends can share, this episode is less about reviewing a bottle and more about celebrating why we open them in the first place.

If you've ever made lifelong friends over a shared drink—or even a shared hobby—this one's for you.

🔑 Key Topics & Takeaways

🥃 First Impressions of Wild Common Cuishe Mezcal

• Opening a brand-new bottle together
• Why quality mezcal is much more than just smoke
• How different agave varieties create completely different experiences
• Tasting the spirit neat before building cocktails

🍸 Why Great Spirits Deserve Great Cocktails

• Making a spicy mezcal margarita
• Why expensive bottles shouldn't be "too nice" to mix
• Balancing cocktails without overpowering the spirit
• Exploring mezcal beyond traditional sipping

🎮 The Friendship That Started It All

• Meeting over SOCOM more than two decades ago
• How online gaming friendships were different in the early 2000s
• Clan battles, late-night gaming, and lifelong memories
• Turning an online friendship into a real-world one

✈️ Road Trips, Sports & Shared Adventures

• Syracuse basketball memories
• Bills vs. 49ers rivalry
• Braves baseball and unforgettable moments
• Pub crawls, brewery visits, and years of traveling to see each other

🍺 Beer, Tequila & Chasing Great Drinks

• Why Tree House Brewing still sets the standard
• Favorite tequila discoveries
• Finding great liquor stores that focus on education
• The fun of constantly exploring new pours

🤝 The Real Reason We Collect Bottles

• Spirits as a reason to slow down with friends
• Why memories outlast expensive pours
• Community over collecting
• Celebrating friendships one glass at a time

📝 Memorable Moments

• The story of two strangers becoming lifelong friends.
• Greg opening his very first bottle of Wild Common Cuishe Mezcal live on the podcast.
• Jason sharing why great mezcal isn't defined by smoke alone.
• Memories from Syracuse pub crawls, Braves games, Bills games, and countless road trips.
• The realization that sometimes the best podcast episodes aren't interviews—they're simply conversations between friends.

🥃 Follow The Dram Amateur
📸 Instagram: @dram_amateur
▶️ YouTube: The Dram Amateur Podcast

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with a fellow whiskey, tequila, or spirits enthusiast and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

🥃 Final Pour

Every bottle has a story.

Sometimes it's about where it was made.

Sometimes it's about who made it.

And sometimes it's simply about who you opened it with.

This episode is a reminder that the best pours are rarely the most expensive—they're the ones shared with people who have been part of your story for years.

Because every pour comes with a story. 🥃Cheers.