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Sparkly moonlight, cotton candy clouds, and a snap of flame—our Anime Booze Battle brings big fandom energy to the bar. We have each crafted original cocktails inspired by Sailor Moon, One Piece’s Gear Five Luffy, Fullmetal Alchemist’s Roy Mustang, and a nod to Sword Art Online’s Black Swordsman Kazuto Kirigaya. Then was argue, laugh, and debate our way to a winner.

First up, Sailor Moon gets a radiant makeover with a yuzu-forward gin and tonic. Empress Gin brings the purple hue, edible glitter channels that iconic transformation sequence, and a dash of lavender-rosemary bitters balances the citrus. We swap stories about how Sailor Moon shaped pop culture, and why it remains a welcoming gateway for newcomers without losing depth.

Then we sail into One Piece. Gear Five Luffy inspires a dessert-like cocktail with vanilla vodka, Malibu, triple sec, soda, and a cotton candy cloud crowned by a handcrafted straw-hat garnish. We break down what makes Luffy’s world so enduring: devil fruit lore, “adventure-first” pacing, and that polarizing yet brilliant Looney Tunes elasticity of Gear Five. It’s a sugar rush with substance—joy as rebellion and resilience.

Things heat up with Roy Mustang. A classic Fireball and RumChata shot nods to snap-born flame and the moral weight at the heart of Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood. We dig into equivalent exchange, war, and redemption, and why Brotherhood’s tight storytelling and character arcs stick the landing.

Finally, we pour a dark, smooth SAO-inspired sip—Kahlúa, vanilla vodka, and a splash of cola—to capture the tension between quiet life and hero’s duty in a VR world where death has real stakes.

By the close, we crown the cocktail champion for presentation, flavor, and thematic flair. If you love anime, mixology, or both, you’ll leave with new recipes, fresh watchlist ideas, and a smile. Subscribe, share this episode with your favorite fan, and tell us: which anime would you drink to next?

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Ten bourbons, one table, all the hype, and no mercy! Andy M., Chris, and Josh join Matt for another bourbon extravaganza! We lined up everything from a $20 Bottled-in-Bond workhorse to beloved Buffalo Trace labels, a sleeper single barrel, a stave-finished Maker’s Private Selection, and a cask strength closer—and let the flavors fight it out. With four palates in play, we tracked nose, finish, drinkability, and real-world use cases to answer the question that actually matters: which bottle should you reach for, and why?

The ride starts with contrasts: Bib & Tucker Double Char’s toasted oak and short finish against Noble’s feather-light four-grain profile that drinks almost like a blended scotch. Then we dive into the Buffalo Trace family where bias meets reality: approachable sweetness in Buffalo Trace, refined citrus-honey spice in Elmer T. Lee, and the soft-but-divisive richness of Weller 12. We pause to unpack how proof tolerance evolves, why wheat can smooth edges, and when “hard to find” becomes head noise on your palate.

Mid-show, the value conversation heats up. Clover Single Barrel brings classic vanilla and baking spice flavors at 92 proof, while Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond earns respect as the 100-proof cocktail backbone you actually want behind the bar. We break down the Bottled-in-Bond Act and how it still signals quality: one distillery, one season, at least four years, exactly 100 proof. From there it’s an ascent: Baker’s 7 Single Barrel charms us all and a special Maker’s Mark Private Selection, brought by Chris, layers French oak complexity into holiday warmth. Brothers Bond Cask Strength closes with caramelized sugar and a lingering burn that begs for a spirit-forward cocktail.

Use the link below to send up your favorite bourbon or suggestions for us to try next!

We tally the scores and determine which of our 10 bourbons comes out on top. We hope you’ll leave with a simple bar strategy: keep a dependable 100-proof mixer, a nuanced mid-proof sipper, and a special-occasion bottle that rewards slow pours. Press play, compare your top three with ours, and tell us what would move up or down. If you enjoy the show, subscribe, share with a bourbon-loving friend, and drop a review so more listeners can find us. Cheers!

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Visit www.mattandfriendsdtu.com for links listen, support the podcast, and more!

Check out our sponsor, Poppin's Travel Company, for all of your travel needs! Their highly qualified agents are ready to book your next big adventure or dream vacation.

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Josh and Matt bring you visions of a bright red glass, a room full of friends, and a recipe that earns its place at the table—our cranberry whiskey sour brings seasonal flavor to a timeless form while telling the story of how a humble template shaped cocktail culture. We start with the build: rye for spice, cranberry for tart depth, fresh lemon for lift, real maple for warmth, and orange bitters to tie it all together. Then we zoom out to the roots of the sour—spirit, citrus, sugar—born from sailors fighting scurvy and refined from ship to saloon.

Across the episode we share why the whiskey sour is a benchmark order at any bar and how mastering it unlocks the logic behind the many other popular cocktails. Our holiday variant respects the classic while speaking in winter tones—cranberry’s tannic snap, maple’s woodsy echo, and a bright orange twist. You’ll leave with a reliable recipe, a sharper palate for balance, and a new way to explain why a “basic” drink often carries the deepest craft.

If this story and recipe hit the spot, follow and subscribe, share with a friend who loves cocktails, and leave a review telling us your favorite whiskey sour riff. Cheers to balance and to better holiday drinks.

Christmas Cranberry Whiskey Sour

Ingredients

• 2 oz rye whiskey
• 4 oz cranberry juice
• ½ oz real maple syrup
• 1 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• A couple dashes of orange bitters

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
2. Shake well.
3. Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.

Garnish - Orange twist

Makes 2 cocktails

Support the show

Visit www.mattandfriendsdtu.com for links listen, support the podcast, and more!

Check out our sponsor, Poppin's Travel Company, for all of your travel needs! Their highly qualified agents are ready to book your next big adventure or dream vacation.

Visit our merch store

We'd love to hear from you on social media! Like and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, and X.

Cheers, and thanks for listening!