Interview With Gabriel Carderella

In 2008, when Bacardi offered Gabriel Carderella the chance to tour the world talking about Dewar’s, the self-proclaimed whiskey nerd knew he couldn’t pass it up. Carderella had previously represented other spirits brands, but the move to Bacardi allowed him to share stories through a community of drinkers that extends generations. Today Carderella is National Ambassador for the Bacardi Whiskey Portfolio and he recently sat down with Joshua Harris of The Bon Vivants (and Pig & Punch) to share stories of life on the road and what he does in his downtime.

Joshua Harris: What do you love most about your job?
Gabriel Carderella: The storytelling. Good whiskey becomes great whiskey over great stories with great people.

JH: What do you do in your downtime?
GC: I’m a music nerd. I’m on blogs trying to find that next great track, which is few and far between these days. Reading is my thing too—I think it’s a great opportunity to relax and unwind. I live in Delray Beach, Florida, so I’ll beach-bum it for a few days, grab a book, throw on the headphones and dive into that.

JH: Where’s your favorite travel destination?
GC: I love Curacao. The Caribbean is an amazing place, and Curacao is a hybrid between Spanish and Dutch influence. One of the great things about it is that it’s not one of those touristy islands. It’s pretty untouched and friendly, and i’s a great place to unwind and chat with some real people. You can also do some great scuba diving. It’s that, or Scotland. Scotland is incredible.

JH: What’s your favorite fine-dining spot?
GC: There’s this place in Ohio—the Scioto Country Club. It’s the home of Jack Nicholas, and it’s a men’s-only stag bar. You ask for whisky on the rocks and they load it to the top. Their chef is phenomenal.

JH: And your favorite down and dirty craving?
GC: A great local place is where I’m at—I don’t care where it is. In New York City it’s Corner Bistro. It’s cash only, they slide beer down the bar, they have a great jukebox and the burgers are great—people line up out the door to have one.

JH: How do you like to drink Dewar’s?
GC: If I’m getting off a long flight, I’ll grab a handle of White Label and pour it over ice. I like it as a highball as well—two fingers of Dewar’s, topped with soda and packed with ice with a lemon twist.

JH: Now some rapid-fire questions.

JH: Dogs or Cats?
GC: Dogs.

JH: Early bird or night owl?
GC: Early bird

JH: Coffee or tea?
GC: Coffee.

JH: Football or futbol?
GC: Football.

JH: Forks, chopsticks or fingers?
GC: Fingers.

JH: Beach or mountains?
GC: Beach. 

JH: Bike or Car?
GC: 1979 Transam.