Sometimes, you don't realize that all paths have led you to where you end up. Think about it - it could be true for you. It is for our guest - he’s right where he was meant to be all along. For Tom Chisholm, all those dead ends and missed starts made sense when Buck & Birch was born. Founded in 2016 by Tom and his partner Rupert Waites when they joined forces to share a deep bond created back in their respective childhoods growing up in nature, surrounded by exhilarating wilderness landscape...
Mar 25, 2025•52 min•Season 9Ep. 256
How many cocktail competitions are you doing this year? Our guest has challenged herself to do a number you won’t believe! It’s not as if she has nothing else to do, she is busy at one of the most exciting places in London. Laurie Howells might sound like a Brit, but she don’t let her fool you. She was born and lived in the USA until she was whisked to her new hometown of Bury St. Edmunds. How did she find herself heading up Archive & Myth , one of London’s newest bars? She will have to tell...
Mar 11, 2025•39 min•Season 9Ep. 255
For someone who is passionate about horses and bourbon there is one position that would be a dream to have and our guest has got it! When you think of horse races, there is only one: the Kentucky Derby. When you think of cocktails at horse races, there is only one - the Mint Julep. And what bourbon do you find in that Kentucky Derby Mint Julep? Woodford Reserve. As Vice President and Master Distiller of Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Elizabeth McCall calls the shots when defining the quality sensory ...
Feb 25, 2025•45 min•Season 9Ep. 254
Have you been to the small hotel with a wishing well and now a fabulous new bar helmed by today’s guest? I’m pretty certain that if Rogers and Hart had taken even one sip of any of the new cocktails, their famous song may have turned out very differently. If you are a Sinatra fan, you might be aware of his rendition of the song There’s a Small Hotel written in the 1930s by Rogers and Hart for the musical On Your Toes . This sweet ditty was inspired by Hart’s stay at the Stockton Inn in Stockton,...
Feb 11, 2025•57 min•Season 9Ep. 253
Can you feel the heat on your face? This episode we want to transport you right to the sunny island of Barbados. Anyone’s guess which rum we’ll be exploring?? If you haven’t guessed already, it’s Mount Gay , not only the oldest rum in Barbados, but the oldest rum in the world!! I’m thrilled that Trudiann Branker, the trailblazing Master Blender, is joining us. Starting at the distillery in 2014 as Quality Assurance Manager, Trudiann rose to prominence with her unique ability to merge scientific ...
Jan 28, 2025•42 min•Season 9Ep. 252
We are exploring a very important issue and, even if you aren’t in the drinks industry, it’s something you need to address if you have a business - how are you prioritizing inclusion in your workplace? Vicky Ilankovan, the Executive Director of Equal Measures UK , is with me to help you answer that question. Equal Measures is the award-winning non-profit spearheading the delivery of intersectional inclusivity in the drinks & hospitality industries. She has a proven track record of promoting ...
Nov 05, 2024•44 min•Season 9Ep. 251
Most people know that sake is made with rice, but did you know that rice might be grown in California? This is the 250th episode of Lush Life Podcast, every week I have been inspired to live life one cocktail at a time by the guests who have been kind enough to join me and I am sure I will continue to be inspired by those who are yet to be on the program. Thank you everyone for your support, especially Evo Terra and his team, that’s my producer, and thank you for listening. Now, back to that 250...
Oct 22, 2024•43 min•Season 9Ep. 250
Yes, we are back with the 9th - how is it possible - season of Lush Life! Where best to begin? Venice, of course! How is it that there weren’t already Venice Cocktail Tours before now? Well, I don’t want to reveal the whole story in this intro, you can now enjoy two different cocktail tours in Venice! Let’s just say that great minds were thinking how best to introduce you to not only the role that Venice played in bringing you some of the greatest drinks ever, but also to how amazing the cocktai...
Oct 08, 2024•46 min•Season 9Ep. 249
Philip Duff, a true icon in the industry, is on Lush Life. He is a renowned expert on everything drinks related and has a passion for the craft. Thank goodness our guest was not one of the Skerries-born citizens who kidnapped St. Patrick's goat and was cursed to bleat from then on, cus that would make for an awkward interview. Today we have a true icon in the industry. Philip Duff is not only an internationally renowned expert on cocktails, spirits, and bars, but also a sought-after consultant, ...
Jul 30, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 8Ep. 248
Did it ever occur to you to ask your friendly bartenders where they like to drink? Because you know they know the best places in town. Well, don’t worry, our guest has. And lucky for us, he’s sharing that info. Sam Gilani was making Sazeracs when he was at university - that should tell you that he was bound to become The London Boozehound . He is not only a journalist with a massive Instagram following but also the founder of the Bartender’s Edit - that list of every bartender’s favorite hangout...
Jul 16, 2024•38 min•Season 8Ep. 247
Who doesn’t want to enjoy a tipple or two in a gorgeous setting? Today, I bring you to one of the most historically important homes in London, which held and is still holding some of the best parties the city has ever seen. On today’s episode, you’ll meet a power player in Georgian society, the Lansdowne House, constructed in the 1760s by the celebrated architect Robert Adam. Not only did it see the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which ended the American War of Independence, in its Round Room, ...
Jun 18, 2024•32 min•Season 8Ep. 246
Remember a time when asking for a non-alcoholic beverage meant getting a soda or an apple juice? Well, thanks to the brain behind Seedlip, there are now stores filled with No-ABV and Low-ABV spirits. It’s not often one can invent a whole new category of drinking, but our guest did, and now he is coming for bitters, watch out. My friend and former Lush Lifer Ben Branson was on the program more than 5 years ago and since that time, he is not only the Founder of Seedlip - the first ever non-alcohol...
May 28, 2024•50 min•Season 8Ep. 245
This March, I was blown away by the creativity of some of the best bars in the world. Not only were they making cocktails, but they were saving the planet. On the 17 and 18th of March 2024, the third edition of the Paradiso Sustainability Summit, organized by Giacomo Giannotti and his team, in partnership with Ketel One Vodka through their Garnished with Good program was held. Giacomo’s bar Paradiso is ranked one of the best Bars in the world, and he established the Summit three years ago as an ...
May 14, 2024•39 min•Season 8Ep. 244
The butterfly effect is the idea that small things can have non-linear impacts on a complex system. The concept is imagined with a butterfly flapping its wings and causing a typhoon. Our butterfly, in this case, is one small sip of bourbon. That specific sip of bourbon started off a chain reaction that would see not only the world of drinks but the world at large change forever and I am not exaggerating! But I am not going to ruin the story. You will have to hear it from one of the co-Founders o...
Apr 30, 2024•36 min•Season 8Ep. 243
I think relaunch is the word of the moment. It is Spring, after all. Not only will I be relaunching Season 8 of Lush Life, bringing you exciting episodes about sustainability, horse racing, the Beatles, absinthe, and so much more! But the big news is I have just re-launched my cocktail tours in London’s Soho- Long story but I first started them in Nov 2019 and well we know what happened then. Now, I am thrilled to say that they are up and running! So next time you are planning a trip to London, ...
Apr 16, 2024•3 min
Few people would have the courage to leave a very secure future in academia for a very uncertain life behind the bar. Our guest did, and he has never looked back. Are you crazy for Thomas Shelby and also have a passion for Japanese Whisky? Do you have no clue who Thomas Shelby is but love your Japanese whisky? Or do you not know either about Thomas Shelby or Japanese Whisky but just want to meet one of the greatest guys in the spirit industry? Then this episode is for you! James Bowker is a prou...
Nov 14, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Season 8Ep. 242
You asked for it, and you got it - all of you kind people who filled out my survey asked for more interviews with more legends. Our guest is the world's most-awarded bartender & bar owner. If Mr Lyan isn’t a legend, I don’t know who is. If you call yourself a cocktail connoisseur, then you will have come upon the name Mr Lyan in your travels. Ryan Chetiyawardana, aka Mr Lyan opened White Lyan in London in 2013. It was a moment that will go down in cocktail history as the first cocktail bar i...
Oct 31, 2023•58 min•Season 8Ep. 241
Throughout history, artists and writers have been drawn to the Northern Italian hill town of Asolo; some say it’s because it’s the “city of a hundred horizons,” I think it’s because it’s the home of Asolo Prosecco! At one time, you might have caught a glimpse of poet Robert Browning, actress Elenora Duse, or writer Freya Stark sitting enjoying a glass of bubbly at one of the cafes in this Pearl of the Veneto; I can almost guarantee the liquid in their glass was Asolo prosecco! In this episode, I...
Oct 02, 2023•56 min•Season 8Ep. 240
School is back, and a new season of Lush Life commences! How exciting! I’m Susan Schwartz, your drinking companion, and this is the Lush Life Podcast, every week we are inspired to live life one cocktail at a time. Yes, next Tuesday, I bring you the first episode of Season 8 of Lush Life. This season, we’ll have even more great conversations, enjoy more great cocktails, and visit a few more great places to enjoy a sip or two. We’ll be delving into prosecco, horse racing, and absinthe, plus meeti...
Sep 26, 2023•3 min
Just when you thought my season was over, I’m surprising you with a little mid-summer episode dedicated to a place and spirit I love. If you’ve been listening to Lush Life for a while, you would probably know that I love Venice. If you are a first-timer to Lush Life, I'll say it again I love Venice! So how excited am I to be joined by my friend Rudi Carraro, Global Brand Ambassador of the very Venetian Select Aperitivo ? I’ll let Rudi tell you how Select and Venice go hand-in-hand while I sip my...
Jul 25, 2023•25 min•Season 7Ep. 239
What a great way to start the summer by celebrating with a guest whose job it is to celebrate the best of the best. Mark Sansom has been Director of Content at The World’s 50 Best Bars, 50 Best Discovery, The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, and soon to be the World’s 50 Best Hotels for the past 5 very momentous years! Today he guides us through a bit about the history of World’s 50 Best, but mostly we get to what’s been happening since Covid and how the site and events have changed since Mark joine...
Jun 20, 2023•36 min•Season 7Ep. 238
Join Christian Jensen, Founder of Jensen’s Gin on a journey to create a gin that harks back to the vintage gins he revered. Who would have thought that sitting in a bar in Tokyo you might sip a gin that reminded you why you fell in love with the spirit in the first place? Christian Jensen dreamt about gins gone by until the fateful sip….and upon returning to London he decide he needed to create a gin just for himself. That gin is Jensen’s and thank goodness he decided to share it with others. To...
Jun 06, 2023•54 min•Season 7Ep. 237
Are you ready to be comfortable with discomfort? Our guest was. Now after nearly 25 years in the Guinness and beer space, he’s making a name for himself in the spirit world. Jason Kidd, founder of Outcast Brands, spent most of his career trotting around the globe working with beer; now he’s home in Ireland making Blood Monkey gin and Two Shores Rum. Both prove that, in Jason’s words, “interesting drinks are always on the margins of the category that we work in.” Find out why his two liquids are ...
May 23, 2023•37 min•Season 7Ep. 236
As if organizing the biggest cocktail week in the world isn’t enough, my two guests have created the Michelin guide for the drinks industry! More than 10 years ago, Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhan Payne joined forces and made London Cocktail Week what it is today. Every cocktail lover’s favorite week of the year, including mine! It’s been running continuously every year since it began - they didn’t even let a small thing like a global pandemic get in the way. Now, in addition to that, they have c...
May 09, 2023•59 min•Season 7Ep. 235
What cocktail combines three days of activities, collaborations, guest shifts, and seminars in Barcelona and bar industry legends from some of the most famous bars in the world with one serious message? That would be the Paradiso Sustainability Summit 2023. On 21, 22, and 23 March 2023, I was fortunate to attend the second edition of the Paradiso Sustainability Summit, organized by Giacomo Giannotti and his Team in partnership with Ketel One Vodka through their Garnished with Good program. For t...
Apr 25, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 7Ep. 234
How many of us can’t wait to leave home, but then circumstances involving a global pandemic sent us right back to where we began. Joining on this episode, sponsored by Louisiana Tourism , is Olivia Stewart, President of Oxbow Rum Distillery . After a childhood surrounded by sugar cane, she thought her future was in the big city. Now she is helming her family’s rum distillery in Louisiana. How did she get there? You’ll have to hear it from her! Have you ever been to Louisiana? I love it for its C...
Apr 11, 2023•39 min•Season 7Ep. 233
Do you remember Plato’s work, Symposium? Yep, that took place at a drinks party. Philosopher David Hume said that drinking was an antidote to philosophical depression, and Kierkegaard wrote an entire treatise on wine. Our guest today is another student of philosophy who found her calling in the drinks industry. I am so pleased to have my friend and fellow drinks journalist, Millie Milliken, on the program today. Not does she have nearly 10 years of food, drink, and events writing experience in p...
Mar 28, 2023•58 min•Season 7Ep. 232
You’ve finally done it - opened your bar, launched your spirit, won your first cocktail competition. So now what do you do? Time to call today’s guests! Since the moment I met them, Alex Chatwin and Alex Irving, Co-Founders of LX PR, have been Lush Life’s number-one fans, and it is such a privilege to have them on the program with me. These women have grown their company to be one of the most respected drinks PRs not only in London but all over the world. Today, they share the story of how they ...
Mar 14, 2023•54 min•Season 7Ep. 231
Our guest today introduced me to a job title I had never heard of before - the maltster. She works for one of the very few distilleries that still floor malts its barley - thus the need for a maltster. In short, a maltster is a maker of malt for use in brewing or distilling, but Charlotte Coyle goes into way more detail about the maltster at Benriach Distillery. Charlotte is the Brown-Forman UK Malt Whisky Ambassador and sat down to tell me all about the history and the Scotch Whisky that is mad...
Feb 28, 2023•42 min•Season 7Ep. 230
Before our guest launched his first non-alcoholic spirit, his mission was to make it easy to be a mindful drinker. Now six years later, thanks to his hard work, it is definitely getting easier to be a mindful drinker! Morten Lee Sørenson gave up drinking alcohol for 100 days. He found that it wasn't difficult not drinking alcohol, but it was quite difficult to find good alternatives. At that moment, he decided he was going to create products that made it a whole lot easier to be a mindful drinke...
Feb 14, 2023•40 min•Season 7Ep. 229
