Can great spirits time travel? Vanguard spirit “designers” are proving they can. And co-founders Martin Janousek and Stu Aaron of Bespoken Spirits are leading the charge.
Martin and Stu have gone as far as labeling the centuries-old practice of barrel aging as “antiquated” and “wasteful.” They boldly assert that Bespoken’s methods are faster, cheaper, and better for the environment. But can they back up their claims?
Derek Jeter, Bespoken’s star investor, seems to think so. And the company has racked up an impressive list of prestigious awards since their brand launched in 2018.
You read that right. 2018. Most fledgling distillers would need at least two or three years to introduce a young product to market. Not Bespoken. They won over 40 awards in their first two years of operation. And spirits aged over a decade or more fell to Bespoken’s entries.
“We decided two weeks before last year’s San Francisco competition that we wanted to enter a rum. In that period, we sourced some white rum, experimented, packaged up a recipe, and it took home the gold,” said Martin Janousek—a trained materials scientist and head of Bespoken production—in an interview with SFGate.
Most recently, their Rye and Agave-based spirits won two double-golds at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. (To earn a double gold, every judge has to award the spirit a perfect score.)
Some critics—albeit savvy to the company’s production techniques before assessing their lineup—balk at Bespoken’s aplomb, suggesting a deep-seated reverence for traditional barrel aging amongst professional tasters.
“Manufactured” spirits are nothing new. The direct infusion of wood chips in a base spirit is a well-known shortcut amongst home distillers and industry professionals alike. But the results have long been viewed as hamfisted, clunky, and “young” tasting.
Bespoken elevates wood-infused spirits above the stigma through their proprietary ACTivation technology. ACT stands for “aroma,” “color,” and “taste.” Essentially, Bespoken infuses charred slivers of wood, or “microstaves,” into the base spirit. Then processes the mixture in the “ACTivator,” where heat, pressure, and agitation are precisely controlled.
One notable advantage of ACTivation technology is the ability to implement varieties of wood too porous for barrel aging, broadening the flavor spectrum without adding artificial flavoring agents. Bespoken also offers “customization services to distillers, rectifiers, and retailers” on their company website. A tantalizing prospect for cash-strapped entrepreneurs looking to compete in the premium spirits market.
Which brings us back to the million-dollar question: can Bespoken consistently manufacture premium spirits in a matter of days as opposed to decades?
Decide for yourself. You can sample Bespoken’s lineup here at Bacchus Wine & Spirits by Quinton Jay.