Fresh off the (Bourbon) Boat
How two Asian-American guys got into bourbon, and why they never looked back.
Hi everyone! Nate here. As an avid bourbon drinker since 2013, one of the things I quickly discovered was how amazing the bourbon community is.
People were generous, friendly, and embraced you with open arms. It didn’t matter where you came from, how much money you had, or what you looked like.
What mattered was sharing new flavors, stories, and experiences with each other.
My bourbon journey started to get lonely over the years though, because I was often the only Asian-American in the room.
So, I decided to start writing on Medium to see if there were any other Asian-American bourbon drinkers out there.
I’m happy to report that there is at least one other Asian-American bourbon drinker out there. So, this story about two different Asian-American guys and how they discovered and fell in love with bourbon.
Hi guys, Alex Le here. Those who are close to the bourbon and artisanal spirits world might know me as the owner of Nasa Liquor in Houston, Texas. Yes… That one.
To me, Nasa Liquor is the world’s most eloquent expression of survival. Because the store was born out of the combination of necessity and tragedy.
My family immigrated from Saigon in 1977, and I was born in 1992, at St. Joseph Hospital here in Houston.
My grandmother on my mother’s side purchased a liquor store, named Ly’s Liquor, in the recently gentrified section of East Downtown, two blocks south from the original Mama Ninfa’s Tex-Mex restaurant. Perhaps you’ve indulged in their famed tacos al carbon. And if you had, it’s most likely you’ve made repeat visits.
In the mid-90’s, Ly’s Liquor was mostly focused on bottom shelf tequila and vodka, but also had had a plethora of other untouched bottom-shelf products like “Old Rip Van Winkle,” “Old Granddad,” and “Old Weller Antique.” Bottles that bourbon hounds now lust after.
When I was in elementary school, I used to spend my after-school activities at Ly’s Liquor. I had no clue that the squat bottle of Old Weller Antique with the “golden flossy veins” priced under $20 then, would be worth $850 today.
As a kid, I just dusted this bottle like any other, using the old-school duster my grandmother bought at the Hong Kong supermarket on Bellaire Blvd.
This was my life, until ten years later. During my senior year in high school, my mother was laid off from her job, and a brutal murder took place in the same small city as we resided in, Webster, TX.
A murder which took place where I stand every day. Take a deep breath and re-read that if necessary. I’ll wait….
The thing is, these two moments collided together and led to the creation of Nasa Liquor.
Coming into Nasa Liquor, our mission was simple. We wanted to be the shop that curated the best selection of spirits the world has to offer. So, we decided to focus on sourcing and curating unique barrels exclusively for our store.
Our first exclusive was the 2013 single barrel Four Roses OBSV bourbon, bottled at 100 proof. Then, we extended our strategy in ultra-rapid succession across all categories like rum, cognac, Armagnac, curacao, raicilla, and calvados.
It’s at this point I must apologize for the following:
Ladies, that guy sitting next to you at Anvil or Rosewater that’s “mansplaining” to you the differences between bourbon and Tennessee whiskey? He’ll know who we are.
That newly graduated fraternity bro at Public Services that is excruciatingly trying so hard to mansplain to you how blended whiskies are always inferior to single malts, with the bartender side-eyeing the whole conversation, he also probably knows me (but I promise we do not agree with his knowledge or condone his actions).
The thing is, no retailer had ever done what we do in Houston, and lately, we’ve been bombarded with clientele yearning to break from the pack and indulge in these delicious spirits that we offer.
In hindsight, this is why Nasa Liquor is the most eloquent expression of survival to me. Because our mission at Nasa Liquor turned a tragedy into something beautiful. We’ve traveled the world, finding the best barrels to our customers. We bring awareness to the obscure, and more often overlooked offerings. We help consumers become more mindful of what they are drinking.
So, while Nasa Liquor and I started with bourbon, this spirit was just the beginning. Because we are just scratching the surface of highly unique and personal spirits with meaning, that we source for you.
Hi all, Nate again. To understand how I got into bourbon, we need to go back in time to 1856:
- The U.S. Navy lands in Edo Bay, Japan in 1856 and forces open the borders to trade. Under the guise of diplomacy, they also bring a barrel of American whiskey, also known as bourbon.
- Japan quickly industrializes and transforms into a colonial power.
- By 1910, Japan formally annexes Korea and begins the process of brutal assimilation.
- Japan is defeated in WWII.
- In 1945, Korea is split into north and south at the Yalta conference. The Soviets are given North Korea, while South Korea is stationed by the Americans.
- The Korean War starts in 1950, and goes on until the truce is agreed upon in 1954.
- My parents are born. My mom in the countryside, and my dad in the city. They do not know each other.
- They both immigrate to the United States in search of better opportunities, and meet each other in the United States.
- I’m born in the United States.
- I grow up in a small town, average population of 40K and 85% are white.
- I move to the Washington DC to launch my career after college, without knowing anyone.
- So, I start going out drinking with my roommate and his friends, and co-workers.
- I stumble on the Passenger bar in Penn Quarter, and realize that I like whiskey-based cocktails. So, I decide to go straight to the source, no filter.
- I find Jack Rose Dining Saloon, and get introduced to bourbon by Harvey Fry and Bill Thomas.
- The first sip of bourbon blows my mind. Strong yet delicate. Delicious flavors like vanilla, baking spices, and leather. A finish that lingers for minutes after each sip.
- I become obsessed with understanding the true essence and nature of bourbon.
In an increasingly divisive world, there are still things that can bring people together. And in our particular case, a shared appreciation for bourbons as well as Medium.
At this point, I’d also like to open the forum to you, the reader as well. What communities have you discovered and fallen head-over-heels for, and why?
