Our guest this week is Robert Haynes, former bartender at Chicago's Violet Hour and the creator of Sunday's Finest Gold Fashioned. Robert is looking to reimagine the "ready to drink" cocktail to put an elevated spin on the Old Fashioned.  In fact, Sunday's Finest is re-defining this iconic cocktail using some of  the best ingredients on the planet, including Afghan Saffron and Tahitian Vanilla. This is the 2nd release of the Gold Fashioned and features a blend of bourbon and rye composed of a 15 year bourbon, an 8 year bourbon, and a 5 year rye.  We discuss the origin story of the brand and what may be in store for future releases from Sunday's Finest.  The Gold Fashioned might make the perfect bottle to bring along to your holiday parties this year; save yourself some time at the mini-bar and pour your friends an elevated Old Fashioned instead.   Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there.   We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show. Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at Info@BourbonLens.com. Check out our freshly redesigned website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, whiskey news, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks. Cheers,Scott and JakeBourbon Lens About Sunday's Finest & Gold Fashioned We've created the world's first luxury RTD cocktail: the Gold Fashioned. It's impeccably sourced with split base whiskeys, our house-made saffron bitters blend, an orange atomizer and runs $150/btl. Last year's blend (5k bottles) sold out and Esquire dubbed it 2021's best bottled cocktail. We're running it back (mid Oct) with a 15y bourbon to up the ante. We believe premium bottled cocktails are here to stay and we'd love the opportunity to chat with you about bringing this conversation and our story to your audience. If you're intrigued, keep reading.  The 2022 blend of the Gold Fashioned cocktail was just released in mid October and can be purchased online. Last year's inaugural offering caused quite a stir. Crafted by former The Violet Hour bartender, Robert Haynes and made with 8yr Bourbon, 5 yr Rye, and Saffron bitters each bottle came complete with a beautiful gift box and a revolutionary orange zest atomizer.  At $150 per bottle, it was the first true luxury RTD to hit the market and a total game changer for the space. Each ingredient in the house-made Bitters blend is of the absolute highest quality and sourced from the country of origin: We're talking Afghan Saffron, Grade A Tahitian Vanilla, Single Estate Ecuadorian Cacao, Seville Orange Peel, Wild Harvest Gentian from the French Alps. Another thing that really sets this one apart is the Orange Zest atomizer.  No other RTD engages all of the senses. Finishing the cocktail with a spritz of fresh orange aromatics puts it on par with any cocktail from even the finest of cocktail bars. Just like last year, this will be a limited release - 3000 bottles - we expect it to move quickly.  Links: Sunday's Finest Gold Fashioned  Why Sunday's Finest Gold Fashioned Cocktail Costs $150 A Bottle