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Farid Dormishian"s Falcon Spirits: My interest in distillation was sparked by a set of images from my childhood. As a kid, when I visited my grandmother’s country orchard, among the bounty of great food, baked goods, pickles, and preserves, she produced a number of liqueurs and infusions for friends and family. She employed both fresh and sundried fruits, as each had its advantages and subtle nuances. I would also see bottles hanging on Pear trees, lovingly embracing the young growing pears, looking like chandeliers, sounding like a wind chime. Once the pears were mature, the bottles were filled with infused brandy. These colorful jars and bottles made their way to a large stone lined basement. The large basement at one point had been used to store almonds and a space to extract olive oil. The transformation of a liquid base where aromas, colors, flavors, and textures of the fruit are held in union to create a new amalgam left a great impression on me. I also learnt to respect the land and the labor that goes into what we have on our table.

For the past 20 years I have been a Biochemist, Wine maker, Bartender, and a Distiller. I studied Biochemistry at U.C. Berkeley and my undergraduate research project was conducted on fermentation. To pay for the ever escalating tuition, I learnt bartending from an old “Old School Bartender” that did not like to make drinks from premade mixes (A strange idea at the time). After working in several mundane bars, I found my home at a bar where the owners valued mixology. We were encouraged to explore and find old classics from antique books, experiment with infusions, bring back recipes from our trips abroad, and use tinctures and bitters >>>

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