[Cause and Effect]
First, the design of the left bottle was neat and modern. The long-necked glass bottle, holding a golden hue, featured a simple label that naturally piqued one's curiosity. Warren picked up the bottle, held it against the sunlight streaming through the window, and narrowed his eyes slightly.
"This... the color is remarkably clear. What’s the ABV?"
"It’s 40 percent."
Warren wore a deep smile.
"That’s going to be impressive."
Jacob, with an expectant look, opened the bottle and poured the spirit into a prepared glass. Warren’s eyes lit up as he observed the clear, very pale yellow liquid. As he took the glass, he instinctively brought it to the tip of his nose.
And at that moment, Warren froze.
"...Huh? At 40 percent, the ethanol punch should hit first... but the aroma is quite classic. Is it because it has the feel of an Eastern spirit?"
"That’s because it’s Korean-style soju."
He nodded at my words and took a sip. He savored the intense reaction on his tongue, brow furrowed in contemplation, then tapped his fingers against the glass and said,
"Unique, very unique. It’s the first time I’ve encountered structure in a vodka. It’s clean but not thin; it’s transparent but not hollow. Did you adjust the distillation to more than two passes?"
Jacob said, beaming with joy,
"Yes. The first pass is in a pot still to retain a hint of the aroma, and the second is in a column still to remove only the impurities. We also precisely controlled the cut points..."
"That explains it. Retaining a faint aroma while erasing impurities, leaving only the presence... It’s not that I haven’t drunk Eastern spirits before, but this is a very unique experience. Honestly, because it was called Korean-style vodka, I expected a monotonous alcohol."
"Ah... have you ever tried Korean soju before?"
"I have. A friend of mine took me to a Korean barbecue place and introduced me to soju. For me... it was a bit of a bewildering experience. Ah, the meat was top-notch, though."
If he had tried standard Korean soju, I could fully understand why he found it a bewildering experience. In reality, soju is barely even a spirit; it’s just liquid alcohol. Especially for a legendary winemaker like Warren, the impression he would have had after drinking that... it goes without saying.
"The Korean soju you drank at that restaurant was nothing more than alcohol mass-produced so people could get drunk cheaply. This is a spirit made using traditional soju techniques. They can’t be compared."
"I see. Then, what about this...?"
He turned his attention to the other bottle. The fruit soju, with a bottle design that looked quite lively and different from the clean, modern feel of the first, left Warren unable to guess what it might be like.
Jacob opened the fruit soju and poured it into a glass, saying,
"This one is fruit soju. Naturally, it doesn’t have the depth of a wine, but it’s not loaded with cheap artificial flavors either. Why don’t you give it a try?"
Warren gave a wry smile, as he had been thinking exactly that—about it being loaded with cheap artificial flavors. He brought the glass to his nose, and the subtle fruit aroma wafting from the transparent liquid was pleasant.
Then, a sip... Warren’s expression stiffened, and the corners of his eyes twitched. It was clear he was taken aback by a flavor he hadn't expected at all.
"This is... it’s more like a beverage than a spirit? No, it’s too sophisticated to be called a beverage... and the sweetness isn't sticky at all."
"Haha, is that so?"
Watching Jacob breathe a sigh of relief, Warren immediately took another sip. This time, even more slowly...
In Korea, fruit soju is something you mix up as a college student, or here in the States, it’s just a step up from RTD drinks meant for getting drunk quickly. Seeing him drink it so seriously was, in a way, a little funny.
Regardless, contrary to my thoughts, Warren said with a serious expression,
"The acidity pushes the sweetness forward and then disappears cleanly at the end. It has the balance one feels in a table wine; it seems to be quite well-made."
Receiving praise from Warren, of all people, Jacob was over the moon as he said,
"We used natural flavors extracted and distilled from fruit. They dissolve better in alcohol and water than syrups do."
"Did Brian here teach you this as well?"
Jacob scratched his head with a shy expression.
"Yes... the entire process was created by Brian."
At that, Warren looked at me as if I were a monster and asked,
"Did you study agriculture and brewing the moment you were born? Otherwise, such knowledge shouldn't be possible."
"I’ve just had a lot of interest in it since I was young."
"I haven't exactly been short on seeing young friends who were called geniuses, but this is the first time I’ve seen a genius in this field. I was quite something in my younger days, too, but not to your extent."
"Warren, you were more interested in management than this field when you were young. I’ve been interested since early on, so it’s different."
"Huh, that sounds like it makes sense, and yet it also doesn't..."
Shaking his head, Warren said to Jacob,
"Anyway, this is what’s doing well right now?"
"That’s correct."
"There’s a reason it’s doing well. It could shake up the entire U.S. RTD market. Everyone would prefer a safe fruit soju over an RTD made by who-knows-who."
At his encouraging words, Jacob and I looked at each other and laughed. They say sales don't lie, but being recognized by a legendary winemaker was a different kind of thrill.
"Anyway, this was a very good experience. It made me feel that I still have much to learn."
"It was a true honor to have you visit."
Jacob, wearing a wide grin, loaded a case each of 'The One' and 'Peach Light' from the distillery into Warren’s car as he was leaving.
For anyone who loves spirits, this gift would be better than anything else, but strangely, Warren just got into the car quietly with a gentle smile.
As he drove away, leaving the distillery behind, Warren said,
"The Master and his friends show well that one must challenge themselves in everything when young. Perhaps in ten years, the names of the Master and his friends will ring loudly throughout California."
For some reason, I thought of Armando, whom I hadn't introduced yet.
'Sorry... I’ll help you succeed not just with vinegar, but with wine as well.'
Even if he didn't necessarily succeed, he’d be happy enough with just his beautiful wife, but my heart wasn't like that.
"You said you challenged yourself with a distillery because the farm was small? You’ve led a successful outcome from a challenge most people wouldn't dare to take."
In Korea, you couldn't dare call a 98,000-pyeong plot of land small, but in the U.S., Warren wasn't wrong about a rice farm of this size.
"In a way, I think this result came about because the farm was small and we were in a situation where we had to create a breakthrough. If I had lived a life of leisure, I would have just kept living as usual. They say they’re planning to source rice from neighboring farms now because the rice from the 80 acres won't be enough."
"Incredible."
Warren nodded, his gaze turning toward the window as he fell into deep thought. It seemed seeing such passionate young friends was giving him much to ponder. His own children only thought about making money easily, so seeing young people passionately challenging themselves to achieve something must have stirred many thoughts.
We had been driving for a while when Warren suddenly said,
"The fruit soju had a vibrant fruit aroma."
"Yes? Well... yes..."
"Then why have brandies been killing off the fruit aroma?"
An abrupt question. But because the person who asked was Warren, I answered after thinking seriously.
"Traditional brandy is distilled at high temperatures. Roughly 75 to 90°C? As far as I know, the esters that make up the fruit aroma are mostly destroyed at those temperatures."
"Correct. Aroma is sensitive to heat. So, if you want to protect the aroma, you must distill it at a temperature where the aroma doesn't collapse."
It was an obvious point.
"That’s right, isn't it?"
"The fruit soju I just drank had a light color, viscosity, and alcohol feel, but the aroma was sophisticated. If we think about this, couldn't we create a new kind of brandy?"
My jaw dropped. The reason he had been looking out the window, lost in thought, wasn't because of his past environment or regrets, but because he was inspired by the fruit soju and was trying to create something new.
"Well, I mean..."
"You said you have a stake in that Golden Grain Soju House, right? Or is it a stake in Redwood Winery?"
"That’s right."
"Good. Then if I develop a new spirit, it won't be given to Golden Grain Soju House for free."
"Of course. Since you’re the one developing it, I’ll make sure you get a portion of the sales."
Warren chuckled.
"I appreciate it. But I don't need much. I already have more money than I know what to do with."
Having sold his winery for $180 million, he seemed like a man who had transcended the need for money.
"I’ll still give you what everyone else gets. That’s how it’s rewarding."
"Suit yourself. Ah, more than that, I’d like you to put my name on the brandy."
Seeing his eyes sparkle with anticipation, it seemed he was more interested in that than the money.
"Hahaha! Please do."
"Good. Let’s get going quickly. All sorts of formulas are swirling around in my head. I think I need to organize them."
"Yes, yes."
He was fidgeting with his hands and thinking about something the entire way back. He called me a genius, but I knew. The real genius was him.
Two days later, Chloe was talking in the office with Liam, the farm manager, when suddenly a heavy, thudding sound of footsteps was heard at the office entrance. Following the creak of the door, a man appeared, and Chloe’s eyes widened at the sight.
A massive physique, an unrealistically taut black suit, and a man wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief despite the cool September breeze.
"Ms. Chloe Harris?"
At the low, resonant voice, Chloe nodded in confusion.
"I... yes, that’s me. Who... who are you?"
The man took a deep breath and slowly pulled out a business card, as if his name were something that should be heard everywhere.
Howard ‘Harry’ Montis
Attorney at Law / Water Rights & Agricultural Disputes Specialist
"Call me Harry."
"Ah... The Rainmaker?"
Harry smiled broadly at the nickname. Seeing that smile on such a large face felt a bit cringeworthy, but Chloe still smiled brightly.
He was the very person Warren had mentioned. The solver who would resolve this issue had arrived. And she finally understood why Warren had said he resembled a hamburger.
"Please, have a seat."
As he buried his massive frame into the sofa, Chloe first brought him a cold juice from the refrigerator. Chloe watched in fascination as he finished the 500ml drink in one go as if it were a small digestive aid, then she calmed her mind and said,
"Actually, here’s what happened on our farm..."
After listening for a long time, the Rainmaker, Harry, sniffed and asked,
"Sniff, so what is it you want?"
"Yes, fair compensation..."
"What kind of compensation?"
"Pardon?"
"Is it money? Or is it securing water rights? Or perhaps land?"
Chloe, who was about to say money, shut her mouth. Seeing that, Harry, who was rolling an empty glass bottle on his palm, narrowed his small eyes even further and said,
"Giving a proper blow to that guy with horns on his ass is very easy. But you’ve missed something important right now."
"What is it?"
"You didn't get in line."
"Pardon?"
"Other farms participated in the lawsuit, but you didn't, right?"
"Yes..."
"Then if you keep pace with the other farms, there will be no compensation coming your way. Because the other farms will have already torn it apart like a rag and finished it all."
"Then what should I do?"
He smiled broadly and leaned his upper body forward. Chloe found herself instinctively pressing her body deeper into the sofa.
"You finish it before the others tear it apart. Roar!"
Chloe nodded unconditionally at his terrifying(?) appearance.