I love that there are so many people who have taken the past year and a half to follow their dreams. One such person is OJ Lima of Neat Rocks Cocktail and Taste Select Repeat.
Once an executive at Def Jam, he left the limelight and celebrity to follow his love of spirits. OJ is the co-founder of Taste Select Repeat, The Modern Liquor Store, which is a membership online liquor store for discerning bourbon and whiskey drinkers. OJ and his partner Pierre Auguste have traveled near and far to find distinct, hand-picked whiskeys and bourbons, and now offer them to other fans who want to experience carefully curated barrel picks.
Neat Rocks Cocktails
For over 10 years OJ has been developing and expanding his knowledge of whiskeys, bourbons, and agave spirits. Not only does he apply his knowledge to the options on Taste Select Repeat, but he also hosts tastings for people and clients.
He experiences spirits all across the country, and is making whiskey and bourbon more fun, adding a little bit of humor and youth. Also, as a Black man, he is breaking through a lot of stereotypes at the places he goes.
There are a lot of people who favor these spirits but don’t have the time to listen to podcast after podcast and research for hours and hours. This is where OJ comes in. He loves to share his knowledge with people.
You can book a private tasting of the spirits he specializes in. Learn about the complex flavors, the distilling process, the legacy, and more. Invest in what you drink, and create a memorable, fun, educational evening (or day) event that will leave you more knowledgeable about the spirits.
OJ is on Martha’s Vineyard off and on. He has a family home in Oak Bluffs, and would love to be able to make the Island his full time home. He is working to make that happen!
Making the Cut
OJ and I discovered each other on instagram. He is was on Martha’s Vineyard hosting private whiskey and bourbon tasting for people. I was immediately intrigued. While I enjoy the classic summer activities, it’s always nice to find a way to elevate one or two.
I did not have a private tasting with my friends, but did something just as fun. I joined in a group of whisky and bourbon connoisseurs to help OJ decide on new additions for Taste Select Repeat.
He had us at his home, with sheets to fill out to rank the bourbons or whiskeys from 1 – 6, 1 being the best, 6 being the worst. It was a blind taste test. We sampled color-coded glasses. We took our time, discussed amongst ourselves, enjoying the experience and meeting new people.
At the end, we ranked the spirts, finding there were clear winners and a clear looser. OJ revealed which glass held either whiskey, rye or bourbon. We then learned about each bottle, the distillery, and shared our thoughts with each other. I also learned that it can be good to add a little water to certain spirits – a drop or two of water helps to “open up” the taste of the whiskey.
It was an intimate and fun experience. I can only imagine how wonderful it would be to host a private tasting party with my friends with OJ. If you would like to find out more about Taste Select Repeat or to book your private tasting, email him today, oj@tasteselectrepeat.com.
Thanks for reading On Point MV. Also be sure to check out We Love MV our ON POINT MV Blog series capturing the spirit of Martha’s Vineyard year-round. We hope you are staying safe during these times. Please don’t forget to “Like” Point B Realty on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, Linked In, Pinterest, Youtube and Instagram.
PC: Top photo Taste Select Repeat