Notorious Beam Team

From Springwise:

This looks very cool indeed and I wonder whether it would work for whisky and cognac? Or any other spirit that derives its quality from being blended...

"Dedicated readers may recall Crushpad, an urban winery we've already discussed on two separate occasions, and now the busy vintners there have given us reason to cover them yet again. Just before the holidays Crushpad introduced fusebox, a wine blending kit that lets users experience the wine-making process at home.

Crushpad's 15-pound fusebox was created to contain everything a group of four might need to explore how some of the world’s greatest wines are blended: Six 375 mL bottles of blending wine from some of Napa's finest vineyards, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and Cabernet Franc; one 375 mL bottle of Mystery Wine; one graduated cylinder and 4 pipettes; four wine evaluation cards; four tasting place mats; recipe cards, a vinography aroma card and a corkscrew. Using the kit, wine enthusiasts can try to re-create classic Cabernet blends or invent their own; they can also test their discernment skills on the included Mystery Wine by playing the “Guess the Mystery Blend” online game at fuseboxwine.com. fusebox is priced at USD 120 and available for shipping only within the United States.

“Crushpad’s mission is to turn consumers into creators,” explains Michael Brill, CEO of San Francisco-based Crushpad. “Whether it’s the multiyear experience of making a wine from vine to bottle or just spending a few hours with friends enjoying a blending session with fusebox, we want to give individuals the opportunity to experience the fun and sense of creative expression that comes from making wine.”

Crushpad has always specialized in helping enthusiasts understand and make their own wines, providing desirable status skills along the way. With fusebox, that experience becomes an insperience, making for a winning combination. Crushpad is in the very early phases of signing up fusebox retailers and distributors. One to bring to the rest of the wine-loving world!"

This is fascinating. It goes to show that people are becoming increasingly interested in buying experiences. There is a human need to do things that make them becoming more interesting. More rounded. And they are happy to pay for it!