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Bortone created Watertown Whiskey, a coconut-flavored spirit released this summer and named for his hometown. It’s the culmination of four years of taste tests, countless setbacks, and a lot of hard work from Bortone and two of his business partners and hometown friends — Steve Ciccarelli and Mark O’Donnell.
"I've put everything I have into this," Bortone said in a Zoom interview. "I believe in it. I've never had this kind of focus with any company like I have with this."
Borton got the idea for the drink one day after having a few whiskeys. He fell in love with coconut water while taking part in Season 16 of "Survivor" and kept it in his fridge to stave off dehydration. He decided to mix the two as an experiment and knew he had something special.
"It was this holy-sh*t moment," he said. "For probably three years or so, I was just making it for my friends at my house, and they were all like, 'This is delicious.'"
He's now ready for the rest of the whiskey-drinking public for their 'holy sh*t' moment. The drink currently sells online at WatertownWhiskey.com for $34.99 and in select areas of the West Coast. But Bortone and the boys hope to have it in Massachusetts bars in the next four to six months.
Bortone admits that coconut-flavored whiskey may not be the first port-of-call for a lot of drinkers. He gets it. Bortone was a loyal Jamison man before he had his eyes opened to the combo's power. He hopes others will give it a chance to realize its potential, as well.
"This is about doing something different," he said. "It's an experience. It's an escape from the ordinary. Don't do what you always do. Try something new."
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