MAX KARLIN
A pioneer of modern tiki cocktails, Max has quickly become a rising star in Nashville’s
bar scene. After taking over the bar program at Chopper, a robot tiki bar in East
Nashville, Max has created hundreds of unique cocktails that redefine what “tiki” can
be. His in-depth knowledge of cocktail history, wine, and spirits, along with his passion
and devotion to the craft, has cultivated a new approach to cocktail making.

Max began his journey in the food and beverage industry while growing up in New York
City. His deep interest in wine and spirits began while managing a wine boutique in
Martha’s Vineyard, where he once pursued a Sommelier title. Maintaining his love for
wine, Max shifted his focus onto spirits as his bartending career took off and he made
his way to Nashville. Fascinated by the ever-changing world of spirits, with its wide
variety of flavor profiles, Max dove head-first into cocktail making. His bold and
experimental approach has caught the eye of many food and beverage publications,
receiving accolades from Nashville Scene as Best Bartender in 2021 and winning Best
Cocktail at the Iron Fork Mixology Competition.

Max’s emphasis on creativity is clear while coming up with new cocktail curations.
Inspired through food and his travel around the world, he finds a way to use funky and
obscure ingredients, combining seemingly incompatible flavors and creating
something complex and delicious. With his sophisticated knowledge and intrigue in
spirits -especially rum, Max is determined to shine a light on the resurgence of rum in
cocktail culture.