Posted in: Interview, Nerd Food, Pop Culture | Tagged: horror, Macabre Spirits, Matthew Lillard, tequila

Interview: Matthew Lillard Talks Horror-Themed Tequila Macabre Spirits

We chatted with Matthew Lillard recently about the latest addition to Find Familiar Spirits, with the horror-themed tequila Macabre Spirits

We've previously chatted about Find Familiar Spirits, the nerdy custom spirits company founded by actor Matthew Lillard and screenwriter Justin Ware, as they havce released a couple of awesome blends in the past. Including the recent partnership with Critical Role to make the Sandkheg's Hide whiskey. For their latest brew, the company decided to dabble in tequila, as they created a horror-themed spirit called Macabre Spirits. We got a chance to chat with Lillard about the new addition to their line and the work that went into making it.

BC: Hey Matthew, how have things been since we last chatted?

ML: Honestly? Bananas. It's been absolutely bananas. Between my home life, my "day job," and conventions, I've never been busier. No question about it.

How have things been going with Find Familiar Spirits as of late?

Amazingly well. (I'd probably say that even if they weren't, but the good news is—I'm not lying!) It's been an exciting couple of years. We're growing so fast, and everything feels on point and ready to shift to the next gear. We've got some soon-to-be-announced releases and partnerships that are really cool and we're creating some inventive ways to build more community with our patrons. All in all — we're feeling very stoked.

What did you think of the fan reactions to making Sandkheg's Hide for Critical Role? How did you enjoy it?

We were blown away. We thought we had created something special, but seeing the fans' responses was incredibly validating and gratifying.  The best part for me was hearing that the liquid itself is "some of the best yet!"  That was the cherry on top. Huge shoutout to our creative team, they deserve all the credit for the project — story, unboxing experience, art, liquid, *chef's kiss* – and to Critical Role, they were fantastic partners all the way through.

What made you decide to branch into horror for the next spirit?

From the very start, we knew if this worked, we wanted to create something special for the horror community next. It's a fan base we genuinely love, and one I personally feel deeply connected to. At FFS, we're all about celebrating fandoms that aren't always in the mainstream spotlight and building something truly authentic and cool just for them.

How did you land on tequila for the choice of drink, and what led you to call it Macabre?

Tequila — or more specifically, blue agave — just felt like the right vibe for season one of Macabre. There's something about tequila and horror stories that just clicks. It's also my personal favorite, so I was selfishly very happy to dive in. There's a real artisanal approach to craft tequila these days, just amazing depth and variety. As for calling it Macabre Spirits, one of our main inspirations was "literary horror," from Mary Shelley to Edgar Allen Poe to Stephen King, and the word "Macabre" just captures that tone perfectly. My partner and co-CEO Justin Ware suggested it first and as a screenwriter by trade, he's a name wizard.

Considering how many options there are out there and how picky some drinkers can be, what was the process like in finding a specific profile to fit the vibe that you knew people would want to drink?

First and foremost, we have to love it ourselves. At Find Familiar we constantly ask two questions: One, are we adding value to the community we're building for? And two, is it super cool? If the answer to both is yes, we move forward. For this reposado tequila, we wanted it additive-free with a unique flavor profile, and we think we captured that. We can't wait to share it with everyone in January.

The bottle design is very intricate; what went into the making of this particular look?

Personally, I think the bottle design is absolutely stunning—people are going to lose their minds when they see it in person. We worked with an amazing design firm called Shepherd in Jacksonville, Florida, and Kendrick Kidd, one of their brilliant artists, was instrumental in the design process. Our in-house creative team, led by our Chief Creative Officer Peggy Carroll-Prescott, also contributed so much to the process. And then there's Mia Bergeron, an incredible artist from Nashville. After reading an early draft of Rare, Fine & Limited, she created a painting for the bottle that perfectly captures the essence of Flanagan's story. It all came together so beautifully.

Like previous releases, you have a story to go with it. How did you and Mike Flanagan end up working together on this?

Working with Mike, honestly, felt like a gift from the gods. He's just the best, as both a writer and a person. We met a couple of years ago through a mutual friend and hit it off. I was lucky enough to work with him on The Life of Chuck which won the coveted Audience Award at the Toronto International Film Festival. Somewhere along the way, I asked if he'd ever written a short story before and he said he hadn't but had always wanted to. I asked if he wanted to give it a shot and he just jumped into the deep end! The rest is history. The story is really fantastic, Flanagan is the real deal!  (Obviously!) 

Did you expect him to write a 50-page treatment for it? What were your thoughts after reading it?

We did NOT expect that. We asked for 7K–10K words and then one night (coincidentally while I was watching The Fall of the House of Usher…) I got a text from Mike asking if it was okay to "go a bit over." Obviously, I said, "HELL YEAH!" What he delivered was a 80-page novella masterpiece!  

What's the reception like for Macabre now that it's available for people to buy?

The reception for Macabre has been excellent, especially since it hasn't shipped yet so people are taking a real leap of faith and we really appreciate that. We're launching an entirely new brand with a totally unique concept — tequila and a terrifyingly good horror story.  It's gonna take some people a beat or two to figure out what we're all about, but I think once the product ships, and people experience what we've built for them, they're going to love it even more. The sky's the limit.  

Can you share what's next from Find Familiar Spirits, or are you keeping that quiet for now?

Mum's the word for now, but trust me, there's plenty of good stuff coming. This journey has only just begun.

Is there anything else you'd like to plug or promote? Any projects you're working on you can talk about?

Me talk about me? It's my favorite pastime! I'm on a plane right now, headed to Nola to finish up my work on Five Nights at Freddy's, which comes out next December. The Life of Chuck is landing in May, I play one of the leads in Season 2 of Cross on Amazon, and I've got a film and another series lined up for 2025. Not to mention, Beadle & Grimm's has an incredible slate of projects next year. 2025 is shaping up to be another wickedly busy year, and I couldn't feel more blessed.

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