Jim Cryle "retired" this year as Master Distiller at The Glenlivet, but somehow he seems just as busy as ever after 40 years of making Scotch. My conversation with Jim includes everything from his early days in distilling to what it's like to walk into a warehouse first thing in the morning, as well as his choice for that final dram. In the news, Bruichladdich's bottling Port Charlotte PC5, the Scotch Whisky Heritage Centre gets a new name, and new whiskies are on tap -- so to speak -- for WhiskyFest in New York next week.

 

 

Most of us will never be able to produce our own whisky, but admit it, you'd probably love to be able to bottle your own whisky as an independent bottler. Barry Stein and Barry Bernstein are doing just that, and they're the first independent bottlers in Canada. They'll tell us about negotiating the bureaucratic maze, getting their first bottles into liquor stores in Alberta, and just how much fun it is to have a bottle of Scotch on your desk for dramming at desire! In the news, Buffalo Trace Distillery hits the Triple Crown with another Distiller of the Year Award, Woodford Reserve marks an anniversary, Dewar's decides to give the U.S. a taste of Aberfeldy, and will there ever be a deal at Whyte and MacKay?

WhiskyCast hits the road again...this time around, to Toronto for the first Whisky Live Toronto festival! We'll hear from William Grant and Sons' Ian Millar about a new Grant's blend that combines the best of beer and the best of whisky in one...along with the competition for Toronto's best whisky chef/bartender, and a peek into a special Crown Royal whisky that will only be around for a short while. Finally...there's a blessed event in the WhiskyCast family! Put on your hockey jersey, crank up a rousing chorus of "O Canada", and join us for this special edition of WhiskyCast!

Last time, Sweden...this time, Australia. They're about as far apart as you can get physically, but both countries share a love of whisky. There are a handful of Australian distilleries, and we'll hear from Patrick Maguire, who manages the Tasmania Distillery and makes Sullivan's Cove Single Malt. In the news, the saga of Whyte and MacKay continues, and there are a bunch of new whiskies from Buffalo Trace, Gordon and MacPhail, and Diageo's Classic Malts series.

Sweden is a nation of whisky lovers, with more than 200 whisky clubs. In fact, three of the year's best whisky books have been produced by Swedish whisky lovers. We'll hear from Ingvar Ronde, the editor of the 2007 Malt Whisky Yearbook, which is being published this week. We'll also talk with Ulf Buxrud, Keeper of the Quaich, Malt Maniac, and author of the upcoming book "Rare Malts" on the 36 distilleries that make up the Rare Malts series. Finally, Par Caldenby, author of "The Enthusiast's Guide to Enjoying Malt Whisky" gives us his reasons why Sweden's state monopoly on alcohol sales actually makes it easier to find rare whiskies. In the news, William Grant and Sons takes control of its UK distribution rights, Duncan Taylor and Co. puts some rare single malts on the auction block, the US chapter of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society goes on the road, and Malt Advocate Editor and Publisher John Hansell gives us a preview of the fall issue.