Plenty of news in this episode: A Nova Scotia distillery wins its battle with the Scotch Whisky Association...for now, India may give in to demands to reduce its stiff tariffs on imported spirits, whisky accounted for $5 billion in U.S. sales during 2006, Laphroaig adds a lounge at the distillery just for its Friends, and the new issue of Malt Advocate magazine is out! We also pay tribute to John Sutherland, distillery manager at The Glenrothes, who passed away last week at his home near Elgin.

 

 

Scotland celebrates the 248th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns this week...and the world celebrates with Scotland. Burns Suppers are held all over the world...for just a few people or a few hundred people. We'll get the details on hosting your own Burns Supper, as well as a look at the life and legacy of Robert Burns. In the news, there's word of new distribution deals for William Grant & Sons and Blackadder, a new web site for the Scotch Whisky Association, and the latest issue of Whisky Magazine is in the mail.

 

Jim McEwan is one of whisky's most outspoken ambassadors. As production manager at Bruichladdich, he's been responsible for bringing a silent distillery back to life, and creating some of the more unusual single malts around. He'll share some of his stories with us in this episode. In the news...one of Jim's proteges gets a promotion, there's a new production manager at Glenfarclas, and Bunnahabhain opens the doors to its online store.

Welcome to 2007, and if you're in New York, your assignment is to go to the library. Not the big building with a bunch of books, but the Brandy Library in Manhattan's Tribeca neighborhood. We'll talk with spirit sommelier Ethan Kelley about one of America's best whisky bars. In the news, researchers have found new photos of Laphroaig legend Bessie Williamson, Burn Stewart brings out a 10-year-old Ledaig single malt, Maker's Mark announces the dates for its annual Thoroughbreds and Redheads Weekend in April, and honors for Malt Maniac-turned writer Ulf Buxrud.