The Whisky Guild held its annual "Whisky on the Hudson" tasting and dinner cruise in New York City the other night, with more than 900 people on hand to taste dozens of whiskies. I'll have some of the highlights on this week's episode, including a visit to The Balvenie's Warehouse 24 room and chats with some of the U.S. microdistillers on hand. In the news, a new peated Glenmorangie, 10 single casks from BenRiach, a new Macallan 1824 Collection expression, and an update on the "Water of Life" Drive for Charity: Water.

Ever have one of those conversations that seems like just a few minutes, until you look at the clock and realize it's gone on for a long time? That sums up my chat this week with Robin Blackadder, the "nom du whisky" for Blackadder bottler Robin Toucek. We discussed everything from how he picks single casks to whisky festivals, politics, and small animals, and you'll hear our chat in this week's episode. In the news, Dr. Martin Tangney of Edinburgh Napier University explains his new technique for turning distillery waste into a usable biofuel, along with details on new whiskies and auction results for old ones.

There's no doubting that Kentucky makes great bourbons, but a single malt? That hasn't happened since 1919...until now. Dr. Pearse Lyons is the CEO of Alltech, which makes yeasts and animal feed supplements in Kentucky. He comes from generations of Irish coopers, and since Alltech already owns the Kentucky Brewing Company in Lexington, he decided to honor his heritage with a single malt. We'll also get the latest on Shackleton's whisky from Nigel Watson of the Antarctic Heritage Trust and learn more about Charity: Water from CEO Scott Harrison.

"Hammer Head" sounds like the name for a Caribbean rum, not a whisky. In this case, it's not a shark reference, but the name of a long-forgotten Czech single malt whisky just being released. Tony Roberts of Stock Spirits Group shepherded Hammer Head to market, and explains the origin of the whisky and its unusual name. Plenty of new whiskies to talk about this week, along with the start of the WhiskyCast "Water of Life" Drive.

Heather Greene works two jobs...as a singer and as one of the U.S. brand ambassadors for Glenfiddich. It's the second job that has made her a fixture at whisky festivals and helped her win Whisky Magazine's Icons of Whisky award as the best young whisky ambassador in the U.S. this year. Heather discusses balancing music and whisky in this week's episode, and in the news, new releases from Heaven Hill, The Balvenie, and tasting notes for the new Parker's Heritage Collection 2010 Wheated Bourbon and a vintage Glenfarclas.