Fri, 30 May 2014
Tokyo's whisky bars are legendary, but so hard to find that they're often compared to Prohibition-era speakeasies. Hidetsugo Ueno owns Bar High Five in Tokyo's Ginza district, and shares his stories of Tokyo bar life with us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Diageo announces plans for a new $115 million distillery in Kentucky, while the drinks giant's CEO is warning of problems if Scotland breaks away from the United Kingdom. Robb Report names Redbreast 21 its "Best Of The Best" among spirits, and Ardbeg kicks off its World Cup-themed Auriverdes single malt not on Islay, but just outside Boston. This week's tasting notes include Auchentoshan's new American Oak single malt, Tomatin's new 14-year-old, and the Buchanan's Master blended Scotch. |
Fri, 23 May 2014
Seiichi Koshimizu has been making whisky at Suntory for 41 years, and became the company's chief blender in 1991. Over the years, he's been responsible for the Hibiki range of blended whiskies, along with the Yamazaki and Hakushu single malts. With help from interpreter Ayami Nakao, he'll share his story with us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. The Islay Festival of Malt & Music kicks off this weekend, and we'll have updates on several of this year's Feis Ile bottlings along with a new Laphroaig, experimental Bourbons from Buffalo Trace, and more in the week's news. This week's tasting notes include the Hibiki 17, Orphan Barrel Rhetoric, Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey, and Armorik Double Matured from France. |
Sat, 17 May 2014
The old saying goes "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Dan Garrison's life was full of lemons back in 2003, and he decided to make lemonade...or in this case, Bourbon. His Garrison Brothers Distillery in the Texas Hill Country helped spark the Texas whiskey boom, and Dan Garrison shares his story with us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the third Orphan Barrel Bourbon from Diageo is on the way, along with another batch of Buffalo Trace's Single Oak Project Bourbons...we'll get a preview of Bunnahabhain's Feis Ile whiskies, and Scotch Whisky Association leaders are expressing more concerns about September's independence referendum. |
Sun, 11 May 2014
Mark Brown heads up Buffalo Trace and its parent company, Sazerac, and he's known for speaking his mind even when it goes against the rest of the Bourbon industry. These days, he's expressing concerns about an ongoing shortage of Bourbon that can't meet today's demands, let alone the potential demand in years to come. Not only is aged Bourbon in short supply, but the new oak barrels Bourbon producers depend on are also in short supply. Brown says distillers, cooperages, and forest owners need to start working on a strategy for the future. In the news, Whyte & Mackay sells for $724.5 million, Suntory's moving quickly to get more Japanese whisky into the US market after closing its deal to buy Beam, and a Speyside golf club now has whiskies from every one of the area's distilleries in its clubhouse. |
Sat, 3 May 2014
Most distillery startups these days come from entrepreneurs looking for a new challenge in life, and Ken Lewis is no different. His New Riff Distillery in Newport, Kentucky is literally a "new riff" after 38 years of running The Party Source, one of the largest liquor stores in the Cincinnati area. New Riff is scheduled to distill its first spirit this week, and Ken joins us to discuss his reasons for switching from selling whisky to making it on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Suntory closes its $16 billion deal to acquire Beam, Edrington opens the doors on its new US division, Louisville looks to build on the boom in Bourbon tourism, and at a time when no-age-statement whiskies are fashionable, Heaven Hill adds one to its Bernheim Wheat Whiskey. |