Sun, 30 December 2018
2018 may go down in whisky history as the "Year of the Collector" as whisky collecting became popular not only among connoisseurs, but with investors looking for that next big thing to make money on. The trouble is that some so-called "rare whiskies" are cleverly counterfeited fakes so good that even the experts can't detect them without testing the liquid inside the bottle. A new report from the Scottish consulting firm Rare Whisky 101 suggests that there are likely millions of dollars worth of fake whiskies being traded on the secondary market worldwide. Professor Gordon Cook heads the radiocarbon dating lab at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, and among the fakes he's found for Rare Whisky 101 was a single malt claimed to be from the 1860's that was actually distilled in 2005. He'll explain the radiocarbon dating process to us on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the partial shutdown of the U.S. government could start to affect whisky makers within days as 2019 begins, while the arrival of the New Year brings the nation's toughest drunk driving law to one state. We'll also look at Bruichladdich's new "Islay: Badge or Provenance" campaign, and on Your Voice, we'll share some of your picks for drams to send off 2018 and ring in 2019. |
Sun, 23 December 2018
One sign of the Bourbon boom worldwide can be found in Great Britain, where the British Bourbon Society was founded in 2016 by six whisky lovers. As 2018 comes to a close, the Society's membership now stands at 2,000 and growing. We'll talk with two of the founders, Ed Rosie and Andrew Watson, on WhiskyCast In-Depth to find out why Bourbon and other American whiskies are becoming so popular in Great Britain even as recent import tariffs make them more expensive. In the news, Edrington has found a buyer for its Glenturret Distillery in Scotland, while Ian Macleod Distillers is waiting for final approval to start construction work on the revival of Rosebank Distillery. Ireland's national planning board has overruled local objections to a planned maturation warehouse complex in County Westmeath, and we'll hear from a U.S. cooperage owner who's not pleased with the federal government's proposed definition for whisky barrels. |
Sun, 16 December 2018
While some entrepreneurs are trying to cash in on the Bourbon boom by starting new whiskey brands, others are looking to history for heritage brands that built a history but faded away over the years. That's the approach Manti Antilla of Grain and Barrel Spirits took, and it led him to Chicken Cock, a brand with a unique name and a century's worth of history to build on. He's now working with Kentucky's Bardstown Bourbon Company to lay down stocks for future Chicken Cock whiskies, while releasing four bottlings over the last year using whiskies sourced from another distillery. We'll talk with him about the work involved in reviving a heritage brand on WhiskyCast In-Depth and taste the Chicken Cock 10-Year-Old Double Barrel Bourbon. In the news, Diageo plans to invest $130 million to build another new distillery in Kentucky, while American Single Malt supporters are disappointed that their proposal for an official standard didn't make it into proposed changes in federal regulations. We'll also talk with Fred Noe about the new 30th Anniversary edition of Booker's Bourbon and the arrival of a new "Baby Booker" just in time for the holidays. |
Sat, 8 December 2018
Irish Whiskey continues to be one of the fastest-growing segments of the whisky business around the world, but Ireland's distilleries on both sides of the border have had their share of ups and downs this year. Walsh Whiskey Company founder Bernard Walsh is a former chairman of the Irish Whiskey Association, and on WhiskyCast In-Depth, we'll talk with him about the boom in new distilleries and challenges presented by Brexit and Ireland's controversial new public health legislation. In the news, we'll have details on another executive change in Scotland, while a former consultant now finds herself running the distillery she was hired to consult for. We'll also have details on a breakup that will affect whisky festivals during 2019 in many major U.S. cities, along with a court hearing that could send former Indian whisky baron Vijay Mallya back home to face fraud and money laundering charges. On Behind the Label, we'll find out what happened when a whisky lover won a contest to help create this year's Forty Creek Unity whisky, and we'll have tasting notes for it, too! |
Fri, 7 December 2018
Whisky Advocate's annual WhiskyFest took over the Marriott Marquis in New York City's Times Square Tuesday night, and we'll have some of the highlights along with the sadness. There was a pall in one corner the ballroom as whisky lovers mourned the death of master distiller Dave Pickerell last month along with teams from several of the whiskies he helped create during his long career. We'll talk with one of Dave's protegés, Hillrock Estate's Dylan Strang, about the distillery's plans to move forward using the lessons he and his colleagues learned from their friend and mentor. In our Behind the Label segment, we'll have an interview you can only hear on WhiskyCast as we talk with artist Michael Dillon, the painter who created the one-of-a-kind label for the 1926 Macallan that shattered the world record for a whisky auction last week in London. In the news, we'll have the details of the U.S. Treasury Department's plan to rewrite federal alcohol regulations for the first time in more than three decades - and some of the agency's proposals have craft distillers nervous. |
Sun, 2 December 2018
Neil Giraldo is one of music's "hit makers." As a musician and producer, he's worked with some of rock music's legendary performers to create the soundtrack to our lives since the late 70's. While he's not the first musician to create a whiskey brand, he comes to the whiskey business with more than just a name. He helped his grandfather distill whiskey and grappa as a young boy growing up in Cleveland, and tells us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth that there's a lot in common between producing a hit song and blending a hit whiskey. We'll also have the story of a new world record for the most expensive bottle of whisky, along with new ownership for Cutty Sark, the week's new whiskies, and much more. |
Sun, 25 November 2018
Ireland's Power family dominated the Irish Whiskey industry almost from the day innkeeper James Power started making whiskey behind his inn on Dublin's Thomas Street in 1791 until his descendants merged their company with the Jamesons and Cork's Murphy family in 1965 to create Irish Distillers. Powers remains one of Ireland's best-selling whiskies to this day, and is gradually being reintroduced to the world - while its history is being reintroduced to Dubliners through the Powers Quarter. It's a network of pubs around the family's old Johns Lane Distillery, which is now home to Ireland's National College of Art & Design. We'll look at that history and the Powers Quarter on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, a tentative Brexit deal between Great Britain and the European Union still faces tough challenges, but is receiving support from the whisky industry. A distillery project in Northern Ireland is being scrapped a year after construction began, and a bankruptcy filing in the US could be a sign of tough times ahead for craft distillers. |
Sat, 17 November 2018
Back on the road again, and this episode comes from the New Brunswick Spirits Festival in Fredericton, New Brunswick! We'll have highlights from the festival, which is now in its 23rd year, and on WhiskyCast In-Depth, we'll get the story behind the revival of Red Spot Irish Whiskey. This single pot still classic from Dublin's Mitchell & Son disappeared in the mid-1960's, and the pleas of Irish Whiskey fans were answered this week when Irish Distillers and the Mitchell family launched the modern version of Red Spot. We'll also have tasting notes for a rare Ladyburn single malt and explain just what "Christmas Cake" has to do with whisky on Behind the Label. |
Mon, 12 November 2018
This episode marks our 13th anniversary of the very first WhiskyCast episode on November 12, 2005, and we're celebrating with an old friend! Ian Buxton has been around the whisky industry for nearly 40 years, first as a marketing executive and now as a writer. He's responsible for reviving Aeneas MacDonald's classic book "Whisky" and sharing it with a new generation of whisky lovers, and his "101 Spirits to Try Before You Die" series of books has recently grown to include gins and rums along with whiskies. You'll hear our conversation on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also have details on the public memorial service next week in Louisville for Master Distiller Dave Pickerell along with the rest of the week's news, and we'll have a new answer on the origins of the duty-free whisky business. |
Sun, 4 November 2018
This time around, we're on the road in Kilkenny, Ireland, but with heavy hearts. The whisky world lost one of its leaders Thursday night with the death of Master Distiller Dave Pickerell in San Francisco. Dave was truly deserving of the Master Distiller title. After leaving Maker's Mark in 2008, he helped dozens of craft distillers and entrepreneurs get into the whisky business, earning him the nickname of craft distilling's Johnny Appleseed. We'll honor his legacy in this episode, while also looking at the local whiskey scene in Kilkenny. Nine whiskey bars and one retailer make up the Kilkenny Whiskey Guild, and are working together to make Kilkenny a destination for whiskey lovers visiting Ireland. |
Thu, 1 November 2018
This time around, we're blasting off with the crew of the USS Starward! OK, we're talking with David Vitale, the founder of Australia's Starward Distillery, and his whiskies have a certain Space Age look to them. Vitale founded his distillery in a former Quantas hangar at Melbourne's airport, so the flight analogy's not that far off, either. You'll hear that conversation during WhiskyCast In-Depth, and in the news, Britain's Chancellor gave the Scotch Whisky industry a pleasant surprise during Monday's Budget Address in Parliament by extending the current freeze on whisky and spirits taxes. We'll have that story and much more, including an update on a Hockey Hall of Fame member's second career in the whisky business. |
Sun, 28 October 2018
Many whisky lovers consider the "water of life" to be a regular part of their lives, but there's no arguing that whiskies are becoming as much of a luxury item as fine watches, artwork, wines, and other rarities. That's the world James Espey and Tom Jago entered with their final act in the whisky business eleven years ago when they formed The Last Drop Distillers after collaborating on too many iconic whisky brands to count. Today, their daughters run the business after it was sold to Sazerac last year, and just days after Tom Jago's death earlier this month, his daughter Rebecca Jago took center stage with The Last Drop at this week's Walpole showcase of British luxury goods. We'll talk with her on WhiskyCast In-Depth, and we'll also catch up with Louise McGuane of Ireland's Chapel Gate Whiskey Company fresh off a win in the Irish Whiskey Awards for her J.J. Corry Flintlock single malt. |
Thu, 25 October 2018
Kentucky's Four Roses Bourbon is marking its 130th anniversary this year, and while Al Young hasn't been there the whole time...he comes closer than just about anyone else. Last year, he celebrated his 50th anniversary with Four Roses dating well back to the brand's days under Seagram's ownership, and he's one of only three people to have a Four Roses bottling named for him. In fact, Four Roses fan Ryan McLaughlin surprised Al Wednesday night at an event in Philadelphia by bringing two bottles of that 50th anniversary bottling - one for Al to sign, and the other for them to share a glass. We'll talk with Al Young about his five-plus decades in the Bourbon business on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the Brexit battle has politicians and distillers looking at the prospect of Great Britain leaving the European Union in a "no deal" departure. We'll also have more details on the $174 million Irish Distillers expansion at Midleton, along with the arrival of this year's Northern Border Collection special Canadian whiskies and a new series of J.P. Wiser's whiskies designed to go with ice...ice hockey, that is! |
Sun, 21 October 2018
You might think this would be a great time to be in the Scotch Whisky business, right? This week, the Scotch Whisky Association released a new report showing global exports grew almost 11 percent during the first half of the year on a pace that could break 2017's record year for exports. However, this week also saw yet another failed attempt to resolve the Brexit stalemate between the UK and the European Union, which accounts for around a third of all Scotch Whisky exports. What's more, next Monday could see British taxes on whisky and other spirits rise in Chancellor Philip Hammond's new budget despite industry pleas to keep duties frozen for a second straight year. We'll discuss the good, the bad, and the even worse with Graeme Littlejohn of the Scotch Whisky Association on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the waters near one Speyside distillery could be home to salmon and sea trout again soon, while construction is nearing completion on another Whiskey Row project in Louisville. On Behind the Label, we'll answer the question: when is an Irish Whiskey distilled in pot stills not a Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, and we'll also have the week's tasting notes and much more. |
Thu, 18 October 2018
This time around, we're in Columbia, South Carolina for The Great American Whiskey Fair. We'll talk with local distillers creating unique whiskies with local grains, and we'll also look at a global issue: the potential impact of climate change on the whisky industry. Researchers have been looking at the impact of global warming on barley production for beer, but they also see a serious problem for whisky distillers, too. In the news, Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard is planning another expansion at Midleton Distillery and the rest of its facilities in Ireland to meet projected demand, and we'll have the latest on new whiskies and executive changes, along with a tribute to one of whisky's quiet giants. |
Sun, 14 October 2018
Old Forester released its final edition in the Whiskey Row series of limited-edition Bourbons this week, and the 1910 Old Fine Whiskey honors the brand's return to its historical home. Brown-Forman's $45 million Old Forester Distillery opened in June on Main Street in downtown Louisville on the same site where the company was located from 1882 until Prohibition began in 1919. We toured the distillery just as that final Whiskey Row edition was being bottled, and you'll hear it on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, $843,200 is a high price to pay for a rare whisky, but that high bid Saturday at Sotheby's fell short of the world record by more than a quarter of a million dollars. We'll also have details on an upcoming Supreme Court case that could affect interstate whisky shipments and details on the latest new whiskies. |
Thu, 11 October 2018
Louisville's Butchertown got its name from the stockyards and meat processing plants that dominated the neighborhood a century or more ago. Today, it's a thriving, trendy neighborhood that's home to the Butchertown Grocery. Chef Bobby Benjamin opened the restaurant and Lola, its upstairs cocktail lounge, with an eye to great cooking - and great whiskey. Not only are there plenty of private barrel Bourbons behind the bar, but whiskey is also a key ingredient in many of the restaurant's recipes. Chef Bobby Benjamin joins us on WhiskyCast In-Depth to talk about picking private barrels - and a surprising way to use the char that comes out of those barrels! In the news, Diageo's plans for reviving Brora Distillery have received local approval, while Ireland's tough new alcohol bill is a signature away from becoming law. |
Sun, 7 October 2018
The largest single distiller of Rye Whiskey isn't in Kentucky, but just along the other side of the Ohio River in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. For nearly 40 years, Larry Ebersold distilled Rye - and other whiskies - in what is now known as the MGP Distillery. Under the Seagram's banner and later LDI, Larry made whiskies that were blended into some of the world's top selling whiskey brands, and today, MGP is bottling some of the final whiskies Larry distilled into its own brands. Today, he's consulting for distillery startups like New Riff and Sagamore Spirit, and he'll share some of his stories with us on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also talk with current MGP Master Distiller David Whitmer about why warehouse construction has as much to do with climate in how whiskies mature on Behind the Label. In the news, Canada and Mexico will keep their tariffs on American whiskies in place despite a new trade deal between the three countries, while Irish lawmakers have given the green light to stricter limits on alcohol sales. We'll also have details on a bunch of new whiskies, too! |
Sun, 30 September 2018
Let's be honest for a moment. Look around the crowd at most whisky events, and if you're being honest with yourself, you'll notice that there's usually a pretty obvious lack of diversity in the room. Samara Rivers is trying to change that with the Black Bourbon Society, a group she created two years ago to bring African-American whisky lovers together through regional tastings and an active social media presence. Her society has been welcomed by the Bourbon industry, and her ultimate goal is to bring more people of color into that industry as well. We'll talk with Samara on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Kentucky's barrel warehouses are holding more Bourbon now than they have in nearly 50 years, but believe it or not, that's actually creating a tax problem for the Commonwealth's distillers. Also, now that Dave Pickerell and the members of Metallica have unveiled their new Blackened American Whiskey, plans are moving forward on construction of a new distillery - and we'll have the latest in a story you'll only hear on this episode of WhiskyCast! |
Fri, 28 September 2018
In 2016, Holly Seidewand started a journey that would change her life by traveling to Scotland to learn more about whisky. That journey later took her to Japan and Australia, and it continues today - only as a whisky professional. Earlier this year, she joined Bacardi as the US brand ambassador for the John Dewar & Sons range of single malts from Scotland. She'll share her journey with us on WhiskyCast In-Depth, including the story of a distillery manager who helped her earn her certificate in brewing and distilling from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland by putting her to work. In the news, Brexit is six months away and there's growing tension within the whisky industry over the impact of Great Britain's departure from the European Union. We'll have that story, along with a look at the state of the US craft distilling industry and this weekend's preview of rare whiskies that will go on the virtual auction block next month. |
Sun, 23 September 2018
Severe weather forced Louisville's annual Bourbon & Beyond music, food, and whiskey festival to end a day earlier than planned, but the heavy rains didn't dampen spirits on Saturday. We'll have highlights from the festival and talk with one of the newest members of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame on WhiskyCast In-Depth. Freddie Johnson is the third generation of his family to work at what's now Buffalo Trace Distillery, but their history at the distillery goes back more than 100 years with a legacy that combines family, history, race, and Bourbon. In the news, the Four Roses strike is over after the distillery and its three unions reached a tentative agreement on Friday. We'll have that story and the rest of the week's whisky news, and since we're at a music and whiskey festival, Dave Pickerell will explain the science behind using Metallica's music to shape their new collaboration. |
Wed, 19 September 2018
Unlocking the Gates at Kentucky's Castle & Key Distillery (WhiskyCast Episode 726: September 20, 2018)
In 1972, the gates were locked for what many thought would be the final time at Kentucky's historic Old Taylor Distillery near Frankfort. Wednesday, those gates opened to the public for the first time in nearly half a century at what is now Castle & Key Distillery following a massive four-year-long restoration project to reclaim the distillery and its warehouses, sunken gardens, springhouse, and more from nature's relentless onslaught. Castle & Key's Marianne Eaves has been there for almost the entire time, and joins us on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, there's a big shakeup affecting master distillers at three of Kentucky's major distilleries, and contract talks will resume Friday in the two-week-old strike by Four Roses workers. We'll also have the details on a new Irish Whiskey that packs a punch - or at least the fighter-turned-entrepreneur behind it does. |
Sun, 16 September 2018
Bourbon & Beyond gets underway this Friday night in Louisville with a charity Bourbon auction to benefit the Speed Art Museum. The whiskies going up for bids include one of the original Pappy Van Winkle 23-year-old Bourbons - the 10th one ever filled - along with other historic whiskies and one-of-a-kind whiskey experiences. We'll talk with Speed Art Museum director Stephen Reily about the auction and the educational programs that will benefit from it during WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, there's still no resolution to the Four Roses Distillery strike in Kentucky, and negotiations aren't scheduled to resume until the end of this week. The Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame has inducted three new members and presented this year's Parker Beam Lifetime Achievement Award, and if you think MMA champion Conor McGregor gets mad in the Octagon...just think how mad he might get by losing a trademark fight outside of the ring. |
Thu, 13 September 2018
Portland's Westward American Single Malt from House Spirits is the latest prize in the spree of acquisitions and investments by major spirits brands in emerging brands. House Spirits announced Wednesday that Diageo's in-house venture capital unit, Distill Ventures, has acquired a minority stake in Westward as its first public investment in a North American spirits brand. Distill Ventures already holds stakes in Denmark's Stauning Whisky and Starward Whisky from Australia as part of its portfolio. House Spirits CEO and Westward co-founder Tom Mooney joins us on WhiskyCast In-Depth for his first interview since the announcement. In the news, the Kentucky Bourbon Festival is underway with a looming possibility of fallout from the strike by union workers at Four Roses Distillery. Union leaders plan to have a presence at Bardstown's biggest party of the year, and we'll have all the details. There's also an update on some of the week's new whiskies, including the final whisky in Diageo's 2018 Special Releases Series, and we'll honor one of Bourbon's first families as they celebrate a century of service. |
Sun, 9 September 2018
Like most romances, Wyoming Whiskey and Edrington had plenty of potential partners trolling around. Neither one needed a partner, until they found each other and formed what Edrington Americas CEO Chris Spalding calls "a match made in Heaven." The strategic partnership announced this week will see Edrington take on sales, distribution, and marketing for Wyoming Whiskey. The distillery's founders will continue to make the whiskey, and the deal gives them expanded distribution while giving Edrington a foothold in the Bourbon business. We'll break down the deal with Chris Spalding and Wyoming Whiskey co-founder David DeFazio on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, workers at Kentucky's Four Roses Distillery have gone on strike just days before the start of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, which draws thousands of whiskey lovers to the state's distilleries. Union leaders are pledging to protest the lack of a new contract at the festival if no agreement is reached this week. We'll have an update on Dave Pickerell's new whiskey project with Metallica, along with details on this year's Diageo Special Releases and much more. |
Sun, 2 September 2018
Virginia's distilling history dates back to at least 1620, and while many whiskey lovers know about George Washington's Distillery at Mount Vernon, it's just one of the state's 70 distilleries making everything from rum and vodka to single malt whiskies. September is Virginia Spirits Month, and we'll visit some of those distilleries and find out more about what's shaping up to be a model partnership between the state and its craft distillers on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the impact of tariffs on American whiskey exports is forcing Brown-Forman to revise its profit estimates - and raise prices, while Pernod Ricard is projecting an increase in profits for its fiscal year. We'll have details on those stories and more, including the week's new whiskies and an honor for one of Australia's leading distillers. |
Sun, 26 August 2018
If Fred Minnick had any more balls in the air right now, the circus would be calling him with a job offer as a juggler. He's launching the new Bourbon+ Magazine as its founding editor-in-chief, curating the Bourbon events for next month's Bourbon and Beyond Festival in Louisville, and his book publisher has just commissioned a second edition of his award-winning book "Bourbon Curious." If that's not enough, he and his wife Jaclyn are a few weeks away from having their second child. We got Fred to relax for a few minutes on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Heaven Hill has filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Bob Dylan's new Heaven's Door whiskies. Scottish officials are taking the next step in reviving distilling at the historic Dallas Dhu Distillery in Speyside while keeping it open as a museum, and the hot summer could mean tighter supplies of barley for distillers. |
Sat, 18 August 2018
It's been a hot, dry summer in Scotland, and Euan Mitchell isn't complaining a bit. The managing director of Isle of Arran Distillers is overseeing construction of a second distillery at Lagg on the island's southern coast, and the weather is allowing work to be completed right on schedule. Lagg's stills are scheduled to arrive on the island this week, and plans are still in place for the distillery to begin production in January. We'll catch up on Lagg's progress and changes at Arran with Euan Mitchell on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, whisky auctions Friday brought out bidders in Scotland and Hong Kong, with one rare Japanese single malt selling for more than $340,000! We'll also have details on a rare traffic jam in Speyside as would-be collectors jammed the gates at The Macallan hours before a rare single malt went on sale at the distillery. |
Sun, 12 August 2018
This week, we'll visit House Spirits Distillery - part of Portland's "Distillery Row" along the eastern banks of the Willamette River. House Spirits is the home of Westward American Single Malt Whiskey, and head distiller Miles Munroe will take us on a tour of the distillery during WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also talk with Jeneen Bell, the president of Portland's 300-member Women Who Whiskey chapter, about what makes Portland a good place to drink. In the news, cleanup work is slowly progressing at Kentucky's Barton 1792 Distillery following the recent rickhouse collapse, but it could take months to work through a massive pile of around 18,000 whiskey barrels. Templeton Rye has opened its $35 million distillery in Iowa, and we'll have the latest on new whiskies from Scotland and Kentucky, too. |
Sun, 5 August 2018
Jeff Arnett became the Master Distiller for Jack Daniel's in 2008, joining a small club of distillers that began with Jack Daniel and Nathan "Nearest" Green in 1866. In his first decade on the job, he's created more new Jack Daniel's whiskies than all of his predecessors combined, while also traveling the world as the brand's chief ambassador. We'll talk with Jeff Arnett about that decade and his plans for the future on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, community activists in Northern Ireland are trying to scuttle part of the expansion plan for Bushmills, while Wild Turkey's team is scrambling to meet unexpected demand for one of their newest whiskies. |
Thu, 2 August 2018
Construction workers are racing the clock to complete work at Louisville's Frazier History Museum by the end of this month, when the new "Spirit of Kentucky" Bourbon history exhibit and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Welcome Center are scheduled to open. Both represent a multi-million dollar investment in Bourbon tourism on Louisville's Whiskey Row, and we'll take a "hard hat" tour with the Frazier's Andy Treinen on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, 2017 was another record year for Scotch Whisky tourism, and a new whisky trail is giving tourists a taste of the Hebrides. We'll also have details on new whiskies from Jack Daniel's, Highland Park, Johnnie Walker, and the revival of Fettercairn with a new range of single malts. |
Sun, 29 July 2018
Global trade has helped the whisky industry expand massively over the last two decades. With the ongoing trade dispute between the US and its key trading partners threatening that growth, the world's nine major whisky trade associations held their first-ever "W9 Summit" this week in Louisville. WhiskyCast was in Louisville for the summit, and we'll have complete coverage on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, we'll have details on the week's new whiskies from Glenfiddich, Johnnie Walker, Mortlach, Highland Park, and more - along with the week's tasting notes and in our "Behind the Label" segment, we'll look at how a whisky maker crafts a new range of single malts. |
Sun, 22 July 2018
This time around, we're in New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail, the annual gathering of bartenders and drinks industry leaders for a week of education and entertainment. Think of this year's version as Tales 2.0, though. There's a completely new management team in place following some troubled times for the conference in the past 18 months, and the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation has been formed to create a long-term impact on the industry. This week, they started by awarding $250,000 in grants to fund projects aimed at improving diversity and educational opportunities for the hospitality community. We'll talk with the foundation's executive director, Caroline Rosen, on WhiskyCast In-Depth, and have a lot of highlights from the week as well. In the news, the global trade war is bringing whisky industry leaders together for their first-ever summit in Louisville this coming week. We'll have a preview and talk with one distiller who's braving Europe's new tariffs on American whiskies to start exporting for the first time. |
Sun, 15 July 2018
The James E. Pepper Distillery dominated the western edge of downtown Lexington, Kentucky for decades until it closed in 1958, and what was at one time the country's largest Bourbon distillery became a rundown eyesore. Several years ago, entrepreneurs bought several of the distillery's buildings and started building bars, a brewery, galleries and other businesses in the "Distillery District." Last December, Amir Peay's Georgetown Trading Co. brought distilling back to the district when he reopened the James E. Pepper Distillery using part of the original distillery building. This week, the distillery opened its doors to visitors for the first time to show off the heritage - and the future of the Pepper brand. Amir Peay joins us on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also have details on Sazerac's Tennessee Whiskey plans, along with the opening next month of Stauning Whisky's new distillery in Denmark and much more! |
Fri, 13 July 2018
Heaven Hill has unveiled the 2018 edition of Parker's Heritage Collection whiskey. It's a Bourbon finished in Orange Curaçao liqueur barrels, and that has some purists raising an eyebrow. Heaven Hill Master Distiller Denny Potter joins us on WhiskyCast In-Depth to explain - and defend the process that went into creating this year's release as a chance to try something different...the way Parker Beam would have. In the news, Western Kentucky is getting a new whiskey distillery that's actually an old one about to be used for the first time, while Angel's Envy in Louisville is starting an expansion project just two years after the distillery opened. We'll also explain why liquor reform in British Columbia will have to wait until after cannabis reform, and taste four craft whiskies in this week's tasting notes. |
Sun, 8 July 2018
Ken Lewis has accomplished a lot of things in his life, from climbing Alaska's Denali to owning one of Kentucky's largest chains of liquor stores. Four years ago, he sold The Party Source stores to his employees and opened New Riff Distilling in Newport, Kentucky to start making whiskey instead of selling it. At the end of this month, the first New Riff Bourbon will go on sale - a four-year-old Bottled in Bond Bourbon. We'll talk with Ken about his disruptive approach to life and whiskey on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the cleanup project at Kentucky's Barton 1792 Distillery has doubled after the second half of a rickhouse collapsed on Wednesday, China's new tariffs on American Whiskey exports have gone into effect, and there are plenty of new whiskies to talk about, too! |
Sun, 1 July 2018
The rough, cold waters off Scotland's Isle of Islay are a challenge for even the best sailors, and one might think it madness to try and swim around the island. A year ago, three men did just that and collected whiskies from each of Islay's eight distilleries along their journey in the "Great Islay Swim." Veteran explorers Justin Fornal and Chad Anderson were joined by Beam Suntory brand ambassador Johnnie Mundell, who brought his own open-water swimming background and his connections on Islay to the challenge. We'll talk with Johnnie Mundell about his life-changing experience on WhiskyCast In-Depth and taste the whisky that's been bottled from that challenge and is being sold to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. In the news, the ringleader of Kentucky's "Pappygate" thefts has been released on shock probation after serving just 30 days of his 15-year prison sentence, while a judge's ruling is all that remains before the stolen whiskey seized as evidence in the case can be destroyed. Meanwhile, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society whiskies seized from four British Columbia bars last January are still locked up as evidence, but a provincial review panel has recommended policy changes that might lead to those whiskies being returned to the shelves. We'll have that story, along with details on the week's new whisky releases and as summer temperatures soar, we'll have tasting notes for a whiskey-flavored ice cream to beat the heat! |
Fri, 29 June 2018
While the cause of last Friday's warehouse collapse at Kentucky's Barton 1792 Distillery is still not known, the whiskey industry has known for years about the problems so-called "powderpost" beetles can cause in a rickhouse. Anobiid beetles dig deeply into old, untreated wood as larvae, then chew their way out as adults, and are capable of weakening the structural integrity of a wooden structure over many years. University of Kentucky entomology professor Michael Potter is an expert on these beetles, and has worked with Barton 1792 and other distilleries over his 27 years at UK. He'll join us on WhiskyCast In-Depth, and we'll also have details as state officials plan to cite Sazerac for environmental damage from the whiskey spilled in the rickhouse collapse. |
Sun, 24 June 2018
If you're young, you might think 45 is old. If you're older, you might think 45 is still pretty young. But when you're talking about tasting a 45-year-old Bourbon, not only is that old, but it's the oldest Bourbon ever bottled! We'll head to Julio's Liquors in Massachusetts for the rare chance to taste the James Thompson & Brother Final Reserve 45-year-old Bourbon, along with its 42-year-old kid brother and three vintage Kentucky whiskies from the 50's and 60's. In the news, we'll have the latest on Friday's partial collapse of a whiskey warehouse at Kentucky's Barton 1792 Distillery that left 9,000 barrels of whisky in a huge pile of timber and tin. On Behind the Label, we'll also explain why those warehouses are called "rickhouses" in Kentucky and why the "ricks" are built out of wood. |
Thu, 21 June 2018
The Glasgow Distillery Company won't release its first 1770 Glasgow single malt whisky until later this year, but the four-year-old company is already kicking off a year-long expansion project to double its production capacity. We'll talk with co-founder Liam Hughes about the expansion and the challenges of launching Glasgow's first malt whisky distillery in a century on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, European Union import tariffs on American-made whiskies go into effect on Friday, setting the stage for potential retaliation against their whiskies from Washington. We'll update distillery projects in Ireland and Scotland as well on this episode of WhiskyCast recorded at New York City's Grand Central Station, where Highland Park premiered a pop-up Orkney exhibition Wednesday night. |
Sun, 17 June 2018
There are plenty of cocktail competitions for bartenders, but Speed Rack was one of the first to highlight women working behind the bar. Lynette Marrero and Ivy Mix founded Speed Rack in 2012 to not only empower women in the cocktail culture, but also to raise money for breast cancer research and charities. They've succeeded at both over the last six years, and will be staging the first Speed Rack competition in Australia next month. We'll talk with Lynette Marrero on WhiskyCast In-Depth, and while we're talking about cocktail competitions, we'll check in with Lynn House as the eight regional winners in Heaven Hill's 2018 Bartender of the Year competition gather in Sea Island, Georgia for this week's finals. In the news, China has joined the growing list of US trading partners targeting American-made whiskies for punitive tariffs as the trade war expands. Kentucky's Castle & Key Distillery has successfully defended a trademark infringement suit over its use of the original Old Taylor name for its distillery, and on Behind the Label, we'll look at the tricky question of when whiskies made in one country can be labeled as coming from another country. |
Thu, 14 June 2018
Tax cuts that took effect at the start of 2018 encouraged many US whisky distillers to expand their facilities. Now, they're caught in the middle of the trade war between the United States and its trading partners in Canada, Mexico, and the European Union. Not only are the whiskies some of those distillers export going to be hit with new tariffs at the start of July, but prices for the stainless steel and aluminum they need for those expansion projects are going up because of the US tariffs on imported steel and aluminum. We'll look at the issue on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Brown-Forman has opened its Old Forester distillery on Louisville's "Whiskey Row" downtown, while the management of Bardstown's Willett Distillery is being handed down to the next generation. Wild Turkey is releasing a new Bourbon with a back story appropriate for Father's Day weekend, and we'll head into the weekend with some Dad jokes. |
Sun, 10 June 2018
Historians aren't sure who distilled the first Scotch-style single malt whiskey in the United States, but Oregon's Clear Creek Distillery has a pretty solid claim to the title. Steve McCarthy started making his McCarthy's Oregon Single Malt in 1993, and while Steve McCarthy sold Clear Creek in 2014 and eased into semi-retirement, his influence still guides Clear Creek's distillers to this day. We'll talk with Clear Creek's Jeanine Racht on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the G7 Summit ends with no progress in resolving a global trade dispute pitting the US against its key trading partners, while new tariffs could affect 65 percent of all US whiskey exports within the next month. We'll look at a new whisky that's raising money for search and rescue operations in the UK, along with other new whiskies, tasting notes, and much more. |
Thu, 7 June 2018
With Father's Day coming up, we'll meet a Scottish woman following her father into the whiskey business. That's right...whiskey. Jennifer Nickerson married her Irish farmer husband, Liam Ahearn, and moved to his family's farm in County Tipperary, Ireland. Her father is longtime Scotch Whisky veteran Stuart Nickerson, and when he saw Liam's farm, he persuaded them that it was the perfect place for a distillery. They're now building the Tipperary Boutique Distillery, and while Liam works the farm, Jennifer will be making the whiskey. We'll talk with father and daughter on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the whiskey trade war is expanding, and distillers are preparing to face the impact of new tariffs on exports of Bourbon and other American whiskies. We'll have that story and much more on the midweek edition of WhiskyCast. |
Sun, 3 June 2018
Canada and the European Union are planning retaliatory tariffs on imports of Bourbon and other American whiskies after this week's move by the Trump Administration to impose tariffs on their steel and aluminum exports to the United States. That sets the stage for what could potentially become a full-fledged trade war with whisky as a weapon, and whisky makers are worried that the U.S. will respond with tariffs against their whiskies. We'll talk with William Lavelle of the Irish Whiskey Association, who's urging European Union leaders to carefully consider the economic impact of their plans. We'll also explain just how tariffs on whisky imports work in our Behind the Label segment, and share some of your reactions on Your Voice. In the news, the ringleader of the "Pappygate" distillery thefts in Kentucky has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, but there's still no verdict yet on the fate of the stolen whiskey. |
Thu, 31 May 2018
Bourbon scares some people away...at first. Often, those who approach Bourbon gingerly develop a true passion for it, and become what Linda Ruffenach refers to as a "Bourbon Badass." Linda founded the Whisky Chicks four years ago in Louisville, and while her book "How to be a Bourbon Badass" is geared to women, the term itself - just like a passion for Bourbon - is gender-neutral. We'll talk with Linda Ruffenach on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the trade war is on between the United States and the European Union over steel and aluminum imports, and the Europeans are firing back with plans to impose tariffs on Bourbon and other American whiskies. We'll have that story, along with plans for another new distillery in Scotland's Speyside region, The Macallan's oldest whisky ever, and your comments on the raging inferno from our last episode. |
Sat, 26 May 2018
Bruichladdich's Port Charlotte single malt lies in between the distillery's namesake unpeated whiskies and its Octomore heavily peated malts, and Bruichladdich CEO Douglas Taylor admits the range has suffered from "middle child syndrome" in recent years. As part of Bruichladdich's open day today during the annual Islay Festival of Malt & Music, Port Charlotte is getting some much-needed attention. There's a new Port Charlotte 10-year-old that will be available worldwide, a new 2011 Islay Barley bottling, and an end to "hand-me-down" bottles and packaging. On WhiskyCast In-Depth, we'll talk with Douglas Taylor about the upgrade, along with growing concerns on Islay about the Scotch Whisky industry's impact on the island. In the news, another deadline is approaching in the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and the European Union, while Sazerac's plans for a new distillery in Tennessee have gotten the green light. We'll also have tasting notes for a couple of whiskies that take spice - and the score for one - to a new level. |
Thu, 24 May 2018
Edrington first announced plans for The Macallan's new distillery in 2012, but the planning process on what may be one of the longest distillery projects on record started well before that, and construction work alone took three and a half years. The Macallan's new home welcomed its first guests the other night, and will open for tours on June 2. We'll talk with The Macallan's Ken Grier about the new distillery and what it means for the brand's future, along with the recent move to revamp The Macallan's core ranges and last week's pair of million-dollar bids for two rare 1926 Macallans at Bonhams in Hong Kong. In the news, Diageo has named project managers for the revival of its Port Ellen and Brora distilleries. There's a report that U.S. trade officials are pressuring Great Britain to weaken protections for Scotch Whisky in a post-Brexit free trade deal, while Gordon & MacPhail has unveiled another new range of single malts and Irish Distillers is adding two new whiskies to its Method and Madness lineup. |
Sat, 19 May 2018
Irish Whiskey lost one of its longtime champions this past week with the passing of John Clement Ryan. He was the 7th - and final generation of Dublin's Power family to work in the Irish Whiskey business, and while he never distilled a drop of whiskey himself, he traveled the world for three decades promoting Jameson Irish Whiskey during one of the industry's bleakest periods. His evangelism and fervor for Irish Whiskey contributed to the renaissance we see today as Irish Whiskey sales grow year after year. In 2013, we sat down with John Ryan for an interview that's never aired before as he shared some of his history and Irish Whiskey's history with us - you'll hear that interview on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the million-dollar mark for a single bottle of whisky sold at auction has been broken - twice in one day! We'll have the details, along with the story of an unusual collaboration among some of Bourbon's masters for Kentucky charities. We'll also have your comments, tasting notes, and look at barrel vocabulary on "Behind the Label." |
Thu, 17 May 2018
In May of 1988, the Scotch Whisky Experience opened its doors on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, next to Edinburgh Castle. Over the last 30 years, millions of whisky lovers have made the hike to the top of the Royal Mile to learn more about Scotch Whisky - and sample a dram or two. This month kicks off a year-long anniversary celebration, and we'll talk with Julie Trevisan Hunter of the Scotch Whisky Experience on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Suntory is disappointing whisky lovers with word that it'll be dropping the Hakushu 10 and Hibiki 17 whiskies later this year because of supply shortages, while Diageo broke ground this week for a new Bulleit Distillery visitors center in Kentucky. We'll also have details on the week's new whiskies and find out how 500 whisky lovers are getting their names on the car Jay Howard is trying to qualify for next weekend's Indianapolis 500. Finally, we'll look at a whisky debate that may send shivers down your spine, depending on how you feel about ice in your dram! |
Sun, 13 May 2018
Scotland's distilleries have been investing millions of pounds over the last several years to upgrade their visitor experiences as more tourists come to Scotland specifically to learn more about whisky. Now, Diageo is making what is likely to be the largest single investment ever in Scotch Whisky tourism with a £150 million project over the next three years. In addition to upgrades for the visitor centers at its 12 distilleries that are open to the public, there are plans for a new Johnnie Walker brand home in Edinburgh. While the plans are still in development, Diageo's Ewan Gunn joins us on WhiskyCast In-Depth with a preview. In the news, U.S. distillers are gathering in Washington for the industry's annual public policy conference - and to persuade members of Congress to make the recent cut in federal excise taxes on distilled spirits permanent. The Scotch Whisky industry is gearing up for a tax battle of its own, and Pernod Ricard is getting into the beer business for the first time - to protect one of its key whiskey brands. |
Thu, 10 May 2018
Dave Broom has been one of Japanese whisky's most passionate observers for many years, and his latest book "The Way of Whisky" delves into Japan's unique whisky culture at a time when demand for Japanese whiskies far outpaces the supply. We'll talk with Dave about those shortages, along with other so-called "world whiskies" that he's uncovering on his travels and his upcoming Scotch Whisky documentary, "The Amber Light," on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also look at the latest political clashes that could pose problems for whisky lovers and get the details on new whiskies, including one that's getting our highest score ever! To appreciate the great, though, one must taste the not-so-great, and our new "Behind the Label" segment has the back story of what could be one of the worst - yet still highly sought-after whiskies ever bottled. |
Sat, 5 May 2018
Bob Dylan is known for many things, but slapping his name onto a product to make a quick buck is definitely not one of them. In fact, the new Heaven's Door line of whiskies marks the first time the legendary singer and songwriter has ever put his brand on anything other than his music and art. Dylan partnered with a team of spirits experts led by Marc Bushala, who helped bring Angel's Envy to the market before selling it to Bacardi in 2015, and Ryan Perry to create three new whiskies, along with plans for a distillery and art gallery scheduled to open next year in Nashville. Marc Bushala and Ryan Perry join us on WhiskyCast In-Depth to share their story of creating whiskies with Bob Dylan, and we'll also have tasting notes for the Heaven's Door whiskies, too. In the news, a bad Brexit breakup could cost the Scotch Whisky industry millions of pounds each year in trade tariffs, and industry leaders are trying to persuade British officials to avoid that outcome. We'll have that story, along with a look at the first whisky distillery in the Scottish Borders since 1837, and much more on this episode of WhiskyCast. |
Thu, 3 May 2018
The area around St. Andrews was home to Scotch Whisky's Haig family and their Seggie Distillery, but after it closed in 1850, the whisky industry largely moved away from St. Andrews. Paul Miller brought it back when his Eden Mill Brewery started distilling whisky in 2014, and now, the first Eden Mill single malts are reaching the market. Miller and his team led by head distiller Scott Ferguson have been challenging the traditions of Scotch Whisky while respecting the heritage, and they'll join us on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also have news on another music icon's entry into the world of whiskies, details on a one-of-a-kind Glenfarclas rescued from the back of a cupboard, and since it's Kentucky Derby week, we'll look at the history of horse racing's favorite cocktail, the Mint Julep. |
Sun, 29 April 2018
Oxford, Mississippi is known for many things, but Bourbon isn't usually the first thing you think of. Chef John Currence and his friends might just convince you otherwise, though. They've turned their annual fundraising weekend for Move On Up Mississippi into a full-blown whiskey weekend, with the first Oxford Bourbon Festival and Auction coming up the weekend of May 18-20. Chef John Currence owns four restaurants in Oxford, and the James Beard Award-winning chef and author counts whiskey among his favorite food groups. He'll join us on WhiskyCast In-Depth to discuss the festival, along with his love for Bourbon - and his disdain for pairing Bourbons with specific foods. We'll also have more details on the latest distillery planned for Islay, along with new whiskies, the week's tasting notes, and explain why you might get a pickle-like note in some Rye whiskies in our new "Behind the Label" segment. |
Thu, 26 April 2018
This time around, we’re on the road in Dublin for the launch of the first cask-strength Jameson Irish Whiskey, the new Jameson Bow Street 18. It’s also the first Jameson expression in many years with a direct link to the Jameson family’s old distillery on Bow Street in Dublin, since the casks used for Bow Street 18 spent their final year of maturation in the new mini-warehouse at the Jameson Distillery Bow Street visitor experience. We’ll have that story in the news, along with late-breaking news on another new distillery planned for Islay. On WhiskyCast In-Depth, we’ll talk with Benromach Distillery manager Keith Cruickshank about the Speyside distillery’s dual anniversaries this year: Benromach’s 120th anniversary and the 20th anniversary of its reopening by Gordon & MacPhail. We’ll also have some of your comments, the week’s tasting notes, and much more! |
Sat, 21 April 2018
The Bible says "The Lord works in mysterious ways." As proof, we have the story this week of Father Jim Sichko, a Kentucky-based Catholic priest heading to Rome for an audience at the Vatican with Pope Francis. He admits to not knowing much about Bourbon, but whether you want to call it providence or luck, he was able to get his hands on some of the much-sought-after Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon for the Pope, along with enough whiskey to start a new collection at the Vatican. He'll share his story with us on WhiskyCast In-Depth, and we'll also preview the upcoming Spirit of Speyside Festival. In the news, the world's largest brewer is dipping its toes into the Scotch Whisky business, while construction will begin next month on Edinburgh's first malt whisky distillery in 90 years and Canada's Supreme Court has dealt a legal setback to whisky lovers,. We're also kicking off a new segment this week, as "Behind the Label" looks at things you may have wondered about when it comes to learning more about whisky. |
Wed, 18 April 2018
Billy Walker's Back in the Whisky Business with The GlenAllachie (WhiskyCast Episode 690: April 19, 2018)
Billy Walker could have walked away from the Scotch Whisky business last year after he and his partners sold the BenRiach, GlenDronach, and Glenglassaugh distilleries to Brown-Forman for more than $400 million. However, he decided to jump back in with his "dream team" of industry leaders and buy the Glenallachie distillery from Chivas Brothers, and will launch the distillery's first range of single malts in June. We'll talk with Billy about building that team and giving new life to a long-underrrated distillery on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Anheuser-Busch InBev has acquired Atom Group, the UK-based drinks company that owns Master of Malt, while Diageo has announced plans to invest £150 million to upgrade the visitors centers at 12 of its distilleries in Scotland and create a new "brand home" for Johnnie Walker in Edinburgh. We'll also have details on Gordon & MacPhail's move to consolidate its 12 lines of single malt whiskies into just five starting this month with the Connoisseurs Choice range, and the Spirit of Speyside Festival brings judging for its annual whisky competition to New York for the first time. |
Sun, 15 April 2018
Every distillery opens as a dream, with the backers hoping to become the next Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey, or one of countless other mainstays of the whisky business. During Friday night's American Whiskey Convention in Philadelphia, many startup distilleries showed off their whiskies next to those mainstays. A couple of miles away, James Yoakum was pouring drinks in his tasting room at Cooper River Distillers, days after making the decision to close the distillery after one last Kentucky Derby party May 5th. He'll share some of the lessons he learned over the last four years, and we'll meet some of the distillers still full of optimism - yet tempered with reality - on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, four Kentucky distilleries celebrated milestones this week, while Wild Turkey's partnership with actor Matthew McConaughey has led to a new Bourbon and Diageo has given us a preview of this year's Special Releases single malts...with no Port Ellens or Broras in the mix. |
Sun, 8 April 2018
Whisky makers have tried for decades to come up with ways of making young whiskies taste like older ones, but whisky purists will argue that there is no substitute for time in a barrel when it comes to making a quality whisky. O.Z. Tyler created the TerrePURE process, which uses ultrasonic sound waves to break up some of the undesirable byproducts of the distilling process that are left behind after a whisky reaches the barrel. South Carolina-based Terressentia has been using that process on bulk and private-label Bourbons for the last ten years, and revived the old Medley Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky in 2016. Now, the renamed O.Z. Tyler Distillery will release its first Kentucky Bourbon using that process this week, and we'll talk with Terressentia CEO Earl Hewlette on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, it could soon be legal for the first time to have a Kentucky distillery ship whiskies home for visitors. We'll look at the impact of the just-passed House Bill 400 on distillers, tourists, and retailers. The brewing trade war between the United States and China has now expanded to include American-made whiskies, and one of Sweden's largest distilleries is changing its name. |
Sat, 31 March 2018
Scotland's Douglas Laing and Co. is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2018, and for many of those years, the Laing family has taken a light-hearted approach to Scotch Whisky - at least, when it comes to what's on the outside of the bottle. With brands like Big Peat, Scallywag, Timorous Beastie, and the like, Fred Laing has given us many reasons to smile as we pour a dram. Fred has turned over much of the day-to-day operations of the company over to his daughter Cara and son-in-law Chris Leggett, but took the title of Chairman of the Board because "Chief Mischief Maker" wasn't an option. He'll join us on WhiskyCast In-Depth to talk about this year's anniversary releases, the progress of their new distillery in Glasgow, and their newest whisky...the bacon-infused "Big Meat. We'll also have the details on a complete makeover for The Macallan's single malts, a upcoming "crowdsourced" Bourbon from Buffalo Trace, April Fool's fun from Westland, and Dave Broom's future as a film star, along with tasting notes for three Scandinavian single malts and much more! |
Sun, 25 March 2018
Rachel Barrie is known on Twitter as @TheLadyBlender, and she's just winding up her first year as the master blender for Brown-Forman's BenRiach, GlenDronach, and Glenglassaugh distilleries in Scotland. Over the years, she's worked on some of Scotch Whisky's most iconic brands, and joins us to discuss her career and her plans for those distilleries. This week, we're on the road in Cornwall, Ontario at the Wonderful World of Whisky Show to catch up with old friends and make some new ones. Back in 2006, we first met Barry Bernstein and Barry Stein shortly after they left their jobs to form Premium Bottlers and import casks of Scotch Whisky into Canada. That led to their opening Still Waters Distillery in the Toronto suburbs a few years later, and this week, their Stalk & Barrel Single Malt was named the "Best Canadian Single Cask Single Malt" in Whisky Magazine's World Whiskies Awards. We'll talk with "The Barrys" - as they're affectionately known, and hear a tale of one brand ambassador's airport security nightmare that turned into a dream. |
Sun, 18 March 2018
It's St. Patrick's Day weekend, and while we cover Irish Whiskey all year-round, it's worth paying special attention to the fastest-growing segment of the whisky business this week. Waterford Distillery has been quietly laying down more than 2.3 million liters of spirit since it opened at the end of 2015, and just as he did at Bruichladdich, Waterford founder Mark Reynier is challenging many of Irish Whiskey's traditions. We'll catch up with Mark for a progress report and discuss his newest challenge - distilling whiskey from biodynamically-grown barley. We'll also hear about another newcomer to the Irish Whiskey scene, as Sabine Sheehan joins us to share the story behind Lambay Irish Whiskey - a collaboration between Cognac's Camus family and Ireland's Baring family. In the news, Irish investigators are looking for the cause of a fatal accident this week at the Irish Distillers maturation warehouses in Dungourney, and Ireland's prime minister was in Washington trying to persuade President Donald Trump to reconsider punitive tariffs on steel and aluminum imports set to take effect this week in a move that could set off a whisky-focused trade war. |
Sat, 10 March 2018
This week, we're on the road in Waco, Texas for the inaugural RyeFest at Balcones Distilling, where they're releasing their first-ever Rye whisky after 10 years of making almost every other kind of whisky under the Texas sun. We'll talk with Balcones head distiller Jared Himstedt and taste the new Balcones 100 Proof Rye. On this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth, we'll also meet some distillers from Down Under - Australians who are proving that not all Australian whisky comes from Tasmania. In the news, the stage is set for European Union officials to impose tariffs on Bourbon after the Trump Administration kicked off a potential trade war by imposing punitive tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from EU member nations and other countries. Diageo's distillery in Tullahoma, Tennessee is getting a new name - and a new head distiller, and we'll talk with the founders of the #OurWhisky movement to highlight diversity in the whisky industry. |
Sun, 4 March 2018
Irish Whiskey has been the fastest-growing segments of the global whiskey market for the last several years, and for many Irish entrepreneurs, it's a long-awaited return to the glory days of Irish Whiskey. We'll talk with several entrepreneurs betting their futures on the continued growth of Irish Whiskey on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth, including Donal O'Gallachoir of Glendalough Distillery and Peter Clancy, who's spearheading construction of the new Lough Ree Distillery along the River Shannon. We'll also talk with Bourbon & Beyond Festival promoter Danny Wimmer and Fred Minnick about the whiskey lineup unveiled this week for the second year of the festival this September in Louisville. In the news, US President Donald Trump's plans to impose punitive tariffs on steel and aluminum imports could lead to a backlash against the Bourbon industry. We'll also talk with the Diageo executive behind the controversial Jane Walker Edition of Johnnie Walker Black Label, catch up on the rest of the week's whisky news, and deliver a stiff reprimand to a whisky jerk! |
Sun, 25 February 2018
Distillers like to say they're not making whisky for themselves, but laying it down for future generations. Part of that process is identifying the young distillers who may be asked to take over for them one day, and this week, that process put Woodford Reserve's future in much clearer perspective. Brown-Forman promoted Elizabeth McCall from her role as Woodford's Master Taster to Assistant Master Distiller, putting her on the track to eventually take over for current Master Distiller Chris Morris one day. McCall's story is unique - not because she's a second-generation whisky maker, but because she followed her mother into the whisky business. She'll share her story and her goal of encouraging other young women to consider science careers on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. This week, we're on location in the Boston suburb of Westborough, Massachusetts for the annual Go Whisk(e)y Weekend at Julio's Liquors, and we'll have details on another marriage between music and whiskey as the rock giants of Metallica are teaming up with veteran distiller Dave Pickerell to create not just their own whiskey, but build their own distillery as well! We'll also have details on Ardbeg's new expansion plans and some hints about this year's Ardbeg Committee bottling, along with a first look at Laphroaig's annual Cairdeas release and new entries in the Bottled in Bond American Whiskey category. |
Sun, 18 February 2018
Five years ago, Irish expats Jack McGarry and Sean Muldoon bet their futures on opening an Irish pub in New York City's Financial District. Since then, The Dead Rabbit has become renowned as one of the world's best bars. Now, The Dead Rabbit shares its name with a new Irish Whiskey in a collaboration with Quintessential Brands, which is building the Dublin Liberties Distillery in the city's Newmarket Square. We'll talk about the bar and the whiskey with Sean Muldoon and Darryl McNally, Quintessential's master distiller and blender, on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. There's a lot to cover in the news, including local approval for Glenmorangie's expansion plans in Scotland, the return of whisky distilling to downtown Montreal, and how South Africa's severe water shortages are affecting the country's leading whisky distiller. We'll also answer some of your whisky questions and taste some new whiskies, too. |
Sun, 11 February 2018
With apologies to the legendary Scottish poet Robert Burns, "whisky and chocolate gang tegither!" Good whiskies and fine chocolates actually share many of the same characteristics, and pairings of the two have become a common feature at whisky tastings and festivals. The Rev. Dr. R.M. Peluso has written extensively on chocolate for years, and is also a whisky lover. She explored the pairing of these two treats in her latest book, "Deep Tasting: Chocolate and Whisky," and joins us for a Valentine's Day conversation on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also catch up with Jack Teeling of Ireland's Teeling Whiskey Company, and 2018 is a big year for the Teeling family. Later this year, they'll be bottling the first Irish Whiskey distilled in Dublin in more than four decades, and this week released a 34-year-old Irish single malt that's one of the oldest of its kind. In the news, Scotch Whisky exports reached a new record high in 2017 ... we have details on an executive shakeup within Pernod Ricard's whisky portfolio ... and we'll look at Glenallachie's progress under its new ownership. |
Sun, 4 February 2018
When someone wants to start a new whisky brand, but doesn't own a distillery, chances are they'll turn to Gordon Working and his team at the MGP Ingredients Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Over the years and several owners, the distillery has gone from being one of the backbones of the Seagram's empire to one of the leaders in "contract distilling" for clients. We'll talk with Gordon Working on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, American whiskies led the overall spirits sector to another year of growth in 2017, while another major Scotch Whisky distiller is planning an expansion to meet growing global demand. |
Sun, 28 January 2018
Three years ago, we introduced you to Graeme Macaloney, a Scottish-Canadian pharmaceutical engineer with a dream of making his own single malt whisky in British Columbia. Back then, he had the plans and the consultants, but not all of the money and more importantly, no site for his distillery. Happily, it all worked out, as Victoria Caledonian Distillery and the Twa Dogs Brewery opened in the autumn of 2016, and Graeme's laying down spirit for the future. We'll catch up with Graeme Macaloney and his master distiller, longtime Diageo veteran Mike Nicolson, on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, British Columbia's attorney general now acknowledges that the province's liquor laws may need updating in the wake of last week's raids on four Scotch Malt Whisky Society partner bars. We'll also get an update on plans for the new Holyrood Park Distillery in Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh, while the boom in whisky-related tourism keeps growing around the world. |
Mon, 22 January 2018
This week, we're in Victoria, British Columbia for the 13th annual Victoria Whisky Festival - just as the Canadian province's liquor regulators staged a crackdown targeting the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and its "partner bars" in the province. Agents seized several hundred bottles of the Society's whiskies in raids at four bars in Vancouver, Victoria, and Nanaimo because they were purchased from private liquor stores in British Columbia instead of the government-run liquor distribution system. We'll have complete coverage of the crackdown, along with its impact on the Victoria Whisky Festival, which was forced to cancel several tastings and master classes to head off a similar crackdown. We'll also have complete coverage of this year's Canadian Whisky Awards and talk with a pair of brewer/distillers from one of the most remote distilleries around...in the middle of the Yukon! |
Sun, 14 January 2018
You never know what might be found behind the walls or under the floors of old houses and other buildings, especially those built during the Prohibition era. As those buildings are being renovated or torn down, salvage crews in major cities are uncovering all kinds of whisky-related artifacts, including evidence from old speakeasies and bootlegging operations. Philadelphia Community Corps founder Greg Trainor leads salvage teams in recovering usable materials from old buildings, and his crews have found all kinds of things that would make a whisky memorabilia collector smile. We'll take a look at some of his Prohibition-era finds and what they can tell us about present-day America on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also look at some bucket-list destinations for spirited travelers with Kelly Magyarics, who just profiled a few of those destinations for Fodors.com. In the news, another distillery has started making Bourbon in Bardstown, Kentucky, the scientist who's created a way to turn distillery waste into biofuel has been honored, and we'll say goodbye to an old friend of Islay whisky fans. |
Sat, 6 January 2018
Last November, Fawn Weaver told us about her mission to spread the story of Nathan "Nearest" Green, the former slave who became Jack Daniel's first distiller when he started making whiskey in Lynchburg, Tennessee after the end of the Civil War. Part of that mission is the Uncle Nearest 1856 Whiskey brand, which helps support the Nearest Green Foundation and provides college scholarships for Green's descendants. During our conversation in Episode 666, Weaver told us she'd just acquired a piece of property to build a distillery, but didn't want to say any more than that at the time. Just before Christmas, local officials in Bedford County, Tennessee approved the rezoning of a former horse farm to become the home of the Nearest Green Distillery, and Fawn Weaver joins us this week to update the story. We'll also have news on a distillery accident in Pittsburgh, along with a new way for Bourbon lovers to shop and fly in Louisville, and some of your New Year's drams, too. |
Mon, 1 January 2018
Much of whisky's early history is documented only in tales, with few written records that have survived the centuries. In some cases, though, the documents exist that can help fill in the gaps in those legends. Archivist Carol Quinn is cataloging more than two centuries' worth of documents from the distilleries that merged in 1966 to form Irish Distillers, along with rare whiskies that make up the Irish Whiskey Archive's "liquid library." Few people are ever granted access to the vault-like room that houses that liquid archive, but you'll get to go inside on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, public health activists are concerned about the potential impact of the federal tax cut on U.S. distillers that takes effect this week. Queen Elizabeth has honored one of the founders of a fledgling British whisky distillery, and a retired Kentucky distillery owner's personal stash of Bourbon is about to come on the market - more than four decades after it was distilled. |