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 CuraƧao 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! |