PREVIOUS EPISODES
EPISODE 238: FEBRUARY 7, 2010
Call it beginner's luck if you want, but Peter Hart's first batch of single
malt spirit received rave reviews at the recent Victoria Whisky
Festival...even though it was only two months old. Peter's the distiller at
Victoria Spirits, a converted British Columbia winery now producing
highly-regarded gin and as we'll learn in this episode, plans to produce a
100% British Columbia single malt whisky. In the news, the first interview
with Al Fastier of the Antarctic Heritage Trust on the successful recovery
of not just two cases of Sir Ernest Shackleton's 100-year-old whisky, but a
third case of whisky and two cases of brandy! Also, Edrington and Berry
Brothers swap whisky assets...and reports of a new Ardbeg expression!
Listen to
this episode (26:15, 12.1 MB)
EPISODE 237: JANUARY 30, 2010
As I
reported in the last episode, Maker's Mark is working on a new bourbon. This
time around, Master Distiller Kevin Smith sits down with me to taste
"Profile 51", which will be released this summer. That's the unofficial name
for the new whiskey, which will be bottled at a higher proof than Maker's
Mark and will have a completely different taste. In the news, new whiskies
from Glenfiddich, Tullibardine, and The Glenrothes, support for Haitian
earthquake relief, and Chivas may need years to recover from the damage
caused by this winter's storms.
Listen to
this episode (41:30, 19.1 MB)
EPISODE 236: JANUARY 23, 2010
This time around, I'm on location at the Victoria Whisky Festival in British
Columbia, and I'm joined by a panel of whisky experts to discuss some of the
issues facing whisky producers and drinkers alike. Jim Murray, Malt Maniac
Davin De Kergommeaux, Ed Patrick of Canada's Companions of the Quaich,
Stuart Nickerson of Glenglassaugh, Andrew Gray of Bruichladdich, and Dan
Tullio of Canadian Club discuss the state of Canadian whisky, government
regulation and taxes, premiumization, and their dream drams. In the news,
Maker's Mark is experimenting with a new formula that may or may not make it
to market, and Bruichladdich is experimenting with technology to turn its
waste into fuel.
Listen to
this episode (43:00, 19.8 MB)
EPISODE 235: JANUARY 16, 2010
Dewar's is one of Scotland's iconic whiskies, thanks to the efforts of
generations of the Dewar family. Ian Buxton has just released a new book,
"The Enduring Legacy of Dewar's", in cooperation with Dewar's owner Bacardi,
and he joins us via Skype from Edinburgh to share some of Dewar's history.
In the news, whisky and politics, whisky and sports, and whisky with a smoky
kick!
Listen to
this episode (47:00, 21.6 MB)
EPISODE 234: JANUARY 10, 2010
China may well become the world's largest whisky market over the next
decade, and Ian Chang is hoping his Kavalan single malt becomes the choice
of Chinese whisky lovers. Kavalan is the first single malt whisky distilled
in Taiwan, and even though its first releases are only three years old,
Kavalan has already won several medals in international whisky competitions.
In the news, heavy snow damages 21 Chivas Brothers warehouses holding 100
million gallons of whisky, Diageo prepares for the second release in the
Manager's Choice Series, and we'll hear from the editor of Australia's first
whisky magazine, Tumbler's Kristy Booth.
Listen to
this episode (37:15, 17.1 MB)
EPISODE 233: JANUARY 3, 2010
The last decade could well be remembered for the emergence of Japanese
single malt whiskies on the world stage. We'll discuss the malts from the
Land of the Rising Sun with Chris Bunting, author of the Nonjatta.com blog.
In the news, new whiskies from Gordon & MacPhail and The Glenrothes, and
Whyte & MacKay's Richard Paterson can tell you where to go...if you have a
TomTom GPS.
Listen to
this episode (28:58, 13.3 MB)
EPISODE 232: DECEMBER 27, 2009
We close out 2009 with a look at bourbon and beer. Devin Zell of Bourbon
Drinker.com loves both. He'll share his dual passions with us in this
episode, including how he and his friends aged a beer for 9 months in a
barrel used for Pappy Van Winkle's 23-year-old bourbon. In the news, new
expressions from Berry Brothers & Rudd, the BBC discovers a distillery on
the Isle of Lewis, and tasting notes for three top-shelf bourbons in the
"What I'm Tasting This Week Department."
Listen to
this episode (20:10 , 9.2 MB)
EPISODE 231:DECEMBER 20, 2009
Distilleries have ghosts and secrets, as well as memories that live within
those who work the stills, the malting floors, and the warehouses. Ian
Macilwain has collected those stories in his new book "Bottled History" and
joins us from Aberdeen for this week's episode. In the news, Bonhams
completes a three-continent series of whisky auctions, Highland Park honors
an Orkney legend, Brown University researchers look at the cause of
hangovers, and the winner of the Fred Noe autographed Knob Creek display
bottle.
Listen to
this episode (28:30 13.1 MB)
EPISODE 230: DECEMBER 12, 2009
Having a
holiday party this season? Master mixologist Dale DeGroff gives us some tips
on cocktails and entertaining in this episode. In the news, Diageo's
Scottish workers call off their campaign against plant closings, Scotch
whisky exports are up despite the recession, the latest word on new whisky
releases, a Balvenie competition, and look for WhiskyCast soon on your
iPhone!
Listen to
this episode (22:40, 10.4 MB)
EPISODE 229: DECEMBER 6, 2009
Tasting
and scoring around 200 different whiskies over the course of a few weeks is
tough work, but the Malt Maniacs make this sacrifice every autumn. The
results of this year's Malt Maniacs Whisky Awards have been released, and
with just 9 gold medal winners, represent the best of the best. Longtime
Malt Maniac Davin de Kergommeaux puts this year's winners into perspective.
In the news, whisky competitions anyone can win, Glenfiddich will auction a
bottle of 50-year-old whisky for charity, celebrating the Macallan, and a
philosophical look at whisky with Marcus Adams, one of the editors of
"Whisky and Philosophy."
Listen to
this episode (41:30, 19.1 MB)
EPISODE 228: NOVEMBER 28, 2009
The
Scotch Whisky industry is operating under new rules for the first time in 20
years. A complete re-write of the Scotch Whisky Law went into effect this
week, and David Williamson of the Scotch Whisky Association explains the new
law in this episode. In the news, if someone offers you a bottle of Tactical
Nuclear Penguin beer, sip it...don't chug it...along with Bonham's auction
results from Hong Kong...Power's sends a new Irish whiskey to the US, and
tasting notes for something spicy, something blue, and something
bluegrass...
Listen to
this episode (33:10, 15.2 MB)
