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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)

LINKS FROM EPISODE 238

Victoria Spirits
Antarctic Heritage Trust
McTear's
Edrington Group
Berry Brothers & Rudd
The Glenrothes
Ardbeg
Glenmorangie
Knappogue Castle
Kavalan Whisky
Jim Beam
Crown Royal
Old Forester
Kentucky Distillers Association
Buffalo Trace
Caladh Sona Islay B&B

LINKS FROM EPISODE 237

Maker's Mark
Chivas Brothers
The Press & Journal
Glenfiddich
Tullibardine
The Glenrothes
Master of Malt
Whisky Explorers Club
Kavalan Whisky
The Times of London
Penderyn
Islay Festival of Malt & Music
Black Bottle

LINKS FROM EPISODE 236

Victoria Whisky Festival
Maker's Mark
Bruichladdich
Penderyn
Jim Murray's Whisky Bible
Malt Maniacs
Glenglassaugh
Companions of the Quaich
Canadian Club

LINKS FROM EPISODE 235

Dewar's
Spirit of Speyside Festival
Johnnie Walker
Smokehead
Kilchoman
The Famous Grouse
Laphroaig
Classic Expressions

LINKS FROM EPISODE 234

Kavalan Whisky
Chivas Brothers
The Press & Journal
Malts.com
The Dalmore
Luxist.com
Cooley Whiskey
Wild Turkey
Tumbler Magazine

LINKS FROM EPISODE 233

Nonjatta.com
Gordon & MacPhail
The Glenrothes
Whyte & MacKay
TomTom

LINKS FROM EPISODE 232

Bourbon Drinker.com
Berry Bros. & Rudd
Abhainn Dearg Distillery
BBC News

LINKS FROM EPISODE 231

"Bottled History"
Malt Advocate
Bonhams
Highland Park
La Maison du Whisky
Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research

LINKS FROM EPISODE 230

King Cocktail
Museum of the American Cocktail
Tales of the Cocktail
Diageo
FoodBizDaily.com
Scotch Whisky Association
Glenfiddich
Miccosukee Resort
Glengoyne
Tomintoul
Milroy's of Soho
Douglas Laing & Co.
Aberfeldy
Distilled Spirits Council of the US
The Balvenie
The Mind of Men


LINKS FROM EPISODE 229

Malt Maniacs
International Wine & Spirit Competition
Isle of Jura
Old Forester Competition
Highland Park Competition
Glenfiddich
The Macallan

LINKS FROM EPISODE 228

Scotch Whisky Association
Scotch Whisky Law of 2009
BrewDog
Bonham's
Pernod Ricard
Woodford Reserve
Johnnie Walker
Compass Box
Small Batch Collection



Note: These links were correct when each episode was produced, but may have been changed or removed since then.  
©2010, Cask Strength Media, Haddonfield, New Jersey. Please drink responsibly.