WhiskyCast

Last time around, I mentioned the Laing Brothers and their vatting of casks from Laphroaig and Macallan to create the "Double Barrel." It was so intriguing that I decided to get Stewart Laing on the phone to explain it...and their plans to bring together casks from other distilleries with opposing taste profiles. In the news, the results of this week's Bonhams whisky auction, Arran names a whisky after the distillery peacock...who promptly takes off, Jefferson's Bourbon goes Presidential, and tasting notes on the new 25-year-old Rittenhouse Rye coming soon from Heaven Hill!

Today marks the birthday of a legend in the bourbon business. Buffalo Trace Master Distiller Emeritus Elmer T. Lee turns 90 today, and his friends marked the milestone with a party at the distillery. I had the chance to interview Elmer in the fall of 2006, and he'll share some of his stories with us in that interview. In the news, Buffalo Trace unveils this year's Antique Collection, Chris Morris tells us about this year's Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, The Whisky Exchange unveils a new line of single cask bottlings, and the Laing Brothers put Macallan and Laphroaig together.

This time around, we'll focus on two upcoming whisky festivals in Europe. Maltstock will bring together whisky clubs and individuals from around Europe for a weekend in the Netherlands, and Teun van Wel will tell us how the event came together. Chris Maybin of La Maison du Whisky will preview next month's Whisky Live Paris for us as well. In the news, the whisky world is mourning the death of longtime Jack Daniel's master distiller Jimmy Bedford, Four Roses unveils the second release in its Mariage Collection series of bourbons...and more layoffs in Scotland.

If you've never had a chance to attend a master class with Whyte & MacKay's Richard Paterson, you're missing out on an education...and a great time. In this week's episode, you'll get to listen in as the master blender teaches a group of New York City bartenders about The Dalmore. In the news, Glenfiddich confirms its new 50-year-old single malt, Suntory does the same with Hibiki and surprises the U.S. with a rare Yamazaki release, Park Avenue Liquors has a bunch of new single cask releases coming in...and Parker Beam's done it again!

It's been a busy year at GlenDronach and BenRiach distilleries...the investor group led by Billy Walker added GlenDronach to their portfolio less than a year ago, and are already revamping the entire range. Their BenRiach malts have won 17 medals in competitions over the last few weeks...and Alastair Walker brings us up to date in this episode. In the news, the Scottish Government may offer Diageo public funding to keep the Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock open, Heaven Hill unveils the latest release in Parker Beam's Heritage Collection of bourbons...and tasting notes for some new spirits.

On the road in Michigan this week, but had the chance to sneak across the Detroit River to Windsor, Ontario...where Canadian Club has been produced for 151 years at the Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery in the Walkerville neighborhood of Windsor. Hiram Walker's headquarters building is now the Canadian Club Heritage Center, and this classic building patterned on a 16th century Italian palace will appeal to whisky lovers, art lovers, and architecture fans alike. CC's Tish Harcus tells us about the building's history over a dram or two. Plenty of new releases in the news, including a 50-year-old Glenfiddich, the coming debut of Suntory's Hibiki blended whisky in the U.S., and a dozen single-cask bottlings!

Glenfiddich is the world's most popular single malt Scotch, and Hans-Henrik Hansen knows more about Glenfiddich's history than almost anyone. In fact, he has what may be the world's largest collection of Glenfiddich malts. He'll tell us about what prompted him to start collecting Glenfiddich expressions in this week's episode. In the news, more fallout over Diageo's plan to close plants and cut jobs in Scotland, a Canadian province rolls back its spirits tax increase, Bruichladdich plans to close its Whisky Academy, and new whiskies from Old Forester and Berry Bros. & Rudd.

It may be a summer holiday weekend in the U.S., but it's the middle of winter in Australia. The inaugural Whisky Live Sydney will be held the week of August 31 through September 6, and organizer Doug van Tienen explains the emphasis on events for bar and restaurant staff as well as whisky lovers. He'll also update us on the growing number of Australian whisky distilleries. In the news, Diageo announces major cuts in Scotland, more details on the John Ramsay Glenrothes release, and word on limited-edition releases from The Balvenie and Old Pulteney.

Jim Murray's 2009 Whisky Bible named a hard-to-find rye whiskey as the Best Rye Whiskey in the World Under 10 Years Old. That whiskey is Templeton Rye, produced illegally for generations by farmers in Templeton, Iowa -- but now legally available in Iowa and Illinois. Scott Bush and Keith Karkhoff started bottling the legal version of Templeton Rye in 2006, and it's become a cult favorite among rye whiskey lovers. Scott updates us on Templeton's success and future in this episode. In the news, Old Taylor Bourbon is back home at Buffalo Trace, the SWA wins a battle against an Italian imitator, and another distillery is in the works for the area around St. Andrew's in Scotland.

John Ramsay has turned over the duties of Master Blender for The Glenrothes and the Edrington Group's other whiskies to Gordon Motion after 43 years in the whisky business. He'll share his insights with us in this episode, along with the plans for one final malt that he's working on. In the news, William Grant & Sons gets a new CEO, a 1919 Springbank sells for nearly $2500 (for a mini!), and Knob Creek runs dry for a few months.

Kate Hopkins's new book "99 Drams of Whiskey: The Accidental Hedonist's Quest for the Perfect Shot and the History of the Drink" is getting a lot of attention from whisky lovers...and with good reason. She's been blogging as the Accidental Hedonist since 2004, and I think it's one of the best whisky books of the year. We'll hear from Kate in this episode...and in the news, the legal fight over Glen Breton Rare Single Malt Canadian Whisky may be over after a Canadian Supreme Court ruling, Isle of Jura shuts down because of ferry problems, and new whiskies from The Glenrothes and Douglas Laing.

Harlen Wheatley of Buffalo Trace usually comes out with something unusual every summer when he unleashes his latest Experimental Collection releases on the world. This year, he's releasing one of the distillery's older experiments -- bourbon aged in two different types of oak casks for 15 years. One batch was aged in coarse-grained oak from fast-growth forests, and the other was aged in fine-grain oak from slow-growth forests. He'll tell us what he found in this week's episode.

It's hard enough just to keep track of whiskies, but F. Paul Pacult does just that...and rums, tequilas, gins...you name it. Paul names his top spirits of 2009 in the latest edition of the Spirit Journal, and he'll share some of his favorites in this episode. In the news, Campari closes on the purchase of Wild Turkey, Isle of Jura goes elemental, Buffalo Trace gets experimental, and the results of Kilchoman's charity auction are astronomical...

It's festival week on Islay, and thousands of people are on the island for this year's Islay Festival of Malt & Music. The festival is more than just a celebration of the island's 8 distilleries...it celebrates a unique cultural heritage as well and Feis Ile chairman Kevin Murphy will explain. In the news, U.S. Senators are eyeing whisky and other alcoholic beverages with an eye to raising taxes, there are new 40-year-old malts from Glengoyne and it's sister label Chieftain's, Suntory releases a new 12-year-old Hibiki in the U.K., and we'll get an update on the revival of Glenglassaugh from Stuart Nickerson.

It's a milestone episode of WhiskyCast, and we'll hear from veteran whisky writer and Malt Maniac Dave Broom of Whisky Magazine in this week's episode. In the news, there's a controversy developing over whisky tastings at The Gathering in Edinburgh in July...Regis LeMaitre has two new bottlings to go mad over, and Willie Tait tells us about the return of The Dalmore to the U.S.

It's another road trip for WhiskyCast...this time to the Spirit of Toronto festival! The festival is in its fifth year, and better than ever. We'll hear from Dan Tullio of Canadian Club about the debut of CC's 20-year-old expression in North America, Mike Harrison of Berry Bros. & Rudd gives us a sneak preview of the first-ever kosher expression of The Glenrothes and new expressions from Cutty Sark, and John Hall of Kittling Ridge tells us about the upcoming port wood version of Forty Creek!

The judges at Whisky Magazine gave Highland Park's 21-year-old Scotch the title of World's Best Singe Malt in this year's World Whisky Awards, and that has the guys on Orkney jumping for joy...except for one little problem. They're in the process of tweaking it because of supplies...and Jason Craig will explain in this episode. In the news...no news on the merger front, the Spirit of Speyside Festival kicks off Whisky Month in Scotland...and Benromach honors a sailing legend.

Last week, Scotland...this week, Kentucky! We'll look at plenty of vacation options in and around Louisville in the heart of Bourbon Country. Stacey Yates of the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau's Bourbon Country project will be our guide. Dave Broom of Whisky Magazine will give us the winners of this year's World Whisky Awards, and we'll talk whisky taxes in the UK, consolidation rumors within the industry, horses with Chris Morris of Woodford Reserve, and David Mair of The Balvenie updates us on the latest release of the Signature 12-year-old single malt.

We're getting into the start of the vacation season, and there are plenty of whisky-related places to see in Scotland. Chris Conway heads up the tourism initiative Scotland Whisky, and will give us a few highlights in this week's episode. In the news, Pernod Ricard may put more whisky brands and distilleries up for sale, Buffalo Trace goes Mongolian, and U.S. whisky lovers will get to try two world whiskies later this year. Jonathan Bray tells us about the impending arrival of India's Amrut and Australia's Sullivan's Cove.

Colin Scott has been the Master Blender at Chivas Brothers for years, overseeing the consistency of Chivas Regal Scotch. He's also created the Chivas Regal 18 and 25-year-old blends, and works closely with the distillers at The Glenlivet, Strathisla, and Longmorn on their single malts. Colin shares his experiences of more than 4 decades in the whisky business in this week's episode. In the news, Campari buys Wild Turkey for $575 million, China may crack down on counterfeit whiskies, and Glencairn's classic whisky glass gets an upgrade!

This has been a busy week for whisky lovers, with three major festivals in the past week. This week's episode features special coverage from Whisky Live New York, including interviews with Duncan Taylor's Euan Shand, Ardmore & Laphroaig brand ambassador Simon Brooking, and many more...and Ardbeg's Dr. Bill Lumsden helps answer a listener question, too!

55 years ago, Jimmy Russell got a job at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky...and it was the best hire the distillery ever made. He's been the Master Distiller since 1967, and has no plans to retire any time soon. Jimmy shares his history and the Wild Turkey legend with us in this week's episode. In the news, the winners of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition have been announced, Highland Park uncovers a treasure from the past, and Buffalo Trace is now selling its "white dog" spirit at the distillery.

It's been about a year and a half since we lost Michael Jackson, and his friends are honoring the best whisky and beer writer of all time with a new book being released this week on what would have been Michael's 67th birthday. We'll hear from Ian Buxton of Classic Expressions about "Beer Hunter, Whisky Chaser" and plans to donate the proceeds to charity. We'll also hear from Doug McIvor of Berry Bros. & Rudd about the one-of-a-kind blended whisky he created from the opened bottles Michael left behind. We'll also wind up St. Patrick's Day with the annual update from Colum Egan of Bushmills, and John McDougall will tell us about a new distillery he's consulting on along the Irish coast.

It wouldn't be March without a look at Irish whiskies, and Heidi Donelon gives us a look at the history of Irish distilling. Her new Ireland Whiskey Trail website is a guide to distilleries past and present, as well as some of the island's best whiskey bars. In the news, Vijay Mallya's United Spirits is putting Whyte & Mackay up for sale, and Burn Stewart Distillers is up for sale as well. Ardbeg's annual single cask is now available at the distillery, Jack Daniel's releases its annual Scenes of Lynchburg bottle, and there's a new charity blend made from the whiskies in Michael Jackson's collection!

This week's episode features special coverage from the Whisky Classic festival in Morristown, New Jersey. We'll hear from Wild Turkey Master Distiller Jimmy Russell about his recent venture into political activism, and Wild Scotsman Jeff Topping will tell us about his new whiskies. We'll also hear from Whisky Guild guru and Whisky Life magazine publisher Jeff Karlovitch, Rick Wassmund of Copper Fox Distillery, Pat McCarthy of Bayway's World of Liquors, and Dorothy Bakker Lee of Ardbeg has details on the U.S. arrival of Supernova! We'll close things out with a tune to make you feel a little better about the economy...even if it means some self-medication...

This is Whisky Live London weekend, and one of the highlights is the annual Icons of Whisky Awards. Whisky Magazine editor Rob Allanson gives us the overall winners, as well as the winners for the world category (Scotland and U.S. regional winners were announced recently). John Glaser of Compass Box is bottling a special whisky at the festival this weekend...in hopes of making people feel more "optimistic" about the state of the world these days. In the news, the politicians run amok, and a new Irish whiskey website hits the Internet!

Mike Nicolson spent 36 years working at some of Scotland's leading distilleries before retiring to British Columbia a few years ago. He's managed Lagavulin, Royal Lochnagar, and Blair Athol...just to name a few, and he'll share some of his memories with us in this week's episode. In the news, the finalists have been announced in the Spirit of Speyside Festival Whisky Awards, the Famous Grouse has plans to migrate to India, and Malt Advocate cuts the cost of tickets for WhiskyFest Chicago.

This week...the winner of the "Pick the Interview" poll on the WhiskyCast Facebook page! We'll hear from Fred Laing of Douglas Laing & Co. about working with both blends and single cask bottlings, his family's history in the whisky business...his stories about Richard Paterson and Jim McEwan...and how he was almost traded for a distillery! In the news, Diageo and Pernod Ricard cope with the recession, Kentucky distillers protest a tax increase by dumping bourbon on the steps of the State Capitol...and Mount Vernon marks Presidents' Day by firing up the stills at George Washington's Distillery...

A double feature this time around! If you've ever wanted to make your own whisky, the folks at New York's Tuthilltown Spirits are willing to teach you...and let you use their distillery! We'll also get some tips for surviving your first whisky festival from some veterans, and Facebook users can help decide the topic of the next episode of WhiskyCast!

Marcel Van Gils has been collecting Laphroaig expressions since 1997, and the Dutch dentist has what is likely the world's largest collection of Laphroaigs. His collection even includes the empty cask Prince Charles signed during a visit to the distillery in 1994! Marcel will tell us about his collection in this episode, and in the news, more on the Glen Breton controversy, U.S. whisky sales are being affected by the recession, and we'll hear from James Robertson of Tullibardine and Frances DuPuy of A. Dewar Rattray.

Bonus coverage from the Victoria Whisky Festival, as the local Scottish community gathered to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns. We'll hear from Euan Mitchell of Isle of Arran, the only distiller authorized to use the Burns name on Scotch whisky. Warning: This episode contains bagpipe music! ;)

This week, WhiskyCast is in British Columbia for the Victoria Whisky Festival! It may be the only whisky festival with ticket scalpers because of the many whisky lovers in the area, and distilleries came from all over the world to show off their whiskies. We'll hear from Andrew Currie, who's building Vancouver Island's first single malt distillery...along with Ron Stothers of Alberta's Highwood Distillers, Peter Currie of Springbank, Andrew Gray of Bruichladdich, and Ashok Chokalingam of Amrut. There's also news about thieves hitting the old Rosebank Distillery...and stealing the stills!

The Spirit of Speyside Festival is still a few months away, but it's not too soon to start making your travel plans. In fact, tickets for the Festival events go on sale starting today! We'll get a preview of the biggest Spirit of Speyside Festival yet from director Ros Lewis. In the news, Sazerac buys a second Kentucky distillery to go along with Buffalo Trace, Jack Daniel's celebrates the Obama inauguration, Glenmorangie releases Astar to the world, and the peatiest Ardbeg ever!

Glen Grant has been producing whisky along the River Spey since 1840, and in that time, there have been only eight distillery managers. Dennis Malcolm was born at the distillery, and is in his second stint as manager. We'll hear from Dennis about the history and the future of Glen Grant, which includes exporting its malts to the United States. In the news, new whiskies from The Balvenie and Wemyss Vintage Malts, Woodford Reserve prepares for its annual whiskey schools, and a look at the start of Homecoming in Scotland to mark the 250th anniversary of Robert Burns' birth.

Many of the microdistillers producing whisky got their inspiration from the craft brewing boom of the last 15 years, and more craft brewers are being inspired to use whisky barrels to age their beers. Greg Hall of Chicago's Goose Island Beer Company has been making bourbon barrel-aged stout for years, while newcomers like James Watt of Scotland's Brewdog Brewery and Christopher Bird of the Lexington Brewing Company are producing their own variations on the concept. In the news, GlenDronach outlines its plans for 2009 under Billy Walker's leadership and Kilchoman starts teasing us with plans to release its first single malt.

Marko Karakasevic is the latest in a long family line of distillers, and like many other sons who go into the family business, his goal is to out-do his father. Marko's taking an unusual tack with whisky at his family's Charbay Distillery in California's Napa Valley, and he'll explain in Part 2 of our look at microdistillers. In the news, Scotch whisky exports fell during the first three quarters of 2008, and Inver House is giving U.K. whisky lovers a chance to win their own cask of An Cnoc single malt.

A double feature this time around: William Wemyss shares his family's Scottish heritage with a line of single cask and blended malts named to describe what the whiskies inside taste like. We'll also start a two-part series looking at the growth of microdistillers in the U.S., featuring Jess Graber of Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey, Jay Harman of The Notch, and Brian Ellison of Death's Door Spirits. In the news, Bruichladdich unleashes the Octomore peat monster and the X4 quadruple-distilled spirit on the world.

Time for another visit to the library...Ian Buxton joins us with details on the newest release in the Classic Expressions series of vintage whisky books. "Truths About Whiskey" dates back to 1878, and was produced by 4 Dublin distillers arguing for regulations to protect Irish whiskeys from what they perceived as inferior Scotch whiskies. In the news, more awards from Whisky Magazine and The Whisky Shop, the Tom Moore Distillery in Bardstown opens its doors to the public, and a chemistry lesson on whisky science that's actually easy to understand!

Orkney's Scapa Distillery has been relatively quiet since it was acquired by the Chivas Brothers unit of Pernod Ricard in 2005, but that's about to change. Scapa is releasing its first new bottling since the Chivas acquisition -- a 16-year-old malt that's available only in France now, but will be available in many markets early in 2009. Neil Macdonald of Chivas tells us what's been going on behind the scenes at Scapa for the last three years. In the news, the latest Evan Williams Single Barrel is heading to retailers, Old Pulteney is going through renovations, and you could win a bottle of the rare White Bowmore...plus more on the 75th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition!

It's time to announce the winners of the 2008 Malt Maniacs Awards, and Serge Valentin will join us with this year's selections from his home in France! In the news, the U.K. flip-flops on a whisky tax increase, we'll take a look at the upcoming 75th anniversary of the end of Prohibition on Friday, Auchentoshan releases a second cask of 50-year-old single malt, and Glenlivet celebrates Founder's Day this weekend.

Willie Tait has been a fixture at Whyte and Mackay for 34 years, and is most known for his work at Isle of Jura Distillery. He's the third of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award winners at the Malt Advocate Magazine Awards, and shares some of his stories with us in this episode...including how he and his family wound up on Jura in the first place. We'll also hear from Chris Morris of Woodford Reserve, John Hall of Forty Creek, and John Glaser of Compass Box on their new whiskies.

Malt Advocate Magazine handed out its annual awards at this week's WhiskyFest New York, and you'll hear from some of this year's winners in this episode, including Jim Rutledge of Distillery of the Year Winner Four Roses and two of the three Lifetime Achievement Award winners: Kenny Gray of Oban and veteran Buffalo Trace warehouse manager Ronnie Eddens (next time, we'll hear from Isle of Jura's Willie Tait). In the news, the latest on Springbank, The Macallan gets artsy, and Jeff Arnett's having a ball as the new master distiller at Jack Daniels.

Robert Hicks tried to retire a couple of years ago as the Master Blender at Teacher's, Laphroaig, and Ardmore...but he's busier than ever these days. 2009 will mark his 45th year in the whisky business, and he'll share his memories in this episode of WhiskyCast! In the news, Diageo taketh away from Canada and giveth to developing markets...new (old) whiskies from Glenglassaugh, the PC7 from Bruichladdich, and (ri)1 takes rye whiskey to the trend-setters...

We'll go inside the laboratory this time around, and our guides are the lead chemist at Buffalo Trace, Truman Cox, and one of the leaders of the distillery's tasting panel, Dendress Ennis. Buffalo Trace was just honored by Whisky Magazine as Innovator of the Year in the US round of its 2009 Icons of Whisky Awards, so these guys are the perfect guides to explain what happens behind the scenes. In the news, the rest of the Icons winners from the US and Scotland rounds, a new independent bottler from South Africa, and more new whiskies from all over the world!

Balblair Distillery sits on the Dornoch Firth in Edderton, and it's been getting a lot of attention these days. Distillery manager John MacDonald was instrumental in helping re-launch the Balblair range from age-dated expressions to vintages, and the Balblair 1989 was recently picked by Scotch lovers as the best whisky at the Whisky Fringe in Edinburgh. We'll hear from John about what went into the redevelopment of Balblair. In the news, Laphroaig's John Campbell tells us about plans to harmonize the distillery's range worldwide, and we'll get updates on this fall's new Classic Malts releases, new malts from Glengoyne and Auchentoshan, and how you can help support prostate cancer research during "Movember."

Many of us think of ourselves as whisky collectors, but Giuseppe Begnoni is in a league of his own. Begnoni is regarded as one of the world's leading whisky collectors, and his spirits collection numbers more than 40,000 bottles. He'll tell us about his nearly 40 years of collecting whisky in this episode, and we'll also hear from Richard Paterson of Whyte & Mackay about the major changes to The Dalmore's single malt range. In the news, a belated Birthday Bourbon from Old Forester, a "Sweet 16" from Bruichladdich, and a 250th Anniversary Robert Burns single malt from Arran, along with the latest on Jim Murray's 2009 Whisky Bible.

Glenmorangie's Dr. Bill Lumsden is regarded as one of the leading innovators in the whisky business. He's credited with creating an industry-leading wood management program and developing the distillery's series of award-winning "finished" whiskies over the years. In this episode, we'll hear from Bill about his work with Glenmorangie and Ardbeg. In the news, Crown Royal re-launches its Reserve Edition, the world's largest whisky collection will go on public display, the 2009 Malt Whisky Yearbook is out, and Mackmyra celebrates 10 years of making whisky the Swedish way.

Bourbon's big, baby! So big that we've crammed four of Kentucky's best distilleries into one big episode of WhiskyCast. We'll get the first look at this year's Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, along with the new Mariage Series from Four Roses, a whopper from Heaven Hill, and a special election bottling from Maker's Mark. In the news, India's Supreme Court strikes a blow against globalism, a look at new Irish whiskies and the latest Blue Hanger, and trying to beat the angels out of their share!

This week, WhiskyCast is in Lebanon, Kentucky for the Marion County Country Ham Days Festival. This year's festival honors Independent Stave's Kentucky Cooperage, the local cooperage that supplies barrels for every one of Kentucky's bourbon distilleries, and you'll get a rare insider's tour in this special episode of WhiskyCast. In fact, the cooperage supplies 9 out of every 10 casks for the county's only distillery, Maker's Mark in nearby Loretto, and we'll also hear from master distiller Kevin Smith.

Here's a special bonus episode from Whisky Live Paris...on location at one of the world's great bars. Hemingway drank at Harry's, Parisians drink at Harry's...and now, WhiskyCast goes to Harry's New York Bar. Thierry Benitah of La Maison du Whisky joins us for this special episode...his family has been supplying whisky to Harry's for 52 years, and he'll share some of the history of Harry's and La Maison du Whisky with us. We'll also hear from Suntory's Mike Miyamoto and Kamiguchi Naofumi of Nikka about their latest and most unusual whiskies that have the French going "incroyable!"