WhiskyCast

Kentucky's Wilderness Trail Distillery has grown over the last decade from a small barrel-a-day distillery to become one of the nation's largest Bourbon distilleries. Dr. Pat Heist and Shane Baker founded Wilderness Trail as an offshoot of Ferm Solutions, their consulting business that works with distillers and brewers around the world. This week on WhiskyCast In-Depth, we'll talk with Pat Heist about the origin of Wilderness Trail — in a rock band, of all places, and the circumstances that led to their decision to sell the distillery to Campari in late 2022. In the news, Laphroaig is planning a major expansion, while whisky auction prices have yet to recover from recent declines.

Barry MacAffer is leaving Laphroaig Distillery and his native Islay for a new adventure: building a malt whisky distillery in South Korea. This week on WhiskyCast In-Depth, Barry tells us why he's making the move now and what he'll miss most about Islay. In the news, the threat of tariffs hangs over the whisky industry again as the U.S. Presidential election heats up, another new distillery is in the works for Scotland, and Rosebank Distillery opens its doors to visitors for the first time.

There's one distillery on Scotland's Isle of Jura, and Jura master whisky maker Dr. Kirstie McCallum joins us from the island this week on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll talk about Jura's festival day as part of the Islay Festival of Malt and Music, this year's Festival bottling, and her 25-year-long career in the Scotch Whisky industry. We'll also have details on the week's new releases, tasting notes, and much more!

Many distilleries take great pains to be involved in their surrounding communities, but Scotland's Glen Wyvis Distillery goes to an extreme. That's because many members of the Dingwall community are shareholders in the community distillery, which was built with a crowdfunding campaign. The distillery donates a percentage of its profits each year to grants for local community programs, with a goal of improving life for all of Dingwall's residents. Distillery manager Matthew Farmer joins us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Wild Turkey honors Jimmy Russell with its new visitors center, while Scotch Whisky industry leaders are worried about a potential return to tariffs after the U.S. Presidential election.

Islay's Ardnahoe Distillery has released its first single malt since the distillery opened in 2019, and we'll talk about the journey with Scott Laing of Hunter Laing & Co. on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, longtime Glen Grant master distiller Dennis Malcolm is retiring after 63 years in the whisky business, while Oregon officials have decided not to prosecute six former state liquor regulators for diverting stocks of Pappy Van Winkle whiskies for their personal use.

James Espey and Tom Jago founded The Last Drop 15 years ago with a goal of finding casks of rare whiskies and other spirits and bottling them. Since then, the company has been sold to Sazerac and Tom's daughter Rebecca is now in charge, but the goal remains the same: finding those unicorn whiskies that may have fallen through the cracks…or just don't fit into someone else's plans. We'll talk with Rebecca Jago about The Last Drop's 2024 Collection and the difficulty of sourcing those rare casks in today's market on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, labor problems hit Heaven Hill and Whyte & Mackay, while a longtime Highland distillery manager has retired.

O'Shaughnessy Distilling master distiller Brian Nation arrived in Minneapolis nearly three years ago after leaving Ireland's Midleton Distillery, and it's been an interesting transition. We'll catch up with Brian and learn about the new Keeper's Heart 21-year-old Irish single malt coming later this summer on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Beam Suntory has changed its name to Suntory Global Spirits, while Buffalo Trace takes a look at global expansion with its first home place in London.

Dixon Dedman's family history in the whisky business goes back more than a century. 2XO (for Two Times Oak) is his second act in the Bourbon business after reviving the family's Kentucky Owl Bourbon brand in 2014. Dedman has just released the latest edition in 2XO's Icons Series, the Kiawah Blend, named for his family's favorite vacation spot, Kiawah island in South Carolina. He'll join us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, we'll have quarterly reports from Pernod Ricard and Remy Cointreau, along with details on "The Badonkadonk" and the week's other new whiskies.

Beam Suntory has successfully tested the use of green hydrogen as a fuel source for directly-firing stills, and is part of a pilot project to create a hydrogen conversion unit that could be deployed at remote distilleries. We'll learn more about the potential of hydrogen as a fuel source for distillers on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Laphroaig is looking for a new manager, while R&B Distillers has received planning approval for a new distillery in Campbeltown, Scotland and Dr. Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie makes a surprising admission about this year's Ardbeg Day release.

For 41 years, the Port Ellen Distillery on Scotland's Isle of Islay sat silent. Last month, a multi-million dollar restoration of the distillery was completed when the first spirit flowed at Port Ellen since 1983. While it'll be years before we see new bottlings of Port Ellen, the distillery will be open to Islay visitors from around the world. Diageo's Ewan Gunn was on hand when that first spirit flowed. He's been part of the revival since it was announced in 2017, and joins us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, The Demeter Collection auction raised £49,000 for the Our Whisky Foundation, while William Grant & Sons is expanding its Blended Scotch portfolio with a new range of whiskies.

Texas is booming as a whiskey region, with distilleries all over the Lone Star State. That history only goes back about 15 years, when pioneers like Balcones Distilling and Garrison Brothers started out. During the recent 15th anniversary celebrations at Balcones, Texas Whiskey Festival co-founder Jake Clements moderated a panel (and tasting) on the first 15 years of Texas whiskey. We're bringing you that discussion this week on WhiskyCast In-Depth, with panelists Jared Himstedt of Balcones, Dan Garrison of Garrison Brothers, Ironroot Republic's Robert Likarish, and Ty Phelps of Andalusia Whiskey. In the news, The Lakes Distillery in England is being sold, while Edrington is selling off its Noble Oak American Whiskey brand.

Louisville's Michter's Distillery took top honors in the 2023 Drinks International survey to find the "world's most admired" whiskey brand. Andrea Wilson is the Master of Maturation for Michter's, as well as the company's chief operating officer, and has the final say on any whisky that carries the Michter's name. We'll talk with Andrea about the pressure of living up to that reputation, as well as her Hall of Fame whisky-making career, on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Kentucky lawmakers have approved a bill to close loopholes in the state's Vintage Distilled Spirits Law. We'll have the details on that and the rest of the week's whisky news, including a rare collaboration between Australia's Starward Whisky and Lagavulin.

James Saxon took on the role as chief whisky maker for Compass Box following founder John Glaser's sudden departure several weeks ago. It's a journey that started with a Compass Box tasting Saxon organized as a student at the University of St. Andrews a decade ago. He'll answer your questions about Compass Box in this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Port Ellen Distillery is alive and humming once again, while Rosebank plans to open its new visitors center in June. Woodford Reserve has created a $15,000 Bourbon to celebrate the 150th Kentucky Derby May 4, and we'll have details and tasting notes, too.

Carin Luna-Ostaseski wanted an approachable Scotch whisky for newcomers, so she decided to blend her own. 11 years ago, the first bottles of SIA Scotch Whisky hit the market, becoming one of the first crowd-funded whiskies to successfully go on sale. We'll catch up with Carin on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Irish Whiskey sales took a hit on 2023, but remains one of the fastest-growing segments of the whisky market. We'll have the details, along with the rest of the week's whisky news and much more.

Chivas Brothers recently introduced two new Longmorn single malts. The 18 and 22-year-old malts represent a long-term commitment to the brand, with all future Longmorns to be at least 18 years old. Chivas Brothers blending manager Kevin Balmforth was instrumental in creating both whiskies, and he'll join us to discuss them and his day-to-day life in the blending lab on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, MGP is suing over two rickhouse projects that have been blocked by local officials in Kentucky, while a new website has been set up to help investors protect themselves from fraudulent cask investment schemes.

Waterford Distillery founder Mark Reynier has no shortage of opinions about how he feels whisky should be made, and he's putting those opinions into the bottle. Reynier has butted heads with the whisky establishment many times over the years because of his passion for flavor above all else, critics be damned. He'll share some of his opinions with us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Compass Box founder John Glaser is stepping down after 23 years, while there's both good and bad news about whisky exports.

Scotland's Nc'Nean Distillery is one of a handful of whisky distilleries certified as "B Corp" for their sustainability efforts. At Nc'Nean, that goes all the way to the use of renewable energy for the distillery and using recycled glass for its bottles. We'll talk with founder Annabel Thomas about the challenges of making whisky sustainably and organically on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the founder of Bimber and Dunphail distilleries has stepped aside following his arrest on two-decade old charges in his native Poland, while Kentucky lawmakers are trying to close loopholes in the state's Vintage Distilled Spirits law.

Diageo is staking a claim in the growing American Single Malt category with the new Bulleit American Single Malt. This whiskey's release earlier this month has spawned a lot of questions, and Bulleit master blender Andrew Mackay joins us this week with some answers. In the news, Scotch Whisky exports plummeted in 2023, and major drinks companies are blaming economic headwinds in the U.S. for lagging sales. We'll have the details, along with the story of a British distiller facing extradition to his native Poland after two decades on the run.

There's a unique subset of whisky collectors who spend their spare time scouring obscure liquor stores for vintage bottles. In some cases, the distillers no longer exist or the brands have been sold to their current owners, but in some cases, it's possible to find vintage editions of today's classic whiskies. Aaron Goldfarb has been chronicling so-called "dusty hunters," and his new book "Dusty Booze" will be published on March 5th. He'll join us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, U.S. spirits sales were flat in 2023, with concerning drops for Irish whiskies and Single Malt Scotches in particular. We'll have the details, along with a new report showing Kentucky Bourbon generates $9 billion a year in economic impact for the Commonwealth.

Garrard County Distilling Company is the latest distillery to come on line in Kentucky, and it's starting out with big ambitions. The producer of All Nations Whiskey has two massive Vendome stills and two rickhouses with plans for 22 more over the next six years. We'll talk with distillery founder Ray Franklin on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Diageo reports more disappointing sales numbers, while Old Forester names an heir apparent for longtime Master Distiller Chris Morris.

History changes all the time as we uncover new facts about the past, and historian Drew Hannush's new book shakes up some of the history of Tennessee Whiskey. For starters, "The Lost History of Tennessee Whiskey" sheds new light on the origin stories of Jack Daniel's and the Lincoln County Process. We'll talk with Drew Hannush on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Heaven Hill is closing its bottling operations in Canada, while Irish Distillers is getting out of the beer business.

This year's Canadian Whisky Awards produced another surprise winner for the second year in a row. Ontario's Paradigm Spirits won Canadian Whisky of the Year honors, and we'll discuss the state of Canadian Whisky with Davin de Kergommeaux. In the news, U-S craft distillers made gains in 2023 despite economic pressures, while Scotch Whisky's impact on the Scottish economy continues to grow.

Master Blender Billy Leighton's recent decision to step aside from day to day work at Irish Distillers gave his longtime apprentice the dream job of a lifetime. Dave McCabe is the new Master Blender for Jameson, Redbreast, Powers, and other Irish Whiskey brands, and we'll talk with him on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Irish Whiskey exports posted a decline in 2023, while Islay's Ardnahoe Distillery is shutting down part of its visitors center. We'll have the details on those and other stories, including another new distillery for Kentucky.

The week's top story was the sale of the independent bottler Single Cask Nation to the Artisanal Spirits Company, which also owns the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. The two bottlers will co-exist under one corporate umbrella, with SCN founders Joshua Hatton and Jason Johnstone-Yellin remaining in charge. We'll talk with them on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, there's new life planned for a long-closed Speyside distillery and the winners of the 2023 John Barleycorn Awards have been announced.

A lot happened in the world of whisky during 2023, and with the help of WhiskyCast Community app members, we've identified the top ten whisky stories of the year. Join us as we count them down in the news, then listen as Milam & Greene's Heather Greene shares her lessons on whisky entrepreneurship in WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also have some of your year-end dramming choices in our Community segment, too.

Alex Chasko is an Oregon transplant turned Dublin whiskey maker. He's the master distiller and whiskey maker for Teeling Whiskey Company, and his latest creation is a 33-year-old Irish single malt finished in Pineau des Charentes casks. He'll join us on this holiday edition of WhiskyCast. In the news, European and U-S trade negotiators extend a deal to avoid a return to tariffs on American whiskey exports, while another Scotch Whisky company is building a distillery in China.

The stories behind the whiskies we drink are almost as enjoyable as the whiskies, and the story behind Never Say Die Bourbon is an intriguing one. There's a near-death experience, followed by success on horse racing's grandest stage, and a side story linking it to the founding of The Beatles. Never Say Die co-founder Brian Luftman joins us to share that story on this week's WhiskyCast. In the news, Chivas Brothers workers approve a new contract, Kentucky Bourbon distillers set more records, and the deadline to avoid European import tariffs on American whiskey is getting closer.

Collaborations between whisky makers and design houses are becoming more common, and this week, we'll look at a partnership where each side brought their own unique skills to form a successful collaboration. The Grant family's House of Hazelwood has teamed up with London's Huntsman Savile Row to create a 50-year-old Huntsman whisky, along with a unique House of Hazelwood tweed for Huntsman's bespoke suits. We'll talk with Huntsman creative director Campbell Carey and Jonathan Gibson of the House of Hazelwood on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, strikes against Chivas Brothers have been called off after the company proposed new contract terms, and we have more award winners announced this week.

Whisky has become more attractive as an investment asset in recent years, but a new report indicates the value of luxury whiskies has declined over the past year. We'll talk with the report's author, Duncan McFadzean of Scotland's Noble & Company, on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, lots of hardware was handed out at this week's awards ceremonies in Scotland and Ireland, and we'll have the details. Chivas Brothers faces strikes by its union workers next week, and there's less than a month left before American whiskies face European import tariffs again.

There was a time when Belfast and the surrounding counties led the world in whisky production. Several factors led to that tradition all but disappearing over the last century, but now, the six counties of Northern Ireland are bringing new life to their distilling heritage. We'll visit several of the country's distilleries on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Chivas Brothers faces holiday strikes by distillery and bottling plant workers, while UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has given the country's distillers a break by freezing excise taxes.

One of the highlights of this week's New Brunswick Spirits Festival was the food and whisky pairings created by The Spirited Chef, Taylore Darnell. She and the staff at the Delta Fredericton created spirited breakfasts, lunches, and dinners featuring unique combinations of food and whisky. We'll talk with Chef Taylore about matching food to whisky and how our senses perceive those combinations on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, there's a new world record for the most expensive bottle of whisky ever sold at auction, and American single malt makers are still waiting for an official definition for their whiskies.

WhiskyCast celebrates our 18th anniversary this week, and Stephanie Macleod has been the Master Blender for Dewar's almost as long. She was named Master Blender in 2006, and has won a shelf full of awards for her work since then. Stephanie joins us this week on WhiskyCast In-Depth to discuss malts, the relationship between blender and distiller, and her role in bringing along the next generation of women in the whisky industry.

Balcones Distilling in Waco helped put Texas whiskey on the map when it opened in 2008, and this past weekend, the distillery marked it's 15th anniversary with a rain-soaked party. We spent the weekend in Waco for the celebration, and sat down with longtime head distiller Jared Himstedt to get answers to some of your questions. In the news, whisky cask investment schemes in the UK are coming under scrutiny, while a charity auction to benefit victims of the recent Irish floods has raised nearly €35,000.

Nelson's Green Brier Distillery was once Tennessee's largest distillery in pre-Prohibition times. The great-great-great grandsons of Charles Nelson revived the family business in downtown Nashville, and have been making Tennessee whiskey along with sourced Bourbons and now, a Rye Whiskey. The distillery underwent a major expansion recently, and we'll talk with co-founder Andy Nelson on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, time is running short to avoid a return to Europe's import tariffs on American whiskies, while a new Wild Turkey Bourbon features something different…three generations of Russells on the label.

What do you call a distillery with no brands of its own? A contract (or custom) distiller creates whiskies for its clients, and many of Kentucky's largest distillers have often sold excess capacity by distilling for others. Bardstown Bourbon Company pioneered the current wave of contract distillers in Kentucky, and co-founder David Mandell is now one of the partners behind the new Whiskey House distillery. It will focus exclusively on custom distilling for its clients, and David Mandell will explain why on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Midleton Distillery's brand-new visitors center is closed after this week's flooding caused extensive damage, while time is running out to avoid a return to tariffs on exports of American whiskies to Europe.

Anyone can blend one whisky, but to blend a whisky with long-term consistency between batches takes a true talent. This week, we'll share an informal blending session with Widow Jane head distiller and blender Sierra Jevremov on WhiskyCast In-Depth, along with tasting notes for Widow Jane's latest release, The Vaults 15-year-old Bourbon. In the news, Kentucky is getting a massive new distillery project, while we were on hand as The Hearach single malt from Isle of Harris Distillery made its U.S. debut in New York City Thursday night. We'll have tasting notes for that one, too, along with the new Glenglassaugh 12-year-old and Bruichladdich's Octomore 14.3 single malts.

Actor Sam Heughan is best known for his starring role on TV's "Outlander," but he's a whisky lover, too. Sam started his own whisky brand, The Sassenach, and he'll join us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth to talk about his love for whisky. We'll also hear from the new master distiller at Angel's Envy, Owen Martin. He's just unveiled this year's Angel's Envy Cask Strength releases, a Bourbon, and for the first time, a Rye. In the news, Pernod Ricard is planning a new distillery on Islay, while Compass Box wants to build one in the Highlands.

We'll have a double feature on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth, as Diageo's Dr. Stuart Morrison joins us to detail this year's Special Releases series - including a Lagavulin finished in tequila casks - and Donnis Todd of Texas's Garrison Brothers Distillery gives us a preview of this year's Cowboy Bourbon. It's an uncut, unfiltered whopper of a Bourbon at 70.45% ABV! In the news, the TTB avoids being caught up in a U.S. government shutdown after Congress passed a short-term budget extension. Kentucky regulators want to shut down two of the state's biggest buyers and sellers of vintage spirits over liquor law violations, and Scotch Whisky tourism has recovered from the pandemic.

It's been three years since Colin Gordon left Islay's Lagavulin Distillery to move down the road and take over for the retiring Mickey Heads at Ardbeg. Since then, Ardbeg has commissioned a completely new stillhouse and visitor traffic has recovered from the pandemic. We'll catch up with Colin Gordon on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the clock is ticking toward a partial U.S. government shutdown that could affect whisky makers and consumers, while Scotland's government is debating an increase in the minimum unit price for whisky and other alcoholic beverages. We'll also hear from Campari CEO Bob Kunce-Concewitz on his company's expansion plans, check in with Wild Turkey's Eddie Russell on the latest expansion of the Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse Series, and get a preview of this year's Diageo Special Releases from master blender Stuart Morrison.

Ann Marshall and Scott Blackwell founded High Wire Distilling in Charleston, South Carolina 10 years ago this week. They started out with no distilling experience, but have earned the respect of other distillers with their unique Jimmy Red Bourbon distilled from an endangered strain of corn. We'll talk with them on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, two distilleries were sold to new owners this week, while planning permission has been granted for two more distilleries in Scotland. Former Diageo master blender Maureen Robinson has come out of retirement to lead the Kentucky Owl Bourbon brand, and Sweden's Mackmyra Distillery marks a milestone.

Women still face huge barriers to equality within the whisky industry, according to a new survey from the Our Whisky Foundation. The survey found high levels of unconscious bias and sexual harassment along with a perceived lack of respect for women working in the industry. We'll discuss the survey's findings with Becky Paskin of the Our Whisky Foundation on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Heaven Hill's new Bardstown distillery reached a major milestone this week, while the Bourbon Women honored this year's Women in Whisky Award winners.

There's a lot of data behind the whiskies we enjoy, and analyzing that data can give us some insights into the health of the whisky industry. Martin Purvis and Duncan McFadzean examine whisky data for their Commercial Spirits Intelligence newsletter, and concluded that last week's Scotch Whisky export numbers aren't as bad as they might appear on face value. We'll talk with Martin Purvis about the analysis on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, we have details on this year's crop of annual releases from Four Roses, Heaven Hill, and Old Forester, along with the rest of the week's new releases. We'll also have our Community segment and explain in Behind the Label why you can't get a Kentucky Bourbon Trail passport stamped at one of the Commonwealth's most popular distilleries.

Valuations for rare whiskies have started to slow down after being one of the best performing alternative investments over the last ten years. The latest Knight Frank Luxury Investment Index shows a four percent decline year-over-year in the value of the rare whiskies that make up the index. Is this the start of a trend? We'll ask rare whisky consultant Andy Simpson, who helps compile the index for Rare Whisky 101. In the news, Scotch Whisky exports fell during the first six months of 2023 compared to last year, with a sharp 20 percent decrease in volume. Irish whiskey exports rose during 2022, according to a new report released this week, and Hedley Wright, the longtime chairman of Springbank owner J&A Mitchell Co. Ltd. passed away this month at the age of 92.

Whisky and music go perfectly together, but Felipe Schrieberg and Paul Archibald are taking the volume up to 11 with Rhythm & Booze Records. They're combining an independent record label with an independent bottler and making whiskies to match their music, which can be streamed using a QR code on each bottle. We'll talk with Felipe Schrieberg on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth and share tasting notes for their debut release, Rhythm & Booze Records Release #1. In the news, Molson Coors has acquired Blue Run Spirits to expand its presence in the whisky business, and we'll talk with David Coors and Blue Run's Mike Montgomery about the deal. David Beckham is splitting with Diageo's Haig Club Scotch Whisky brand, and there's a new Elijah Craig Bourbon out to celebrate next month's Ryder Cup.

Thousands of illicit distilling sites exist around Scotland. Derek Alexander and his team of archaeologists at the National Trust for Scotland have barely scratched the surface of the country's bothys, but their recent digs have uncovered some rare artifacts of illicit distilling's past. We'll catch up with Derek on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, The Balvenie's longtime Malt Master, David Stewart, is standing down after 47 years in the post. The UK, Australia, and New Zealand all raised liquor taxes this week, and Suntory is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a "tiny house" tour of America.

The 128-year-old family-owned independent bottler stunned the whisky world this week with news that it will stop sourcing new make spirit from other distillers starting next year. Instead, Gordon & MacPhail will focus on single malts from its two distilleries, Benromach and The Cairn in the future. With decades of maturing whisky on hand, the change won't be felt for at least 12 to 15 years and Gordon & MacPhail will continue bottling older whiskies for decades to come. We'll discuss the change in philosophy with G&M managing director Ewen Mackintosh on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. On Behind the Label, we'll celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Excise Act of 1823, which directly led to today's Scotch Whisky industry, and we'll have tasting notes for whiskies from Bunnahabhain, Lost Lantern, and Dràm Mòr, too.

When Rosebank Distillery's stills went silent in 1993, many whisky lovers assumed the Falkirk distillery was gone forever - especially after thieves stole the copper stills for scrap a couple of years later. Now, after 5 and a half years of work, Rosebank has come back to life, and the team at Ian Macleod Distillers filled the first casks of Rosebank since 1993 this week. We'll talk with Ian Macleod's Gordon Dundas about the revival of Rosebank on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the whisky world pays tribute to the Bon Accord's Paul McDonagh after the legendary Glasgow whisky bar's owner passed away this week. Speyburn Distillery in Scotland is opening its doors to visitors for the first time starting next week, and we'll have the details. We'll take a look at sweet mash and sour mash distilling on Behind the Label, and our tasting notes this week include whiskies from Amrut and Arran distilleries.

The Scotch Whisky Experience on Edinburgh's Royal Mile celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, and this week launches an all-new multimedia tour highlighting the production of Scotch Whisky. We'll talk with CEO Susan Morrison on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, unique one of a kind whiskies are going on the auction block for charity this October, Bruichladdich cuts its carbon footprint with a new recycled glass bottle for the Classic Laddie, and The Dead Rabbit's expansion plans took two big steps this week. We'll have the rest of the week's whisky news, tasting notes, and more!

Back in 1888, Paul Jones Jr. started selling Bourbon under the Four Roses brand. 135 years later, the brand is stronger than ever, and to mark the anniversary, Four Roses is releasing a first-ever tasting kit with all 10 of the distillery's unique recipes. We'll talk with Master Distiller Brent Elliott about the anniversary, and what makes each of those 10 recipes different, on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, new distilleries are opening up in Japan, Wales, and Pennsylvania this week, while Sazerac has won a counterfeiting lawsuit against a company that was selling miniature bottles of its W.L. Weller Bourbon online.