WhiskyCast

There's still a lot left to discover about whisky, even though the "water of life" has been around for centuries. Scientists are still unlocking the mysteries of whisky, and we'll meet a couple of them on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. Seth DeBolt is the director of the Beam Institute at the University of Kentucky, and is leading a project to decode the DNA sequences that make up the genome of Quercus Alba, the American White Oak tree that many of the world's whisky makers depend on. We'll also talk with Stuart Williams of the University of Louisville's engineering school about his development of a new technique for "fingerprinting" Bourbons - and it's one you can replicate at home (though it may not be appropriate for your kid's science fair project)! We'll also have the latest details on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it's affecting the whisky industry, along with a look at why pot stills may make great whisky, but lousy hand sanitizer.

The global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic took full hold on the whisky industry this week, as governments not only shut down bars and limited restaurants to take-out and delivery service, but imposed more bans on large public gatherings such as whisky festivals and even closed liquor stores in at least one U.S. state. That's led to tens of thousands of layoffs throughout the hospitality industry globally and economic stimulus programs aimed at mitigating some of the impact. We'll take a look at the big picture and a close-up view as well, including one Minneapolis distillery where the entire tasting room staff was laid off this week. Chris Montana of Du Nord Craft Spirits is still trying to keep production going while also fielding calls from his colleagues around the U.S. as president of the American Craft Spirits Association. Spirits producers have already donated nearly $2 million to help laid-off bartenders and bar workers, and we'll find out where that money is going and how you can help as well.

Since so many people are working from home, "self-isolating" or more because of the coronavirus crisis, we've decided to produce some extra content to help you pass the time. Earlier this month during DramFest 2020 in Christchurch, New Zealand, WhiskyCast's Mark Gillespie took part in a panel discussion on "the past and future of whisky" with veteran whisky writer Charles Maclean, Michael Fraser Milne of the Whisky Galore shop in Christchurch, and moderator Dave Broom. Their hour-long discussion is a bit too long for one of our regular episodes, but we thought you might enjoy listening to it on its own. The panel covered everything from the collapse of the Scotch Whisky industry in the early 80's to what the future holds given the combination of a growing craft distilling movement, global politics, and climate change. Thanks to Michael and Stella Fraser Milne of Whisky Galore and DramFest 2020 for helping to make this special episode possible, along with the sound crew at Christchurch Town Hall and the staff at Whisky Galore.

Louise McGuane wants to revive a key part of Irish Whiskey's past, but she keeps wrestling with its present-day form in a bid to change the future of Ireland's whiskey industry. The Chapel Gate Whiskey Co. founder has become one of Irish Whiskey's most outspoken voices in recent years and recently spoke at the World Whisky Forum in Seattle. WhiskyCast is the only place where you'll be able to hear her comments on this St. Patrick's week...a week in which the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic has forced Ireland's legendary pubs to close, along with bars and distillery visitor centers around the world. We'll have the details in this week's news, along with updates on whisky festivals and other events cancelled or postponed by the pandemic. We'll also honor longtime Bruichladdich legend Duncan McGillivray, who passed away this past week.

This week, we're on location at Whisky Galore's DramFest 2020 in Christchurch, New Zealand! They've been making whisky in New Zealand since the first Scottish settlers arrived, but after the country's one remaining distillery closed in the early 90's, New Zealanders had to import almost all of their whisky. That changed a few years ago with the growth of a farm-based distilling industry that's a return to the days when farmers turned their crops into whisky. We'll take a look at this resurgence on WhiskyCast In-Depth, taste a few local whiskies, and get some perspective from whisky lovers in Your Voice. In our Behind the Label segment, we'll meet a Christchurch businessman with a unique hobby - he's amassed one of the world's largest collections of Jim Beam memorabilia!

If you just needed a whisky-related reason to visit Iceland, we have one for you on this week's episode. Eimverk Distillery grew out of the dreams of two brothers who just wanted to be farmers, but found it was cheaper to import grain for cattle feed than grow it themselves. There was also some whisky involved, as Eimverk production manager Eva Mariá Sigursbjörnsdóttir explains on WhiskyCast In-Depth. There were also some sheep involved in at least part of the process, since one of Eimverk's whiskies is smoked not with peat - but with sheep dung! We'll have tasting notes for it, too. In the news, the coronavirus outbreak could cost Diageo as much as £200 million in profits this year and other whisky makers are preparing for losses of their own. The University of Kentucky is not only building an on-campus distillery in Lexington, but a million-dollar donation this week will fund construction of a new barrel "dormitory" as well. We'll have that story and look at how the mavericks at Brewdog are already ruffling feathers in the Scotch Whisky industry. Finally, if you've ever wondered why the hoops on whisky barrels are covered with rust, we'll explain on Behind the Label.

There's an old saying that "sometimes, you choose the whisky business...and sometimes, it chooses you." That could be said for Victoria Eady-Butler, who retired last year after 31 years in federal law enforcement. As it turns out, the great-great granddaughter of Nathan "Nearest" Green inherited some of her ancestor's talent. She was the first member of the Green family to pick barrels for the Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch whiskey last year, and was so good at it that she's started a second career as the master blender for Uncle Nearest. She's also made a place for herself in the history books as the first African-American woman to serve as master blender for an American whiskey brand. In the news, another milestone in whisky collecting has fallen with the first million-dollar bid for a whisky in an online auction. We'll have the details, along with highlights from this week's World Whisky Forum in Seattle, the Distilled Spirits Council's conference in Louisville, and a bunch of ba-a-a-ad puns around Ardbeg's latest limited edition release. Yes, we're a bit sheepish about that!

This week on WhiskyCast, we're sharing a special story of strength. Not the kind of strength one can build in the gym, but the inner strength that comes from within. Una Green is the West Coast brand ambassador for the Dewar's single malts, and a year ago last week, she received the kind of news no one ever wants to hear from a doctor - a diagnosis of breast cancer. That inner strength - and the support from her friends and co-workers - helped her manage the pain of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and all of the side effects. Now cancer-free, she's preparing to return to work after spending this week in Denver for the latest round of Speed Rack's ninth season. Una took part in the national bartending competition for women a couple of years ago, and has made it her goal to help support Speed Rack and its mission of raising money for breast cancer programs. We'll talk with her on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the Trump Administration is holding firm on single malt Scotch Whisky tariffs for now while trade talks continue with the European Union. There's new data showing just how much the U.S. and EU tariffs have cost whisky makers on both sides of the Atlantic, while Kentucky saw a record-breaking number of Bourbon tourists in 2019. We'll also take a look at just how the bottling strength of a whisky can affect its flavor on Behind the Label.

World leaders will be in Glasgow later this year for the United Nations COP26 Climate Change Conference, and Scotch Whisky industry leaders plan to be ready. Not with drams, but with plans for a second decade of adapting whisky production to the needs of the changing climate while not ruining the whisky. The Scotch Whisky Association released its first environmental progress plan in 2009, and is now reviewing progress over the last decade with a goal of setting even more ambitious targets for the future. We'll talk with CEO Karen Betts as part of our year-long look at the impact of climate change on whisky around the world. In the news, the coronavirus outbreak in China is starting to have an impact on whisky-related events and travel - and there are fears that it could lead to lower whisky sales in the Asia-Pacific region. Ian Macleod Distillers has unveiled the first new Rosebank single malts since plans to reopen the distillery were announced. We'll have the details and an update on construction at the distillery, along with the rest of the week's whisky news and more!

The whisky industry has become collateral damage in the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and the European Union, with tit-for-tat trade tariffs making life miserable for whisky companies on both sides. This week, the Scotch Whisky Association estimated annual lost exports from the U.S. tariff on single malts could reach £100 million, and industry leaders are presenting a united front to demand that politicians on both sides work toward resolving the dispute. We'll have an in-depth report on this week's WhiskyCast, along with the rest of the week's news. We'll also announce February's Whisky Club of the Month and take a look at why some whiskies can smell like burned matches on Behind the Label.

Is making whisky an art or a science? In "The Amber Light," filmmaker Adam Park makes the argument that Scotch Whisky is an art as important to Scottish culture as writing, music, and other creative endeavours. Park worked in collaboration with veteran whisky writer Dave Broom, who stars in the film and wrote the screenplay. He joined us for this week's WhiskyCast from Santa Barbara, California, where "The Amber Light" had its North American premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. In the news, no new tariffs this week - but the aftermath of Brexit later this week could create even more concerns for whisky lovers. For Australian whisky makers, fires and drought remain very real concerns that make politics look minor - and Aussie distillers are teaming up to help rural communities affected by that country's devastating bush fires. We'll have details on the upcoming Aussie Spirit Auction and how you can take part. "The Amber Light" Brings Scotch Whisky to the Big Screen"

This week, we're in Victoria, British Columbia for one of the world's best whisky festivals, the 15th annual Victoria Whisky Festival! This year's event also included the 10th anniversary of the Canadian Whisky Awards, and we'll hear from some of the top winners along with other highlights from Victoria on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, whisky industry leaders from Scotland and the U.S. spent much of the week in Washington trying to persuade Trump Administration officials to ease off on a trade tariff targeting whisky imports from Scotland and Northern Ireland. We're already starting to see some of the initial impact from the tariff on Scotch Whisky producers, with word that some smaller companies may be pulling out of one of the world's largest export markets because of the trade dispute between the U.S. and the European Union. That's just one of the stories we'll bring you on this special episode of WhiskyCast from the Victoria Whisky Festival.

Over the course of this year, we'll be looking at the many ways climate change could affect whisky makers - and whisky lovers. Since whisky always starts with the grain, that's where we'll start - and grain farmers are clearly seeing the impact of climate change. So-called "100-year floods" are now an annual occurrence for farmers in the U.S. Midwest's grain belt along the rivers that flow into the Mississippi River, which is already approaching flood stage from Missouri to Louisiana this week. We'll talk with Dr. Chad Lee of the University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture, who's tracking crop and climate change issues affecting whisky makers and the world at large. In the news, this could be a pivotal week for whisky makers hoping to avoid an escalation in the trade dispute between the U.S. and the European Union. We'll have that story, along with details on the first new whiskies of 2020 and much more.

The last decade was one of progress for women in the whisky industry, with more women than ever working as distillers and blenders. The real change is that women distillers are rarely viewed as a novelty now compared to the past, and we'll hear from three of them this week. Recently retired Michter's master distiller Pam Heilmann, Jeptha Creed's Joyce Nethery, and Widow Jane's Lisa Wicker were panelists at a recent Bourbon Salon discussion with Bourbon Hall of Fame historian Michael Veach at Louisville's Oxmoor Farm, and we'll have part of their conversation on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, local officials have given the green light to Diageo's plans for reviving the Port Ellen Distillery, while the backers of another proposed Islay distillery went back to the drawing board to overcome local objections to their project.

There was no Australian Whisky industry to speak of in 1992 when Bill Lark persuaded the government to give him a license to distill whisky in Hobart, Tasmania. Today, Australian whiskies are found around the world, and Bill Lark has become revered as the "Godfather of Australian Whisky." While he's retired from making whisky himself, he still works with distillers in Tasmania and on the Australian mainland, and he'll join us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Kentucky Bourbon has lost one of its leaders with the death Christmas night of Four Roses veteran Al Young, and we'll remember his legacy on this week's episode. We'll also have details on the fine levied against Beam Suntory by Kentucky regulators for environmental damage from last July's warehouse fire and a look at the top whisky stories of the year on this final episode for 2019.

Dhavall Gandhi could have been a highly sought after mergers and acquisitions expert, but he set that potentially lucrative career aside to pursue his passion for making whisky. After a stint at The Macallan, he's now in charge of production and blending at The Lakes Distillery in northwestern England. The distillery celebrated its fifth anniversary this month, and both of Gandhi's two new "Whiskymaker's Reserve" single malts released this autumn are nearly sold out. We'll find out how his career path took him from India to the United States, Scotland, and England on WhiskyCast In-Depth - and have tasting notes for one of his new whiskies. In the news, U.S. distillers are breathing easier after Congress and the Trump Administration approved a one-year extension of a federal excise tax break that has kept many small-scale distillers in business, while industry leaders are gearing up to fight a potential expansion of U.S. tariffs on imported whiskies. We'll also have some of your holiday whisky wishes, too!

Holyrood Distillery became Edinburgh's first malt whisky distillery in nearly a century when it fired up the stills for the first time last September, but to trace its origins, you'd have to travel more than 4,000 miles across seven time zones to Calgary, Alberta. That's where Holyrood co-founder Rob Carpenter makes his home, and where he and his wife Kelly run the Canadian chapter of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Rob Carpenter's spending most of his time in Scotland these days, and that's where we caught up with him for this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, a tentative budget agreement in Washington means no government shutdown for federal liquor regulators, while another agreement could lead to the end of China's tariffs on American whiskies. That's 2 out of 3 for the industry, but in this case, 2 out of 3 could lead to a worst-case scenario for many small-scale distillers unless Congress can agree this week to extend their federal excise tax cut.

Nicole Austin can be excused for walking on Cloud 9 the other night at Whisky Advocate's WhiskyFest in New York City. The George Dickel master distiller had just received the magazine's Whiskey of the Year award for her George Dickel Bottled in Bond Tennessee Whiskey the day before. We'll have her reaction and other highlights from the evening on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the threat of U.S. tariffs on more European whiskies is back. Trump Administration officials are looking at raising the tariffs already in effect on single malts from Scotland and Northern Ireland, while Congress has less than a month to extend the tax break small-scale distillers have been pushing for over the last two years.

There's an old saying that "form follows function." It's the idea that a building's design should fit its intended purpose, and over the years, that's been the way whisky distilleries were designed by architects like Charles Doig - who developed the pagoda-like chimney vents that are a sure clue you're looking at a distillery in the distance. There's a boom in distillery construction around Scotland, and architects are taking cues from the past while designing contemporary distilleries that could be around for the next 100 years or longer. Gareth Roberts is one of those architects, with credits that include Ardnamurchan, Lindores Abbey, and Dartmoor distilleries. We'll talk with him on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, we'll have the details on this year's International Wine and Spirit Competition-winning whiskies, along with the rest of the week's whisky news. We'll also share some of the things you're most thankful for during the holidays and answer some of your whisky questions on Behind the Label.

This week, we're in Fredericton, New Brunswick for the 24th annual New Brunswick Spirits Festival! We'll talk with one of the leading lights in Canadian Whisky, Canadian Club's Tish Harcus, on WhiskyCast In-Depth. She's in her 32nd year at Canadian Club, and plays multiple roles for the brand from serving as its global ambassador to maintaining 161 years of CC archives and helping lead new product development. For instance, the new Chronicles 42-year-old whisky and the entire Chronicles series came from her insistence on finding a special home for some vintage barrels instead of just blending them away. She's also one of the founders of Women Who Whiskey, and has been a role model and mentor for many of her colleagues industry-wide. In the news, a short-term spending agreement in Washington this week headed off a government shutdown that could have caused problems for whisky makers, while there's still no progress on extending a federal excise tax break for small-scale distillers that expires at midnight on New Year's Eve. We'll have details on the week's new whisky releases, and on Behind the Label, we'll find out how a small-town whisky bar went high-tech to help its customers pick their whiskies.

Scotch whisky history was built on the backs of farmers who worked their fields three seasons of the year and spent the winters turning their grain into whisky. While distilling is a full-time job today for most distillers, Francis Cuthbert does things the old way at Daftmill Distillery in Fife. He and his brother Ian opened the distillery at the family's Daftmill Farm in December of 2005, but Francis is a full-time farmer and only makes whisky when time allows. They waited 12 years before giving the world a taste of the single malt whisky distilled from their own farm's barley, and have received rave reviews so far. Now, Daftmill's single malt is coming to the U.S., and we'll talk with Francis Cuthbert on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also have details on a lawsuit over the word "Magnus," the week's tasting notes, and on Behind the Label, the back story behind an antique still at George Washington's Distillery that dates back to Washington's time!

15 years ago, two Indian entrepreneurs took a few bottles of their single malt whisky to Glasgow, just to see if it would stand up to blind tastings by Scotch Whisky lovers. Rick Jagdale and Ashok Chokalingam survived those initial taste tests, and today, Amrut single malt whiskies can be found all over the world. Now, they're in charge of Amrut's future...Rick Jagdale as managing director and Ashok Chokalingam as the distillery manager. We'll talk with Ashok on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth, and we'll also have highlights from this weekend's George Washington Whisky Festival at Virginia's Mount Vernon - where most of this episode was recorded. In the news, whisky and politics are still intertwined as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson pleaded with U.S. President Donald Trump to remove the new 25% import tariff on single malt whiskies from Scotland and Northern Ireland. We're also celebrating WhiskyCast's 14th anniversary this week as Mark gets the tables turned on him!

Want to start an argument among whisky lovers? Just ask whether there's "terroir" in whisky. Terroir is the French term for a "sense of place" where the local environment plays a role in developing specific flavors. It's a well-known concept among farmers, and winemakers have been claiming a place for terroir for years. However, terroir is still a point of contention among whisky makers, with critics making the argument that grain suppliers use so many different farms that there's no way to have terroir in whisky - short of isolating the grain from individual farms as Waterford, Kilchoman, and Bruichladdich have done. During the Julio's Liquors Whisk(e)y Road Show this weekend in Westborough, Massachusetts, the topic of terroir came up during a panel of American Single Malt distillers. You'll hear their debate on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also announce November's Whisky Club of the Month, hear from some of you on the single malt whisky tariff, and dig deeply into Tennessee's Lincoln County Process on Behind the Label.

Alex Chasko isn't your typical Irish Whiskey master distiller and blender. For one, he isn't Irish. He grew up in Portland, Oregon and found his way to Ireland by falling in love - not with Irish Whiskey, but with the Irish-born woman who became his wife. Alex started out at Cooley Distillery, and when the Teeling family sold it at the end of 2011, he moved on with Jack and Stephen Teeling to start the Teeling Whiskey Company in Dublin. Four years after they fired up the stills for the first time in their Newmarket Square distillery, Teeling Pot Still Whiskey is on the market in Ireland and will soon be available in the United States, while one of their 24-year-old single casks won the World Whiskies Award for "Best Single Malt Whiskey" earlier this year. Even though his last name isn't Teeling, he's become part of the family...as you'll hear on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also have details on this week's record-shattering whisky auction in London and the rest of the week's whisky news, along with some distillery ghost stories to get you in the mood for Halloween!

There's a lot of uncertainty for U.S. whisky lovers after the Trump Administration's new 25% tariff on imports of single malt whiskies from Scotland and Northern Ireland took effect Friday. The only certain thing is that prices for many single malts will rise, depending on whether - or when - whisky makers, importers and retailers decide to absorb the cost of the tariff or pass it along to consumers. One of Islay's smallest distilleries chose to beat the tariff deadline by shipping extra inventory to its U.S. importer by air freight, and Kilchoman Distillery managing director Anthony Wills also plans to eat the cost of the tariff to protect his brand's market share. We'll talk with him as part of our complete coverage of the tariff story...from the impact on distillers to what happens when you come home from a trip to Scotland and are greeted by a Customs agent. In the news, police in Scotland are looking for the thieves who stole £100,000 worth of whisky from a Chivas Brothers facility, while rare whisky collectors are gearing up for a special Sotheby's auction this week in London. There are plenty of new whiskies to talk about, too...and we'll have all the details on this week's WhiskyCast!

The United States is the largest market for Irish Whiskey worldwide, but until now, one of Ireland's legendary whiskeys had never released a special edition just for the American market. Now, a handful of retailers in Massachusetts and California will be getting their own bottlings of Redbreast. Four small batch bottlings will be available at select retailers in Massachusetts and California retailers, and they'll all likely be besieged by calls from people around the U.S. hoping to snag a bottle. Master Blender Billy Leighton and apprentice David McCabe unveiled the new whiskies the other night in Boston, and you'll hear our conversation on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the Trump Administration's 25% tariff on imports of single malts from Scotland and Northern Ireland is scheduled to go into effect Friday, and Scotch Whisky industry leaders fear it could do "irreparable damage" to the whisky industry. We'll have complete coverage of the tariff and its potential impacts, and you'll hear from Wales' leading distiller - Penderyn's Stephen Davies isn't quite sure how U.S. Customs agents will respond when his current shipment of Welsh single malts reaches port after the tariff takes effect. We'll also have details on new whiskies from Bruichladdich, Teeling, The Macallan, and more!

George Remus could never have conceived of the idea of edible "whisky capsules," but if he had, the "King of the Bootleggers" would have figured out a way to make money from it. Remus made - and lost - a fortune during Prohibition, spent time in prison, shot his second wife to death, and managed to successfully convince a jury to acquit him by reason of insanity. This real-life Gatsby is the subject of author Karen Abbott's new book, "The Ghosts of Eden Park," and it may well be the definitive telling of the George Remus story. Karen Abbott joins us on WhiskyCast In-Depth, and we'll also have tasting notes for one of the modern Bourbons named for Remus. There's a lot to talk about in the news, as the U.S. plans to impose a 25% tariff on imports of single malt whiskies from Scotland and Northern Ireland later this month as part of a 15-year-long trade dispute with Europe. We'll have reaction from both sides of the Atlantic and explain just what's being targeted, what's not...and why. We'll also have details on the week's new whiskies and get to the bottom of the story behind The Glenlivet's controversial "whisky capsules" unveiled at London Cocktail Week. Editor's note: This episode includes content that may not be suitable for all audiences.

Whisky has been a part of politics since the monks were working their stills in medieval times, helping opposing sides bridge their differences over a shared dram. It's also been a political football, too - from the Prohibition Era to the trade disputes making headlines today. Chris Swonger has been in the middle of a political hurricane in the 10 months since he became CEO and president of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. He's facing trade conflicts, the potential impact from Brexit, and even disagreements over pending deregulatory action in Washington. We'll talk about all of these issues and more with Chris Swonger on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Kentucky firefighters kept a brush fire from becoming a disaster Friday after it came within 100 yards of warehouses full of Heaven Hill and Maker's Mark bourbons. An Irish whiskey maker wants to make filmmaker Martin Scorsese an offer he shouldn't refuse, and we'll have details on the week's new whiskies.

Whisky has been a part of politics since the monks were working their stills in medieval times, helping opposing sides bridge their differences over a shared dram. It's also been a political football, too - from the Prohibition Era to the trade disputes making headlines today. Chris Swonger has been in the middle of a political hurricane in the 10 months since he became CEO and president of the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. He's facing trade conflicts, the potential impact from Brexit, and even disagreements over pending deregulatory action in Washington. We'll talk about all of these issues and more with Chris Swonger on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Kentucky firefighters kept a brush fire from becoming a disaster Friday after it came within 100 yards of warehouses full of Heaven Hill and Maker's Mark bourbons. An Irish whiskey maker wants to make filmmaker Martin Scorsese an offer he shouldn't refuse, and we'll have details on the week's new whiskies.

Graham Coull grew up in Speyside spelling "whisky" without the "e" - as any proper Scot would. It didn't help him get his first job in the Scotch Whisky industry at Glenfiddich, nor did it help him get his current job 14 years ago as the manager at Glen Moray. Next month, he'll be leaving Elgin for Ireland's Atlantic coast to become the manager at Dingle Distillery - and it'll mean learning not only new styles of making whiskey...but a new way of spelling it! We'll talk with Graham on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, a last-minute deal has headed off a strike by Diageo workers in Scotland, while the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame welcomed its Class of 2019 this week. We'll also have details on the week's new whiskies and a special collaboration between a Colombian Rum distiller and a Kentucky Bourbon blender.

Ed Belfour has every honor a hockey player could dream of, including a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold medal, and the ultimate: being named to the Hockey Hall of Fame. He could have chosen to do anything in his retirement, but decided to make whiskey with his family. Instead of just slapping the Belfour name on a bunch of sourced casks, he and his son Dayn spent five years learning the business from the grain up before bottling their first whiskies. Those whiskies will make their debut later this month in the Dallas area, where Belfour backstopped the Dallas Stars to their only Stanley Cup in 1999. We'll find out why Ed Belfour decided to get into the whiskey business the hard way on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Diageo and its Scottish labor unions will try one final time Monday to work out a new contract before workers begin a series of rolling strikes on Tuesday. In Kentucky, the Bourbon calendar will be even more crowded than usual a year from now when the Kentucky Bourbon Affair moves to September in a partnership with the promoters of Bourbon & Beyond in Louisville - even though it could lead to conflicts with the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. We'll also have details on the week's new whiskies and on Behind the Label, we'll find out how one distillery changed the flavor of its whisky by changing the wood in its barrels.

The Kentucky Bourbon Festival gets underway next week in Bardstown, and while the annual event still draws whiskey lovers from all over the U.S. and the world, there's been a lot of calls for change in recent years. Some of those changes are coming this year, while more will await the hiring of a new executive director later this year. Bardstown-Nelson County Tourism Commission executive director Mike Mangeot agreed to serve as the festival's director on an interim basis this year, and joins us on WhiskyCast In-Depth to discuss this year's event and the long-term future. We're in Louisville this time around for the inaugural induction of members into the Order of the Writ, and will have the latest on the impact of trade tariffs on distillers in the news. We'll also update the future for Isle of Arran Distillers and its brands now that the Pernod Ricard-Castle Brands deal is leaving Arran without a U.S. importer.

We're back after spending eight days in Australia and a week in bed fighting the "Roo Flu" virus, and there's a lot to talk about! One of the biggest problems facing Australian whisky distillers has been their relative lack of ability to scale up production to meet demand, but that's gradually beginning to change. Melbourne's Starward Distillery moved to a new building in 2016, and that allowed founder David Vitale the ability to triple production with room for future expansion. In Sydney, Archie Rose Distilling has outgrown its original site after five years, and construction is almost complete on a massive new distillery in Port Bombay that will take production from 120,000 liters per year to three million liters. We'll tour both distilleries on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Pernod Ricard's expansion spree continues with a $223 million deal for Jefferson's Bourbon owner Castle Brands - and a new $140 million malt whisky distillery in China! Trade issues are starting to show a serious impact on the whisky business worldwide, and a Virginia distillery has settled a lawsuit filed by the Scotch Whisky Association over its use of the word "Highland." On Behind the Label, we'll answer the burning question: "just how little maturation time can an American whiskey get away with?" Here's a hint...it probably took you longer to read this!

This time around, we're in Australia as Tasmania's distillers wrap up the third annual Tasmanian Whisky Week. It's been 27 years since the first legal still started producing Tasmanian single malt whisky at the original Lark Distillery, and today, there are nearly 50 distilleries in Australia's island state. We'll meet some of them and tour the award-winning Sullivan's Cove Distillery on WhiskyCast In-Depth, and we'll also talk to some Australian whisky lovers on Your Voice. In the news, Heaven Hill is expanding into Canadian Whisky with a $266 million deal for Black Velvet and its distillery in Alberta, while Ireland's Conor McGregor is likely to face assault charges for punching a Dublin bar patron who didn't want to taste his Proper Twelve whiskey.

"Private Selection" bottlings are the rage today, and it almost seems like an arms race as bars and retailers try to outdo each other with their exclusive bottlings. In fact, some whisky collectors now see the "Private Selection" market as the next big thing for so-called "investment grade" bottlings. During the latest Bourbon Salon at Louisville's Oxmoor Farm, host Michael Veach brought together the owners and managers of several highly regarded Bourbon bars to discuss picking private barrels and other topics, and we'll hear some of the stories behind barrel selections from Joe Head of The Century in Dayton, Ohio, Margo McMillen of Bourbons Bistro, and Larry Rice of The Silver Dollar in Louisville. In the news, Pernod Ricard is expanding its U.S. whiskey portfolio with its second distillery acquisition of the year, while Diageo's plans to upgrade visitors centers at many of its distilleries in Scotland got another boost this week. There's a lot of new whiskies to talk about, and a new Gallup Poll shows whisky and other distilled spirits are more popular than ever.

If the story of Nathan "Nearest" Green and Jack Daniel was made into a movie, critics might describe it as "a feel-good story for the ages" or "a story from the past that's still relevant today." History shows "Nearest" Green was the enslaved distiller who not only perfected the "Lincoln County Process" for filtering Tennessee Whiskey, but also taught the young Jack Daniel how to make whiskey - then went to work with him after the Civil War ended and Green became a free man. Next month, Uncle Nearest Whiskey founder Fawn Weaver will open Phase 1 of the Uncle Nearest Distillery in Lynchburg, Tennessee to tell that story, and she'll tell us about it on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the growing potential for a "no-deal" Brexit has Irish Whiskey makers on both sides of the border even more nervous than before. Investors were scared off this week by sluggish earnings for MGP Ingredients, and that raises a question about whether we've reached "Peak Bourbon." We'll also find out the back story behind the "Missouri Bourbon" law, and on Behind the Label, you'll hear how one young distiller started his career with a bang.

It takes a lot to drag distillers away from their stills, but when the stakes are as high as the current debate over extending a federal excise tax cut for craft distillers - that's enough to put them on a plane for Washington. More than 150 distillers from around the country converged on Capitol Hill this week for the annual public policy conference sponsored by the Distilled Spirits Council and the American Craft Spirits Association. It also gave them a chance to put some pressure on their representatives in Congress to extend that tax break currently scheduled to expire at the end of this year. We'll talk with ACSA President Chris Montana of Du Nord Craft Spirits in Minneapolis and several of his colleagues about the politics of making whiskey on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Diageo now faces strike votes by both unions representing workers at its distilleries and bottling plants in Scotland following a breakdown in contract talks. Beam Suntory is reviving an old name for its flagship Jim Beam Distillery in Kentucky as part of a $60 million dollar expansion plan that will include a new craft distillery named for master distiller Fred Noe. We also have a bunch of new whiskies to talk about, and we'll also look at whether it's possible to distill whisky in space on Behind the Label.

Raj Sabharwal doesn't make whiskies, but his role is critical in making sure you get to drink them. He's one of the band of independent importers - the middlemen (and women) who secure the rights from a whisky brand to import their whiskies into the U.S. market. Importers put up their own money to pay for those whiskies and the shipping costs, deal with the government red tape, and then find regional distributors willing to take a chance on getting them into retailers, bars, and restaurants. Sabharwal's Glass Revolution Imports is the single largest customer for Amrut's single malts from India, and he also works with Blackadder, Hammer Head, and other brands to get not only their regular offerings, but exclusive single casks for the U.S. market. We'll talk with him on WhiskyCast In-Depth and find out how proposed changes in federal regulations and the trade war could affect the import business. In the news, Diageo is facing a possible strike in Scotland after two unions rejected the company's latest contract offer. Edinburgh is about to get its first malt whisky distillery in nearly a century, while Bladnoch Distillery will open its new visitors center this week and Glenfiddich unveils a rare bottling to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its visitors center.

60 years ago, Bill and Marge Samuels dipped the first bottles of Maker's Mark Bourbon in Loretto, Kentucky. They left the "e" out of "whisky" and shipped the first cases to Keeneland in Lexington. When Maker's Mark finally decided to start a private barrel program several years ago, Bill Sr. and Marge's grandson Rob decided to put a different spin on the concept and let their customers actually create a unique Bourbon instead of picking from a bunch of cask samples. Keeneland was first in line for a Private Select bottling, too, and we'll get the story behind the program from Jane Bowie of Maker's Mark on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, we have the cause - and the effect - of the Jim Beam rickhouse fire in Kentucky earlier this month, and we'll also explain just how whiskey spills near rivers can lead to thousands of dead fish. The Scotch Whisky Association is taking a Virginia distillery to court over its use of the word "Highland" on its labels, and we'll have the details along with tasting notes for two of the offending whiskies.

The husband and wife team of Scott Blackwell and Ann Marshall opened High Wire Distilling six years ago in Charleston, South Carolina to make whiskey, gin, vodka, and an Amaro liqueur. Now, they're turning a corner...literally. They're investing $3 million to move the distillery into a much larger building a few blocks - and around a corner - from their original site, along with adding a second still just for whiskey, an expanded tasting room, and what they're happiest about...a real loading dock! We'll talk with them on WhiskyCast In-Depth. There's enough news to fill a second episode this week! After four days, the fire that destroyed a Jim Beam warehouse with 45,000 barrels of bourbon has finally burned itself out, though the environmental damage to the Kentucky River is still being felt. The trade war between the U.S. and Europe could expand to include punitive tariffs on Scotch and Irish whiskies in a dispute over aviation subsidies, while U.S. regulators are moving forward with a proposal to deregulate most bottle sizes for whiskies and other distilled spirits. There's also a truckload of new whiskies to mention, and we'll have an unusual head-to-head comparison: a whiskey and the beer it was distilled from.

Wyoming Whiskey is celebrating an anniversary this week. Ten years ago on July 4, 2009, they ran the still for the first time at the Mead family's ranch in Kirby, Wyoming, and Wyoming Whiskey is one of many craft distillers marking their 10th anniversaries this year. We'll talk with co-founder David DeFazio about the lessons of the past and how they're shaping the distillery's future, along with what happens when a Hall of Fame distiller leaves behind a surprise for you to deal with years later. In the news, the U.S. Supreme Court has given retailers who want to sell across state lines a lifeline after decades of states largely banning interstate shipments. We also have plenty of new Bourbons hitting the market just in time for Independence Day, while Chivas Brothers is digging into its warehouses for whiskies from some often-overlooked Scottish distilleries.

If you're starting a new distillery from scratch, it helps to find some veteran whisky makers to join you on the journey. That's just what Ardgowan Distillery CEO Martin McAdam did when he convinced former Macallan managing director Willie Phillips and Edrington whisky maker Max McFarlane to come out of retirement and join the team behind his fledgling distillery. While final financing is still in the works for the distillery to be built on the Ardgowan Estate on the banks of the River Clyde, McFarlane is already blending Ardgowan's first release for its fall debut - a blended malt to be sold under the Clydebuilt label. We'll talk with Max McFarlane and Martin McAdam on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the owners of Fets Whisky Kitchen in Vancouver will appeal a British Columbia adjudicator's ruling against them in the #FreeOurWhisky case, 18 months after Fets was raided by provincial liquor inspectors for illegally selling Scotch Malt Whisky Society whiskies. Cleanup work is underway at the O.Z. Tyler Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky following the state's second rickhouse collapse in a year, and we'll look at how rickhouse safety is regulated on Behind the Label.

Ten years after Pernod Ricard left Kentucky with the sale of Wild Turkey to Gruppo Campari, the world's #2 spirits company is back in the Bluegrass State. Louisville's Rabbit Hole Distillery has agreed to become part of Pernod Ricard, while founder Kaveh Zamanian and his family will retain a significant stake in the distillery and manage it on a day-to-day basis. It's a deal similar to one Pernod Ricard did in 2016 with Smooth Ambler, and we'll talk with Kaveh Zamanian and Pernod Ricard USA's Jeff Agdern on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Kentucky Peerless Distillery is also re-entering the Bourbon business this week - 102 years after selling its last bottle of Bourbon. We'll also have the first details on Ardgowan Distillery's debut release of Clydebuilt Blended Malt planned for this fall in Scotland and much more!

Rock bands often sound differently after they replace a member, and the members of Metallica considered Master Distiller Dave Pickerell to be part of their family. They collaborated on Blackened American Whiskey until Dave's untimely death last November, and now, Metallica has completed the search for his successor. Rob Dietrich is leaving Stranahan's to join the band's Sweet Amber Distilling Company as the master blender and distiller. We'll talk with Rob on WhiskyCast In-Depth and find out why it's not his first time working with Metallica, too. In the news, U.S. regulators are floating a proposal to remove most of the restrictions on bottle sizes for whiskies and other distilled spirits, and that could open up the market to whiskies not previously available in the U.S. Distilling industry leaders aren't embracing the idea with open arms, while independent bottlers and importers are practically giddy at the possibility. What may be the first Chinese acquisition of a Scotch Whisky company has taken place, with the sale of Loch Lomond Distillers for more than $500 million, and construction has started on another cooperage in Kentucky to help supply the booming demand for Bourbon barrels.

Construction could begin later this year on Diageo's planned revival of the legendary Port Ellen Distillery on Islay, which was closed in 1983. Only the seaside warehouses and the old kiln building are left, and they'll play a key role in the distillery's future when it opens in 2021 - assuming local officials sign off on planning approval for the project. That application was submitted in mid-May, with a decision expected later this summer. Islay native and former Lagavulin manager Georgie Crawford is the project manager for the Port Ellen revival, and she'll join us on WhiskyCast In-Depth to explain the plans - and how the team tapped into the memories of former Port Ellen workers to help shape those plans. In the news, climate change could be playing a major role in Scotch Whisky's immediate future as distillers and barley farmers deal with the after-effects of last summer's drought. Another dispute between the Trump Administration and Mexico could see tariffs slapped back on American whiskies just days after they were removed, and could North Korea actually be getting into the whisky business?

This week's episode is certain to arouse the ire of whisky purists. We're looking at Glyph, a "molecular whiskey" that's engineered in a lab instead of a distillery. Alec Lee and his colleagues at Endless West in San Francisco analyzed hundreds of whiskies down to the molecule to isolate specific chemical compounds - then sourced those compounds to blend with grain neutral spirits and a small amount of new make whisky to create Glyph. Technically, it falls under the legal category of a "spirit whisky," but it's already being sold in California and New York alongside traditionally distilled whiskies. Is it a glimpse into the future of whisky or a pale imitation of the real thing? We'll discuss it with Alec Lee on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, American whiskey exports to Canada and Mexico are tariff-free once again, and we'll talk with The Balvenie's David Stewart about the distillery's new Stories range of single malts.

Oliver Hughes and his partners in Ireland's Porterhouse Group opened Dingle Distillery in late 2012, just as the Irish craft distilling boom was beginning. Dingle was Ireland's first new distillery in 25 years since the opening of Cooley Distillery in 1987, but Hughes barely got to see the first early bottlings of Dingle Whiskey before his death in 2016. Today, his family and colleagues have taken Oliver Hughes's dream and are building on it, with the first exports of Dingle's single malt whisky to the United States coming later this year. We'll visit the distillery and talk with some of the people carrying on that mission on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, there's a truce in the trade war between the U.S. and two key trading partners that should mean the end of punitive tariffs on American Whiskey exports. We'll have the details, along with the rest of the week's whisky news and much more.

Of all the craft distilleries Dave Pickerell worked with before his sudden death last November, none was more identified with him than Vermont's WhistlePig Rye. He was there at WhistlePig's founding when the first casks of whiskey were acquired from Alberta Distillers more than a decade ago, and trained the team of young distillers and blenders who now carry on his work. Jeff Kozak was around back then, too...but he was the Alberta Distillers executive who sold those casks for the first WhistlePig bottling. Today, he's WhistlePig's CEO, and joins us on WhiskyCast In-Depth to discuss how his team is moving forward while honoring the legacy Dave Pickerell left behind. In the news, construction is about to begin on Diageo's new Johnnie Walker Experience in downtown Edinburgh now that local officials have signed off on the development plans. We'll also have an update on the #FreeOurWhisky campaign in British Columbia after the owners of Fets Whisky Kitchen in Vancouver had a hearing on charges stemming from a January 2017 raid for selling Scotch Malt Whisky Society whiskies. We'll also remember Amrut Distillery managing director Neel Jagdale, who died this week after a battle with cancer.

Let's face it. When you think of American Whiskey, Bourbon is probably top of mind. After all, Congress declared it "America's Native Spirit" 55 years ago. It wasn't always that way, and people heading to Churchill Downs in Louisville for this year's Kentucky Derby got a reminder of that. Baltimore-based Sagamore Spirit Rye has been trying to build a more complete record of America's distilling history with its "Whiskey Wiki"project, and bought a billboard near Churchill Downs to remind the folks in Bourbon Country that that history began with Rye Whiskey. We'll talk with Sagamore Spirit's Brian Treacy about the billboard and the history project on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Constellation Brands has acquired majority ownership in another craft distillery, while Scotch Whisky's impact on the British economy continues to grow. The Spirit of Speyside Festival honored four Scotch Whisky veterans this week, and there are all sorts of new whiskies to talk about, too!

Pam Heilmann's been making Bourbon for her entire career, but it was only in the last three years that she had the title of Master Distiller after she succeeded Willie Pratt at Michter's Distillery in the Louisville suburb of Shively. Now, she's heading into retirement this week, but will have the title of "Master Distiller Emerita" at Michter's while her hand-picked successor, Dan McKee, takes over the day to day responsibility. We'll talk with both of them on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the Bardstown Bourbon Company has put its first whiskey into a bottle. We'll talk with Steve Nally and have tasting notes for it, too. Arran's new Lagg Distillery has started laying down casks of whisky for the future, and we'll have details on new whiskies from Gordon & MacPhail, The Glenlivet, Tamdhu, and more.