This week's episode includes highlights from the Whisky Guild's annual Whisky Classic event in Morristown, New Jersey. Ardbeg's Rollercoaster made its U.S. debut at the Whisky Classic, and we'll get some of the details from Dr. Bill Lumsden. We'll also hear about plans for the first U.S. Ardbeg Committee gathering this April in Chicago, and Rick Wassmund of Copper Fox will tell us about his latest single malt from Virginia. In the news, John MacLellan leaves Burn Stewart Distillers for Kilchoman, Texas gets its first-ever bourbon, Denmark gets a new single malt, and the WhiskyCast iPhone app is now available!

France is known more for wine and cognac than whisky, but Jean Donnay hopes to change that perception. Jean's Glann ar Mor Distillery on the Brittany Coast is already receiving high marks for its whisky, and was a runner-up for Distiller of the Year in Whisky Magazine's 2010 Icons of Whisky Awards. We'll hear from Jean in this week's episode, along with tasting notes for two Glann ar Mor expressions. In the news, Whisky Magazine announces its World Whiskies Awards, Maker's Mark makes a choice for its new bourbon, and comments on the last episode's interview with Ralfy Mitchell of Ralfy.com.

 

We've seen an explosion in the number of whisky bloggers over the past year, and one of the most popular is Ralfy Mitchell of Ralfy.com. His whisky rating videos have become a hit on YouTube, and we sat down to talk at the recent Victoria Whisky Festival. In the news, Compass Box has something special planned for the upcoming Whisky Live London, another new whisky from The Dalmore, Buffalo Trace goes Canadian, and Bonhams puts a Glenfiddich bottling of casks from 1937 and 1939 on the auction block next week.

 

 

English farmers send barley north to Scotland, and sooner or later, the Scots send it back as whisky. The Nelstrop family has been growing barley for decades, and decided to change that formula. The first English single malt whisky in more than a century is now available from the family's St. George's Distillery in Norfolk. In the news, the finalists have been selected in the Spirit of Speyside Festival Whisky Awards, Malt Advocate Magazine announces its 2009 award winners, and tasting notes for a rare Glenfiddich single cask bottling.

Call it beginner's luck if you want, but Peter Hart's first batch of single malt spirit received rave reviews at the recent Victoria Whisky Festival...even though it was only two months old. Peter's the distiller at Victoria Spirits, a converted British Columbia winery now producing highly-regarded gin and as we'll learn in this episode, plans to produce a 100% British Columbia single malt whisky. In the news, the first interview with Al Fastier of the Antarctic Heritage Trust on the successful recovery of not just two cases of Sir Ernest Shackleton's 100-year-old whisky, but a third case of whisky and two cases of brandy! Also, Edrington and Berry Brothers swap whisky assets...and reports of a new Ardbeg expression!

As I reported in the last episode, Maker's Mark is working on a new bourbon. This time around, Master Distiller Kevin Smith sits down with me to taste "Profile 51", which will be released this summer. That's the unofficial name for the new whiskey, which will be bottled at a higher proof than Maker's Mark and will have a completely different taste. In the news, new whiskies from Glenfiddich, Tullibardine, and The Glenrothes, support for Haitian earthquake relief, and Chivas may need years to recover from the damage caused by this winter's storms. Finally, there's a new contest for WhiskyCast newsletter subscribers!

 

This time around, I'm on location at the Victoria Whisky Festival in British Columbia, and I'm joined by a panel of whisky experts to discuss some of the issues facing whisky producers and drinkers alike. Jim Murray, Malt Maniac Davin De Kergommeaux, Ed Patrick of Canada's Companions of the Quaich, Stuart Nickerson of Glenglassaugh, Andrew Gray of Bruichladdich, and Dan Tullio of Canadian Club discuss the state of Canadian whisky, government regulation and taxes, premiumization, and their dream drams. In the news, Maker's Mark is experimenting with a new formula that may or may not make it to market, and Bruichladdich is experimenting with technology to turn its waste into fuel.

 

 

Dewar's is one of Scotland's iconic whiskies, thanks to the efforts of generations of the Dewar family. Ian Buxton has just released a new book, "The Enduring Legacy of Dewar's", in cooperation with Dewar's owner Bacardi, and he joins us via Skype from Edinburgh to share some of Dewar's history. In the news, whisky and politics, whisky and sports, and whisky with a smoky kick!

 

China may well become the world's largest whisky market over the next decade, and Ian Chang is hoping his Kavalan single malt becomes the choice of Chinese whisky lovers. Kavalan is the first single malt whisky distilled in Taiwan, and even though its first releases are only three years old, Kavalan has already won several medals in international whisky competitions. In the news, heavy snow damages 21 Chivas Brothers warehouses holding 100 million gallons of whisky, Diageo prepares for the second release in the Manager's Choice Series, and we'll hear from the editor of Australia's first whisky magazine, Tumbler's Kristy Booth.

 

The last decade could well be remembered for the emergence of Japanese single malt whiskies on the world stage. We'll discuss the malts from the Land of the Rising Sun with Chris Bunting, author of the Nonjatta.com blog. In the news, new whiskies from Gordon & MacPhail and The Glenrothes, and Whyte & MacKay's Richard Paterson can tell you where to go...if you have a TomTom GPS.

 

 

We'll close out 2009 with a look at bourbon and beer. Devin Zell of Bourbon Drinker.com loves both. He'll share his dual passions with us in this episode, including how he and his friends aged a beer for 9 months in a barrel used for Pappy Van Winkle's 23-year-old bourbon. In the news, new expressions from Berry Brothers & Rudd, the BBC discovers a distillery on the Isle of Lewis, and tasting notes for three top-shelf bourbons in the "What I'm Tasting This Week Department."

Distilleries have ghosts and secrets, as well as memories that live within those who work the stills, the malting floors, and the warehouses. Ian Macilwain has collected those stories in his new book "Bottled History" and joins us from Aberdeen for this week's episode. In the news, Bonhams completes a three-continent series of whisky auctions, Highland Park honors an Orkney legend, and Brown University researchers look at the cause of hangovers.

Conversations over a glass...
September edition. Another grave entry, not for the squeemish!Visit my podcast site of stories for kids: Radio Comet Visit Radio Whisky

Conversations over a glass...
August edition: Fine Tastes. A different kind of single-malt tasting (not for the squeemish!). Visit my podcast site of stories for kids: Radio Comet Visit Radio Whisky

Conversations over a glass...
Series 14 continues: Fine Tastes. Potter is here, just in time to catch this fine-tasting episode!Visit my podcast site of stories for kids: Radio Comet Visit Radio Whisky