I was walking the dogs in the park when a bicyclist passed us on the street…a minute or two later, we came up on him lying on the curb beside his parked bike, and he’d collapsed on the sidewalk…there was a woman standing beside him panicking. I asked him if he needed help…and the only response was a hacking cough. I dialed 911 just as another man ran up who happened to be a 911 supervisor and certified EMT…he started CPR while I told the 911 operator where we were. Another woman who had just completed her EMT training last night ran up…and within three minutes, we had police, paramedics, and an ambulance on the scene. They worked on him, but weren’t able to revive him.
If you haven’t taken a CPR class, please take one. If you took one years ago and need a refresher class like me…please take one. I’m going to…
Also, please take the time to label the contacts on your mobile phone for your immediate family or emergency contacts with (ICE). It stands for “In Case of Emergency”. That way, first responders will be able to figure out who you want to be notified in case you’re not able to tell them yourself.
This month, our tasting panel gathered at the home of WhiskyCast listener Christopher Winters in the Indianapolis suburbs. It’s the first time we’ve recorded an episode at a listener’s home. Christopher, Josh Scott, and Tom Helt tasted four whiskies from around the world: Ireland’s Green Spot, the new Crown Royal XR Rare from Canada, Amrut Portonova from India, and the Ardbeg Day single malt from Scotland.
To all who serve, we salute you on this Memorial Day!
This week’s episode was recorded on location at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on the day before the 2012 Indianapolis 500. The Speedway holds a lot of memories for me, and I decided to make the trip this year for the first time in many years…and found some Scotsmen who feel the same way about Indy. We’ll hear from them, and more to the point, we’ll discuss the revival of another Irish pot still whiskey that’s been gone for four decades. Irish Distillers has re-created Yellow Spot, one of the legendary Irish whiskies that holds a special place in the hearts of many Irish whiskey lovers. Kevin O’Gorman of Irish Distillers shares the process of reviving this classic whiskey with us.
WHISKYCAST HD: TAKING IT TO THE SOURCE
Many distilleries guard the source of their water supply carefully, but in this episode of WhiskyCast HD, you’ll get a close-up look at Scotland’s Tarlogie Springs near the town of Tain, the source of Glenmorangie Distillery’s water for making its single malt Scotch Whiskies.
1964 was an iconic year at Scotland’s Bowmore Distillery, though that fact wouldn’t be known for decades. The casks laid down that year produced the legendary Black Bowmore, along with the Gold and White Bowmores that make up the Bowmore Trilogy series. Turns out there was one cask from 1964 left….a Fino Sherry cask that will be available later this year as the Bowmore 1964. Turns out it’s also the same cask that Morrison Bowmore’s Iain McCallum poured me a sample from during my visit to his blending lab in 2010…without telling me what it was.
I’ve added new photos to the Gallery & Print Shop at the WhiskyCast web site, including this one from the long-closed Old Taylor Distillery in Kentucky.
Japanese whiskies have won numerous awards in whisky competitions over the last decade, yet many whisky lovers have yet to try them. Until now, very few whiskies have been exported outside Japan, and even fewer to the U.S. Hakushu 12-year-old single malt has been available in Europe and other regions for a while, but it’s just now becoming available in America. Suntory’s Mike Miyamoto is a former manager at Hakushu and Yamazaki, and he’ll explain the differences between the two whiskies, Michael Jackson’s role in developing Hakushu’s style, and answer some of your questions as well. In the news, Maker’s Mark wins another round in court, the matriarch of the William Grant family has passed away, and the Larks celebrate an anniversary in Australia.
It’s festival week in Speyside, and the Spirit of Speyside Festival has become one of the region’s largest events of the year. We’ll talk with Festival chairman Jim Royan about this year’s event, as well as growing up downwind from Glen Moray, life in Speyside, and the region’s unique character. In the news, another Irish whiskey bottler is looking for a new distiller, new whiskies from The Dalmore, Highland Park, The Macallan, Buffalo Trace, and plans for a high-altitude whisky tasting…
Whisky can be one of the most versatile spirits for chefs as well as cocktail lovers. I’ll talk about cooking with whisky for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on this week’s episode with Stacy Laabs, one of the authors of “The Never Cook Sober Cookbook”, and discuss how whiskies can complement and even enhance the flavors of your next meal. In the news, Heaven Hill announces plans for the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience on Louisville’s downtown “Whiskey Row”, and I’ll have tasting notes for the first Clan Speyburn exclusive bottling.
Comments From the Barstool is the weekly column I write at the WhiskyCast web site, but here's where you'll find my random musings during the week, along with photos from my travels, occasional tasting notes, and more.
