WhiskyCast: Comments From the Barstool

WHISKYCAST EPISODE 424: MAY 12, 2013

One of the fun things about WhiskyCast has been the opportunity to watch dreams come true, and that’s the case with this week’s episode. Back in 2006, we first met Barry Stein and Barry Bernstein as they were just getting started as Canada’s first independent Scotch whisky bottlers and dreamed of making their own whisky. in 2009, they opened Still Waters Distillery in a Toronto suburb, and on April 27, the first cask of their Stalk & Barrel single malt whisky went on sale. This weekend, they were pouring it at the Spirit of Toronto festival, and we’ll catch up with the guys on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Diageo’s shaking up the executive suite, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail gets a new stop on Louisville’s Whiskey Row, and we’ll hear about new whiskies from Mackmyra, Jura, Corby, and Masterson’s.

WHISKYCAST EPISODE 423: MAY 4, 2013

Family-owned businesses often face obstacles that other companies don’t, and the whisky business is no exception. This week, Fred and Stewart Laing dissolved their 40+ year partnership in Glasgow-based Douglas Laing & Co., with Stewart taking his half of the business to form his own company with his sons. Meanwhile, Fred has brought his daughter Cara into what remains of Douglas Laing, and both brothers are already working on new whisky ideas. We’ll hear from both brothers on their views of the split and their plans for the future. In the news, Kentucky’s Bourbon distillers had their busiest year in nearly four decades during 2012, Heaven Hill’s partners are signing on to help support Parker Beam’s Promise of Hope fund for ALS research, and the Maker’s Mark controversy pays off for Beam.

WHISKYCAST EPISODE 422: APRIL 28, 2013

When Ireland’s distillers joined forces in 1966 to merge their struggling distilleries into one company, they placed their bet on Jameson as their principal export brand. Powers became the leading whiskey in Ireland, with limited exports to the U.S. and other key markets. The bet paid off, and Jameson became the world’s best-selling Irish whiskey. Now, Irish Distillers is giving the world a taste of the pot still whiskey John Ryan’s family created seven generations ago. He’s been in the U.S. for a series of Powers tastings, and joins us for this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, a gutsy thief steals a $26,000 bottle of whisky in Toronto, Kentucky’s getting ready for Derby Week, and Amrut’s greedy angels are on the loose.

EPISODE 421: APRIL 20, 2013

The English Whisky Company has been distilling since 2006, and while it may not be able to claim the title of “England’s only whisky distillery” for much longer, it’ll be able to call itself “England’s oldest whisky distillery”. Andrew Nelstrop’s been touring the U.S. to introduce his family’s whiskies for the first time in the colonies, and joins us for this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, South Africa’s Distell Group has bought Burn Stewart Distillers, Chivas Brothers clears a hurdle to building a new distillery in Speyside, and we’ll have the weekly update on new whiskies.

WHISKYCAST VIRTUAL TASTINGS: APRIL 2013

Our tasting panel gathered at Whisky Live New York for this month’s episode. Hana Choi, Olaf Asprink, Susannah Skiver Barton, Angelo Veneziano, John Maxwell, and special guest Ian Chang of Taiwan’s King Car Distillery tasted four whiskies from around the world: France’s Brenne Estate Cask, Invergordon Batch One single grain Scotch from Master of Malt’s “That Boutique-y Whisky Company”, Balcones Fifth Anniversary Texas Straight Bourbon, and the Redbreast 12 Cask Strength from Ireland.

EPISODE 420: APRIL 14, 2013

When Magnus Eunson set up his illegal still on Orkney in 1798, the gaugers in the village of Kirkwall were a safe distance away. Graham Manson manages Highland Park now, and Kirkwall has grown up around the distillery. We’ll hear from Graham on WhiskyCast In-Depth, and get some historical perspective from retired Highland Park and Scapa worker Davie Reid. In the news, U.S. craft distillers have broken away from the American Distilling Institute to set up their own organization, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society expands to India, and Chicago’s getting ready for Whisky Week.

EPISODE 419: APRIL 6, 2013

Scotch Whisky exports account for 80% of all Scottish food and drink exports each year, along with about 25% of all UK food and drink exports. The Scotch Whisky Association released its final 2012 export report this week, with little to no gain from 2011. SWA Chief Executive Gavin Hewitt discusses the export data and other key issues facing the industry on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Diageo’s Nick Morgan outlines the company’s plans for a massive expansion of distilling capacity in Scotland, Beam North American President Bill Newlands discusses the Maker’s Mark controversy, and we’ll get  sneak previews of this year’s Four Roses Limited Edition Single Barrel Bourbon from Jim Rutledge and the new Wild Turkey visitors center from Jimmy Russell. This week’s tasting notes include the Highland Park Loki, Teacher’s 50, and WhistlePig Rye TripleOne whiskies.

EPISODE 418: MARCH 30, 2013

Cutty Sark is marking two anniversaries within a week or so: the brand’s 90’s anniversary on March 23 and the third anniversary of its acquisition by the Edrington Group April 1. It’s a legendary brand that lost its way in recent years, but recorded its first annual increase in sales during 2012 after years of declining sales. Edrington’s first move three years ago was to put Jason Craig in charge of turning the ship around, and he joins us for this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth.

In the news, we’ll have plenty of new releases to talk about from Arran, Balblair, Four Roses, Kilchoman, and more…including a very special Bruichladdich single cask with a lot of sentimental value for former managing director Mark Reynier. This week’s tasting notes include a special limited edition Cutty Sark, a single malt from Germany, and a Kentucky classic.

WHISKYCAST VIRTUAL TASTINGS: MARCH 2013

This month, we’ve brought together a panel of novice whisky tasters with more enthusiasm than experience and turned them loose on three very different whiskies. Jim McVeigh, Carolyn Strator, and Matthew Morlock tasted the Mellow Corn Straight Corn Whiskey from Kentucky, Suntory’s Hibiki 12-year-old blended whisky from Japan, and the Highland Park 12-year-old single malt from Scotland.