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This week's episode looks at a controversial whisky tasting/competition recently held in Michigan. The "Midwest Whisky Olympics" at Journeyman Distillery has been criticized because it was organized by Greg Ramsay of the New Zealand Whisky Company, and two of his whiskies won medals. Greg Ramsay explains his side of the story in this episode, and for the first time, we have the complete list of the 17 entries. In the news, fire damages New York's Tuthilltown Distillery, a Scottish biofuel project using distillery by-products gains steam, Scottish designer Maeve Gillies creates a unique decanter to be auctioned in Edinburgh, and much more!

This week, we're catching up with old friends and on new whiskies. After two full weeks on the road, there was much more to talk about than what would fit in the episodes from Paris and Bardstown -- even with bonus episodes each week. We'll "Czech" up on Hammer Head's new 23-year-old Czech single malt, Gordon & MacPhail's re-release of the Glenlivet 70 in Vancouver, and find out about a really old Karuizawa single malt from Japan...complete with tasting notes!

Bonus coverage in this special episode from the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, with highlights from the Bourbon Hall of Fame induction ceremony for the legendary I.W. Bernheim, the World Championship Bourbon Barrel Relay, the Master Distillers' Auction, and much more. In the news, Michter's unveils a whopper of a bourbon along with expansion plans in Louisville, Woodford Reserve opens up to the archaeologists, and Jim Beam's Fred Noe pens his memoirs.

This weekend, I'm in Bardstown for the annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival. There's a legitimate claim that this could be the world's largest whisky festival, with an estimated 50,000 visitors from around the world. In this first of two episodes from Bardstown, we'll hear from members of the Beam family who are getting back into the family business, look at the boom in Bourbon tourism, and much more!

More from Whisky Live Paris in this special episode...we'll hear from David Roussier of France's Distillerie Warenghem, which marks its 25th anniversary this year. Ann Miller of Aberlour tells us about the latest release for France's most popular single malt, and we'll hear from Michael Urquhart of Gordon & MacPhail, Doug McIvor of Berry Bros. & Rudd, Daryl Haldane of Highland Park, and catch up with an old friend...Midleton Distillery cooper Ger Buckley.

This is the first of two episodes from Whisky Live Paris, and there's a lot to cover this weekend. We'll hear from The Balvenie's Malt Master, David Stewart, on his 50th anniversary single malt, along with the latest on whiskies from all over the world. In the news, updates on Diageo's plans for another new malt whisky distillery in Scotland, and Pernod Ricard's Chivas Brothers unit is getting closer to a decision on a new distillery of its own.

Emerging markets have been responsible for most of the growth in whisky sales worldwide, and Billy Walker of BenRiach and GlenDronach joins us this week to discuss the growing world of whisky. In the news, new whiskies from Bruichladdich, the Classic Malts, and Compass Box. Glenfiddich's Mitch Bechard tells us about the US debut of the Malt Master's Edition and a series of upcoming tastings, and Wild Turkey holds another groundbreaking ceremony in Kentucky...this time for a new $4 million visitors center.

Par Caldenby caught the whisky bug at an early age, but built a career as a lawyer in Sweden. The whisky bug first inspired him to write the book "Enjoying Malt Whisky" in 2006, and later to build his own distillery on Sweden's West Coast. This week, Smögen Whisky marked the second anniversary of its first cask filling, and we'll catch up with Par on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Heaven Hill's Craig Beam tells us about this year's Parker's Heritage Collection bourbon, John Glaser of Compass box updates us on new Great King Street and Flaming Heart releases, and Springbank announces its 2013 Whisky School dates.

You have questions about whisky, and this week, we have some of the answers. It's the annual Question and Answer episode of WhiskyCast, and whisky experts will answer some of the many questions that have come in from WhiskyCast community members. We'll get the definitive answer on whether to store whisky bottles on their side or standing up, among other things. In the news, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail gets a new member, Bowmore and Jameson release new whiskies, and The Famous Grouse goes over and above in setting a new world record.

Canadians Barry Bernstein and Barry Stein have made whisky their second careers. After starting out as Canada's first independent Scotch Whisky bottlers with Premium Bottlers whiskies, they've moved into the distilling business. Their Still Waters Distillery near Toronto has already produced its first Canadian whisky, and is about to release its first single malt whisky. We'll catch up with Barry and Barry on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, new whiskies from Four Roses, Buffalo Trace, Glenfarclas, and the story of a world record that could have been...

Kirsteen Campbell has tried to keep a low profile since she was named Master Blender for Cutty Sark two years ago. However, it's hard to stay out of the spotlight when your whiskies are winning major awards. This week on WhiskyCast In-Depth, Kirsteen tells us about reviving one of Scotch whisky's iconic brands. In the news, Beam beats Wall Street expectations and the latest on new whiskies from Laphroaig, Buffalo Trace, BenRiach, Compass Box, and WhistlePig. We'll also announce the winner of the Glenmorangie/Open Championship Golf Giveaway!

What's the most intense environment one could age a whisky in? A Kentucky rickhouse with 100-degree temperature swings and high humidity...maybe. How about a deep-sea fishing boat on the ocean for more than three years? Trey Zoeller of Jefferson's Bourbon came up with the idea to put several Bourbon casks on a friend's boat...and his Ocean-Aged Bourbon is the result. He'll tell us how the marine environment changed the spirit into something unique. In the news, the latest on Bruichladdich's sale, a new Bourbon honoring a legendary whiskey thief, and much more...

Ian MacMillan manages three distilleries for Burn Stewart, each with their own unique personality. We'll talk with Ian about Bunnahabhain on Islay, Tobermory on the Isle of Mull, and Deanston in the Highlands. In the news, the Bruichladdich sale to Remy Cointreau has been completed for a whopping $90 million, the latest on Whyte & Mackay's financial situation, Glenmorangie goes golfing, and plenty of new whiskies are on the way!

You've probably never heard of the James Sedgwick Distillery, but South Africa's first whisky distillery has been producing some award-winning whiskies. Three Ships 5-year-old won top honors among blended whiskies in this year's World Whiskies Awards, and Bain's Cape Mountain grain is featured in Ian Buxton's new book "101 World Whiskies to Try Before You Die". Distillery manager Andy Watts tells us what makes his whiskies so unique in this week's episode. In the news, Remy Cointreau's bid to Bruichladdich is just days from completion and details on new whiskies, including one that just might have you singing "Satisfaction"...

Each year, F. Paul Pacult takes all of the spirits he tastes during the year for the Spirit Journal and distills them down into the SJ 140, his list of the world's finest spirits. Paul discusses the 2012 SJ 140 with us in this episode, along with this year's choices for the Spirit Journal Hall of Fame. In the news, Edrington announces its annual financial results and hints at expansion plans in Scotland and Gordon & MacPhail updates its Connoisseur's Choice range.

Ken Loach's new film "The Angel's Share" focuses on an attempt to steal rare bottles of Malt Mill single malt Scotch. The actual Malt Mill distillery was hidden away inside Islay's Lagavulin Distillery until it closed in 1962. What may be the most precious Malt Mill artifact is now on display at Lagavulin: a sample of new make spirit from Malt Mill's final still run. It's been at Lagavulin all this time, handed down by each distillery manager to his successor. Georgie Crawford is the current manager, and with the interest in "The Angel's Share", she decided to reveal the existence of Malt Mill's secret sample to the world.

Crown Royal master blender Andrew Mackay didn't have to look far when it came time to create a successor to the original Crown Royal XR, which used whiskies from the old Waterloo Distillery in Ontario. He just had to look in the warehouses at his home base, the old Lasalle Distillery in Montreal. In the news, Edinburgh's North British distillery is open again after receiving a clean bill of health from inspectors following the area's Legionnaire's disease outbreak. We'll also update last year's visit to Knockdhu Distillery, and Bonhams has pulled a controversial Ardbeg bottle from this week's auction in New York City.

Whisky lovers tend to be passionate about other things as well. For Mark Dermul of Belgium, it's whisky and "Star Wars". Mark and his friends celebrated the 35th anniversary of the premiere of "Star Wars" last month by restoring one of the movie's location sets in the Tunisian desert...then restoring themselves with a couple of bottles of single malt Scotch. He'll tell us why they picked this mission...and which whiskies they celebrated with. In the news, results from Australia's Malt Whisky Tasting Championship and the Compass Box 24 Hours of Le Whisky.

How do you spend a billion and a half dollars? Believe it or not, it's hard to spend that much money. Diageo's Dr. Nick Morgan and his colleagues are about to find out just how hard it can be, since the world's largest spirits company has committed to investing that much to increase its Scotch whisky production. Nick explains the tentative plans for one new malt distillery and possibly a second, along with expansions at several existing distilleries and new warehouse facilities. In the news, Edinburgh's North British grain whisky distillery has been closed temporarily after a Legionnaire's Disease outbreak that has claimed at least one life.

Ian Buxton's 2010 book "101 Whiskies to Try Before You Die" was a hit with whisky lovers around the world. Now, Ian has compiled a new list of "101 World Whiskies to Try Before You Die", and his new book is on the way to booksellers now. He'll share some of the unusual whiskies he found in non-traditional whisky-producing countries such as Austria and Finland with us in this episode. In the news, Chivas Brothers plans to expand its Scotch whisky production, lawyers take on Louisville's "Bourbon Barons", and a herd of cows turns a backyard picnic into a beer bash!