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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.

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.

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. We'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 we'll have tasting notes for the first Clan Speyburn exclusive bottling.

Dave Pickerell left Maker's Mark as Master Distiller four years ago, and since then, he's been one of the leaders of the craft distilling movement. He's worked as a consultant for dozens of distilleries, and has just taken on the role of Master Distiller at the Hillrock Estate Distillery in New York. In this week's episode, Dave tells us why he's having more fun than ever, and just what new distillers need to have to make it in the whisky business.

This week's episode features highlights from Whisky Live New York, including interviews with distillers from two of the city's own craft distilleries. We'll also get the latest on Adelphi's plans for a new distillery on Scotland's Ardnamurchan Peninsula, Ardbeg in orbit, and plenty of new whiskies!

If you want evidence of the boom in craft distilling, all you need to do is look at registration numbers for the American Distilling Institute's annual conference each April. This year's event in Louisville had double the attendance of last year's...which had double the attendance of the previous year's...and so on. We'll hear from some of the craft distillers who have jumped into whisky making with both feet, as well as some of their role models...including Jimmy Russell of Wild Turkey.

This week's episode is a little different than most WhiskyCast episodes. My father passed away earlier this week, and my family and I have been in Indiana with the rest of our relatives. I considered taking the week off, but after thinking about my Dad's commitment to hard work, I decided that it would be best to produce an abbreviated episode focusing on the week's news, comments, and the Calendar of Events, along with some comments on life and love and a special version of the "What I'm Tasting This Week Department.

Four times each year, Woodford Reserve master distiller Chris Morris becomes the headmaster of the Woodford Reserve Bourbon Academy. His students get a one-day class on the intricacies of Bourbon, from the entire distilling process to nosing and tasting lessons. We'll listen as Professor Morris leads a recent class through some hands-on mashing experience as well. In the news, Whisky Magazine hands out the Icons of Whisky Awards and the World Whiskies Awards in London, and 192 years of whisky production comes to a close in the Scottish town of Kilmarnock.

It's St. Patrick's Day, and we're in Dublin for the annual Jameson Global Broadcast from the Old Jameson Distillery. Each year, radio stations from around the world broadcast their shows from the distillery, and you'll hear David Byrne of Irish Distillers lead them through a cask sampling of whisky from the Midleton Distillery. We'll also hear from Midleton distiller Liam Donegan and artist Paul Daly, who designed the special St. Patrick's Day Jameson bottle available only at the distillery.

Investment-grade Scotch. The very idea makes many whisky lovers furious...but there are those who see potential profits from their whisky collections. Andy Simpson is a former investment banker who now runs Whisky Highland, a business designed to help whisky investors make the most of their collections. Andy explains the potential he sees for whisky investing, and why it's not for everyone. In the news, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked reaches the market, Laphroaig and Auchentoshan expand their travel retail ranges, and much more!

Time to shatter some long-cherished myths and legends about Bourbon, and Michael Veach will serve as our myth-buster this week. He's the Bourbon historian at Louisville's Filson Historical Society, and is also a member of the Bourbon Hall of Fame. In the news, Knob Creek and Wild Turkey release new rye whiskies, Ian Logan of Chivas Brothers updates last week's story on Glen Keith's revival, and we'll catch up with Bill Samuels Jr. of Maker's Mark.

Each year, Glenmorangie releases a special edition finished in fine wine casks. This year's edition is Artein, and takes the flavors of Sassicaia wine casks from Italy's Tenuta San Guido in Tuscany. We'll hear from Ferdinando Fiori, an Italian whisky connoisseur who suggested Sassicaia casks to Glenmorangie's Bill Lumsden...and distillery manager Andy McDonald takes us to the Tarlogie Springs, the source of the distillery's precious water supply.  In the news, Gillian Howell leaves Penderyn to join Bill Lumsden's team, Chivas Brothers plans to reopen Glen Keith for the first time since 1999, and Campari announces plans for a new Wild Turkey bottling plant in Kentucky. 

Craft distillers make whisky as much out of passion as a desire to make money, and that gives them the freedom to try different things...just because. Darek Bell is one of the partners in Corsair Artisan Distillery, based in Nashville, Tennessee and Bowling Green, Kentucky, and he's written a new book for craft distillers...and those who would like to be. "Alt Whiskeys" outlines some really unusual whiskey recipes, including an 11-grain Bourbon and "Amarillo Aromatherapy Bourbon." In the news, Adelphi has applied for permits to build Scotland's newest distillery and Cutty Sark tries to reclaim a piece of its heritage.

Rob Cederlid of Stockholm isn't your typical Swedish whisky lover. For instance, you're likely to see him in a cowboy hat and boots that are more suited to cattle drives than cross-country skiing. Rob owns the Saddle & Sabre restaurant and bar, where the steaks, beer, and the whiskey come from the US. The Saddle & Sabre has arguably one of the best bourbon collections of any bar in Europe, and Rob explains his passion for cowboy culture in this week's episode. In the news, two special whiskies honor Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee and another rare Glenfiddich auction raises money for the UK's wounded warriors. 

Whisky stories can make you smile, laugh, or even shed a tear once in a while, and we have stories to make you do all three in this episode. Some of whisky's best storytellers share their best family tales, jokes, and even an escapade or two...and those are just the ones we could get them to tell us on the record. In the news, Highland Park hammers the competition with Thor, new whisky sales and export numbers from the U.S., Glenfiddich rolls out the Cask of Dreams, and much more!

More from the Victoria Whisky Festival in this week's episode, including updates from Kilchoman, Gordon & MacPhail, Amrut, Edradour and Signatory, and two of British Columbia's local distilleries, Shelter Point and Victoria Spirits. In the news, there may soon be a truce in the trade dispute between India and the European Union that affects Scotch whisky exports...and Yale's offering an architecture class with a whiskey-related theme.

The end of January means many things, but in the whisky world, it means a trip to the Victoria Whisky Festival in British Columbia. The VWF is one of the world's best whisky festivals, and this week's episode features some of the highlights from this weekend's event. We'll get the latest on new whiskies from Cooley, Glenfarclas, Glenmorangie, and many more distillers, along with the results of the Canadian Whisky Awards and the newest chapter of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society.

A year ago, the owner of Glasgow's Pot Still Bar, Ken Storrie, passed away. At first, Glasgow whisky lovers were sad...but they quickly became mad after the Pot Still's landlord threw Ken's family and managers out. Now, they're happy...and going back to the Pot Still once again now that former manager Frank Murphy and his family have taken over one of Scotland's best whisky bars. Frank explains the whole sordid story and shares his memories of Ken and his hopes for the Pot Still in this week's episode.