Whiskycast | Weekly Whisky, Scotch, & Bourbon Podcast | Discover Latest News, Tasting Notes, Ratings | Spirits To Drink & Buy

If you've never had a chance to attend a master class with Whyte & MacKay's Richard Paterson, you're missing out on an education...and a great time. In this week's episode, you'll get to listen in as the master blender teaches a group of New York City bartenders about The Dalmore. In the news, Glenfiddich confirms its new 50-year-old single malt, Suntory does the same with Hibiki and surprises the U.S. with a rare Yamazaki release, Park Avenue Liquors has a bunch of new single cask releases coming in...and Parker Beam's done it again!

It's been a busy year at GlenDronach and BenRiach distilleries...the investor group led by Billy Walker added GlenDronach to their portfolio less than a year ago, and are already revamping the entire range. Their BenRiach malts have won 17 medals in competitions over the last few weeks...and Alastair Walker brings us up to date in this episode. In the news, the Scottish Government may offer Diageo public funding to keep the Johnnie Walker bottling plant in Kilmarnock open, Heaven Hill unveils the latest release in Parker Beam's Heritage Collection of bourbons...and tasting notes for some new spirits.

On the road in Michigan this week, but had the chance to sneak across the Detroit River to Windsor, Ontario...where Canadian Club has been produced for 151 years at the Hiram Walker & Sons Distillery in the Walkerville neighborhood of Windsor. Hiram Walker's headquarters building is now the Canadian Club Heritage Center, and this classic building patterned on a 16th century Italian palace will appeal to whisky lovers, art lovers, and architecture fans alike. CC's Tish Harcus tells us about the building's history over a dram or two. Plenty of new releases in the news, including a 50-year-old Glenfiddich, the coming debut of Suntory's Hibiki blended whisky in the U.S., and a dozen single-cask bottlings!

Glenfiddich is the world's most popular single malt Scotch, and Hans-Henrik Hansen knows more about Glenfiddich's history than almost anyone. In fact, he has what may be the world's largest collection of Glenfiddich malts. He'll tell us about what prompted him to start collecting Glenfiddich expressions in this week's episode. In the news, more fallout over Diageo's plan to close plants and cut jobs in Scotland, a Canadian province rolls back its spirits tax increase, Bruichladdich plans to close its Whisky Academy, and new whiskies from Old Forester and Berry Bros. & Rudd.

It may be a summer holiday weekend in the U.S., but it's the middle of winter in Australia. The inaugural Whisky Live Sydney will be held the week of August 31 through September 6, and organizer Doug van Tienen explains the emphasis on events for bar and restaurant staff as well as whisky lovers. He'll also update us on the growing number of Australian whisky distilleries. In the news, Diageo announces major cuts in Scotland, more details on the John Ramsay Glenrothes release, and word on limited-edition releases from The Balvenie and Old Pulteney.

Jim Murray's 2009 Whisky Bible named a hard-to-find rye whiskey as the Best Rye Whiskey in the World Under 10 Years Old. That whiskey is Templeton Rye, produced illegally for generations by farmers in Templeton, Iowa -- but now legally available in Iowa and Illinois. Scott Bush and Keith Karkhoff started bottling the legal version of Templeton Rye in 2006, and it's become a cult favorite among rye whiskey lovers. Scott updates us on Templeton's success and future in this episode. In the news, Old Taylor Bourbon is back home at Buffalo Trace, the SWA wins a battle against an Italian imitator, and another distillery is in the works for the area around St. Andrew's in Scotland.

John Ramsay has turned over the duties of Master Blender for The Glenrothes and the Edrington Group's other whiskies to Gordon Motion after 43 years in the whisky business. He'll share his insights with us in this episode, along with the plans for one final malt that he's working on. In the news, William Grant & Sons gets a new CEO, a 1919 Springbank sells for nearly $2500 (for a mini!), and Knob Creek runs dry for a few months.

Kate Hopkins's new book "99 Drams of Whiskey: The Accidental Hedonist's Quest for the Perfect Shot and the History of the Drink" is getting a lot of attention from whisky lovers...and with good reason. She's been blogging as the Accidental Hedonist since 2004, and I think it's one of the best whisky books of the year. We'll hear from Kate in this episode...and in the news, the legal fight over Glen Breton Rare Single Malt Canadian Whisky may be over after a Canadian Supreme Court ruling, Isle of Jura shuts down because of ferry problems, and new whiskies from The Glenrothes and Douglas Laing.

Harlen Wheatley of Buffalo Trace usually comes out with something unusual every summer when he unleashes his latest Experimental Collection releases on the world. This year, he's releasing one of the distillery's older experiments -- bourbon aged in two different types of oak casks for 15 years. One batch was aged in coarse-grained oak from fast-growth forests, and the other was aged in fine-grain oak from slow-growth forests. He'll tell us what he found in this week's episode.

It's hard enough just to keep track of whiskies, but F. Paul Pacult does just that...and rums, tequilas, gins...you name it. Paul names his top spirits of 2009 in the latest edition of the Spirit Journal, and he'll share some of his favorites in this episode. In the news, Campari closes on the purchase of Wild Turkey, Isle of Jura goes elemental, Buffalo Trace gets experimental, and the results of Kilchoman's charity auction are astronomical...

It's festival week on Islay, and thousands of people are on the island for this year's Islay Festival of Malt & Music. The festival is more than just a celebration of the island's 8 distilleries...it celebrates a unique cultural heritage as well and Feis Ile chairman Kevin Murphy will explain. In the news, U.S. Senators are eyeing whisky and other alcoholic beverages with an eye to raising taxes, there are new 40-year-old malts from Glengoyne and it's sister label Chieftain's, Suntory releases a new 12-year-old Hibiki in the U.K., and we'll get an update on the revival of Glenglassaugh from Stuart Nickerson.

It's a milestone episode of WhiskyCast, and we'll hear from veteran whisky writer and Malt Maniac Dave Broom of Whisky Magazine in this week's episode. In the news, there's a controversy developing over whisky tastings at The Gathering in Edinburgh in July...Regis LeMaitre has two new bottlings to go mad over, and Willie Tait tells us about the return of The Dalmore to the U.S.

It's another road trip for WhiskyCast...this time to the Spirit of Toronto festival! The festival is in its fifth year, and better than ever. We'll hear from Dan Tullio of Canadian Club about the debut of CC's 20-year-old expression in North America, Mike Harrison of Berry Bros. & Rudd gives us a sneak preview of the first-ever kosher expression of The Glenrothes and new expressions from Cutty Sark, and John Hall of Kittling Ridge tells us about the upcoming port wood version of Forty Creek!

The judges at Whisky Magazine gave Highland Park's 21-year-old Scotch the title of World's Best Singe Malt in this year's World Whisky Awards, and that has the guys on Orkney jumping for joy...except for one little problem. They're in the process of tweaking it because of supplies...and Jason Craig will explain in this episode. In the news...no news on the merger front, the Spirit of Speyside Festival kicks off Whisky Month in Scotland...and Benromach honors a sailing legend.

Last week, Scotland...this week, Kentucky! We'll look at plenty of vacation options in and around Louisville in the heart of Bourbon Country. Stacey Yates of the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau's Bourbon Country project will be our guide. Dave Broom of Whisky Magazine will give us the winners of this year's World Whisky Awards, and we'll talk whisky taxes in the UK, consolidation rumors within the industry, horses with Chris Morris of Woodford Reserve, and David Mair of The Balvenie updates us on the latest release of the Signature 12-year-old single malt.

We're getting into the start of the vacation season, and there are plenty of whisky-related places to see in Scotland. Chris Conway heads up the tourism initiative Scotland Whisky, and will give us a few highlights in this week's episode. In the news, Pernod Ricard may put more whisky brands and distilleries up for sale, Buffalo Trace goes Mongolian, and U.S. whisky lovers will get to try two world whiskies later this year. Jonathan Bray tells us about the impending arrival of India's Amrut and Australia's Sullivan's Cove.

Colin Scott has been the Master Blender at Chivas Brothers for years, overseeing the consistency of Chivas Regal Scotch. He's also created the Chivas Regal 18 and 25-year-old blends, and works closely with the distillers at The Glenlivet, Strathisla, and Longmorn on their single malts. Colin shares his experiences of more than 4 decades in the whisky business in this week's episode. In the news, Campari buys Wild Turkey for $575 million, China may crack down on counterfeit whiskies, and Glencairn's classic whisky glass gets an upgrade!

This has been a busy week for whisky lovers, with three major festivals in the past week. This week's episode features special coverage from Whisky Live New York, including interviews with Duncan Taylor's Euan Shand, Ardmore & Laphroaig brand ambassador Simon Brooking, and many more...and Ardbeg's Dr. Bill Lumsden helps answer a listener question, too!

55 years ago, Jimmy Russell got a job at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky...and it was the best hire the distillery ever made. He's been the Master Distiller since 1967, and has no plans to retire any time soon. Jimmy shares his history and the Wild Turkey legend with us in this week's episode. In the news, the winners of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition have been announced, Highland Park uncovers a treasure from the past, and Buffalo Trace is now selling its "white dog" spirit at the distillery.

It's been about a year and a half since we lost Michael Jackson, and his friends are honoring the best whisky and beer writer of all time with a new book being released this week on what would have been Michael's 67th birthday. We'll hear from Ian Buxton of Classic Expressions about "Beer Hunter, Whisky Chaser" and plans to donate the proceeds to charity. We'll also hear from Doug McIvor of Berry Bros. & Rudd about the one-of-a-kind blended whisky he created from the opened bottles Michael left behind. We'll also wind up St. Patrick's Day with the annual update from Colum Egan of Bushmills, and John McDougall will tell us about a new distillery he's consulting on along the Irish coast.