EP 337 | Victoria Whisky Festival 2025 Davin De Kergemmeaux - Graeme Macaloney- Grant Sevely-Jason MacIsaac-Brennan Colebank
Release Date: 02/09/2025
EP 351 | Dan Mangan and new Album 'Natural Light'
Mulligan Stew
Dan Mangan released his 7th album, Natural Light, last Friday. A year ago, Dan Mangan asked the players in his road band to join him at a cottage to demo the songs for Natural Light. These players would likely not be in studio when he rerecorded the songs. However, after recording the first song - It Might Be Raining - they looked at each other, laughing. It was pure magic. The room worked, the band worked and the songs really worked They did two songs the next day and 2 more the third day. Four songs the 4th day. The demos in the...
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EP 350 | Guest Joel Plaskett and new album 'Songs From The Gang'
Mulligan Stew
We met over coffee on the streets of Victoria to talk about Songs from The Gang - A Celebration of Joel Plaskett. A #1 LP on the CKUA Top 30. His music friends recorded covers of his songs and kept it a secret for a year. Anyone who knows the music business will admit that is a minor miracle. Joel's Gang included Sloan, Alan Doyle, The Sheepdogs, Matt Andersen, Jenn Grant, etc. Joel's stories just spilled out - one after the other.
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EP 349 | Kevin Hearn. Stories of Portland Parish Pianos/ Gord/Leonard & Lou
Mulligan Stew
Most music fans know Kevin Hearn as the pianist and songwriter for Barenaked Ladies. Few would know that Kevin was the band leader for Lou Reed for 7 emotional years. Or that he fought a battle with leukemia for many years, even while touring with BNL. Gord Downie knew all those stories when he asked Kevin Hearn and Kevin Drew to help him prepare for live performances of his final music project - Secret Path! Because he had just been down his own darkened path , Kevin Hearn was able to bring comfort and strength to the recording of Gord's final songs. Kevin...
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EP 348 | Kurtis Kolt on new “Crafted in BC” wines and Launches 2025 Top Drop in Van/Calgary
Mulligan Stew
We're featuring Wine Educator and Event Creator Kurtis Kolt . Top Drop 2025, his sensational small wine fest runs next week in Vancouver and Calgary. Wine Educator, judge and Event Co-Ordinator Kurtis Kolt. His thoughts on 2025 Washington Grown/Crafted in BC Wines His impressive Top Drop Events this coming week in Vancouver and Calgary. Kurtis Kolt is a Vancouver-based wine & hospitality consultant who writes about wine, presents seminars, hosts events, judges' competitions, works with restaurants on their wine programs, and so on. Kurtis...
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EP 347 | Help Erin (re)Build a Life Worth Living
Mulligan Stew
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EP 346 | Matt Anderson New Album The Hammer and The Rose
Mulligan Stew
Matt Anderson is one of CKUA's favourite artists. On the air and certainly with the audience. Matt is releasing his 11th solo studio album The Hammer and The Rose April 25th. I was delighted with all of that information until I got to"the date" April 25. As you may know, that's the first Friday for the CKUA Spring fundraiser. I asked Matt's team if I could move the Stew interview to this Saturday - and they approved!! So, we get the story of the album and we are the first play of several tracks, anywhere. This...
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EP 345 | George Siu Memphis Blues BBQ House
Mulligan Stew
George Siu is a pal and the co-founder of Memphis Blues BBQ House. They now have 6 locations. 3 in Vancouver and 3 in Alberta. They serve top-of-the-line BBQ...beautifully cooked. George and Park Hefflefinger started the first location after heading to Memphis and spending much time studying the process and tricks of the trade. The Memphis style is to slow cook in a pit. Either dry or wet ribs. Dry has a rub with salt, spices before cooking - no sauce. Wet are brushed with sauce before during and after cooking. I had a number of things I...
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EP 344 | FREE SPIRIT VICTORIA – Non-alc. zero-proof, alcohol free. A story of our times.
Mulligan Stew
For the first time under one roof in Victoria, importers will be joined by local BC makers from Vancouver Island, Vancouver, the Okanagan, etc., to showcase the best alcohol-free wine, beer, spirits, and packaged cocktails available. Organized by Kurtis Kolt. Kurtis Kolt is a Vancouver-based wine consultant who writes about wine, presents seminars, hosts events, judges wine competitions, works with restaurants on their wine programs, etc. His various certifications and credits include London’s Wine & Spirit Education Trust, the Court of Master Sommeliers &...
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EP 344 | FREE SPIRIT VICTORIA – Non-alc. zero-proof, alcohol free. A story of our times.
Mulligan Stew
For the first time under one roof in Victoria, importers will be joined by local BC makers from Vancouver Island, Vancouver, the Okanagan, etc., to showcase the best alcohol-free wine, beer, spirits, and packaged cocktails available. Organized by Kurtis Kolt. Kurtis Kolt is a Vancouver-based wine consultant who writes about wine, presents seminars, hosts events, judges wine competitions, works with restaurants on their wine programs, etc. His various certifications and credits include London’s Wine & Spirit Education Trust, the Court of Master Sommeliers &...
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EP 343 | Mulligan Stew Podcast March 22 - 2025 Vancouver Wine Festival. The Highlights.
Mulligan Stew
We started this podcast well over 300 episodes ago. When we started the title was Mulligan Stew Podcast (Music. Film. Food. Wine) Over the months the Pod became more music and film than anything else. Just the way the road leads us. Tasting Room Radio has worked its way back into the mix because of critical dynamics taking place. Cold damaged vineyards, An agreement between BC Wine Growers and the BC Government to allow the 2024 wines to be grown and harvested in Washinton, Oregon and California. BC wine battles with political neighbours in Alberta, Tariffs from the USA and more. ...
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THE SHOW
It's the first of two Whisky Specials from the 2025 Canadian Whisky Awards and the 2025 Victoria Whisky Festival.
There are always headlining whiskies and star whisky makers in attendance!
Whisky fans want to taste and explore the new releases from Crown Royal, Canadian Club, Forty Creek, Hiram Walker, JP Wiser's Lot 40, Pike Creek, Gooderham and Worts, Nikka, Amrut, The Dalmore and Glencadam.
For the first time ever, Gisbelle Distillery a distillery from China, would be joining the lineup.
The West Coast and Vancouver Island were well represented.
Stillhead, Odd Society, DubhGlas, Sheringham, Sons of Vancouver & Shelter Point.
Over 200 whiskies were up for the awards. 14 judges from across the country tasted and scored.
The Grand Prize Winner, judged Canadian Whisky of the Year was,
The Peat Project Moscatel Barrique single malt from Macaloney's Island Distillery (Saanich)
Here are the guests on part one of the 2025 Whisky Awards and Victoria Whisky Festival
Davin De Kergommeaux - Davin is the flag bearer for Canadian Whisky. He singlehandedly brought Canadian Whisky to the attention of Canada and The World.
His latest book is the updated and expanded third edition of Canadian Whisky - The Essential Portable Expert.
I love the first line.
"Handles, mickeys, shots or drams, no matter what its measure, Canadian whisky is a story of Canada."
Davin is my ultimate connection to the world of Canadian Whisky. He helped create these awards and leads the judging team.
Grant Stevely - Distiller at DubhGlas (Oliver)
In the fall of 2010, Grant purchased some property at Gallagher Lake near Oliver, B.C.
“I wanted to build a distillery from the ground up, which is distinctly different from a lot of other
distilleries,” he says. “So we built the distillery with expansion in mind.”
Grant Stevely[/caption]
At the heart of the operation is a German-made Arnold Holstein still.
No sooner did Stevely open Dubh Glas Distillery in the spring of 2015, when he began winning awards
for his first product, Noteworthy Gin.
“Dubh Glas” is Scottish Gaelic for “from the dark water.” It’s pronounced “Douglas,” which happens to
be Stevely’s middle name.
Jason MacIsaac - Distiller. Sheringham (Langford, BC)
Sheringham Distillery won Best Contemporary Gin at the 2019 World Gin Awards
Its Seaside Gin captured the award against World-class competition from 23 countries, including the UK and USA.
"We created Sheringham because we saw a hole in the market: the opportunity to create the world’s most drinkable spirits. This approach has served us well, and in the seven years since founding Sheringham, we have been on the ground building authentic connections with buyers, retailers, and consumers, sharing our story and highlighting our chef-driven approach to innovation and quality." (Distiller Mag)
Jason and wife Alayne now have their growing portfolio available across Canada and in 15 markets in the USA.
Graeme Macaloney - Master Distiller Macaloney Island Distillery (Saanich)
There once was a wee Scottish lad by the name of Graeme Macaloney who found a summer job bottling
whisky and fell in love with Uisge Beatha, the ‘water of life’. He dedicated his heart to finding a way to
make whisky for a living.
Graeme set up shop on Saanich, just outside Victoria. Some of his favourite Scottish and Irish whiskies were island-made.
Graeme has found his "island" in Canada.
Congratulations Champ!!
- Distillery opened in 2016
- The first whisky made onsite and released in 2020
-Canadian Whisky of the Year - 2025
Brennan Colebank - Master Distiller Stillhead Distillery (Duncan)
Founded by the Colebank family, Stillhead Distillery Inc. opened its doors in October of 2017.
After working 15 years in the tech industry, Master Distiller Brennan Colebank left his job to pursue his dream career,
blending the two things he loved most: chemistry and spirits. The chemist has created an amazing portfolio and a home for Whisky in the Cowichan Valley.
www.victoriawhiskyfestival.com
www.canadianwhiskyawards.com