Whisky, Hollywood Style
WhiskyCast
Filmland Spirits founders Troy Bolotnick and Charlie Flint created their brand as an homage to the classic “B Movies” of the 1950’s and 60’s. With eye-catching labels based on movie posters and names like “Moonlight Mayhem” and “Ryes of the Robots,” their whiskies stand out on store shelves and in the eyes of the critics, who have given Filmland Spirits’ whiskies several medals in recent competitions. Troy Bolotnick joins us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth, and we’ll have a double feature tasting of his whiskies in the What I’m Tasting This Week Department. In the...
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Campbeltown's Role in Scotch Whisky History
WhiskyCast
At one time, Campbeltown, Scotland was the heart of the Scotch Whisky industry with around 30 working distilleries. Over the years, all but two disappeared, and the futures of Springbank and Glen Scotia were very much in doubt at various times over the last century. Author David Stirk researched the history of Campbeltown and its distilleries for his new book “Whiskyopolis,” and he’ll join us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, we have details on more layoffs in the whisky industry, with declining global demand getting the blame. Two Canadian provinces are ending their...
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In Search of Vintage Whiskey
WhiskyCast
Whisky collector Mark Wade specializes in vintage bottlings, specifically Prohibition-era “medicinal” bottles. Part of his collection went on the auction block this month at Sotheby’s, and he’ll join us on his week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth to discuss the search for dusties, authenticating his finds, and that one whisky he’s still searching for. In the news, this year’s class of Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame honorees has been announced, and we’ll talk with Parker Beam Lifetime Achievement Award winner Chris Morris. We’ll also look at an Irish distillery’s unique use of...
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The Masters...and The Protege
WhiskyCast
Dr. Bill Lumsden is best known as the head of whisky creation for The Glenmorangie Company, but he’s also the master blender for Beyonce’s Sir Davis American whiskey. Much of the day to day work of blending Sir Davis falls to master blender Cameron George, who took on the role when Sir Davis was launched last year. We’ll talk with both of them on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth, and we’ll also be joined by Ireland’s first female master blender, Helen Mulholland of Sazerac’s Hawk’s Rock Distillery. She’s just released the first whiskey from Hawk’s Rock, the Garavogue...
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Mary Dowling: The Mother of Bourbon
WhiskyCast
Mary Dowling was a pioneer among women in distilling. She ran distilleries and cooperages with her husband John before and after his death in 1903, and is the subject of a new historical novel, “Mother of Bourbon” by Eric Goodman and Kaveh Zamanian. Zamanian is the founder of Rabbit Hole Distillery in Louisville, and recently released a series of whiskies bearing Mary Dowling’s name. He’ll join us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth, and we’ll taste one of Mary’s whiskies in the What I’m Tasting This Week Department. In the news, the courts are getting involved in President...
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T is for Texas and Terroir
WhiskyCast
This week, we’re going to geek out with the results of two studies comparing whiskies matured in Texas with the same whiskey matured elsewhere. Milam and Greene’s Heather Greene joins us to explain her team’s decision to age otherwise identical whiskey in Texas and Kentucky, while Jared Himstedt and Gabe Richarde of Balcones Distilling share the findings of their experiment maturing the same single malt whiskey in four different locations. We’ll also taste the Milam and Greene whiskies, which are being released this week in a two-bottle set. In the news, new U.S. trade tariffs on the...
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Ireland's Midleton Distillery Celebrates 200 Years
WhiskyCast
Ireland’s largest distillery is celebrating 200 years since the original Midleton Distillery opened in 1825, along with the 50th anniversary of the “new” Midleton, which replaced the original distillery in 1975. Master Distiller Kevin O’Gorman joins us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth with details on two new whiskies commemorating the anniversaries. In the news, Old Elk is getting new ownership and a new home in Ohio, while the Dublin Liberties Distillery is shutting down because of the headwinds facing the Irish Whiskey industry.
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Glendronach Releases The Master's Anthology Series
WhiskyCast
Scotland’s GlenDronach Distillery has released a new collection of three no-age-statement single malts created by master blender Dr. Rachel Barrie, including a rare peated GlenDronach. We’ll talk with Rachel about the collection, along with her comparison of a whisky blender to a symphony conductor, on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, India and the UK have finally reached an agreement to reduce India’s whisky tariffs. Another craft distillery has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and Campari’s first-quarter sales left analysts disappointed.
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The Spirit of Independents
WhiskyCast
Independent bottlers take sourced casks of whisky, mature them, and then bottle them under their own brand names. It’s a practice that’s been commonplace in Scotland for generations, and has expanded to the U.S. with independents like Single Cask Nation and Lost Lantern. Greg Swartz is the co-director of Independent Spirits, a new documentary series highlighting independent bottlers, and he’ll join us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, a cask investment firm with an estimated $80 million in casks has gone into administration, while Moet Hennessy plans to lay off 1200...
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Inside the Johnnie Walker Vault
WhiskyCast
Deep below the Johnnie Walker Princes Street experience in Edinburgh lies Dr. Emma Walker’s personal playground. The Johnnie Walker master blender curates around 500 of the more than 10 million casks of maturing whisky in Diageo’s inventory in the Vault. If you have the means, she’ll create a bespoke blend that takes your personal likes and dislikes into account. It’s a long way from the council estate where she grew up, and she’ll share her journey on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, U.S. whiskey exports fell during 2024 in what was otherwise a record year for...
info_outlineWith WhiskyCast celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2025, we thought we’d start the year by turning the tables on host and creator Mark Gillespie. Longtime listener Juan Cruz collected questions for Mark from WhiskyCast Community app members, and sat down with Mark over New Year’s Day drams for a conversation. It’s our special one-time-only WhiskyCast In-Depth this week. In the news, the U.S. Surgeon General wants new warnings about the links between alcohol and several different types of cancers on beverage labels, while MGP is looking for a new CEO and Glenmorangie’s Dr. Bill Lumsden can add the initials MBE to his business cards.