WhiskyCast

Whiskey's first and longest-running podcast series, now in its 21st year! The original cask-strength podcast on whiskies from around the world, including Scotch, Bourbon, Irish, and Canadian whiskies. Listen for the latest whisky news, interviews, tasting notes, and much more! To find out more about WhiskyCast, visit us at WhiskyCast.com.

Single Oak Bourbon: Buffalo Trace’s Single Oak Project Realized 05/03/2026

Single Oak Bourbon: Buffalo Trace’s Single Oak Project Realized /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/41134115

Making Single Malt Whisky on Scotland's Ballindalloch Estate 04/26/2026

Making Single Malt Whisky on Scotland's Ballindalloch Estate When the Ballindalloch Estate has been in your family for more than 450 years, what’s a few years to wait to bottle your own single malt Scotch whisky. The McPherson-Grant family waited nine years to bottle their first single malt after opening their distillery in 2014, and have now entered the U.S. market with the Ballindalloch Family Heritage Selection. We’ll talk with Guy McPherson-Grant, the lord of Ballindalloch Castle, and the distillery’s international sales director, Aidan Dunn, on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. We’ll also have tasting notes for the Family Heritage Selection, along with the Ardbeg Dolce Feis Ile single malt. In the news, we have details on layoffs in the whisky industry in England and the U.S., along with the week’s new releases and much more. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/41024235

250 Years of History in One Bourbon 04/19/2026

250 Years of History in One Bourbon Horse Soldier Bourbon honors the “horse soldiers,” Green Berets who led the invasion of Afghanistan after 9/11 and fought the Taliban on horseback. Now, the brand is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States with a special 13-year-old Bourbon - representing the 13 original colonies. We’ll talk with Horse Soldier co-founder Scott Neil about the whiskey and plans to open the Horse Soldier Distillery with a massive Fourth of July party on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Sazerac is reportedly offering $15 billion for Brown-Forman, while Uncle Nearest’s receiver says the company is insolvent and on life support from its lenders. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/40929360

Up on Woody Creek... 04/12/2026

Up on Woody Creek... This week, we’re joined by Woody Creek Distillers’ “spokesdude”, William H. Macy. Known for his roles in Shameless, Fargo, and other films, the award-winning actor is about to release the third edition of his William H. Macy Reserve Rye whiskey. Woody Creek’s National Brand Ambassador, bartending guru Sean Kenyon, joins us as well to talk about the Colorado distillery and its whiskies. In the news, Sazerac has reportedly entered the bidding for Brown-Forman, while MGP is shutting down production at its two distilleries in Kentucky because of oversupply… /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/40820320

Sukhinder Singh's Worldview 04/07/2026

Sukhinder Singh's Worldview Sukhinder Singh is a legend in the whisky business…he and his brother founded The Whisky Exchange and turned it into one of the leading whisky retailers in the world. They now run Elixir Distillers, which is reviving Tormore as a single malt and building Islay’s Portintruan Distillery, which is on track to open later this year. Sukhinder is also known as one of the world’s leading whisky collectors, with a collection of thousands of bottles. We’ll get an update from him on the company’s distillery projects, as well as his view of the whisky business, on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Gallo has completed its purchase of Kentucky’s Four Roses Distillery, and U.S. spirits exports fell by nearly four percent last year. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/40765465

Cruising with Jefferson's Bourbon 03/30/2026

Cruising with Jefferson's Bourbon Jefferson’s Ocean Bourbon is known for being aged at sea, and now, a new partnership between Jefferson’s and Holland America cruises will see 11 cruise ships carrying barrels of Jefferson’s on board during their voyages around the world. After the whiskey is bottled, it’ll be sold on board each ship. We’ll talk with Jefferson’s co-founder Trey Zoeller about the partnership on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman are discussing a potential merger that could see Jack Daniel’s and Jameson under the same ownership. We’ll have all of the details on this week’s WhiskyCast. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/40671390

School Time at Moonshine University 03/22/2026

School Time at Moonshine University Louisville’s Moonshine University is one of the few providers of distiller education in the United States, and many aspiring craft distillers have taken its courses over the last decade. With the downturn in whisky production, the school has changed its focus to include brand creation and sourcing for those who want to make whisky without owning a distillery. We’ll talk with general manager Jason Lawrence and operations manager Clay Smith on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Waterford Distillery has been bought out of receivership, while the twists and turns in the Uncle Nearest receivership included a two-day detour into bankruptcy court this week. We’ll have all the details and the rest of the week’s news on this episode of WhiskyCast. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/40580070

A Dream About to be Realized 03/15/2026

A Dream About to be Realized Nine years ago, John Lunn and Allisa Henley set out to make the Tennessee Whiskey of their dreams at Sazerac’s A.J. Bond Distillery. That plan was shattered when John Lunn died suddenly three years ago this month, but Allisa forged on with the backing of Sazerac. The first A.J. Bond whiskey will be released this summer, and Allisa Henley joins us with a preview on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news…a federal judge is expected to rule soon on the Uncle Nearest receivership case as the debt piles up, and a pair of rare casks of Karuizawa single malt set a new record for spirits sales at Christie’s. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/40490260

A Pair of Master Whisky Makers 03/08/2026

A Pair of Master Whisky Makers Today marks International Women’s Day, and it’s just a happy coincidence that we have two women who make great whiskies on this week’s show. Dr. Emma Walker is the master blender for Johnnie Walker, while Angela D’Orazio is the Creative Director of Whiskymaking for Compass Box. Both have new whiskies out, and we’ll hear from both of them on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Sazerac is looking at expanding in Kentucky with a distillery in default, and the Canadian boycott of American whiskies is a year old and having major impacts on whiskey makers in the U.S. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/40360145

Distilling the Artisan Way 03/01/2026

Distilling the Artisan Way Kentucky Artisan Distillery was one of the state's first distilleries to specialize in contract distilling for clients when it opened in 2012. Over the years, it’s been laying down whiskies for its own brand as well, and has now released two Bourbons in its Artisan Series: a high-rye Bourbon and a four-grain Bourbon. We’ll talk with master distiller Jade Peterson about the new whiskies and his own creation, Trackside Bourbon, which features “chocolate” malt in the mashbill, on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, distilling stocks took a tumble on Wall Street after Diageo reported disappointing sales and forecast more declines over the second half of the year. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/40273480

“Bottom Shelf:” A Book that Belongs on the Top Shelf 02/23/2026

“Bottom Shelf:” A Book that Belongs on the Top Shelf Fred Minnick’s latest book “Bottom Shelf: How a Forgotten Brand of Bourbon Saved One Man’s Life” is part memoir, part Bourbon history all wrapped up in a single narrative. The former Army photographer once tried to take his own life, but ended up becoming obsessed with the history of Old Crow Bourbon — an obsession that lasted nearly 20 years until he found out the truth about his favorite Bourbon of all time. We’ll talk with Fred Minnick on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, President Donald Trump has imposed a 15% tariff on all U.S. imports after the Supreme Court rejected his previous tariff scheme, and that will have an impact on the Scotch Whisky industry. We’ll have the details and the rest of the week’s whisky news on this week’s WhiskyCast. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/40194065

A Slumping Market for Scotch Whisky? 02/15/2026

A Slumping Market for Scotch Whisky? The Scotch Whisky Association released new export data this week showing a second straight year of global sales declines, with a softening economy and tariffs getting much of the blame. We’ll go through the numbers with SWA chief executive Mark Kent on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, another new report this week says one in five Scotch Whisky distilleries is in financial distress. Crown Royal avoids a boycott in Ontario, and there’s no change in the receivership at Uncle Nearest. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/40118355

The Beginning of the End for Uncle Nearest? 02/08/2026

The Beginning of the End for Uncle Nearest? A critical court hearing is set for Monday in the Uncle Nearest receivership case in Tennessee. Founder Fawn Weaver wants to terminate the receivership and take back control of the company, while the receiver says Uncle Nearest is insolvent and putting it back in Weaver’s hands will lead to foreclosure on $108 million in loans. We’ll get the latest on the case from Janet Patton, who covers the whiskey industry for the Lexington Herald-Leader and has been tracking the case. In the news, Kirin has agreed to sell Four Roses Bourbon to E&J Gallo for approximately $775 million, and we’ll have details of two economic reports on the health of the whiskey business. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/40037015

Charting a New Course for Starward Whisky 02/02/2026

Charting a New Course for Starward Whisky Starward Whisky founder David Vitale stepped back from the Australian whisky maker’s day-to-day operations several years ago, but after Diageo’s Distill Ventures incubator unit pulled its support for Starward and other distillers last year, Vitale was faced with a dilemma. With his board wanting to seek a buyer for Starward, Vitale decided he was the best potential buyer for the business. Vitale has now bought out Diageo and his former partners, and is charting a new course for the distillery that involves slower, steadier growth. We’ll talk with David Vitale on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, whisky makers in the U-K have been hit with an excise tax increase that will drive up the price of a dram, while China has agreed to reduce its import tariffs on Scotch Whisky. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39970935

The Man Behind Buffalo Trace's Whiskies 01/26/2026

The Man Behind Buffalo Trace's Whiskies Drew Mayville has been Buffalo Trace’s master blender for the last 21 years, overseeing legendary whiskies like George T. Stagg, Sazerac Rye, and the Van Winkle whiskies. He started his career at Seagram’s in his native Canada, where he spent 23 years learning the blending business from the ground up. Drew Mayville joins us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, another government shutdown is looming, and the whisky industry could be affected. Ireland’s Powerscourt Distillery has been bought out of administration, and Diageo plans to close one of its key distillery visitors centers in Scotland. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39886120

A Weekend to Remember 01/21/2026

A Weekend to Remember This week, we’re on location at the Victoria Whisky Festival in Victoria, British Columbia, where it was unofficially Bill Ashburn Weekend. The retired Forty Creek master blender was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Canadian Whisky Awards and guest of honor at a reception on Friday. We’ll talk with Bill on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth, and have complete coverage of the Canadian Whisky Awards. In the news, President Donald Trump is threatening a new round of tariffs over Greenland that could affect Scotch Whisky, and we’ll see how Canadian retailers are being affected by the Bourbon boycott. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39818120

Chip Tate: Back in the Saddle Again 01/11/2026

Chip Tate: Back in the Saddle Again Maverick whiskey maker Chip Tate is back after a sabbatical following his acrimonious departure from Balcones Distilling. Now the master distiller for innovation with Foley Family Wines & Spirits, Tate has quietly been working on his first new whiskies in nearly 11 years under the company’s Ampersand Spirits label. Dubbed Malus, Vinea, and Opimus, each one is a unique blend that challenges whiskey lovers with new flavors, and they fit perfectly with Tate’s unique approach to making whiskey. Chip Tate joins us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is planning to make good on his threat to pull the best-selling Canadian Whisky off store shelves if Diageo closes its Crown Royal plant in his province. We’ll also have the latest on the Uncle Nearest receivership and a new report showing a decline in Irish whiskey exports in 2025. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39690475

Celebrating Canadian Whisky Week 01/04/2026

Celebrating Canadian Whisky Week The second annual Canadian Whisky Week runs from January 11th through the 18th, with events all over Canada. We’ll talk with co-founders Reece Sims and Andrea Fujarczuk about all things Canadian Whisky on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Uncle Nearest founder Fawn Weaver says the company’s receivership is bad for business, and has asked a federal court judge to return control of Uncle Nearest back to its directors. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39606735

The Whisky industry in Flux 12/31/2025

The Whisky industry in Flux On this year-end special episode, we'll take a look back at the events that shaped the whisky industry in 2025. Becky Harris of Virginia's Catoctin Creek Distilling will join us to discuss a troubled year for her colleagues in the craft distilling industry, and we'll offer some predictions for 2026, too. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39578955

Meet Royal Barkla, the Whisky-Sniffing Robotic Dog 12/28/2025

Meet Royal Barkla, the Whisky-Sniffing Robotic Dog Leaking barrels have been a problem for whisky makers going back generations, and just finding the bad barrels is the biggest part of the problem. Now, a test project involving Royal Barkla, a Boston Robotics robot dog equipped with an ethanol sensor, is underway at the John Dewar & Sons Poniel maturation campus near Glasgow. The robotic dog alerts its human operators when it discovers a leaking barrel, and so far, the test has been a success. We’ll talk with Bacardi’s Angus Holmes about the project on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, no layoffs are expected from the shutdown of the Jim Beam Distillery in Kentucky for 2026, while Scotch whisky global sales are down for the third straight year. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39548430

From Grain to Glass: The Estate Whiskey Alliance 12/21/2025

From Grain to Glass: The Estate Whiskey Alliance Single Estate whiskies are made from grain grown at or close to a distillery, and there’s a new coalition of distillers joined by the University of Kentucky to promote so-called “estate whiskies.” The Estate Whiskey Alliance is made up of farm distilleries all the way up to Maker’s Mark, which is growing all of the grain for its Star Hill Farm whiskies on-site. We’ll talk with leaders of the Alliance on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the Jim Beam Distillery in Kentucky will be shut down for all of 2026, leaving some distillery workers in doubt about their jobs heading into the holidays. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39489210

Remembering Jim Cryle 12/15/2025

Remembering Jim Cryle This week, we’ll mark the passing of longtime Glenlivet master distiller Jim Cryle, who ran the Speyside distillery from 1991 until his retirement in 2006. We’ll listen to an interview with Jim recorded shortly after his retirement, in which he talks about his history in the business, what makes a good single malt whisky, and his choice for that “last dram.” In the news, more Scottish distilleries are pausing production because of lower demand, while U.S. whiskey production has hit its lowest level since 2018. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39413920

American Single Malts for a Scotch Lover's Taste 12/08/2025

American Single Malts for a Scotch Lover's Taste The latest collection of American Single Malts from Lost Lantern Whiskey is dubbed the “Scotch Lover’s Collection,” not because there are any inferred links to Scotland, but because Lost Lantern founders Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski crafted them to appeal to a Scotch lover’s palate. We’ll talk with Nora and Adam on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Brown-Forman reports a 14% decline in quarterly profits, while Bourbon industry leaders are getting nervous about the long-term impact of Canada’s boycott of American whiskies. We’ll also pay tribute to singer-songwriter Robin Laing, who died this weekend at the age of 72. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39316990

Not Your Typical Whisky Book 12/01/2025

Not Your Typical Whisky Book Mitch Bechard is a longtime Scotch Whisky brand ambassador, with years of service at Diageo and Glenfiddich. Now, he’s written a rollicking memoir of his tales from the road, along with more serious takes on the improving role of women in whisky and the growth of world whiskies. Mitch joins us on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, we’ll have the latest on the Uncle Nearest receivership saga and Bruichladdich’s Black Art moving to travel retail. We’ll also have tasting notes for new releases from Wild Turkey, Willett, and Glen Grant. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39214605

A Bourbon-Free Whisky Festival 11/25/2025

A Bourbon-Free Whisky Festival With no signs of an end to the U.S.-Canadian trade war in sight, the widespread boycott of American whiskies in Canada had an impact on this week’s New Brunswick Spirits Festival. No American whiskies on the stands, and no Bourbon master classes. We’ll talk with festival organizers and attendees about the impact of the boycott on this week’s episode. In the news, Diageo has paused production at its massive Roseisle Maltings in Scotland, while a Scottish distillery has been saved from bankruptcy. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39174200

Celebrating 20 Years of WhiskyCast 11/17/2025

Celebrating 20 Years of WhiskyCast This week, we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of the very first WhiskyCast episode in 2005. We’ll hear from some longtime listeners, and chat with Tamdhu distillery manager Sandy McIntyre on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. Tamdhu recently released a 21-year-old single malt as part of its core range, and we’ll taste it with Sandy and share tasting notes in the What I’m Tasting This Week Department. In the news, Diageo has a new CEO, while Irish distilleries report visitor traffic has returned to pre-pandemic levels. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/39054185

A Manifesto for Danish Whisky 11/10/2025

A Manifesto for Danish Whisky 13 Danish distillers have laid the groundwork for what they hope will eventually be geographical indicator status for Danish whisky. They started with a manifesto defining Danish whisky — including a requirement that Danish grains be used and mandatory disclosure if imported grain is used. We’ll talk with one of the Manifesto’s architects, Mosgaard Distillery master distiller Kim Moller-Elshøj, on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Diageo has revised its earnings estimates following a flat first quarter, while an Ardbeg legend is taking on a new challenge on Islay. Finally, we're looking for your help as we get ready to celebrate the 20th anniversary of WhiskyCast next week! /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/38972695

A Taste of Tullibardine 11/03/2025

A Taste of Tullibardine Scotland’s Tullibardine Distillery has been around since 1947, but has come into its own in recent years under the ownership of France’s Picard family. We’ll talk about the distillery’s history and taste three of its single malts in a WhiskyCast In-Depth conversation with head blender Stacy Longworth and marketing director Ros Frame. In the news, Campari’s fortunes take a positive turn on higher sales of Wild Turkey, while Remy Cointreau suffers another down quarter. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/38886060

A New Chapter for Westward Whiskey 10/27/2025

A New Chapter for Westward Whiskey Portland, Oregon-based Westward Whiskey filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy last April seeking to restructure its finances. At the time, CEO Tom Mooney told us the future was still bright for Westward, which makes American Single Malts. Now, Westward is poised to emerge from bankruptcy after a group of the distillery’s original investors bought its assets. Tom Mooney re-joins us this week on WhiskyCast In-Depth to explain why his original optimism still holds. In the news, Four Roses is reportedly up for sale, with a price tag estimated at $1 billion. Sazerac is planning another billion-dollar expansion project in Kentucky, while the federal government shutdown is delaying approvals of new whiskies and distillery permits. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/38787385

A Double-Digit Debut for Westland Distillery 10/19/2025

A Double-Digit Debut for Westland Distillery Seattle’s Westland Distillery welcomed more than a thousand people this weekend hoping to get their hands on a bottle of the distillery’s first 10-year-old single malt, the 10th Anniversary Garryana. It’s largely matured in Garry Oak casks from the Pacific Northwest, and this year’s release is more scarce than usual - after thieves stole a semi-trailer with nearly half the year’s production of Garryana last month. We’ll talk with Westland master distiller Shane Armstrong and managing director Jason Moore on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Portland’s Westward Distillery has been saved by investors after filing for bankruptcy, and sales are down again for Pernod Ricard and Moet Hennessy. /episode/index/show/whiskycast/id/38638510

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