Decades Distilled // A History of Whisky

In the law-breaking spirit of the decade that spawned bootleggers, speakeasies, and organized crime, we realized that we had to bend the rules and cover events that stretch beyond the 1920s. In this, the "final" episode of the season, we discuss the factors that brought about the end of Prohibition. We will be back soon so be sure to like, rate, and subscribe, and keep an eye out for some extra episodes to hold you over until we go back to the 1880s for Season Two of Decades Distilled!

This week is all about American Whiskey, aka Bourbon, during the 1920's! Prohibition was a rocky time for the bourbon industry, but it also sparked some cool tales of ingenuity and defiance which we are excited to talk about today.

Plus we welcome our first guest, friend, author and Editor in Chief of the Whiskey Reviewer, Richard Thomas. He'll join us later on to speak to the winners--and losers--of prohibition.

In this week's episode - we take another look at Prohibition. This time Sarah and I talk about the positives of Prohibition. After unleashing economic devastation and levels of crime never seen before, something good had to come of this social experiment, right? Listen to this episode and find out. 

In the second part of our episodes on the birth of Japanese whisky, Masataka Taketsuru and Shinjiro Torii join forces and build a distillery you may be familiar with. Hint - It just celebrated its 100th anniversary. Join us on Decades Distilled and learn why these two men have a legitimate claim to be the "Father of Japanese Whisky."

So far our episodes have focused on what was happening with whiskies in the West. That changes today.

Our next two episodes will focus on Japan and how it became a major whisky producer in its own right. Join us as we journey with a young Japanese engineer and how his travels changed the world of whisky. 

We continue our story of whisky in the 1920's from across the pond. And for Scotch, there were advantages to be gained by the struggles of Irish and American whiskies. This week, Sarah and Kurt dive into the story of how Scotch distillers managed to benefit from the turmoil of the 1920s.

Prohibition's effects were felt far from America's shores. Irish whiskey took a hard hit from a combination of domestic troubles and America's new status as a teetotaler. Tune in this week as Sarah and Kurt discuss why the 1920s were so rough on the Emerald Isle and her whiskey business. 

We continue our conversation about whisky in the 1920's, as prohibition makes many a change in American life, some good, many bad. Let's just say the phrase "Be careful what you wish for." might have been tailor-made for this moment. Speakeasies, cocktails, and criminal enterprise all make an appearance in this episode. 

For season one, we explore the story of whisky in the 1920's. And no conversation about the history of whiskey in 1920s America can skip Prohibition so let's dive right in.

In this, our first episode of the first season of Decades Distilled, Kurt and Sarah discuss the events that led the United States to try and go "cold turkey" and step away from its complicated relationship with alcohol. 

Bourbon. Scotch. Rye, Japanese, Irish. Different names but at the end of the day they are all Whisky.

We’ve all enjoyed our favorite drams but have you ever wondered how it became a bar staple? The history of whisk(e)y runs deep and on Decades Distilled, join authors and educators Sarah Jeltema, aka the WhiskeyNomad, and Kurt Maitland as they explore the years and cultural moments that helped shape its path.

This journey will take us around the world and back again as we roam from Scotland to the United States, Japan and beyond.

Tune in each Wednesday as we dive into the sociocultural landscapes, people, and major historical events that distilled whiskey to what it is today.