In this delicious, philosophical conversation with James Doherty of Sliabh Liag Distilling and The Legendary Silkie Irish Whiskey, some of the topics we discuss include:

• The geography and culture of the Donegal region of Ireland, located in the far Northwest of the country, and how this elemental landscape inspires their mission and their products.
• Why James and his wife and distiller Moira consider themselves “scatterlings,” having come to Donegal after traveling and collecting flavors from around the world, and how this informs their approach to creating spirits with a sense of time and place.
• Then, of course, we explore the legend of the Silkie, a maritime yarn deposited in Ireland by the Vikings, and taste through the three primary expressions of the Legendary Silkie: the flagship product, the Dark Silkie, and the Midnight Silkie.

Along the way, we cover why Irish whiskey is beginning to return to its smoky roots, how building a blended whiskey can be like carving a block of marble, why Australians don’t understand what the world truly loves about them, and much, much more.

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