Legendary whisky maker Max McFarlane is sought out the world over as consultant by other whisky producers.

For over 25 years, Max was the Master Blender and later Keeper of the Quaich at Edrington. As such his nose provided the quality control for some of the best selling whiskies in the world: Famous Grouse, Highland Park, Cutty Stark, Bunnahabhain, and The Glenrothes. He's now the Master Blender for Ardgowan Distillery which officially opens on 20 June 2025.

But is his whisky knowledge a match for his nose?

In this episode John challenges Max to answer some of the most commonly Googled questions about whisky:

• When was whisky invented?
• What is whisky made from?
• What's the difference between whisky and whiskey?
• Where was Whisky Galore filmed?
• What's the best whisky for an Old Fashioned?
• Can you make whisky ice cubes?
• What should you take with your whisky?
• Which whisky is best for summer?
• And a few others to boot...

Spoiler alert: you might want to ignore some of Max's answers and look them up yourself, especially when he tells John: "You can take your whisky standing on your head."

But there are some top tips as John and Max try to outmatch Google.

Somehow along the way they end up celebrating the Isle of Arran - "Scotland in miniature" - off the west coast of Scotland in the Firth of Clyde.

In the nineteenth century there were at least 53 illicit stills in operation on Scotland's seventh largest island. Today there are two very legal, licensed distilleries. And the island is now populated with "honesty boxes" rather than moonshiners and bootleggers.

So pour yourself a dram, tune in and match your wits against those of John and Max.

Slàinte!

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Socials:

@C2GWhisky

@JohnRossBeattie

Creator & producer: David Holmes

Art work & design: Jess Robertson

Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home)

Vocals: Andrea Cunningham

Guitars: John Beattie

Bass: Alasdair Vann

Drums: Alan Hamilton

Bagpipes: Calum McColl

Accordion: Gary Innes

Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie

Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland

Special thanks: The Piper Whisky Bar, 57 Cochrane Street, Glasgow, Scotland

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