We're back! We missed you all too. During this episode we discuss both of our trips to Scotland and how whisky faired over the summer. Then we chat about Barrell Bourbon and how they truly are pioneers for American Whiskey Blenders. If you're up for it, after Barrell, we overshare our concerns or shall we say, cautious observations, regarding all of the new Scotch Distilleries in the works.

Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!

New Bottles to the shop:

Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com

Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal

It's time for a more "classic" episode with a distillery discussion around Ardnamurchan on the west coast of Scotland. Do us a favor and look it up on Google Maps. You'll see how cool and rural it is! Then Holly blind tastes Charles on a delicious, old, and rare whisky and we talk about Charle's coastal Scotland trip. Don't forget our 2-Year Anniversary Party on September 8th. It's gonna be awesome!

To see our upcoming trips, look here.

Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!

New Bottles to the shop:

Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com

Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal

We were able to sneak in a podcast before Charles leaves for Scotland & Holly for NOLA! Holly is on a panel this year at Tales of the Cocktail and in honor of this New World Whisky Panel, we discuss M&H Israeli Whisky Distillery. They recently won World Whiskies Awards 2023 World's Best Single Malt with their sherry-matured single malt whisky. They beat out Scotch, Irish, and single malts from all over the world! Also, I think it's fair to say, Holly gets a grade of C for her blind tasting attempt which is not a fail so she'll take it.

To see our upcoming trips, look here.

Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!

New Bottles to the shop:

Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com

Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal

It's been a month but we have good reasons! I hope you're all up for it but Holly is going to tell you all about her Islay/Water of Life Film trip. No need to get fomo though because we let you know about upcoming trips that you can join as well! Then we discuss the exciting times for Glenglassaugh Distillery even though we're a bit nervous. That has been a hidden gem of the highlands and we hope it doesn't become too popular. I know that's selfish so, fine, we hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!

Watch the Water of Life Film here!

To see our upcoming trips, look here.

Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!

New Bottles to the shop:

Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com

Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal

This episode has a dash of a psychology lesson. Holly thinks everything she tastes is Craigellachie and Charles thinks everything is New World Whisky. The lesson learned: blind tasting does not necessarily get easier! Our minds get in the way! In this episode, you'll watch Holly basically fall apart in her blind tasting while we discuss our upcoming trips to Scotland. Our distillery feature is Kilchoman as Holly prepares for her trip to Islay in two weeks. Did you know Kilchoman and the Wills family are building a rum distillery in Barbados too? That family is so cool. And then, it's a bit of old news but we discuss the Penelope buy-out with MGP. It makes sense for both parties and how impressive after just 5 years. Congrats, Penelope! We're lucky we got all of our single casks when we did and wow were they delicious.

Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!

New Bottles to the shop:

Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com

Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal

We just had a class with Cara & Justin King of King's Family Distillery in Tennessee so that is our featured distillery for this episode. Although they are "sourcers" they are "sorcerers" in my eyes. They come from a grain merchant family and Justin even worked at MGP so they have access to pretty amazing barrels all over the country. They also have the relationships to really get what they want. They also aren't playing with the normal mashbills and have proved their finishing skills are spot on. It's also Charles' turn to taste blind but he actually does a pretty good job. *Applause* for Charles! Then we discuss this amazing chart that's called "The Evolution of a Whiskey Drinker". We've all been there and maybe go back there quite often. Whiskey folks can be difficult to handle and know-it-alls and that's ok, we are always evolving! If you want to see the chart head to our website. We think you'll enjoy this episode because we had a lot of fun recording it!

Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!

New Bottles to the shop:

Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!)  #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com

Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal

Episode 2 of our Interview Series! This time we get to chat with the former CEO & Director of the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, Douglas Murray. If you want to have the best technical knowledge of whisky production and spirits production in general, the institute is where you MUST go. I had to sit down and interview them so us folks in the USA could learn all about this UK-based program. Charles and I also have a lot to discuss before we get into the interview though. He just got back from two weeks in Japan and has a lot to share. We also talk about some new bottles in the shop since he's been away and he blind tastes me on something that he got while in Japan. But, is it Japanese Whisky??

This episode was such a blast for me and I feel honored that Douglas took an hour out of his day to chat with me. Not only do we talk about the IBD (Institute of Brewing & Distilling) and all of the courses they offer but we also chat about Talisker, Dalwhinnie, and some of the other Diageo distilleries he's worked at.

He was a part of creating the Talisker Storm release and was also one of the folks who realized they needed to put the worm tubs back in at Dalwhinnie when they were renovating and changed to shell & tube! Oh and we take over ten minutes to go over worms versus shell & tube condensers. This is an audio-only podcast but if you could only see the massive smile on my face while we were chatting about worm tubs!! Maybe you can hear my heart racing in the background of the audio. Below are important links for you to check out if you're interested in the IBD.

The Institute of Brewing & Distilling

Essentials in Brewing & Distilling

Foundations in Brewing & Distilling

General Certificate in Distillation ** This is the program and exam that I went through

If you're up for a trip, also check out their next conference which will have presentations from distillers all over the world and their latest findings: Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conference May 9th - 11th, Edinburgh UK

Thank you to Ana, Douglas, and Jerry at the IBD for all of their time and support of me, the podcast, and the shop!

NEW BOTTLES TO THE SHOP:

Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!)  #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com

Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal

This is our first-ever interview podcast! You'll still get to hear us banter at the beginning where we discuss some of our new bottles to the shop, our latest seminars, and Charles' trip to Japan. Also, Charles will finally get to taste Talnua, the Colorado distillery making Irish-style pot still whiskey. 

The most important thing to know about this episode is that we will be chatting with Kirsty McKerrow of the Edinburgh Whisky Academy. Folks have been asking what are the most worthwhile education programs out in the market right now. With everyone designing their own ambassador-style education program, you can spend a lot of money very quickly! Just searching the internet can give you a headache. This is part 1 of a 2-part series that will showcase two education programs that focus almost exclusively on Scotch & Irish Whiskey. Find out more about the Edinburgh Whisky Academy below.

Courses -- Certificate in Scotch | Certificate in Irish Whiskey | Diploma in Single Malt Whisky ||| ALL VIRTUAL/ONLINE

Modules -- these are extra courses you can take in addition to the core listed above. 

More modules are expected this year and in-person classes here in the USA for 2024.

Enjoy part 1 of this series!

We're back! Although January & February are supposed to be the retail industry's "down time", we for sure didn't feel that way and we're not even sure why. We have had quite a few amazing Saratoga Whiskey Club classes over the past few weeks and have been focusing on all of our education and travel programs that we're about to launch for 2023. It is really going to be a stellar year of whisky travel. Then, Holly blind tastes Charles on a very special pour because they both deserve it and we discuss one of our favorite Islay distilleries, Bunnahabhain! Enjoy! 

Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!

New Bottles to the shop:

Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!)  #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com

Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal

Charles and I discuss all of the upcoming seminars we have over the next few weeks and travel! So many great travel opportunities in 2023. To see what we've announced so far write to us or check out Rascal + Thorn. We also discuss one of our favorite New World distilleries, Amrut Indian Whisky. Truly one of the pioneers of New World Whisky. I then get close to guessing the blind dram correctly but not quite. It was and is a fantastic whisky though. Enjoy! 

Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!

New Bottles to the shop:

Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!)  #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com

Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal