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Obama’s Speechwriter Meets a Master Whisky Blender
A former Obama White House speech writer and a Scotch whisky master blender walk into a podcast. Speech writer and messaging strategist Sarada Peri talks to Johnnie Walker Master Blender Emma Walker (no relation) about how Scotch whisky is made, the art of building a whisky flavor profile, and what Scotch pairs best with Indian food.
Get curious about:
- What “single malt” means, and what separates grain whisky from malt whisky
- The chemistry of flavor
- How to innovate while staying true to a legacy brand
- Trends and biases in the whisky industry
- The best ways to enjoy Scotch whisky (spoiler: it’s ok to add water)
Guest Info:
Sarada Peri is a speechwriter and messaging strategist who has advised CEOs, nonprofit leaders, philanthropists, celebrities, and President Barack Obama. She runs Peri Communications, where she partners with leaders on message development, speeches, presentation training, crisis communications, and strategy. Johnnie Walker Master Blender Emma Walker has spent more than a decade working with the small team of 12 expert whisky makers at Diageo. She holds a PHD in chemistry from the University of Sheffield.
Chapter Codes:
00:00 – Meet Obama’s Speechwriter, Sarada Peri
01:00 – The Curiosity Premise
01:40 – Meet Johnnie Walker’s First Female Master Blender: Dr. Emma Walker
03:20 – Why Scotch Whisky?
05:00 – Complicated Relationship with Scotch
06:30 – Peaty Scotch vs. Single Malts Explained
09:00 – Blended vs Single Malt Scotch
11:50 – The Science of Whisky Flavour
15:00 – Secrets of Different Whisky Blends
18:00 – Balancing Whiskey Tradition with Innovation
21:30 – Whisky Trends in 2025
24:00 – Emma’s Journey into Whisky
30:00 – How to Taste Whiskey Like a Pro
33:30 – Water, Ice, & Cocktails
35:30 – The Best Whisky & Food Pairing
39:00 – Whisky as a Legacy
42:00 – Fun Whisky Facts
47:00 – Music & Whiskey Culture
50:00 – Women in Whisky
54:00 – Whisky Is for Everyone
56:00 – Outro
On Smart People Get Curious, hosted by Tania Zaparaniuk, high-profile guests get to nerd out with real experts in fields they’re fascinated by—but know nothing about. They ask their “dumb” questions, and listeners learn alongside them. It’s unscripted, surprising, and refreshingly human. Learn more about Emma via the Diageo Bar Academy: http://bit.ly/45MGvTE
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By Tania ZaparaniukA former Obama White House speech writer and a Scotch whisky master blender walk into a podcast. Speech writer and messaging strategist Sarada Peri talks to Johnnie Walker Master Blender Emma Walker (no relation) about how Scotch whisky is made, the art of building a whisky flavor profile, and what Scotch pairs best with Indian food.
Get curious about:
- What “single malt” means, and what separates grain whisky from malt whisky
- The chemistry of flavor
- How to innovate while staying true to a legacy brand
- Trends and biases in the whisky industry
- The best ways to enjoy Scotch whisky (spoiler: it’s ok to add water)
Guest Info:
Sarada Peri is a speechwriter and messaging strategist who has advised CEOs, nonprofit leaders, philanthropists, celebrities, and President Barack Obama. She runs Peri Communications, where she partners with leaders on message development, speeches, presentation training, crisis communications, and strategy. Johnnie Walker Master Blender Emma Walker has spent more than a decade working with the small team of 12 expert whisky makers at Diageo. She holds a PHD in chemistry from the University of Sheffield.
Chapter Codes:
00:00 – Meet Obama’s Speechwriter, Sarada Peri
01:00 – The Curiosity Premise
01:40 – Meet Johnnie Walker’s First Female Master Blender: Dr. Emma Walker
03:20 – Why Scotch Whisky?
05:00 – Complicated Relationship with Scotch
06:30 – Peaty Scotch vs. Single Malts Explained
09:00 – Blended vs Single Malt Scotch
11:50 – The Science of Whisky Flavour
15:00 – Secrets of Different Whisky Blends
18:00 – Balancing Whiskey Tradition with Innovation
21:30 – Whisky Trends in 2025
24:00 – Emma’s Journey into Whisky
30:00 – How to Taste Whiskey Like a Pro
33:30 – Water, Ice, & Cocktails
35:30 – The Best Whisky & Food Pairing
39:00 – Whisky as a Legacy
42:00 – Fun Whisky Facts
47:00 – Music & Whiskey Culture
50:00 – Women in Whisky
54:00 – Whisky Is for Everyone
56:00 – Outro
On Smart People Get Curious, hosted by Tania Zaparaniuk, high-profile guests get to nerd out with real experts in fields they’re fascinated by—but know nothing about. They ask their “dumb” questions, and listeners learn alongside them. It’s unscripted, surprising, and refreshingly human. Learn more about Emma via the Diageo Bar Academy: http://bit.ly/45MGvTE