'There has never been a better time to drink sherry' is a phrase I have heard often in the last few years, and now at the tail end of the pandemic these words would seem to ring truer than ever. With plenty of mature stock and affordable prices there is a great opportunity for wine lovers to explore this category some more. Who better to discuss this fascinating world than Eduardo Ojeda Cebrián, founder of the quirky and innovative independent bottler Equipo Navazos? Eduardo and his team are not 'treasure hunters' but come close to that, they select single casks or 'botas' from the local bodegas and release them under their own 'La Bota' label. These wines are often idiosyncratic or unusual but always fascinating and delicious. There is much to discuss and we draw some parallels with the whisk(e)y world and talk about sherry casks, solera systems, the differing styles of Sherry and Montilla and much more. If you want to explore these wines or even just expand your knowledge then this episode is a good place to start.

This episode is presented to you by Al Higgins from the Celtic Whiskey Shop and Luke Crowley Holland from the Celtic Whiskey Bar and Larder. 

Exciting times are afoot at Bushmills with the launch of new whiskeys such as the Causeway Collection and a new variety of wood finished blends. It was a fitting time to talk to the person behind these new expressions, Master Blender Helen Mulholland. Join myself (Al Higgins) and Luke Crowley Holland from the Celtic Whiskey Bar and Larder as we talk to Helen about these great new releases, the past, present and future at Bushmills and much more. Sláinte.

In episode five of the Celtic Whiskey Pod we talk to Alejandro Aispuro who is a distiller, educator and communicator on Mexican spirits. To celebrate the Cinco de Mayo we expected a celebration of all things Mexican, but our conversation became more and more fascinating as we discovered what is going on in the fields of Oaxaca and Jalisco. In this episode we discovered a huge amount about Mezcal, Tequila and other Mexican spirits. Alejandro is an enthusiast who also feels we should have a duty of care when it comes to agave farming, and sustainability. Farming and wild harvesting are at crisis point, and we as consumers have a responsibility to ask more questions of spirit makers. We learned a lot in this episode but enjoyed it immensely. We hope you do too.

In this episode we talk to Raúl Bobet an Oenologist and scientist who part owns two wineries in Spain: Castell D'encus and Ferrer-Bobet. He studied at UC Davis in California and was head wine maker and technical director at Miguel Torres for many years before he left to concentrate on his own wine businesses. He is widely regarded as one of the most talented wine makers in Spain, and maybe the world. Raúl has a passion and curiousity that has led to some interesting and delicious wines that consistently rate highly with wine critics. They are found in many of the top restaurants in Spain and beyond, but in our conversation Raúl reveals that it is most important that he makes wine that he himself is happy with. A man who is constantly improving and innovating, he reveals plans for some unique new wines and a lot more. If you know nothing about wine then we hope his enthusiasm ignites some curiosity in you, and if you know a little about wine then you will learn a lot here. Sláinte.

In episode three we chat to Graham Coull who is Master Distillery at Dingle Distillery. Graham took over at Dingle only a few months before the pandemic hit but he has already made his mark and released a handful of new bottlings. We talk about life in Dingle, the whiskey styles that he has made so far and what the future holds for the Distillery. We also delve into his interesting career which has spanned stints at Glenfiddich, Balvenie, Kininvie and Glen Moray distilleries. Finally we speculate on what challenges lie ahead both at Dingle and in whiskey world at large. Perhaps most importantly we talk about the merits of Dingle's pubs and the possibility of eventually being able to enjoy them again. Presented by Al Higgins and Julie Christie. Brought to you by the Celtic Whiskey Shop. 

Now semi-retired, Frank McHardy's career spans six decades and took him from Invergordon Distillery in the North of Scotland to Speyside, Islay, Campbeltown and County Antrim in Ireland. His most distinguished roles were stints in charge at Springbank and Bushmills, finishing up again at Springbank where he set up Glen Gyle Distillery. Our fascinating conversation covers his career path with these distilleries as he reminisces about his life and journey through the whisk(e)y world. Frank is a great character and we thoroughly enjoyed his company on this podcast. 

Welcome to our first edition of the Celtic Whiskey Pod. In this episode we chat to Kevin O'Gorman from Midleton Distillery. Kevin discuses his new role as Master Distiller and also tells us all about the first bottle to bear his name, Midleton Very Rare 2021. His role at Irish Distillers still includes his position as Master of Maturation and we discuss different wood types, experimental whiskeys and a few future releases. As you would expect the current pandemic is also discussed and we cover the challenges that whiskey makers face and the possible changes in drinking habits that may follow. This episode is presented by Al Higgins from the Celtic Whiskey Shop and by Luke Crowley-Holland from the Celtic Whiskey Bar/Irish Whiskey Experience. Sláinte!