The Whiskey Ring Podcast

In episode 76, we're going back to Continental Europe, somewhere not visited on this podcast for some time. For the first time ever, Germany is now in our sights. 

I first came across Eifel Whisky by pure chance about two years ago. Finding a bottle on an auction site, I tried it, liked it a lot, then put it aside. I can't really remember why I didn't pursue it, but I didn't. Then, in November, again by chance, I found a few bottles on shelves in California. I didn't hesitate a second time. 

Down the rabbit hole I go: I found Fred, who joined to talk about distilling in Germany and the mad scientist Stephan and the cask management miracles he pulls off. There's so much more to explore in German whisky - where better to start than at the far-western edge, and just move east from there?

For more info/questions about Eifel, feel free to reach out to Fred and Anthem Imports at [email protected]!

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Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 5 Spots Remain in the Barrel Club.

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks.

You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 

Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 

Thanks for reading! Now here’s Fred Barnet to chat about Eifel Whisky. 

Eifel Whisky

• Eifel Whisky Website

Eifel Whisky Reviews

• Eifel German Single Malt Whisky Edition 2021 Review

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

Prohibition is a dirty word in our country. It evokes government overreach, failed social legislating, the rise of underground crime and the excesses of the Roaring '20s. As Americans, we also tend to believe that prohibition - lowercase 'p' - was exclusively an American experience. 

In his book, Smashing the Liquor Machine: A Global History of Prohibition, Professor Mark Lawrence Schrad, Director of Russian Studies and Professor of Political Science at Villanova University outlines how this uniquely American experience was anything but. Weaving through the histories of vodka-soaked Russia, beer and schnapps-drinking Central Europe, and the United States, Prof. Schrad demonstrates time and again that American Prohibition was a culmination, not a one-off.

Told through the lenses of the European continent and the many colonies and imperialist conquests forever by alco-colonialism and alco-imperialism, Dr. Schrad's work also reintroduces us to some of history's most famous figures in a new light, now with their prohibitionist and temperance-minded biographies intact. 

In this fascinating interview that despite clocking in at under two hours could've gone three, we explore the themes of the book, what it says about the global history of drinking, and what lessons we must learn from it to truly understand both American and world history. 

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Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks.

You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 

Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 

Thanks for reading! Now here’s my interview with Dr. Schrad on Smashing the Liquor Machine. 

Mark Lawrence Schrad

• Smashing the Liquor Machine: A Global History of Prohibition

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

Have you ever stood in a liquor store just looking at the labels? How about watching your favorite show and knowing what bottles are what based on shape alone? Have you ever bought a bottle based on the aesthetics alone? How about decanters and the like? 

We usually talk about what's inside the bottle on this podcast, but today we're flipping the script. Companies like Stranger & Stranger are responsible for bottle design, labels, and the overall packaging that make products stand out on shelves of hundreds of competitors. 

Kevin Shaw, Stranger & Stranger founder, talks through brand formation, creating a look that's iconic and representative, and the briefings from Snoop Dogg. Need a list of companies they've worked with? Try this: Compass Box, Jack Daniels, El Tesoro, Dewars, Howling Head, Powers, Ferrand, Hirsch, Bakers, Castle & Key, Beefeater, Don Papa Rum, Aberfeldy, and 19 Crimes, just to name a few of the 7,000 products they've worked on. 

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Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks.

You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 

Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 

Thanks for reading! Now here’s Kevin Shaw of Stranger & Stranger.

Stranger & Stranger

• Stranger & Stranger Website

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

Lochlea Distillery sits on the Lowlands in Ayrshire, Scotland, producing whisky on the same farm Robert Burns tended over two centuries ago. For now, it's small scale, but behind that small scale is a world-class team. 

When Lochlea was founded, the team brought in Malcolm Rennie, a long-time Islay veteran to build and design the internal functions. They played around with multiple fermentations, multiple yeasts, and more, searching for the house character they wanted to achieve. 

Towards the end of 2021, Lochlea scored another win, bringing Laphroaig's former Master Distiller John Campbell in to oversee the next phase of Lochlea's growth. They're down to one fermentation, one yeast strain, and are playing with cask finishings to enhance their whisky. 

In writing my first review of the Sowing Edition, I was skeptical of how the whisky could be that good that soon, but there it was. In talking with John, it's clear he has a vision for Lochlea long into the future (we're talking 10-15 years) - if it's that good at three years, I can't wait to see what happens next. 

_________________

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 

Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 

Thanks for reading! Now here’s John Campbell of Lochlea Distillery.

Lochlea Distillery

• Lochlea Distillery Website

Reviews

• Lochlea Distillery Sowing Edition First Crop

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

Traverse City Whiskey Co. (TCWC) was started as both a hobby and a business by Chris Fredrickson and a couple of friends. They started as many do, by buying aged MGP and selling it while building their own distillery. 

A decade later, depending on the product, the MGP percentage is at 10%, or even lower. What they are buying from MGP - when they buy - is unaged distillate to their own specifications and needs. Their rye blends their own Michigan-distilled 100% rye with MGP's 95/5, for example. 

Traverse City is also the cherry capital of the world, something Chris knows as a third-generation cherry farmer. Montmorency, Balaton, sour or sweet, Chris and TCWC know their cherries. The cocktail cherries are an in-house recipe and the only cherries I use in my cocktails, and the annual Cherry Whiskeyfest they throw is not to be missed. 

The best part - my favorite part - of TCWC is that each product is for a different audience. The Barrel Proof whiskies aren't simply out-of-the-barrel versions of the lower proof ones; they're aged longer and in different parts of the warehouse. Their North Coast Rye is closer to a 50/50 mix of MGP and TCWC distillate, not a proofed-down Barrel Proof Rye. Targeting consumers is nothing new - targeting them in a way that differentiates you is. 

_________________

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 

Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 

Thanks for reading! Now here’s Chris Fredrickson of Traverse City Whiskey Company.

Traverse City Whiskey Co.

• Traverse City Whiskey Co. Website

Reviews

• Traverse City Whiskey Company Barrel Proof Rye

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

It's the end of the year, the beginning of a new one, and time for some (maybe) accurate prognostications for what's coming down the line. 

At the suggestion of Devin Ershow from American Mash & Grain and Borrowed Page Whiskey, John Hughes of EmbellishPod and I co-hosted a roundtable to talk about what's happening now in Craft Whiskey (you'll need to listen to find out what our guests think this means). We were joined by: 

• Devin Ershow and Chase Langdon of American Mash & Grain and Borrowed Page Whiskey

To watch the video version, head over to EmbellishPod's YouTube channel. 

____________________________________________________________

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 

Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 

Thanks for reading! Now here’s 2022's Craft Whiskey Roundtable.

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Co-Host: 

John Hughes, EmbellishPod

@EmbellishPod on all social media platforms

Embellish Podcast on Youtube

Guests: 

American Mash & Grain

• American Mash & Grain Website

Lost Lantern Whiskey

• Lost Lantern Whiskey Website

Blake Riber

• Seelbachs and Bourbonr

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Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

Pronounce it once with me - Sleeve League, with a little "sh" on the "s". Sliabh Liag, translating to "mountain of stones" or "mountain of stone pillars", is a postcard-perfect spot on the northeast coast of Ireland by Donegal. The county, according to Sliabh Liag Distillers Founder James Doherty, is sometimes called "the forgotten county" because it borders more of Northern Ireland than the Republic of Ireland (it's part of the latter but shares only a 5 mile border) and is forgotten by both governments. 

Maybe the distillery could change that. It's not their goal, to be clear, but it is their goal to show the world what Donegal and true, historically northern Irish whiskey is all about. Midleton and Bushmills have held down the fort while Irish whiskey fell and rose again - now it's time for the newbies to reclaim that local character. 

Whether it's Sliabh Liag in Donegal, Waterford, or Dingle, the new distilleries on the island of Ireland are doing incredible, noteworthy things. Peated Irish whiskey used to mean Connemara - no disrespect to Connemara, but no longer. Thanks to James and Moira at Sliabh Liag, we're about to see a new age of Irish whiskey that hearkens to the old and brings us to the new. I'm damn excited to see where it goes. 

_________________

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 

Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 

Thanks for reading! Now here’s James Doherty of Sliabh Liag Distillers.

Sliabh Liag Distillery

• Sliabh Liag Distillers Website

Reviews

• Sliabh Liag The Midnight Silkie Review (Coming Today!)

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

Bimber is so damn exciting. It just is. Their Bimber Klub sold out in hours, and the Dunphail equivalent is close behind. Founded by Polish husband and wife Dariusz and Ewelina in 2015, this distillery in the City of London is quietly producing some amazing English single malt.

Between the liquid itself (the new make is a distillery exclusive but worthy of seeking out) and the various cask finishings, you might not get the cask you're looking for but you'll always find one that's good. 

My guest, Matt, has multiple titles that still don't encompass the full range of duties he has. This is one that more than anything looks towards the future, of what English, Polish, and Scotch distilling can be. I'll be visiting in London in April. I promise I'll report back!

_________________

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 

Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 

Thanks for reading! Now here’s Matt McKay of Bimber Distillery.

Bimber Distillery

• Bimber Distillery Website

Reviews

• Bimber Ex-Bourbon Cask Batch #3 English Whisky Review

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

Mark and Sherri Carter have, in short order, build a reputation of incredible whiskies. On top of their already legendary winery, they now have a Kentucky-based empire of barrel proof whiskies. 

When they got (back) to Kentucky and kicked off Kentucky Owl, I don't think even they thought they'd be here, with ryes, bourbons, American whiskies all sought after by collectors and snatched up as soon as they come out. The horse - drawn by Sherri - is out of the barn. 

There's always a new batch to come, and a new excellence to be reached. Count on the Carters to find it. 

_________________

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 

Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 

Thanks for reading! Now here’s Mark and Sherri Carter of Old Carter Whiskey Co.

Old Carter Whiskey

• Old Carter Whiskey Co. Website

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website

Driftless Glen has an ethereal quality to it...the name alone sounds mysterious, like a land stuck in time where great things can be found. Turns out, they can be. If you like whiskey and great food, of course - just don't ask to see the fryer (spoiler alert: there isn't one). 

Founder Reneé Bemis joins me to talk about Driftless Glen Distillery, their independent way of doing things and the reason they'll never be bought out. They have the inspiration of Dave Pickerell, the roots of the landscape, and great whiskey to match. Want a single barrel? Call them and ask for Renee. Want to talk media? You'll talk to a real person (they get a shout out in the episode!). You want to experiment with something? Give them a call and see if it's possible. 

Chances are, it is - and Driftless Glen will be right there to take that experiment to fruition. Seriously a distillery to watch. 

_________________

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so!

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks, including one coming up in partnership with the This is my Bourbon Podcast. 

You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 

Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 

Thanks for reading! Now here’s Reneé Bemis of Driftless Glen Distillery.

Driftless Glen Distillery

• Driftless Glen Distillery Website

Reviews

• Driftless Glen Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com

Thanks to our Sponsor, Scotch Malt Whisky Society

• SMWS Website