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Discovering the Legacy of William Grant & Sons: A Journey Through Whiskey

Nestled in the heart of Scotland, William Grant & Sons is synonymous with quality and craftsmanship in the whiskey industry. As the third-largest producer of Scotch whisky globally, the company has a rich heritage and a passion for distilling that spans over a century. Let’s delve into what makes William Grant & Sons a standout in the world of spirits and uncover some intriguing stories behind their distillery.

The story of William Grant is deeply intertwined with Scottish heritage. Descended from Clan Grant, known for its involvement in the Jacobite rebellion, William Grant’s lineage adds a layer of intrigue to the distillery’s narrative. One notable ancestor, Alexander Grant, famously escaped the battle of Culloden, embarking on a journey that would eventually lead to the creation of exceptional whiskey.

William Grant & Sons began its journey in 1887 with the distillation of Glenfiddich, which has since become one of the most recognizable single malt Scotch whiskies in the world. Following its success, the distillery expanded its portfolio to include Balvenie, showcasing its commitment to quality craftsmanship and tradition.

Today, the distillery boasts an impressive range of brands, including:

• Fistful of Bourbon: Their only bourbon, crafted with a unique blend of five straight bourbons.
• Hendrick's Gin: An innovative spirit that combines cucumber and rose, redefining classic gin.
• Tellamour DEW: Acquired for €171 million in 2010, adding a distinctive flavor to their collection.
• Famous Grouse and Naked Malt: Popular choices among whiskey enthusiasts.

Among the standout offerings from William Grant & Sons is Monkey Shoulder, a blended malt Scotch whisky that was introduced to the market in 2003. It’s crafted from a mix of three signature single malts, making it a delightful middle ground between single malt and blended Scotch.

• What sets it apart: Unlike blended Scotch, which can include grain whisky, Monkey Shoulder is strictly a blended malt, ensuring a richness and depth of flavor that appeals to many palates.

Perfect Pairings

For those looking to elevate their Monkey Shoulder experience, consider pairing it with Cornell & Diehl's Crosseyed Cricket pipe tobacco. This combination allows for a delightful exploration of flavors, enhancing the whiskey's richness.

Conclusion

William Grant & Sons is not just a distillery; it’s a testament to the artistry, heritage, and spirit of Scotland. From its storied past with Clan Grant to its impressive lineup of whiskies, including the delightful Monkey Shoulder, the distillery invites you to explore and savor its offerings.

• Research Sources
  • https://www.monkeyshoulder.com/en-us 
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monkey_Shoulder 
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Grant_%26_Sons 

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Happy New Year! For today's episode, we talk about the future of whiskey and what we think will happen in the coming year for our spirit of choice!

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from the Whiskey Chasers!  We sat down to discuss our favorite bottles from the Podcast or for the club. If you are celebrating with a bottle or a pipe, feel free to tag us so we can see!

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• Our Bottle: Ensemble
  • We picked this because of how smoky and scotch like it was
  • The ad for this bottle say its light but with a complex finish
  • If this is light, I might really like mezcal!
• What is mezcal
  • Made only in Jalisco
  • “Mezcal” is like whiskey, where tequila is like “bourbon”  All tequila is mezcal but not all mezcal is tequila
  • Made using agave hearts (pinya) that are roasted in a pit, which makes it smoky
  • It roasts for a few days, then dug up and smashed using a stone wheel moved by horses
  • This is fermented into polque
  • Usually then distilled in pot stills 
    • If the bottle says “Destilado en barro” then it is distilled in a clay pot still 
  • The spirit is distilled to the proof wanted, it is not cut, and usually not aged
    • Repisado is aged version
  • 
    
• Pipe Pairings:Irish cask by Peterson
• Cocktails:
• Research Sources
  • Everything you need to know about Mezcal | How to Drink

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Today we talk about Brandy and Cognac while enjoying Magnum Opus from Hearth and Home!

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• Before Gin there was Genever:
  • Malt Wine distilled 
  • Wasn't very good, so they started adding Juniper 
• Old Tom came next in the 18th century
  • This is our gin. Not using Malt wine, but instead grain spirits
• Then we have a London Dry
  • Nuetral grain spirits
  • Uses a column still
  • Then Vapor infused with an onion top pot still
    • In the second bubble on top is a gin bag with your herbs. Vapor from below mixes with this and what comes out is gin, then they cut it
  • Rummer is a “Dry martini” was originally saying you want a london dry gin, not the amount of vermouth
• Plymouth gin
  • Less citrus, more roots, making it more earthy
  • Not column still used, just pot still
• Pink Gin
  • Gin mixed with angostura bitters
  • Used to cure sea sickness by the royal navy
• What is Gin:
  • Flavored vodka (Fight me)

• Our Bottle: Rabbit Hole Bespoke Gin
  • London Dry Gin finished in Rabbit Hole Boxergrail rye barrels
• About Rabbit Hole
  • We will go into more detail on a future episode
  • Founder is from Tehran, came to the US at age 14 in 1979
  • Studied Psychology and became an academic and psychoanalyst
  • Marries a girl from Louisville, Visits and falls in love with bourbon
  • In 2012, rabbit hole is born
• Pipe Pairings: la gloria cubana by stg
• Cocktails:
• Research Sources
  • Everything you need to know about Gin | How to Drink

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On today's episode, we all picked a bottle that evoked memories.  We are getting personal on this one!  

Our smoke for this episode was Father the Flame, by Cornell and Deihl.  This was a limited release for the documentary they put out.

The Documentary "Father the Flame" is available to stream on Fubo and can be rented or purchased on YouTube.

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The Whiskey Chasers were joined by the whole Hough Family: Jim, Ellen, Rob, and Kevin, to discuss Liberty Pole Spirits.  It is always a joy to go to distilleries and meet the people behind the brand, but this was truly wonderful! The family was so welcoming and gave us a tour of the place, including their rickhouse. After our recording, we were treated to some amazing food from their restaurant. 

You will notice this recording may not be as clean as previous ones. We wanted to ensure the whole family could join in, but with only four mics, we had to share, so you may hear a little more noise than usual. However, the content more than makes up for it.  

We had the opportunity to try some unreleased goodies, as well as favorites from the family, but some of the best news we heard is that they are coming to Ohio!  Their products are expected to be available sometime next year, and we will notify you as soon as they are.

Show some love to Liberty Pole Spirits and follow them for news of future releases!

https://www.libertypolespirits.com/ 

https://www.instagram.com/libertypolespirits/

https://www.facebook.com/Libertypolespirits/ 

https://x.com/LibPoleSpirits

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We had the opportunity to sit down with Alex Trask, the Production manager and head blender of Wigle Whiskey. We had an amazing time interviewing Alex and hearing about his process and the state of craft whiskey in Pittsburgh.  We discussed Monongahela Rye, American Single Malt, and the process of Finishing and how that imparts flavor.  Alex is a real leader in the finishing world and is looking to triple or quadruple finish in the future, and really enjoys playing with those flavors!  Listen in to hear our full interview, and please show some love to Wigle by following them on social media. Be sure to keep an eye out for their bottles.  

https://www.facebook.com/wiglewhiskey 

https://www.instagram.com/wiglewhiskey/ 

https://wiglewhiskey.com/ 

Wigle whiskey

Wigle Whiskey is an award-winning spirits company producing small-batch, craft whiskey with unique and distinctive flavor profiles. As a true grain-to-glass producer, Wigle cherishes the art of craft distilling, sourcing grains from local farmers and crafting each bottle by hand with an expert distilling team. This commitment to quality and tradition, rooted in the rich history of whiskey production in Western Pennsylvania, has earned Wigle national recognition, including being named the Most Awarded Craft Distillery by the American Craft Spirits Association and ranking among the top 10 best craft distilleries in America by USA Today.

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• Interesting things about the distillery:
  • Said to be America's oldest continually maintained brand of whiskey, it was founded in West Overton, Pennsylvania, in 1810.
  • Old Overholt is a rye whiskey distilled by A. Overholt & Co., currently a subsidiary of Beam Suntory, which is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings of Osaka, Japan. 
  • It is currently distilled at the Jim Beam distillery in Clermont, KY
  • Henry Oberholzer (Anglicized to “Overholt”), a German Mennonite farmer, moved to West Overton, Pennsylvania, on the banks of Jacobs Creek in Western Pennsylvania in 1800.  His family came from the area of Germany which specialized in distilling “korn”, or rye whiskey, and Henry took up the tradition.
  • In 1810, Henry’s son took over the management of the distillery and made it into a business. 
  • By the 1820s, the distillery was putting out 12 to 15 gallons of rye whiskey per day. 
  • By 1859, Overholt incorporated his business as “A. Overholt & Co.” He operated out of a new distillery building that was six stories high, 100 feet long, and which could produce 860 gallons per day.
  • Old Overholt was one of six distilleries allowed to continue issuing bottled-in-bond, government stamped, pints with a dosage cup atop the cap and doctor’s prescription attached to the back.
    • Maybe because Andrew Mellon was a partner in the business and he was the secretary of the treasury under Harding
    • Mellon Sold his shares in 1925 due to concerns from prohabisionists 
  • Beam bought out the old overholt in 1986, when they made the purchase of Dekuyper Peachtree Schnapps. This was during a time when brown liquor was frowned upon and clear liquors were in. 
• Our Bottle:
• Pipe Pairings: 80 proof- Cornell and Diehl gentleman caller. 
• BIB- eight state burley Cornell and Diel 
  • 114 - peterson Hyde Park
  • 10 year- Irish Flake by peterson
  • Monogahela Rye- Cornell and Diehl riverboat gambler
• Cocktails:
• Research Sources
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Overholt 

https://whiskyadvocate.com/old-monongahela-rye 

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