Whiskey Lore®: The Interviews

In today's episode, Ian Weir from Ian McLeod (makers of Smokehead) and Elliot Walker from Blowfish Glass join me to talk whisky and glassware. We will delve into the traditional techniques used to create the glass, including the intricate process of hand-blowing glass. We also explore the origins of Smokehead single malt whisky, highlighting its distinctive smoky profile and tasting three expressions. We'll see how a specially designed Smokehead glass works versus my favorite Copita and the tumbler. It's a unique episode for Whiskey Lore: The Interviews, originally recorded for the YouTube channel. Hope you enjoy it.

In today's episode, I chat with Brian Haara, an attorney specializing in bourbon law, and the author of Bourbon Justice: How Whiskey Law Shaped America. We discuss Brian's interest in law and how he got involved in the bourbon industry. We also explore the challenges of researching old lawsuits and deciphering handwriting in old documents. I'll do a tasting of a surprise historic whiskey and we'll talk about those unique characteristics, including its heavy body and long-lasting flavors. Finally, we'll dive into the fascinating career of E.H. Taylor and talk about his financial troubles, his many lawsuits, as well as his shift to Bottled-in-Bond whiskey. We'll also highlight Brian's charitable work within the bourbon industry and the generosity of bourbon enthusiasts.

Back in 2019, while preparing for my first season of the Whiskey Lore Stories podcast, I took a trip to Scotland to learn the story of Cù Bòcan, the spectral animal that is said to haunt the village of Tomotin in the Scottish Highlands. I learned of the story while reading the back of a box of Tomatin's peated single malt Scotch and was curious to hear more.

When I contacted the nearby community of Strathdearn, I was introduced to Duncan Bryden, a man knowledgable about the legends and history of the area. I met up with him and we took a walk through the woods across from the Tomatin Distillery and he helped fill me in on the history of the area, including the legends of the last wolf of Scotland, the story of the Witch of Laggan and other local tales.

For the last 4 years, this interview has been tucked away, only available to my Patreon members. But since I am now putting all of my Whiskey Lore Stories episodes on YouTube, I thought I'd bring this back for all the new listeners to the podcast and the long time loyal listeners who just can't get enough history.

Cheers! Drew

Back for 2024 with a new lineup of interviews. Kicking off talking about rye whiskey (a fascinating grain I want to spend more time with this year). We're going back Pennsylvania where rye whiskey made its presence known during and after the Revolutionary War. I'm joined by Maximilian Merrill the founder of a new distillery that is bringing back Somerset County distilled Monongahela rye and introducing a Maryland style rye.

You've heard it before - the world's oldest whisky is going up for auction. But this time, there is more than just carbon dating and a loose story behind the spirit. Join me as I talk with Joe Wilson, the Head Curator at WhiskyAuctioneer.com about this nearly 200 year old whisky, found in a castle. We'll talk about whisky auctions and how they verify claims, the issues with counterfeits, and how modern whisky auctions work.

Here's a quote from Joe from their press release:

"Offering the world's oldest scotch whisky at auction is truly a once in a lifetime occurrence. I'm fortunate to be well acquainted with old and rare liquid, as Whisky Auctioneer handles some of the world's rarest whisky bottlings. This, however, is a transcendent discovery that is sure to capture not just the imagination of the whisky industry but also those well beyond.

"Distilled in the 1830s, the whisky was made during a fascinating period when whisky production was experiencing massive change following the 1823 Excise Act, making it a particularly exciting find for those interested in the history and heritage of the Scotch whisky industry."

It's the bourbon everyone loves or everyone loves to eye-roll at. Blanton's has developed quite the reputation in this current market, with some calling it overrated and some prizing the bottles and paying large amounts for them. Today, we're going to dive into the history of the brand going back to Elmer T. Lee and to the origins of what is now the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Get the ins and outs and learn from a super fan and collector Dominic who has a new book out called Warehouse H: The Story of Blanton's Bourbon.

One of my new favorite people in the whiskey history community has just come out with a fantastic book that explores Texas Whiskey history before Prohibition. Like Tennessee, the history of distilling in what is now Texas goes back much further than you think. Let's step out of the saloon lore and find the real (footnoted) history of Texas whiskey with author and co-founder of Still Austin, Andrew Braunberg. Cheers to real whiskey history!

Today we're going to dig into the science of blending and talk about a grain that I always associate with Canada rye, with Dr. Don Livermore, Master Blender and Doctor of Brewing and Distilling overseeing brands from Hiram Walker & Sons including J.P. Wiser's, Pike Creek and Lot 40 - also two books on Canadian whiskey including Blending 101. He's known as the Whisky Doc and he's got a lot of great information to share. We'll also do tastings of two J.P. Wiser whiskies and a Lot 40 Rye. Cheers and Slainte Mhath!

When it comes to whiskey history, some historic names take a long time to see the light of day. When it comes to James A. Miller, his time is well overdue. He started distilling in Bourbon County in the 1830s and eventually built a distillery he called The Bourbon Distillery. His whiskey was "celebrated" in New Orleans and eventually found its way to California and even to Germany and Canada. The whiskey was known as Chicken Cock. And today I'm talking with the current brand owner's ambassador Will Woodington about this history. Enjoy!

With episode 102, it is time to take stock of what Whiskey Lore is about and the way I research my stories. With the upcoming release of my first full-length history book The Lost History of Tennessee Whiskey I've done some soul searching and its time to let you in on what I'm thinking.