Whiskey Lore®: The Interviews

Time to dig into the 1970s and beyond with the great Richard Paterson. We're going to talk about how blenders work with spirits, the comradery in the industry in the early days, how Richard got into doing presentations in front of people, the origins of his whisky toss, The Dalmore Distillery and its secrets, and Billy Walker will toss in a comment. Enjoy!

As I celebrate my 100th interview episode, my special guest is Richard Paterson of Whyte & MacKay, the Dalmore, Jura, and of course Shackleton. During this hour we are going to step back into the 1960s with Richard and talk about the way things were versus how they are now in the Scotch whisky industry. We'll also find about the first distillery he visited, Glasgow as a whisky town, distillery character, and as bunch of fun stories as only Richard can tell them.

Slainte!

During my trip to Ireland, I had the pleasure of meeting Sir Maurice O'Connell as we talked about his two whiskey brands - The Liberator and Lakeview Estate. I was fascinated by his family's history in smuggling and his ancestor Daniel O'Connell who is known as the Liberator. We'll take a look back at that history and then dive into a discussion about his unique bonded warehouse, where he gets his barrels, and how he is using Killarney grain to make his whiskey.

Did you know North Carolina has a long history of making whiskey? Join me as I chat with Jason and Jeanne Queen who are bringing back that old tradition, while preserving a grist mill that goes back to the very origins of the state of North Carolina. We'll taste their bourbon, talk NC agriculture, and what it takes to start a whiskey brand in the Tarheel State.

Today its time to learn about whiskey certifications, tips for developing strengths as a blind taster, and we'll discuss wine and its influence on whisky - including flavors, finishes, and barrel types. Adam is the General Manager of the Sommelier Company and a Master of Scotch Council of Whiskey Masters as well as a Certified Specialist of Wine Society of Wine Educators. Don't worry, we'll chat bourbon as well. Cheers!

Is there a whisky you love so much, you could write two books about it? Today, I talk to Wild Turkey superfan David Jennings (aka Rare Bird 101) and talk about his two books American Spirit: Wild Turkey from Ripy to Russell and his new book Wild Turkey: Musings.

We'll discuss his passion for the brand, what it took to research its history, how he built an audience behind his work, his first visit to the Wild Turkey Distillery, and what bourbon he would cheat on Wild Turkey with. It was a lot of fun chatting with another South Carolinian and whiskey author. Enjoy!

The first time I traveled to Scotland, I was in Aberlour talking with a bartender about the best whiskies to try. He asked what my favorites were. When I said GlenDronach, he said "ahhh Billy Walker." Since that moment, I've been wanting to learn more about this man and what he is doing at Glenallachie. I was also surprised to hear he dipped into the Irish market.

We're going to talk about his lifetime in the business and dig into some of where his knowledge of blending came from and what he plans next for his current distillery home.

Hard to believe Belfast has been without distilling for so long. On today's episode we'll dive into the first new distillery in Belfast in nearly 90 years. This one is housed in a facility that is rich with history. It is Titanic Distillers and their location on the docks of Belfast take us back to a day when ships were built to be modern marvels.

What do you think of when you think of Canadian whisky? Maple sweetness, rye, non-age-stated, and mellow? Well, Zach and Nick are really pushing the limits of Canadian whisky and want to change your mind about what Canadian whisky can be.

In this episode, we're going to explore the distilleries of Canada through the eyes and palates of these brothers as they seek out whisky that has been resting in barrels for well over 10 years and sometimes over 20 and putting it in bottles at cask strength. We'll do a tasting of 5 of these whiskies and you'll get quite an education in Canadian whisky and the art of blending.