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Cask to Glass

David Holmes

How do you take your whisky?

Neat? Splash of water? Block of ice? Or even a mixer?

However you take it, join John Beattie, former Scotland rugby international and semi-retired BBC radio and TV news presenter, as he celebrates the heritage and flavour of Scotland's national drink and the world's favourite spirit.

Whether you call it whisky, whiskey, uisge beatha, aqua vitae, or the water of life... there's a story behind every dram; a craftsman behind every drop; an aroma with every nose; and a flavour in every sip.

This is the spirit of Scotland: distilled in a place; shared around the world.

What makes it so special? Why is it so loved? And who are the people that make it, and the aficionados who drink it?

Join John every Thursday as he explores the alchemy that takes place from cask to glass.

Slàinte!

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Host: John Beattie

Producer: David Holmes

Socials:

@C2GWhisky

@JohnRossBeattie

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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#75
Thursday · 36 min
Sun, Scotch & Coconut Water: Andre de Almeida on Cracking the Brazilian Whisky Market
How do you take your whisky? On a Brazilian beach, with coconut water obviously. Or better still coconut water ice. In 2025 Brazil was the joint-fifth largest market for Scotch whisky by volume - 54 million bottles. But with a population of some 200 million people, Brazil's still an untapped market. So how do you crack it? In this episode of Cask to Glass, we sit down with industry veteran Andre de Almeida (Founder of Inside the Cask and former Export Director for Loch Lomond Group). Born in Brazil and now based in Scotland, Andre offers a rare insider look at one of the world's most dynamic and challenging spirits markets. We dive deep into: ➡️The unique drinking culture of Brazil - from beachside standard blends to premium single malts. ➡️The role duty free stores on Brazil's many border crossings play in getting whisky to consumers. ➡️Common mistakes international brands make when entering South America. ➡️The story behind the official Brazilian tartan. ➡️How a Brazilian born Scot taught Brazil how to play football. ➡️The exciting rise of domestic Brazilian single malts like Union and Lamas. Whether you're in the drinks industry looking to expand into Latin America or simply a whisky enthusiast curious about global drinking cultures, this conversation is packed with actionable insights and fascinating stories. #whisky #scotchwhisky #podcast #interview #WhiskyPodcast #madetobemeasured Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#74
September 10 · 34 min
On the Nose: Richard Paterson on 60 Years in the Whisky Industry
Legendary master blender Richard Paterson OBE began his career in whisky on 5 September 1966. Sixty years on, he's still passionate about Scotland's national drink and the world's favourite spirit. In this episode he reflects on a life in whisky and demonstrates the best way to drink whisky. He reveals how his earliest childhood memory of whisky was when his father, who ran the family bottling & blending company, would kiss him good night: "I could the feel bristles on his chin. But I also could smell the whisky on his breath." "Then when we were eight years old," he continues, "[my father] said to my twin brother and I: 'Right come up to Glasgow, I want to show you my world.' It was an experience you never forget." His father's world was a dark, damp warehouse. "We could see the silhouettes of the cask and the noise of the city subdued. And then suddenly more than anything, it was a smell of maderised wine and whisky," he recalls. "My father said: 'Hey, boys, I want you to nose this whisky.' And he handed me a glass, and I said: 'I don't know what you mean.' And he said, 'What?' And that's when he hit me in the back of the head, and I said: 'What did you do that for?'" His father then proceeded to show Richard and his brother how hold the glass properly, how to swirl it around and how to sniff it: "Is it heavy as your grumpy grandfather? Is it as light as your mother? Is it as sweet as your chocolate bar? Or is it as dry as the dust on the floor?" "So when he used these descriptors, I could tell something about it and I could see it was heavy. I didn't drink it, but I could see there were aromas going on. And that really was the first introduction to Scotch whisky." Despite those early beginnings, Richard admits: "When I started in 1966 with A Gillis, I discovered actually I knew nothing. I was ignorant. I was stupid. And if I want to be the big managing director or CEO or what have you, I'd really have to work." That's when he began educating himself in whisky, wine, Cognac, cigars, rum, "you name it". He admits it took years of study, travel and relentless practice to sharpen his nose and to become "The Nose". As well as taking extensive courses and diplomas, Richard learned by visiting warehouses, examining casks and comparing how different woods, ages and maturation styles transformed the spirit. In this candid, personal and at times humorous interview Richard reveals: ➡️the story of his insured nose; ➡️the rare Dalmore whiskies that made him stop and say: "Wow!" ➡️his thoughts on the current Scotch whisky market; ➡️and his belief that the industry will come through its present challenges This is a conversation about passion, patience and dedicated practice in the pursuit of excellence. #whisky #scotchwhisky #podcast #interview #richardpaterson #richardpatersonwhisky #WhiskyPodcast #madetobemeasured Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#73
September 3 · 33 min
GlenWyvis on the Brink: Why this community distillery could go bust without immediate investment
Can a community-owned distillery survive the current whisky market? GlenWyvis Distillery, founded in 2015 with 4,000 community investors, began production in 2018. Now it needs £300,000 by October & £6 million in the long-run to keep going. In a candid interview two of its directors explain why. If you want to help contact them at info@glenwyvis.com. We first spoke to GlenWyvis Distillery in April 2025 (Episode 13). But now the distillery is on the brink. As we've explored in several episodes over the last few months, the whisky industry is in a downturn because of the cost of living crisis, increased energy costs caused of global conflicts, international trade uncertainties and falling consumer confidence. In fact, in Episode 71 just two weeks ago, Fred Laing from Douglas Laing & Co. said he'd never experienced a downturn this bad in the 58 years he's been in the industry. And then there's the unique way whisky distilleries operate: You have to build a distillery, which takes huge capital outlay. You begin production which also costs money. And then you have to put what you produce aside in a cask for at least three years, which costs money. Ideally you put it aside for ten years, because as David Graham - former Chairman of GlenWyvis - puts it: "You need to have 10-year-old spirit in today's marketplace for people to pay you any real attention. Now, I know there's no age statement whiskies on the market. And I know there are a lot of comparatively young and rare bottlings on the market. But in theory, if you've got 10-year-old spirit, you count. If you haven't, you're not there yet. "So 10 years at £400,000 a year, there's £4 million that you just need to put the liquid in the casks. And that's before you build a warehouse to put them in, or rent a warehouse to put them in, and that's before you meet the duty." And in today's market, Colin Dickie GlenWyvis's finance director, chips in, there's "a race to the bottom in terms of the price point". "We just can't get tot a price point that you might get in your local supermarket. So it's very difficult for us in terms of being competitive." Join John as he chats candidly to Colin and David about the crisis facing one of Scotland's newest whisky distilleries. Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#72
August 27 · 29 min
The Sleeping Giant: Tomatin's Jamie Muir reveals Scotch Whisky's best kept secrets
“I really enjoy my whisky,” Jamie Muir says. He ought to. Raised on Jura, schooled on Islay and now Distillery Manager at Tomatin Distillery near Inverness, you’d say something had gone horribly wrong if he didn’t enjoy his whisky. Drill deeper and he admits: “I think a lot of what I enjoy about whisky is situational. Drinking it in a warehouse, yep, there’s something incredibly special about that. Drinking it with someone who really enjoys it, I get probably more gratification from that now as well. “Again in the middle of the winter here at Tomatin, when it’s snowing, you’ve got the fire on, nothing nicer than just sitting there with your feet up with a dram.” But ultimately, Jamie says, “It’s the company I’m with at the time that enamours me to want to have a drink.” “My memories of whisky,” he continues, “are, you know, being out flyfishing with my dad, my brothers, out on the hill. At the end of the day, you open a bottle. Whatever it was. Predominantly it would have been Jura. But more often, Famous Grouse, Whyte and MacKay. You would crack open the cap, punch it up, throw it away, and you would pass the bottle around. “I probably didn’t enjoy the whisky itself, but I enjoyed being part of the camaraderie of it. You were every bit as important - whether you’re a young boy or not, or a young lad or not - you still got that bottle passed to you. And it felt like a bit of a rite of way.” Fast forward 20 or 30 years, and Jamie now has access to a lot of whisky. Tomatin Distillery was established in 1897 and primarily produced whisky that went into blends. By the 1980s, Tomatin was the biggest distillery in the world - “for a very small period of time,” Jamie’s quick to concede - producing 12 million litres a year. Today, Jamie adds, “We’re probably a five, six million litre distillery. We don’t hit that capacity.” “I guess what attracted me to Tomatin in the first place was the size of it, the scale of it. It’s a, I don’t like using the word, a sleeping giant. But it is a big site from the past. And you see a lot of the history of it still here.” And a lot of that history has left a legacy maturing in casks, in the warehouses on site. “We have a lot of old stock. And that is a byproduct of a lot of bulk production back in the eighties. Our oldest cask right now is about to turn sixty years old next year… But what’s more impressive is the depth of the forty, fifty year olds.” And that brings Jamie to 1977. “1977 is the dream year for a lot of people in this distillery,” he says. And he includes himself. It’s the best whisky, he says, he’s ever tasted: “The tropical notes are incredible for the edge of it. It's so vibrant, it's so unique. The depth of it's fantastic. The balance to it's incredible.” “Yep,” he concludes, “the Tomatin 1977's pretty, pretty special to me. And every time I try it, it's usually a Warehouse Six. In the most beautiful surrounding, it's usually cold. “There's just something amazing about it. Every time I smell it, I know exactly what I'm smelling. I know that smell distinctly well. And it just brings me back every time to the same you know, that first time I smelled it.” And the price tag? “Probably near ten grand,” he says off the top of his head. Join John as he chats to Jamie about his inevitable career path, his love of whisky and his new Tomatin home, and discover how: ➡️Tomatin’s wood management keeps its old stock fresh; ➡️the core Tomatin line of 10- 12- & 18-year-old whiskies are complimented by its Cù Bòcan “experimental” range; ➡️Tomatin partners with its Japanese owners; ➡️“over-aging” could become more common. Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#71
August 20 · 35 min
Indpendent Spirits: Fred & Cara Laing from Douglas Laing & Co.
Go behind the scenes of Douglas Laing & Co. with Fred and Cara Laing as they share 75 years of whisky history, blending secrets, and a few drams along the way. As third and second-generation leads of one of Scotland's most respected independent bottlers and blenders, they bring a wealth of history, humour, and heart to the table. “Fred’s practically kicking me under the table,” complains Cara Laing, the Managing Director of Douglas Laing & Company, the family-owned independent bottlers and blenders based in Glasgow. Cara’s the third generation of her family to work for the company founded by her grandfather Fred Douglas Laing in 1948. You could say whisky’s in her blood. “I live and breathe and love Scotch whisky and I cannot imagine working in anything else,” she says. Cara and her dad Fred are sitting side by side in their Sample Room, which Fred likens to a “1930s New York speakeasy”. But Cara’s just made the mistake of admitting that some "professional people” have dubbed Douglas Laing “entrepreneurial chancers”. “In a good way,” she tries to placate Fred. Established in the aftermath of the Second World War when Fred Sr, or FDL, purchased the King of Scots whisky brand and a few casks of blended whisky for a peppercorn fee, Douglas Laing has had to be “agile” and “quick to respond and react” to changing fortunes in the whisky market. Like now. “It’s really tough just now,” Cara admits. “There’s been a huge reset after Covid. We saw a lot of false high; essentially people at home, drinking at home, investing in whisky. It meant some of the bigger companies felt that would continue, flooded the markets around the world with Scotch whisky. “Consumer, confidence, understandably, against the global backdrop, has taken a huge hit. So people aren’t buying whisky at the same level they were. They’ve traded down.” “Fair to say,” says Fred, “I’ve been through a few recessions since I joined the whisky industry in 1968. And I’ve never felt one as bad as this. “We used to have a compensating market. If the Far East was down, Europe was up, or South America was percolating nicely, particularly through markets like Brazil and Venezuela. “There are currently no compensating markets. “We’ve just got to strive and work; blood, sweat and tears. “It’s not so bad if you’ve always got a back up of a glass in your hand, but it’s a tough show out there, undoubtedly.” That’s where Douglas Laing’s entrepreneurial spirit and agility come in. They’ve just launched a new RTD or ready to drink cocktail onto the Japanese market: Big Peat Crazy Smoky highball in a can. “That’s something we previously wouldn’t have really played with,” Cara admits. “It’s been a real baby for Fred.” Douglas Laing’s new RTD sits alongside the company’s traditional bottlings; its traditional cask strength, Old Particular and Xtra Old Particular single cask bottlings; its regional malts like Big Peat from Islay, Scallywag from Speyside and Timorous Beastie from the Highlands region. Join John as he chats to Cara and Fred about: ➡️The heritage and origins of Douglas Laing & Co, from its post-WWII beginnings to global reach ➡️The art of blending and the secrets behind Douglas Laing’ iconic regional malts ➡️The future of Scotch: navigating market challenges and the rise of RTDs in Japan ➡️How to start your own whisky journey if you haven’t already ➡️And a love for Scotland #Whisky #ScotchWhisky #DouglasLaing #CaskToGlass #BigPeat #Speyside #HighlandMalt #WhiskyPodcast #IndependentBottler Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#70
August 13 · 30 min
Making Whisky Fun: Dawn Davies on the "Smoky Cokey" & Other Geeky Secrets
Whisky should be fun, declares Dawn Davies, outgoing commercial buying director for global whisky retailer The Whisky Exchange. She wants to shatter many of the myths around whisky. Like you can't mix Lagavulin with Coca-Cola. She calls it the "smoky cokey". And "it's absolutely delicious," she says. Then there's the "geeky" stuff. "I'm a fermentation geek through and through," she admits, because different yeasts create different flavours. Before that there's the grain: barley, corn or rye... etc. Each gives a different flavour. Then there's the type of still that's used to create the new spirit. And finally the oak. "I could talk about oak for at least an hour and a half, minimum," Dawn gushes. "You get so much flavour from the oak. And it's not just about the wood giving the flavour, or what was in the wood before. It's also the interaction of oxygen on the alcohols, which gives you all these incredible characters and wood changes so much." Knowing about the geeky, technical side of whisky production, Dawn insists, can help you understand what whiskies you might like. So settle in for an unconventional take on what makes whisky great from a true whisky aficionado who "thinks about booze all the time". Join John and Dawn as they discuss: ➡️Dawn's journey from wine lover to whisky expert. ➡️The unsung heroes of flavour: Yeast and Fermentation. ➡️How different still shapes and oak types define your dram. ➡️The rise of global whisky and what to watch next. ➡️Breaking the rules: Whisky cocktails, ice, and pairing with food. ➡️How to bring the next generation of drinkers into the category. Whether you're a seasoned whisky drinker or just starting your journey, this conversation is packed with insights to help you understand and enjoy whisky even more. Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#69
August 6 · 32 min
DrinkAbility: Nicola McRedmond & the State of the Whisky Job Market
Ever wondered what it actually takes to break into the whisky industry? John sits down with recruitment specialist Nicola McRedmond, founder of DrinkAbility, to discover the hidden roadmap for your career. From mastering the art of networking to the specific roles in high demand right now, this is your blueprint for landing your dream job in spirits. In this conversation with Nicola, we dive deep into the current state of the whisky job market. From the shifting roles of brand ambassadors to the "incestuous" nature of industry hiring, Nicola shares expert advice on how to stand out and build a career in the world of spirits. Whether you're looking to break into the industry or want to understand the business case for diversity and inclusion in whisky industry, this episode offers a candid look at the people behind the bottles. Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#68
July 30 · 30 min
Let Us Dram You: Susan Morrison & the Scotch Whisky Experience
Step into "Scotland's greatest story" and discover one of the 7 Wonders of the Scotch Whisky World - the Diageo Claive Vidiz Scotch Whisky Collection - curtesy of Susan Morrison, CEO of the Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh. Let Susan "dram you" into discovering whisky for the first time or into expanding your whisky journey no matter how experienced you are. Over nearly 40 years the Scotch Whisky Experience, located at the top of Castle Hill right next to Edinburgh's iconic Castle, has played host to over nine million visitors from around the world. Its centrepiece is the legendary Claive Vidiz whisky collection - 3,384 bottles of Scotch whisky amassed by, and named after, the Brazilian businessman and whisky enthusiast. Ranging from the most humble supermarket blends to the rarest single malts ever produced, this priceless collection was once the Guinness Book of Records' largest collection of unopened whisky bottles in the world. The recipient of the 2024 Dr Jim Swan Award for Services to Scotch Whisky, Susan began working at the Scotch Whisky Experience as a university student when it first opened in 1988. Now the Experience's CEO, Susan's the perfect guide to take you on a celebration of Scotland's national drink and the world's favourite spirit. Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#67
July 23 · 34 min
Liquid on Lips: How to Market Whisky with Nick Morgan
How do you market whisky in the 21st century? Or as ex-Diageo marketing guru, Nick Morgan, puts it: How do you get "liquid on lips"? A Keeper of the Quaich and the 48th inductee in the Whisky Hall of Fame, Nick's written the definitive history of Johnnie Walker, the best-selling Scotch whisky in the world: Johnnie Walkder: A Long Stride - The Story of the World's No 1 Scotch Whisky. Red label. Black label. Blue label. Green label. Gold label... For over 200 years Johnnie Walker blended Scotch whisky has been the world's leading whisky brand recognised and enjoyed in over 180 countries. And, as Nick explains, for over a hundred years, Johnnie Walker has stuck to one abiding image and message: the Striding Man. In this episode, Nick explains what works and what doesn't work when it comes to marketing whisky. As a historian, Nick's studied whisky marketing techniques from the late 19th and early 20th century: "There was a lot of marketing [then]. People didn't call it that, but my goodness me, they were doing marketing of the most brilliant kind, some of the early brand owners, big brand owners. "I think one of the things then was that everyone really understood their product. They really understood what they were selling. They understood the whole whiskey thing." So join John as he and Nick discuss what works and what doesn't when it comes to marketing whisky; and what some of the new distilleries are getting right and wrong. Discover how sherry had an impact on the explosion of the whisky market in the mid- to late-19th century beyond providing casks. And learn how the prohibition movement in the UK between 1900 and 1935 led to an 80% fall in the consumption of spirits - most of it whisky - and how the how industry found new global markets. Could this provide a template out of the current slump in whisky sales. As Nick puts it, perhaps "some of the new market [for whisky sales] are talking to new consumers in old markets and finding relevant ways of talking to them." Slàinte! #whisky #podcast #interview #WhiskyMarketing #scotchwhisky #NickMorgan #CaskToGlass #johnniewalker ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#66
July 16 · 34 min
Mythical Beasts & Tangible Assets: Spiritfield's Ross Archer & Russell Spratley
Is whisky ownership the ultimate tangible asset? In this episode of Cask to Glass, we go behind the scenes of the whisky industry with Russell Spratley and Ross Archer from Spiritfilled. From their roots in finance to launching an award-winning independent bottling brand and an HMRC-approved bond, they share what it really takes to navigate the world of casks. We dive deep into: •The reality of whisky as a tangible asset vs. a financial instrument. •How the Braeside Bond is creating a new standard for transparency and "experience-led" storage. •The revolutionary NEOC (New Era of Cask) process that is transforming how spirits are finished. •How Scottish rugby legend Finn Russell became the face of their brand. •The current state of the global whisky market and why "time" is the most valuable ingredient. Whether you're a seasoned collector or just curious about owning your first cask, this conversation offers a rare, honest look at the craft and business of Scotch whisky. Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#65
July 9 · 32 min
The Swallows' Tale: John Johnstone & the Spirit of Glenkinchie
What does a 6,000-mile journey from Africa to a Scottish distillery have to do with a rare 30-year-old whisky? John Johnstone shares "The Swallows' Tale", a story of family legacy, natural cycles, and the spirit of Glenkinchie Distillery. From his roots in the mining community of Tranent to his transition from engineering into the heart of the whisky industry, John shares a deeply personal look at the people and history behind the "Lowland Legend." We dive into the arrival of the swallows at the distillery, the craftsmanship behind the legendary 30-year-old release, and how sharing a dram at the visitor center has a unique way of restoring faith in humanity. Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#64
June 18 · 32 min
The Dram Queen: Ann Miller & the Demysification of Enjoying Whisky
There are a lot of supposed "rules" when it comes to whisky. But for Ann Miller "rules are meant to be broken". AKA The Dram Queen, Ann's been demystifying the flavour and vocabulary of whisky for years, from explaining how a drop of water unlocks the taste of a dram to explaining the science of what goes on in the cask. In this episode of Cask to Glass, John Beattie chats to one of Scotland’s most esteemed whisky educators. With a career spanning from the Scotch Whisky Experience in the 1980s to Chivas Brothers, Ann shares her deep expertise on the heritage, science, and evolving landscape of Scotland's national drink. We dive into the fascinating chemical reaction that occurs when adding water to whisky, the rise of non-age statement expressions, and the innovative cask finishes shaping the market today. Ann also reveals her "Desert Island" whiskies and provides professional tips on how to truly assess and savour a high-end dram. Whether you’re a seasoned connoisseur or just beginning your whisky journey, this conversation is packed with insights to help you appreciate the "water of life" on your own terms. #whisky #scotchwhisky #podcast #DramQueen #WhiskyTasting #CaskToGlass #Speyside #singlemaltscotch Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#63
June 11 · 31 min
The Art of the Dram: Tom Addy from the Fife Arms
Would you pay £9,000 for a single nip of whisky? Today, we’re inside the legendary Fife Arms Hotel in Braemar, home to one of the world's most exclusive whisky libraries as John Beattie chats to Tom Addy about a whisky distilled in 1833 that was hidden behind a cellar wall for decades. What was his sales pitch to Jimmy Fallon? And did it work? Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#62
June 4 · 23 min
Hebridean Spirit: Angus MacMillan from Benbecula Distillery
“If you’re looking to get a quick return on your investment, you don’t do whisky,” chuckles Angus MacMillan founder of Benbecula Distillery. "You don’t do salmon farming either, because that I took from egg through to plate,” he says of a previous business venture. “So I'm a bit of glutton for punishment on these things.” Angus joins John in the first week of May from Benbecula, a small island in the Outer Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland, “on a beautiful sunny day.” The Scotch whisky industry has just learned that President Donald Trump is going to abolish tariffs on Scotch whisky imported into the United States, making the outlook even sunnier. “Spring has sprung,” Angus enthuses, “and moving on to summer. So we’re now looking forward to a really busy season ahead of us.” It’s almost two years to the day since Benbecula Distillery, one of the newest in Scotland, first started producing new spirit. It’s been an eight-year journey already and it’ll be another three years before the first whisky is released. But Angus admits he’s like “an excited parent” as he shows off a sample of his early spirit. “I’m not sure if you can see the colour, but it’s starting to take colour. This is cask number six. Pedro Ximénez. This is at 66 percent. And I’m getting all the flavours that I’m really delighted to experience. “There’s a saltiness. There’s the fruitiness. There’s some of the heather infused peaty taste. And the texture is smooth.” Angus can’t call it whisky yet. He’s not allowed to until it’s been in a cask for three years. But he can’t help himself: “Yeah the whisky there after two years, John, is everything that I would expect and want it to be. And can’t wait, obviously, until it’s a single malt as five-year-old being bottled in year six is probably what we’re waiting for. So three years to wait, but I would drink that as it is.” A proud Outer Hebridean, native Gaelic speaker and entrepreneur, Angus began pulling his business plan together in 2018. However, inspiration for the distillery came in 2012 shortly after he sold his salmon farming business, which had employed between 75 and 80 people throughout the Western Isles. He’d kept the processing plant in Gramsdale. But the jobs had gone. “I thought right,” he recalls, “what’s going to happen to this? These jobs can’t just be allowed to disappear. “So I was on a tour to Orkney and I walked into Highland Park, and the archway as you walk in there said, ‘Established 1798’ and that really hit a chord for me and I said: ‘My goodness, if you’re looking at a project that can provide population retention and jobs and families and everything else, then this has got to be it.’ “There are not many opportunities, but you know we have water and we have barley because actually in Gaelic Uist is called Eilean an Eòrna, which is Island of the Barley. So then the only other ingredient in making whisky is yeast. “So water, barley and yeast.” But that's only part of the story of Benbecula Distillery as far Angus is concerned. There are two other essentials: place and people. And place and people, he argues, separates Benbecula Distillery from the what you get on the A9 with Speyside distilleries. "You know," he says, "you wouldn't from the outside say right I'm going to put a distillery on Raasay" - a distillery he very much admires and wants to emulate - "you wouldn't say I'm going to put a distillery on Benbecula, far from the market, far from travel. But the upside is the story." Join John for the story of Benbecula Distillery: the place and the people. And soon the whisky... Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#61
May 28 · 33 min
Whisky's for Stories; Tequila's for Jail: Chris Greta's Still Life Stories
"Whisky is for stories. Tequila is for jail,” jokes Chris Greta a Texan story hunter and advertising copywriter, who travels the world helping distilleries look past the stills and mash tuns to find the magic, whether it’s in people, the place, the birds, the trees, and the rivers. Chris doesn't just look for tasting notes; he looks for the “Capo d’ Astro bat", that hidden, unique detail that makes a distillery truly special. Whether it's an "inconvenient" distillery at the southern tip of the world, a rock that becomes a holy object, or the legendary "resistance cognac" hidden from the Nazis, Chris shares why the magic of whisky lies far beyond the machinery and process. In this episode, we explore: ➡️ The Inconvenient Distillery: How making a weakness your biggest strength can create a powerful brand. ➡️The "Whisky Stone": Why the water at McHenry Distillery is like a "vitamin for yeast." ➡️ Belgrove’s "Holy St":** The incredible story of Peter Bignell and his homemade, sheep-dung-powered stills. ➡️ Tasting History: Chris’s time in Scotland and the discovery of pre-war cognac. ➡️ Selling the Sizzle: Why whisky companies often miss the most interesting parts of their own stories. Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#60
May 21 · 28 min
Painting the Spirit: On the Whisk(e)y Trail with Artist Ian Gray
Founding US President George Washington once said alcohol was a business for "scoundrels." So how'd he end up owning the largest whiskey distillery in the United States? Cue James Anderson, a Scottish farmer and 18th century expat. Join Scottish artist Ian Gray as he takes the whisk(e)y trail from Mount Vernon to Louisville; Lynchburg to Islay; Speyside to Shimamoto. Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#59
May 14 · 30 min
Beyond the Glens: Georgie Bell from The Heart Cut
If you love whisky, there are hundreds of distilleries across the world pursuing flavour based on passion, provenance and a “taste of place”. Just look "beyond the glens" and the global "big five", says award-winning indy bottler Georgie Bell from The Half Cut. “I know I’m on a Scotch whisky podcast,” Georgie Bell co-founder of indy bottlers The Half Cut chuckles, before pressing home her point. “It’s Scotch and, not Scotch or…” she insists. “Whisky is now made across the world, and there are passionate individuals who are making whisky to the quality of Scotch. You just have to take a look at the recent World Whisky Awards and who the award winners were. “Scotland was there of course, but there were distilleries all over the world who were racking up gold medals right? Taking home best-in-class prizes. And these distilleries across the world, they’re making whisky that’s at that quality, but they’re not trying to replicate Scotch. “They’re trying to make whisky that tastes of home to them; that has a sense of place. And that is very exciting because actually when you think about it, what you need to make whisky is grain, yeast and water. You need time. You need a lot of money. And you need patience. “Those six factors don’t have any geographical boundaries. You can make whisky across the world. You just have to have the “why not, what if” mentality to be able to bring that to light. And those are the distillers that we partner with at The Heart Cut”. Georgie’s been in the whisky business for 19 years; since she was a 19-year-old bartender in Edinburgh. She was a global whisky ambassador for eight years, four with Craigellachie. Two and half years ago Georgie and her husband Fabrizio Leoni started The Half Cut. (Three days later she gave birth to their twin daughters.) The name comes from “the heart cut of the distillation process,” Georgie explains. “When the spirit runs off that final spirit still, distillers never take the first bit of the cut. They never take the last bit of the flow because of the undesirable flavours. They’re just not the character they want the whisky to be, but they always take their prized half cut.” “The heart cut is different from distillery to distillery,” Georgie continues, “because of the way the spirit runs off the still. Different flavour congeners are going to come off at different times. “We chose the name The Heart Cut for our independent bottler because we’re working with distilleries to find these incredible gems of casks within their warehouses. Kind of those prized one-off casks that really show the heart and soul of that distillery.” Distilleries like Stuaning on the west coast of Denmark, which was the first distillery Georgie and Fabrizio partnered with. It was founded by a group of friends intent on making a “distinctly Danish style of whisky,” Georgie explains. “I think four of them were engineers. One was a doctor, one was a butcher, one was a teacher, one was a banker.” They had the water. They had the grain. But they didn’t have peat. “But,” Georgie continues, “what they do have is heather. And once a year, they cut down some of this heather and they put it in the kiln during malting and they create a heather-smoked single malt. A flavour, that because of the heather and where they are, can’t be replicated anywhere else in the world.” It's whiskies like Stauning, "whiskies with a story", that Georgie and Fabrizio are bottling. Others include Starward in Australia and Thomson in New Zealand, as well as Nc'Nean and Lochlea in Scotland. So as Georgie says, it's "Scotch and, rather than Scotch or..." Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#58
May 7 · 22 min
Scotland's Smallest Whisky Distillery: Cameron McCann on Heritage and Innovation
Most Scottish whisky distilleries produce millions of litres every year. But Stirling Distillery? They produce what their owner, Cameron McCann, calls a "puddle." Yet in 2025 this tiny family operation won Best Scottish New Make Spirit at the World Whiskies Awards. Join John as he dives into how Scotland’s smallest distillery is beating the global giants, the 172-year history of their building, and their innovative approach to the future of spirits, including sustainable aluminium bottles. Plus, Cameron shares three "undervalued" whiskies that every enthusiast should track down right now. In this episode, we discuss: The "Becoming" of Stirling Whisky: Transitioning from Gin to Single Malt. How to attract 25,000 visitors a year to a tiny distillery. The reality of the current whisky market for small producers. Sustainability and the future of whisky exports. Cameron’s personal recommendations for bottles you should buy now. Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#57
April 30 · 27 min
Aussie Drams with That Whisky Girl Sarah Russell
By day, Sarah Russell is “Miss Sarah”, an Australian primary school teacher in Adelaide. The rest of the time, she’s “That Whisky Girl”, an Instagram influencer and whisky podcaster breaking down barriers in a male-dominated industry. “I just wanted to get the girls going,” she tells John from Kyoto, Japan’s “cultural capital”, where she’s just back from visiting the Miyagikyo Distillery founded by Masataka Taketsuru, the Father of Japanese Whisky. “I got into whisky into whisky a few years ago,” Sarah says, “and I’ve just found that it’s a very male dominated field. And every time I go to whisky events, I’m usually the only girl or it’s a couple of girlfriends and they don’t really love whisky. “But I meet lots of girls who love whisky and they talk about how maybe they don’t feel so comfortable going to these events. So I just really wanted to get everyone into it.” “You know,” she continues, “it’d be fantastic to have a bit of a girls’ night out at a whisky event rather than just it being a bit of boys’ night thing. And I’ve met so many women who are whisky distillers in Australia and brand ambassadors and amazing bartenders. So I really just wanted to showcase everything they’ve got going on.” But she adds: “I feel anytime I'm in a whisky bar in Adelaide or at a whisky show the amount of times I've had people say, ‘Do you even like whisky? Do you even know how to drink whisky?’ Or I've had like men stop me and just be like, ‘This is how you drink whisky.’ I'm like uh-huh I know.” So at the start of the year Sarah launched a fortnightly podcast on Instagram called “She’s On The Rocks” to do just that. Sarah’s whisky journey started off with whisky and cola when she was younger. But as for whisky on its own, “I was like, nah, it's not for me. It's a bit burny.” Yet, while she found she “struggled with drinking it”, she loved the smell of whisky; liked nosing it. “So I just kept trying it,” she says. “And eventually it just clicked for me. One day I was like, ‘What is this? I love whisky now’.” But not just the taste. “It's the memories behind things and it's the experiences, it's the people. It's just such a wonderful community as well,” she explains. Join John and Sarah as they trade memories made over sharing a dram; discover Sarah’s three favourite Australian whiskies; and find out just how much heftier the Angels’ Share is in Australia compared to Scotland, which is why, Sarah says, “It’s so hard for us to get older age statements.” Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
#56
April 23 · 44 min
The Whisky Algorithm: David Thomson of Annandale Distillery
If you want to get David Thomson, co-founder of Annandale Distillery, started, just tell him, “You don’t make peated whisky in the south of Scotland.” “Yes, we do!” he’ll thunder. Then expect a wee history lesson. “If you go to Barnard’s book, The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom,” he’ll tell you, referring to Alfred Barnard’s definitive whisky guide published in 1887, “you find that all four of the distilleries that were in the south of Scotland did make peated whisky.” “I mean,” David says of Annandale, “we live in a bog frankly, so why wouldn’t we make peated whisky? But you know that gets me to one of my sort of pet things, which is I really don’t like the kind of Lowland moniker that we get labelled with, because I don’t think it’s got very positive connotations. So I always think of ourselves as south of Scotland whisky." In 2007, David and his wife Teresa Church took over the derelict remains of Annandale Distillery, in Dumfries and Galloway in south west Scotland. Started in 1836 by an ex-excise officer, Annandale was taken over by Johnnie Walker in 1893, precisely because it made peated spirit. “The peated spirit they were getting previously,” David speculates, “was coming from Islay. So into a ship of some sort, onto the Clyde coast and then presumably by train to Kilmarnock. Whereas with Annan, they could simply take it to the train station and whip it up to Kilmarnock.” In about 1919, David continues, Johnnie Walker experienced “liquidity problems” and sold Annandale to a local farming family, the Robertsons, who made Provost Porridge Oats, and it ceased to be a distillery. Until 2007, when David and Teresa decided they’d buy and restore the derelict distillery. They didn’t have a background in whisky, but David was a specialist in food chemistry. And more importantly he's an expert in sensory psychology and sensory evaluation. In 1989 David and Teresa had started MMR Research Worldwide, a market research company for the food industry. With MMR behind them, they decided to identify a whisky profile that would set Annandale apart. "If you ask people what sort of whisky they like, you're gonna get 101 different answers. Different people like different things even within the same quite tight product category," David explains. "But although you take 300 people, there's not 300 points of view. There's probably five or six points of view. And being able to identify these is quite important." "We were able to take expert tasters of any type of food, and we could look at the relationship between the sensory characteristics of the products and what people liked. So if you think of these different kind of liking segments, you can build a separate mathematical model for each liking segment, and then you can tell you clients how they should change the sensory characteristics of their product to make it liked more." David and MMR applied the "algorithm", as David calls it, to whisky. And they identified a flavour profile for peated and unpeated whisky which no-one else was doing. David gave the two profiles to his long-time friend Dr Jim Swan, the so-called "Einstein of Whisky", and asked him to design two whiskies that matched the profiles. After several iterations, Jim did just that. And in 2014 Annandale Distillery was back in production, producing its first new spirit in nearly 100 years. Join John as he chats to David about the rebirth of Annandale Distillery, guided by sensory science and data modelling. And discover how Scottish actor James Cosmo became the inspiration and face of Annandale's Storyman blended Scotch Whisky. Slàinte! ------- Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David Holmes Art work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home) Vocals: Andrea Cunningham Guitars: John Beattie Bass: Alasdair Vann Drums: Alan Hamilton Bagpipes: Calum McColl Accordion: Gary Innes Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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