WhiskyCast

Talisker Magma: Whisky With a Bit of Skye

The newest Talisker single malt is also the oldest Talisker ever bottled at 47 years old. It's finished in virgin American Oak casks toasted using heated volcanic rock from the Isle of Skye, and Diageo Luxury Ambassador Ewan Morgan will explain what the process adds on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also discuss the new Rare Series of whiskies from Diageo, too. In the news, Brown-Forman has rejected a $15 billion takeover bid from Sazerac, and Diageo's executive corps is undergoing a shakeup.

Certified Craft: Coming to a Store Near You

Craft distillers have been searching for years for ways to differentiate their whiskies from the large brands on the market. Now, the American Craft Spirits Association has created the "Certified Craft" program to meet the need. ACSA members will be able to use the Certified Craft logo on their products and marketing materials, and the seal gives consumers an easy way to tell what is and isn't craft. We'll talk with new ACSA CEO Emily Pennington and Colin Spoelman of Brooklyn's Kings County Distillery about the program on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, another discrimination lawsuit has been filed against Bardstown Bourbon Company, while a gain in Diageo third-quarter sales beat analyst estimates.

Single Oak Bourbon: Buffalo Trace's Single Oak Project Realized

Making Single Malt Whisky on Scotland's Ballindalloch Estate

When the Ballindalloch Estate has been in your family for more than 450 years, what's a few years to wait to bottle your own single malt Scotch whisky. The McPherson-Grant family waited nine years to bottle their first single malt after opening their distillery in 2014, and have now entered the U.S. market with the Ballindalloch Family Heritage Selection. We'll talk with Guy McPherson-Grant, the lord of Ballindalloch Castle, and the distillery's international sales director, Aidan Dunn, on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also have tasting notes for the Family Heritage Selection, along with the Ardbeg Dolce Feis Ile single malt. In the news, we have details on layoffs in the whisky industry in England and the U.S., along with the week's new releases and much more.

250 Years of History in One Bourbon

Horse Soldier Bourbon honors the "horse soldiers," Green Berets who led the invasion of Afghanistan after 9/11 and fought the Taliban on horseback. Now, the brand is celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States with a special 13-year-old Bourbon - representing the 13 original colonies. We'll talk with Horse Soldier co-founder Scott Neil about the whiskey and plans to open the Horse Soldier Distillery with a massive Fourth of July party on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Sazerac is reportedly offering $15 billion for Brown-Forman, while Uncle Nearest's receiver says the company is insolvent and on life support from its lenders.

Up on Woody Creek...

This week, we're joined by Woody Creek Distillers' "spokesdude", William H. Macy. Known for his roles in Shameless, Fargo, and other films, the award-winning actor is about to release the third edition of his William H. Macy Reserve Rye whiskey. Woody Creek's National Brand Ambassador, bartending guru Sean Kenyon, joins us as well to talk about the Colorado distillery and its whiskies. In the news, Sazerac has reportedly entered the bidding for Brown-Forman, while MGP is shutting down production at its two distilleries in Kentucky because of oversupply…

Sukhinder Singh's Worldview

Sukhinder Singh is a legend in the whisky business…he and his brother founded The Whisky Exchange and turned it into one of the leading whisky retailers in the world. They now run Elixir Distillers, which is reviving Tormore as a single malt and building Islay's Portintruan Distillery, which is on track to open later this year. Sukhinder is also known as one of the world's leading whisky collectors, with a collection of thousands of bottles. We'll get an update from him on the company's distillery projects, as well as his view of the whisky business, on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Gallo has completed its purchase of Kentucky's Four Roses Distillery, and U.S. spirits exports fell by nearly four percent last year.

Cruising with Jefferson's Bourbon

Jefferson's Ocean Bourbon is known for being aged at sea, and now, a new partnership between Jefferson's and Holland America cruises will see 11 cruise ships carrying barrels of Jefferson's on board during their voyages around the world. After the whiskey is bottled, it'll be sold on board each ship. We'll talk with Jefferson's co-founder Trey Zoeller about the partnership on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Pernod Ricard and Brown-Forman are discussing a potential merger that could see Jack Daniel's and Jameson under the same ownership. We'll have all of the details on this week's WhiskyCast.

School Time at Moonshine University

Louisville's Moonshine University is one of the few providers of distiller education in the United States, and many aspiring craft distillers have taken its courses over the last decade. With the downturn in whisky production, the school has changed its focus to include brand creation and sourcing for those who want to make whisky without owning a distillery. We'll talk with general manager Jason Lawrence and operations manager Clay Smith on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Waterford Distillery has been bought out of receivership, while the twists and turns in the Uncle Nearest receivership included a two-day detour into bankruptcy court this week. We'll have all the details and the rest of the week's news on this episode of WhiskyCast.