79: The Tale of Two Micro-Distilleries

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This week, Jamie and Mark interview a distillery from Kentucky and one from Ontario to compare how regulation and taxation affects the whisky they make. Andrew Buchanan is of Hearetfield & Co from Paris, Kentucky, and Michael Hook is from The Last Straw Distillery in Vaughan, Ontario. We discuss how Bill 70 being proposed in Ontario will affect Ontario distilleries.

Links:

The Whisky Cabinet is available on Amazon
The Ontario Craft Distillers Association
Ontario's Micro-Distillers Feel Betrayed by Their Government
Heartfield & Co Distillery
The Last Straw Distillery

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

78: Interview with Jim Beam’s Matt Jones

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Jamie and Mark interview Matt Jones, the Canadian brand ambassador for Beam Suntory, specifically focused on Jim Beam and Canadian Club. We look at the history of no-age statement bourbons, new products coming into the marketplace, and the whisky ambassador lifestyle. 

You can follow Matt’s adventures on Instagram and Twitter (@whisky_chef)

Mentioned on the podcast:
Jim Beam Black wins IWSC Best Bourbon
Jim Beam Bonded
Jim Beam Double Oak
Ironing Board Meetings on Instagram
NB Spirit Festival

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

77: Interview with Marvin Allen, Author of Magic in a Shaker

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Marvin Allen is the bar manager at the Carousel Bar & Lounge, the world’s only carousal where you need to be 21 to ride. Marvin talks about how the cocktail scene has changed in the last 15 years, Tales of the Cocktail, and his book: Magic in a Shaker. 

Mentioned on the show: 

Tales of the Cocktail
Hotel Monteleone
The Carousal Bar & Lounge
Magic in a Shaker by Marvin Allen

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

76: Two Ryes, Two Bourbons, and Two Malt Whiskies

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Fearful of the whisky shortage? Mark and Jamie go through the best whiskies in their cabinet that are easily available at liquor stores! We break it down into ryes, bourbons, and malt whiskies. Let the debate begin. Be sure to check out the whisky reviews on whsky.buzz

Links mentioned:
Kentucky and Scotland Both Avoid the B Word

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

75: It’s all about the whisky bottle shape

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Mark and Jamie discuss the “Beast” whisky coming out of Fort McMurry, the importance of the way a whisky bottle looks, and Jamie’s travels! 

Drinking:
Laphroaig Quarter Cask
Bulleit 10 Year Old

Mentioned:
Bar Chef Toronto and The Bar Chef Book
@jotterface
Fort McMurray Fire Leads to “Beast” of a Whisky

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

74: Whisky Author Roundtable with Guests from Whisky Live

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Mark and Jamie are joined by Fred Minnick (author of Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of an American Whiskey) and Davin de Kergommeaux (Canadian Whisky: The Portable Expert). We drink Canadian whisky, talk about new oak versus reused oak, the importance of fermentation, and reveal secrets behind scoring whisky. 

Davin de Kergommeaux has previously appeared on episode 10 and 44 of The Whisky Topic. You can also get more information on Fred Minnick’s book on episode 69 of Bourbon Pursuit. 

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

73: Music and Whisky with Mike Di Caro

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Mike Di Caro joins Jamie and Mark to discuss how music is influenced by whisky. We taste Drake’s Virginia Black Whiskey, Sinatra Select, and Mike gives us a quick dive into country music. You can find Mike on twitter @mikedicaro

We were drinking:
Drake’s Virginia Black Whiskey
Sinatra Select

Mentioned links: 
Miranda Lambert - Vice & Jack Daniels
Brandy Clark — Three Kids No Husband
#GeorgeThorogood
@beardedsipper1976
Foodism Toronto

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

72: Interview with Han Shan from Hudson Whiskey

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This week’s feature is an interview with Han Shan from Hudson Whiskey. Hudson Whiskey has an odd start, with a plot of land being purchased for use as a climber’s ranch, that eventually became the home of Tuthilltown Distillery. This became the first distillery in New York State post-prohibition. News items covered include Knob Creek going NAS, and Toronto Distillery Co stirring controversy over their new release! 

Links:

Hudson Whiskey
Han Shan’s twitter
Knob Creek goes No-Age Statement reports Fred Minnick
Toronto Distillery Co’s First Barrels
Reddit AMA by Toronto Distillery Co
Whisky Live Author’s Rowwith Mark Bylok

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

71: Kentucky Bourbon Festival with Eric Burke

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The Kentucky Bourbon Festival happens each September in Bardstown Kentucky. Eric from bourbonguy.com joins Mark and Jamie on the podcast to share his experiences at the 2016 Bourbon Festival. We talk fan clubs, prices of whisky, Kentucky whisky purchases, and places to eat. Eric recently celebrated a big milestone with Robin, his wife, over her four-and-a-half year check-up of being cancer free. Ovarian cancer is frequently misdiagnosed by doctors. Please see the factsheet. 

Links:

Ovarian Cancer Factsheet
Using Old Forester Birthday Bourbon to Celebrate a Serious Milestone
Eric’s trip to Kentucky
Eric previously appeared on episode 56 talking about March Madness! 

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

70: Interview with Dr. Nick Morgan of Diageo

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While Dr. Nick Morgan sometimes earns the ire of whisky enthusiasts, his passion for whisky is unmistakable. Nick is the head of whisky outrage for Diageo, and shares his thoughts on age-statements on whisky bottles, blind-bottle tastings, blended scotch vs single malt scotch, and shares the story behind Lagavulin 8 Year Old. 

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

69: Is Summer Over? Let’s Discuss

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High West Distillery has won over the hearts of many whisky enthusiasts for their delicious unique whiskies and the policy of being open about their products. We interview David Perkins of High West. In contrast, Jeff Quint is the owner and operator of Cedar Ridge Distillery. Cedar Ridge is expanding throughout the US and growing in demand with their premium whisky, and they make every drop they sell. Mark and Jamie also talk about the weather, airshows, and marathons. 

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

68: Tales from Tales of the Cocktail

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This week, Mark and Jamie talk about Tales of the Cocktail, Diageo’s decision to remove the Masters of Whisky program, and Matthew McConaughey taking Jamie’s spotlight. 

Diageo to Axe Masters of Whisky Program
Tales of the Cocktail
Ben from A Dram a Day
The Irish Pub
Proof: The Science of Booze by Adam Rogers
Civil Liberties Bar
Wild Turkey Bourbon: Matthew McConaughey Short Film
Matt Jones taking on Mila Kunis
The Macallan in a Maserati with Kieron Elliott

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

 

 

67: Is the “Meta-Critic” the ultimate whisky reviewer?

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Curious about the math behind whisky reviews? This week on the podcast, Mark and Jamie interview Eric from WhiskyAnalsysis.com. Eric uses the “meta reviewer” concept on his website, where he collects whisky scores from various reviewers and provides an overall ranking. Other topics covered include whisky changing in the bottle, Jim Murray’s reviews, and various challenges for whisky reviewers. Search for your favourite whisky in the The Meta-Critic Database.

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

 

 

64: Sour Mash, Sweet Mash, and The History of American Whisky

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Gary Gillman joins Jamie and Mark to discuss the history of making bourbon, particularly with a focus on the sour mash. When researching the roots of hand-made sour mash, Gary found documents from the 1800s and 1900s that revealed the changes in the process overall. 

You can find Gary Gillman on twitter or read his articles on beeretseq.com. Read his article on the topic, The Roots Of Hand-Made Sour Mash: Appalachia and the Scots-Irish.

Also mentioned: 

Proof - The Science of Booze
Davin de Kergommeaux’s Wiser’s Last Barrels Review
Woodford Reserve Sweet Mash
Canadian Club 100% Rye review from The Whiskey Wash

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

63: Visiting Louisville with Maggie Kimberl

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Maggie Kimberl joins Mark and Jamie to take us back to Louisville. Topics touched on include the history of bourbon in Kentucky, cigar and whisky pairings, tourism in Kentucky, and best places to visit while in Kentucky. 

You can find Maggie at:

LouGirl502
The Whiskey Wash
The Alcohol Professor
 

Also mentioned: 
Michael Veach
MilkWood Restaurant 
Urban Bourbon Trail - 50 kinds of bourbon
Butchertown Grocery 
502 Cafe
Old Taylor Distillery
Pairing Bourbon & Cigars
Kentucky Peerless Distillery 
Copper & Kings

62: "There are no wrong answers.. but there is ONE wrong answer."

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This week on The Whisky Topic, Jennifer Chan joins Jamie and Mark to discuss the enthusiasts whisky tasting Mark hosted. Listen to hear whisky fans analyze whisky as they tasted them blindly. Jamie gets to be the teacher looking through everyone’s answers! 

You can find Jen on Instagram and her website.

Whiskies mentioned on the podcast:

Bulleit Rye
Russell’s Reserve Straight Rye whsky.buzz review
Old Forester Bourbon
Pikesville Straight Rye whsky.buzz review
Colonel E.H. Taylor Rye whsky.buzz review
Toronto Distillery Co. Rye
Toronto Distillery Co. Applejack
New Riff Distillery
Heartfelt & Co Bourbon Whisky

Also mentioned: 

Barely Legal Rye
Short video from the tasting
The Caledonian events page (Mark & Jamie are frequently here!) 

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

60: Deconstructing Single Malt Scotch with Beth Havers

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Deconstructing whisky is the process by which we take the blends of barrels that go into the final product, and taste each individually. Each barrel adds its own character to the final product. This week, Mark and Jamie have Beth Havers of Glenfiddich on the podcast to deconstruct Glenfiddich 15 Solera Edition. 

@whiskybeth
Jamie in Alan Doyle's 1, 2, 3, 4 video
Chef’s Congress Dinner in Scotland
Solera process
Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera
Glenfiddich Distillery Edition
Wounded Warriors Project
Glenfiddich Presents Wounded Warriors with $123,000

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

59: Spoiled Dusties, Agricole, and Whisky Events

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Glenford Jameson joins Jamie and Mark to review their recent experiences at Spirit of Toronto. Dusties were tasted, Glenford did not like some of the old scotches, and Jamie made Mint Juleps!

Links: 

Glenford Jameson
Toronto Distillery Co
Riker Googling
Welcome to Food Court Podcast with Glenford Jameson

The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.