Richard Goslan
Co-Host of Whisky Talk
Richard Goslan is the editor of Unfiltered, which is The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s award-winning magazine that members receive four times a year. After a lifetime in journalism covering everything from sports to business to international news in the UK and around the world, he found his calling back home in Scotland writing about whisky, the places it comes from and the characters who bring it to life.
Richard Goslan has hosted 53 Episodes.
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Episode 44: Stuart MacPherson Master of Wood
Episode | 30 August 2022 | 42 mins 54 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
Depending on who you speak to, the cask that you put your whisky into to mature can contribute anything from 50 to more than 70 per cent of its final flavour. Whatever figure you land on, it plays a crucial role. One person who knows more about the impact of various forms of oak on whisky – and especially from sherry influenced casks – is Stuart MacPherson, until very recently Macallan’s Master of Wood. Stuart has now retired from the role, but Whisky Talk caught up with him to find out all about his life’s work in the world of wood – which goes all the way back to his schooldays in the late 1970s.
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Episode 40: The Islay Festival
Episode | 30 May 2022 | 30 mins 21 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
The SMWS returned to Islay for the first in-person festival since 2019, with an Open Day at Islay House to share drams, the Society's festival Rare Release bottlings, tastings and good times. We caught up with members from near and far to find out about their combined passions for Islay and whisky.
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Episode 38: Whisky Storytellers
Episode | 22 April 2022 | 51 mins 46 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
In this episode we dig into the rich tradition of whisky storytelling, with contributions from two Scottish musicians, storytellers and whisky lovers. First up is Hamish Napier, a musician from Strathspey in the heart of Scotland’s whisky country. From Speyside, we travel to Islay to hear from Whisky Bard, musician and SMWS Tasting Panel chair, Robin Laing – with music supplied by Robin himself.
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Episode 37: SMWS member Pete Begg
Episode | 25 March 2022 | 24 mins 28 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
From studying engineering, Pete Begg found himself drawn to the world of cooking, working in various restaurants before becoming friends and subsequently business partner with Jamie Oliver. Now Head of Food Development with Jamie’s organisation, Pete is also a devoted member of the SMWS. Our master brand ambassador John McCheyne caught up with him for a dram in our London Members’ Room at 19 Greville Street to find out more about his journey and whisky passion.
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Episode 36: Lochlea with John Campbell
Episode | 24 March 2022 | 27 mins 47 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
This farm distillery in Ayrshire has quietly started producing whisky and lured John Campbell away from Laphroaig in Islay in the process. Whisky Talk's Richard Goslan paid a visit to find out more and hear about the distillery’s ambitions.
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Episode 35: Malts & Music with Val McDermid
Episode | 10 March 2022 | 1 hr 15 mins
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
Writer Val McDermid joins BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway for Episode 6 of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, brought to you by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Val describes her early introduction to whisky, her life and work and how these SMWS drams transported her to different times and places throughout her life.
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Episode 34: Malts & Music with Nicola Meighan
Episode | 10 February 2022 | 1 hr 29 mins
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
Music and arts broadcaster and writer Nicola Meighan joins BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway for Episode 5 of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, brought to you by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society.
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Episode 31: Charlie MacLean MBE
Episode | 22 November 2021 | 47 mins 17 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
Charlie MacLean is one of the whisky world’s leading writers and experts, and this year saw him honoured as a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire – better known as an MBE – in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List. Whisky Talk caught up with Charlie at 28 Queen Street to find out about the award and his long-term connection with the SMWS.
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Episode 30: Malts & Music with Norman Blake from Teenage Fanclub
Episode | 10 November 2021 | 1 hr 11 mins
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
In Episode 2 of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway sits down with Norman Blake, co-founder of Scottish indie rock legends Teenage Fanclub. Vic pours a few Society drams and finds out why the whiskies get Norman thinking about Gang of Four, Captain Beefheart, The Kinks, Ennio Morricone and the Wicker Man.
Tune in to the SMWS Malts & Music playlist at: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/75sE4HLHMMwlcECyNB8ryz -
Episode 28: Glenturret Distillery
Episode | 21 July 2021 | 13 mins 58 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
With a new owner, a new look – and even a new date of birth – Glenturret distillery is emerging from the shadows to take its place in the single malt spotlight. The Scotch Malt Whisky Society paid a visit for Whisky Talk to find out more.
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Episode 27: Dennis Malcolm and Glen Grant Distillery
Episode | 27 May 2021 | 45 mins 36 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
Dennis Malcolm started out at Glen Grant distillery in Speyside as a 15-year-old apprentice cooper. He worked his way up through different roles in the distillery, and 60 years later he is now Scotland’s long-serving distiller. He tells Whisky Talk about his life, career and the momentous changes he has witnessed in an incredible six decades of life in distilleries.
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Episode 26: Ardnamurchan distillery
Episode | 1 March 2021 | 41 mins 55 secs
adelphi, alex bruce, ardnamurchan, cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
Ardnamurchan distillery is tucked away at the end of Scotland’s most westerly peninsula, where the natural environment is playing a major role in both fuelling and flavouring the spirit. Alex Bruce, managing director of distillery owner Adelphi, tells Whisky Talk all about it.
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Episode 25: Whisky and perfume
Episode | 2 February 2021 | 27 mins 9 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
Imogen Russon-Taylor started out working in whisky before her nose led her to explore the possibility of creating her own perfumes, and after a period of in-depth research she launched Scotland’s first perfume house, known as Kingdom Scotland.
Madeleine Schmoll from the SMWS caught up with Imogen to explore the subject of scent memories, being inspired by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and why a splash of perfume can enhance our mood, whether we’re able to leave the house or not. -
Episode 24: Irvine Welsh
Episode | 11 January 2021 | 54 mins 17 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
His ground-breaking 1993 novel Trainspotting centered on a bunch of heroin addicts in Leith, but these days whisky is more likely to be a plot point in author Irvine Welsh's work. He’s now a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and sat down with Unfiltered editor Richard Goslan at The Vaults over a few drams to discuss his whisky journey, the influence of mind-altering drugs on the work of Robert Burns and why Scotland in general and Leith in particular will always be an exotic location for his fiction.
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Episode 23: Pip Hills and The Vaults
Episode | 2 September 2020 | 12 mins 19 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
Pip Hills, the founder of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, tells Whisky Talk the remarkable and unlikely story of how The Vaults in Leith became the Society's spiritual home.
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Episode 22: Meet the whisky podcasters
Episode | 4 August 2020 | 23 mins 7 secs
cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky
With thousands of whisky podcasts to choose from, we put out a call to our members and the SMWS team to ask them for their top picks. The Society's Mads Schmoll compiled her list and found out more from the top podcasters about who they are and how they started out.