Whisky Talk

The podcast from The Scotch Malt Whisky Society

About the show

Welcome to Whisky Talk! Hosted by Richard Goslan, editor of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s members magazine Unfiltered, we'll be introducing you to some of the people who make whisky, the places it comes from and the characters who bring it to life.

Whisky Talk on social media

Episodes and Blog Entries

  • 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 33: Malts & Music with Justin Currie

    Episode  |  13 January 2022  |  1 hr 42 mins
    cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky

    Justin Currie, founder and frontman of Del Amitri, joins BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway for Episode 4 of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, brought to you by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Justin discusses his career and musical passions over five Society drams with Vic, with the single cask whiskies inspiring his choice of music from Cat Power, Gillian Welch, James Brown, Pulp and Prefab Sprout.

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    Episode 32: Malts & Music with Stina Tweeddale

    Episode  |  9 December 2021  |  1 hr 5 mins
    cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky

    Episode 3 of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music, brought to you by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, finds BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway deep into conversation over a few Society drams with Stina Tweeddale. The Honeyblood singer-songwriter has a combined passion for whisky and music and pairs up her five SMWS whiskies with music from The Slits, Soccer Mommy, The B-52s, Dream Wife and Mazzy Star.

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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

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    Episode 29: Malts & Music with Ian Rankin

    Episode  |  6 October 2021  |  1 hr 2 mins
    cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky

    BBC Scotland DJ and writer Vic Galloway presents the first in our special series of Whisky Talk: Malts & Music podcasts, for a whisky-fuelled chat with creative personalities from across Scotland’s cultural life. From the Tasting Room at The Vaults, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s spiritual home in Leith, Vic shares five SMWS drams with writer Ian Rankin, who pairs his whiskies with tunes from John Martyn, James Yorkston, Karine Polwart, The Skids and The Blue Nile.

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    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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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    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.