Whisky Talk

Episode 11: Charlie MacLean's SMWS whisky masterclass

Episode  |  18 March 2020  |  21 mins 10 secs

cask strength whisky, charlie maclean, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky

Charlie MacLean is not only a leading authority on all things whisky, he's also a long-standing member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society's Tasting Panel. In this episode of Whisky Talk, he describes his role on the Society's Tasting Panel and provides a masterclass in the appreciation and evaluation of single malt whisky.

Episode 10: Masataka and Rita Taketsuru, A Whisky Love Story

Episode  |  6 February 2020  |  22 mins 13 secs

cask strength whisky, japan, masataka taketsuru, nikka, rita cowan, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky, yoichi

It's 100 years since Rita Cowan fell in love with her family's Japanese lodger, Masataka Taketsuru, when he stayed with her family while studying Organic Chemistry at Glasgow University. They were married in January 1920 and by the end of the year they had spent time at Hazelburn Distillery in Campbeltown before setting sail for Japan, where Rita supported Masataka's dream of creating a little bit of Scotland in Japan. Whisky Talk tells their story, with the help of Scottish Distillers Association chairman Professor Alan Wolstenholme, whisky writer Dave Broom, co-ordinator of Mandarin Chinese at Imperial College London Ruth Herd, chief blender at Nikka Distillery Tadashi Sakuma and Dr Niall Mackenzie from the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow.

Episode 9: Sam Heughan

Episode  |  7 November 2019  |  6 mins 38 secs

cask strength whisky, clan lands, sam heughan, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky

Whisky Talk travels to Glencoe to catch up with Scottish actor Sam Heughan, otherwise known as Jamie Fraser in the historical time travel series Outlander. We find out about his passion for Scotch, his own new whisky project, as well as the travel and history documentary he’s shooting around Scotland with Outlander co-star Graham McTavish – who plays the role of Dougal McKenzie.

Episode 8: Jerez

Episode  |  1 November 2019  |  18 mins 56 secs

cask strength whisky, jerez, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky

Join us on a journey to Jerez, to immerse ourselves in Spain’s Sherry Triangle and explore the synergy between the worlds of whisky and sherry. We visit cooperages to find out about the booming industry to build and season casks for the Scotch whisky world, tour the region’s bodegas to sample an astonishing range of sherries, and talk to the characters working in partnership with the world of Scotch to help bring us the sherried whisky style loved by so many.

Episode 7: Leith's whisky history, Tomatin and Tamdhu

Episode  |  31 July 2019  |  24 mins 46 secs

cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky

Join us to find out more about Leith's whisky history with a walking tour of the area, with the Society's Vaults members' room at the heart of it. Then we'll head north to visit Tomatin distillery and general manager Graham Eunson, before travelling into the heart of Speyside to catch up with Tamdhu's manager, Sandy McIntyre, to hear about that distillery's change in fortunes.

Episode 6: From Glen Scotia to Jura and Islay's Ardnahoe

Episode  |  20 June 2019  |  25 mins 32 secs

ardnahoe, cask strength whisky, glen scotia, jura, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society travels from Glen Scotia in Campbeltown, where Iain McAlister explains why there's a new buzz around the distillery, to Jura to meet distillery manager Graham Logan and finally on to Islay to chat to Stewart Laing, who has recently realised his dream of opening Hunter Laing's new distillery on the island, Ardnahoe.

Episode 5: Whisky pilgrims at the Islay Festival

Episode  |  29 May 2019  |  9 mins 14 secs

cask strength whisky, islay festival, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky

Join The Scotch Malt Whisky Society in the splendid surroundings of Islay House, where members and whisky pilgrims have gathered for the Islay Whisky Festival and the Society’s Open Day. Whisky Talk meets members who have travelled from around the world, and catches up with SMWS ambassador Matt Bailey before he presents a sensational ‘Old & Rare’ masterclass.

Episode 4: Tobermory, The Golden Dram and the Northern Pole of Inaccessibility

Episode  |  18 May 2019  |  27 mins 25 secs

cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky

In this episode, we catch up with Tobermory distillery’s master blender Kirstie McCallum, find out about the documentary Scotch – The Golden Dram from its director Andrew Peat, and hear from an adventurous Scotch Malt Whisky Society member about his preparations to walk to the as-yet-unreached Northern Pole of Inaccessibility. From the Scottish islands to the Arctic Circle, pour yourself a dram and settle down for the latest episode of Whisky Talk.

Episode 3: Sandy Hyslop

Episode  |  29 April 2019  |  30 mins 4 secs

cask strength whisky, scotch, scotch malt whisky society, single malt whisky, whisky

Sandy Hyslop, director of blending at Chivas Brothers talks to our Spirits Manager, Euan Campbell from his sample room in Dumbarton near Glasgow. Hyslop has spent a lifetime working in whisky and is responsible for some of the most iconic names in the whisky world from Chivas Regal to Ballantine's and Aberlour A'Bunadh. But how did his whisky journey begin? Tune in to find out.

Episode 1: Pip Hills & The Flavour Revolution - Pt 1

Episode  |  18 March 2019  |  57 mins 47 secs

smws, whisky talk

Scotch Malt Whisky Society founder Pip Hills talks about the early rebellious days of the Society. Recorded at The Vaults in Edinburgh on Monday 18th February 2019, the talk was part of Pip Hills & The Flavour Revolution, a special event where the first ever Society bottling, 1.1 was opened and tasted. Pour yourself a dram and have a listen!

Episode 2: Pip Hills & The Flavour Revolution - Pt 2

Episode  |  18 March 2019  |  44 mins 19 secs

Part two sees Scotch Malt Whisky Society founder Pip Hills talk about the early rebellious days of The Society. Recorded at The Vaults in Edinburgh on Monday 18th February 2019, the talk was part of Pip Hills & The Flavour Revolution, a special event where the first ever Society bottling, 1.1 was opened and tasted.