Not Another Whisky Podcast

Mitch & Daz sit down and look back on the year that was 2025. Thanks to all of you who listened to us this year and have a great festive season, we will be back 1st Feb 2026
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Exploring Glenlivet's New Cask Masters Collection with Andrew Bardsley and Kevin Balmforth

In this episode, we dive into the Glenlivet's new Cask Masters collection with special guests and Kevin Balmforth, Glenlivet’s newly appointed Master Blender and Andrew Bardsley, the Global Brand Director of Prestige at Pernod Ricard, The discussion touches on their personal experiences, motivations, and approaches to crafting these unique whiskies. We taste and evaluates three new expressions: the 14-year-old, 16-year-old, and 19-year-old, highlighting the distinct flavours, casks, and innovations involved. Kevin also shares insights into the creation of the Glenlivet 56-year-old special release, and there are discussions on the balance between innovation and consistency in maintaining Glenlivet's storied legacy. The episode wraps up with information on where to find these exclusive whiskies in travel retail.

00:00 Introduction to Glenlivet's Cask Masters Collection
00:10 Meet the Experts: Andrew Bardsley and Kevin Balmforth
01:40 Setting the Scene: Quake Bar and Festive Vibes
02:14 Andrew's Busy Year and New Releases
04:16 Kevin's Journey in the Whisky Industry
07:53 The 14-Year-Old Glenlivet: Tasting and Insights
16:08 Exploring the 16-Year-Old Glenlivet
18:02 Exploring Whisky Styles
18:49 The Surprising 16-Year-Old
20:36 Innovation and Consistency at Glenlivet
23:09 The Unique Scottish Oak
30:19 The 56-Year-Old Glenlivet
33:38 Cask Masters Series and Pricing
35:54 Final Thoughts and Farewell
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In this episode, Mitch welcomes back Mark Thomson, to the Pod. They chat about Mark's recent departure from Duncan Taylor. Mark discusses his transition to freelance work, selling his house, and moving to the countryside. They delve into the current state of the whisky industry, including trends, pricing, and the future of brand ambassadorship.

Mark also shares his top picks for value whiskies under £100 :

-https://www.inchdairniedistillery.com/

-https://www.glenscotia.com/products/12-year-old-single-malt-whisky

https://www.arranwhisky.com/shop-whiskies/arran-single-malts/14-arran-quarter-cask-whisky-the-bothy

https://www.bowmore.com/en-gb/whiskies/15-year-old-sherry-oak-cask

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene
00:47 Catching Up with Mark Thomson
01:26 Life Changes and New Beginnings
03:07 Whisky Industry Insights
05:27 Market Trends and Predictions
14:41 Brand Ambassadorship Challenges
17:30 Value Whiskies Discussion
18:09 Reviewing the Limited Edition Arran Whiskey
19:37 Exploring Glen Scotia's Offerings
20:53 Discovering InchDairnie Distillery
23:40 Tasting Notes on Tormore and Bunnahabhain
27:59 Reflecting on Whisky Preferences and Trends
32:00 Whisky Predictions for 2026
35:47 Closing Remarks and Future Plans
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Mitch chats with Greg Schwartz and Guy Satchwell, the masterminds behind the riveting whisky docuseries, 'Water of Life' and 'Independent Spirits'. Get a front-row seat to their journey from film sets to distilleries, the joyous mayhem of their shoots, and the serendipitous moments that fuelled their passion projects. Along the way, they spill secrets about their upcoming 'Farm to Bottle' series and tease the next Independent Spirits Festival. Spoiler: there’s plenty of whisky, collegiality, and late-night drams in between!

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:43 Meet the Guests: Greg Schwartz and Guy Satchel
01:50 The Water of Life: Origins and Inspirations
05:31 Making Connections in the Whisky World
09:19 Filming Challenges and Experiences
15:03 The Impact of COVID-19 on the Film's Release
16:16 The Journey to the Docuseries
16:27 The Birth of the Independent Bottlers Film
17:18 Challenges and Collaborations
18:42 The Making of the Docuseries
19:21 Insights into Independent Bottlers
22:01 Structuring the Series
26:53 The Independent Spirit Festival
30:19 Future Projects and Final Thoughts
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Welcome back to the chaos! Daz and Mitch kick off the episode with beard banter and a Santa lookalike contest. Then they rejoice over Scotland's World Cup qualification. Mitch shares his packed schedule, including tours and tastings with bartenders and ambassadors from across the globe. The episode also features an interview with Tom Jolly and Pavel Sowa from the new fine dining spot - Geamair blending local produce with innovative dishes. They chat about Bruichladdich's quadruple distilled whisky, RoseIsle maltings halting production, and Glencadams new visitor centre.

00:00 A Humorous Start
01:26 Celebrating Scotland's World Cup Qualification
03:45 Whiskey Adventures and Tastings
10:56 Fine Dining at the Craigellachie Hotel
21:34 Discussing the Menu Concept
22:47 The River Space Course
23:18 Goals for the Restaurant
24:52 Booking and Pricing Details
26:41 The Gamekeeper and Polly's Tipple
30:44 Whiskey News: Diageo Halts Roseisle Maltings
32:39 Peatland Restoration Efforts
37:34 Brooke Laddie's Quadruple Distilled Whiskey
39:22 Glen Ham Visitor Center Opening
41:54 Holiday Whiskey Traditions

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