Inside Whisky

Miriam, Martin & Manuel

Scotland and whisky go together like fish and chips, biscuits and tea or gin and tonic.  On "Inside Whisky - The Barrel Talk" we talk to people working in the whisky industry and listen to their stories - may they be about whisky, their lives or the places they live in.  Our podcast might be a bit geeky from time to time but whisky beginners will also find joy when listening to The Barrel Talk. read less
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Episodes

Inside Springbank 2024 with Findlay Ross
Nov 25 2024
Inside Springbank 2024 with Findlay Ross
The “Barley to Bottle” tour at Springbank Distillery is probably one of the best experiences you can have when you’re passionate about whisky. It’s an extensive access-all-areas tour and tasting which culminates in having the chance to blend one’s very own bottle of Springbank in their blending lab. “Why are you telling us all of that?”, you might ask. Well, because it is just another thing that makes Springbank Springbank and truly special. Additionally, said blending lab was the place of recording for this very episode. After having done the “Barley to Bottle” tour the day prior (of course), we came back to meet Findlay Ross, Springbank’s director of production and a true professional when it comes to creating whiskies, at the very place of our own amateur attempts of blending a nice bottle of Springbank.After having recorded a Springbank episode with Nicole Lindsay about three years ago, it was about time for a little update and we had a great time discussing all things Springbank once more, this time with the wonderful Findlay Ross. Find out about the last remaining secrets of Springbank Distillery, about Findlay’s rather unconventional path to becoming their director of production and about Findlay’s take on the term “Campbeltown funk”.Last but not least we have to say that we are really happy that Findlay is so much better at making whisky and recording podcasts than his New York Giants are at playing American Football at the moment – but let’s not get into that… (just listen until the very end).
Inside Jura Distillery with Kirsty Wright
Sep 26 2024
Inside Jura Distillery with Kirsty Wright
There are probably not too many places in Europe that one would label as “extremely un-get-at-able” – but that’s exactly how George Orwell once described the Isle of Jura when he spent several years there in the late 1940s to write his masterpiece and final work, 1984.During his time there, Orwell unfortunately did not have the pleasure to enjoy Jura whisky because the distillery fell silent in the early 1900s. It was not until the 1950s that it was rebuilt and expanded. The work was finally finished in 1963 and Jura Distillery has been up and running ever since.But who are we to tell you all that? There are people who know so much more about Jura Distillery and its history than we do.One of them is Kirsty Wright, Jura’s new brand home manager, who luckily took some time to record a podcast episode with us – as usual – in situ, on the beautiful and quite un-get-at-able Isle of Jura. It was just wonderful to experience how passionate Kirsty is about the distillery and the island itself. We had a great time recording this episode with her and roaming the grounds of the distillery.Listen in and get to know JURA from a totally new PERSPECTIVE (No. 01). Learn about how the team on the island and the distillery owners, Whyte and Mackay, are trying to make sure that Jura Distillery is well-prepared for the future without ever forgetting its roots. This new perspective we’ve mentioned above is a perfect example to showcase just that.
Inside Dràm Mòr with Kenny Macdonald
May 20 2024
Inside Dràm Mòr with Kenny Macdonald
Have you ever met Kenny Macdonald? No? Really?? Then here’s your chance! Kenny is the co-founder of independent bottler Dràm Mòr, which he founded together with his wife Viktorija. Since he claims himself that he is not the “brains” of the company – what does he bring to the table? Well, he’s a real showman and a great storyteller and an absolute joy to listen to – so quite naturally, we wanted to record a podcast episode with him. To be honest, we tried to do this recording several times but somehow it never happened – but now we’re more than happy that it finally worked out – and we hope you will join us.Let’s enjoy some precious 1 on 1 (or actually 2 on 1) time with Kenny and get to know him and Dràm Mòr. We’re certain you won’t regret it. Kenny gives his all for his company and you really believe it, when he says that working in the whisky business is his absolute dream job – to the extent that he would claim that people would have to drag him out of this job “in a box”. He really loves what he is doing, and you can feel that in every single minute of this episode. Some of Kenny’s stories are hilarious but sometimes he’s also quite emotional and thoughtful – it makes for a perfect mix, and we had great fun recording the episode.Lean back, relax and join us on this episode, which will take you from Munich to Dumbarton and back, via night clubs, slaughterhouses, Lithuania and even a short but pretty memorable stopover in Israel. Simply pour a dram and enjoy the (wild) ride.
Inside Aurora Spirit Distillery with Tor Petter Christensen
Nov 18 2023
Inside Aurora Spirit Distillery with Tor Petter Christensen
10 centimetres of snow, a single track road and its end, a Viking-style longhouse, mystically lit by torches and overlooking a picturesque Norwegian fjord – wow! That’s what our arrival looked like when approaching Aurora Spirit Distillery - quite the way to arrive at a distillery…Okay, okay, you have to go there in late autumn or winter for the snow and the torches are well-animated electrical torches, but still, our “wow” keeps standing – and we haven’t even mentioned the majestic Northern Lights, yet, which you can perfectly spot there when it’s clear at night. After parking the car and then walking by the Viking longhouse, which is actually a whisky warehouse, we finally arrived at our final destination, Aurora Spirit Distillery, the producers of Bivrost Whisky: A beautiful and very modern building with a vast glass front, offering a perfect view of the fjord, coupled with traditional wooden elements. Stepping inside, you recognise right away all the thoughtfully staged artifacts reminiscent of the old Vikings – all very moody! Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a man, who can actually claim that he is 100% Viking himself (a very calm and charming one, as we might add): Tor Petter Christensen, founder and CEO of Aurora Spirit Distillery.Before our recording, Tor took the time to give us an extensive tour of the entire site and we were hooked in no time – what an absolutely fabulous place to produce the northernmost whisky in the world. Spectacular!Are you curious now? Well, you should be! So don’t miss out on our new podcast episode with Tor and find out more about Aurora Spirit Distillery, Bivrost Whisky and producing whisky at 69° North. We’re sure it’s time well-spent – especially during the darker time of the year. So lean back and enjoy.
Inside Ardbeg with T.J. Littlejohn
Aug 26 2023
Inside Ardbeg with T.J. Littlejohn
If you think of a whisky distillery in Scotland which stands for powerful and peaty whisky with a hint of sweet vanilla and citrus, which is extremely good at storytelling, very creative in bringing old myths to life to describe and sell their whiskies with worldclass marketing but which is also seen as quite polarising at times throughout the whisky community, which distillery name pops up in your head?For many of you, just like for us, the answer is probably going to be Ardbeg.Year in, year out many people make the pilgrimage to Scotland and the Isle of Islay to experience their beloved Ardbeg Distillery first hand and we really have to say that Ardbeg, at least for us, is still a benchmark when it comes to hospitality. Even more so when you travel there during the Islay Whisky Festival, Fèis Ìle, and that’s exactly what we did once more this year.During all the festivities and the busy hustle of Ardbeg Day 2023 (and his top-secret Ardbeg Committee event), T.J. Littlejohn, Global Expierence & Advocacy Manager of The Glenmorangie Company, which Ardbeg is a part of, took the time to talk to us and tell us some lovely stories (very Ardbeggian, isn’t it?!). So raise a dram of TEN, Uigeadail, Corryvreckan, An Oa, Wee Beastie, Smoketrails, BizarreBQ, Heavy Vapours or maybe The Harpy’s Tale (we could probably continue this list forever…) and join us to relive Ardbeg Day 2023 with T.J. and learn some more about this wonderful Islay distillery.