New single malt distilleries have been popping up everywhere be they in the UK, EU, US, Asia, the Middle East, etc... it seems one can't open up their email inboxes without hearing news of a new distillery enterprise. Quite exciting if you ask us!

Nearly all of these distilleries start by launching a Vodka and a Gin (or some sort of "botanical spirit") to keep their distillery afloat while they wait for their whisky to be of age to bottle and sell. Most of these distilleries -- some of our very favorites, to be very clear -- are set up specifically to produce delicious whiskies at very young ages (3, 4, 5yo, etc...).

This is where Kythe's approach stands apart. Their aim is to make whisky in the manner it was made in the 50's/60's/70's which could very well mean they're not expected to release a standard core whisky for quite some time. Impatient folk like us may have to wait (and wait) to taste. The waiting is the hardest part but good things also come to those that wait so....

Anywho, listen in as Jess discusses the ins and outs of the Kythe Distillery with 2 of its founders: Jonny McMillan & Angus MacRaild. Listen, too, to hear details of our latest US release and our upcoming global releases. 8 casks of whisky. So many that we're calling it a #MurderOfCasks !

...as usual, have a seat, have a pour and listen in. Unless you're driving. If you're driving, be smart and stay sober but be sure to listen into the conversation!

Special thanks to:

- Weigh Down for allowing us to use their song "Wooden Monsters" as our theme song - Moana McAuliffe for designing our Podcast Logo - RØDE for making *really* great microphones - Focusrite for making awesome USB receivers - Olympus and Tascam for making fine mobile recording devices - Joshua Hatton for producing and editing

In 2023, as part of Drammers Club's 10th Anniversary, aka The Drammening, Joshua's band (Kimono Draggin') played with Dr. Pat Heist's band (Zella May) in NYC and had a helluva time together. Fast forward a number of months and Single Cask Nation releases their first cask of Wilderness Trail, a glorious 4yo Rye Whisky that continues to turn heads. Fast forward yet another number of months and the wonderful Dr. Pat Heist of Wilderness Trail joins Joshua and Jason on the padcost. Today's discussion is a masterclass is fermentation, distillation, and maturation. Get your whisky geek glasses on, strap up, and tune in!

...as usual, have a seat, have a pour and listen in. Unless you're driving. If you're driving, be smart and stay sober but be sure to listen into the conversation!

Special thanks to:

- Weigh Down for allowing us to use their song "Wooden Monsters" as our theme song - Moana McAuliffe for designing our Podcast Logo - RØDE for making *really* great microphones - Focusrite for making awesome USB receivers - Olympus and Tascam for making fine mobile recording devices - Joshua Hatton for producing and editing

Joshua and Jason have a sit down with the wonderful Lasse Vesterby, CEO & Co-Founder of Stauning Whisky Distillery.

While rye whisky continues to grow and evolve here in the US, just a stones throw across the pond is our friends at Stauning Whisky Distillery in Denmark who've also had a keen focus on rye whisky. But, alas (or thankfully?), because Denmark does not have a centuries old tradition of whisky making, Stauning is free to create the whiskies it wants to make and, boy or boy, are they creating some fantastic whiskies (both rye and single malt)!

Listen in as J&J dig deep into Stauning with Lasse. Add to this, the pair review a Stauning single cask bottled for First Fill Spirits out of Saratoga Springs as well as Westland's new Beer Cask Finish.

...as usual, have a seat, have a pour and listen in. Unless you're driving. If you're driving, be smart and stay sober but be sure to listen into the conversation!

Special thanks to:

- Weigh Down for allowing us to use their song "Wooden Monsters" as our theme song - Moana McAuliffe for designing our Podcast Logo - RØDE for making *really* great microphones - Focusrite for making awesome USB receivers - Olympus and Tascam for making fine mobile recording devices - Joshua Hatton for producing and editing

In today's episode Joshua speaks to an old friend, Tzvi Wiesel, who started his whisky career helping J&J with the Whisky Jewbilee. Tzvi went from helping to run a successful whisky festival to founding and running one of the largest online rare-whisky trading platforms in the world, Baxus.

J&J also taste a new Westland release: Westland's Wine Cask Finish.

...as usual, have a seat, have a pour and listen in. Unless you're driving. If you're driving, be smart and stay sober but be sure to listen into the conversation!

Special thanks to:

- Weigh Down for allowing us to use their song "Wooden Monsters" as our theme song - Moana McAuliffe for designing our Podcast Logo - RØDE for making *really* great microphones - Focusrite for making awesome USB receivers - Olympus and Tascam for making fine mobile recording devices - Joshua Hatton for producing and editing

During a quick jaunt into LA Jason had a sit down with Anna & Wendelin, Co-Founders of Lodestar Whiskey. A newer brand on the market, Lodestar's opening release features a blend of high rye Bourbon and American Single Malt Whisky.

Listen in as Jason discusses the genesis of Lodestar and digs in deeper to understand its founders a bit more and their approach to whisky making. Jason and Joshua also taste through their offer and share their thoughts on Lodestar with you, the listener.

...as usual, have a seat, have a pour and listen in. Unless you're driving. If you're driving, be smart and stay sober but be sure to listen into the conversation!

P.S. Photo Credit to our Masthead is to Sally Peterson.

P.P.S. Help us get the TTB to final codify American Single Malt Whisky as an official category of whisky but following this link and filling out the form (takes 20 seconds at most): https://bit.ly/3yiUov3

Special thanks to:

- Weigh Down for allowing us to use their song "Wooden Monsters" as our theme song - Moana McAuliffe for designing our Podcast Logo - RØDE for making *really* great microphones - Focusrite for making awesome USB receivers - Olympus and Tascam for making fine mobile recording devices - Joshua Hatton for producing and editing

The last, but surely not least, of Jason's interviews during his time in Austin is with Devin Ershow & Chase Langdon of American Mash & Grain. Together, with Jason, the 3 discuss their brand of blended American whisky: Borrowed Page.

Joshua & Jason highlight another whisky sample from their friends at Blind Barrels.

It's a fun ride of an episode, to be sure!

...as usual, have a seat, have a pour (of the aforementioned SCN Balcones), and listen in. Unless you're driving. If you're driving, be smart and stay sober but be sure to listen into the conversation!

Special thanks to:

- Weigh Down for allowing us to use their song "Wooden Monsters" as our theme song - Moana McAuliffe for designing our Podcast Logo - RØDE for making *really* great microphones - Focusrite for making awesome USB receivers - Olympus and Tascam for making fine mobile recording devices - Joshua Hatton for producing and editing

For some, whisky is a passing thing to enjoy every now and again ("gimme a Scotch on the rocks!"), for others it's a hobby to be explored while you're living the rest of your life as normal, and for others, like Irene Tan, it's a fascination and an obsession.

Irene Tan is, perhaps, one of the most passionate people in whisk(e)y here in the US and her name is synonymous with great barrel picks for her shop (Canterbury Liquors aka Whisky Mentors) as well as fascinating and delicious blends.

Listen in and learn why Irene is someone you should be paying attention to if you care about whisky.

...as usual, have a seat, have a pour (of the aforementioned SCN Balcones), and listen in. Unless you're driving. If you're driving, be smart and stay sober but be sure to listen into the conversation!

Special thanks to:

- Weigh Down for allowing us to use their song "Wooden Monsters" as our theme song - Moana McAuliffe for designing our Podcast Logo - RØDE for making *really* great microphones - Focusrite for making awesome USB receivers - Olympus and Tascam for making fine mobile recording devices - Joshua Hatton for producing and editing

Jason spends some quality time with Daniel Whittington of The Whiskey Vault and Wizard Academy. Together the two have an absolute *brilliant* conversation discussing independent bottling, whisky marketing, whisky blending, music. An eye-opener of an episode, to be sure!

...as usual, have a seat, have a pour (of the aforementioned SCN Balcones), and listen in. Unless you're driving. If you're driving, be smart and stay sober but be sure to listen into the conversation!

Special thanks to:

- Weigh Down for allowing us to use their song "Wooden Monsters" as our theme song - Moana McAuliffe for designing our Podcast Logo - RØDE for making *really* great microphones - Focusrite for making awesome USB receivers - Olympus and Tascam for making fine mobile recording devices - Joshua Hatton for producing and editing