Part two of our live Not Another Whisky Podcast recording with the Thompson Bros at the Craigellachie Hotel picks things up mid-tasting — and it only gets better from here.
We start with a chat on label design, working with artists, and the reality of constant releases, before getting into what life actually looks like running a distillery, a hotel, and everything else… in a whisky market that’s not exactly flying right now.
From there, we get stuck into Sideburn — a 35-year-old Burnside — and unpack some of the wonderfully confusing, slightly ridiculous naming rules that still exist in Scotch whisky.
The conversation drifts (as it should) into world whisky, market pressures, and then lands on the Mystery Malt concept — one of the most talked-about things the Thompson Bros are doing right now. Think scratch-card whisky, full transparency on the breakdown, and bottles that can massively overdeliver on the £65 price point — with a fan credited for the original idea.
Across the episode, we taste:
North British 33, Clynelish 12, Sideburn 35, Glenrothes 20, Glengoyne 27, and a Mystery Malt — before opening it up to the room for a proper audience Q&A.
We cover everything from marketing and ballots to future bottlings and what the Thompson Bros distillery style is really aiming to become.
If you enjoyed part one… this is where it really opens up.
00:00 Part Two Kickoff
00:47 Label Art Pressure
02:52 Busy Life Fundraising
04:31 Dram Four Sideburn
05:02 Teaspoon Naming Games
06:39 Burnside Trademark Lore
09:52 Tasting Notes Distillery Style
11:31 World Whisky Reality Check
14:51 Top Picks And Value
16:56 Dram Five Mystery Malt
19:41 How Mystery Malt Works
23:52 Scaling The Series
24:53 Live Guessing Game
26:44 Breaking Shelf Bias
27:29 Consumer Feedback Wins
28:17 Distilleries Get Competitive
30:29 Big Brands Buy In
32:27 Pricing Proof of Concept
34:34 Final Dram Glenrothes
36:03 Audience Q&A Bourbon Plans
38:15 Organic Marketing Approach
42:13 Favorites and Ballots Return
46:54 Future Spirits and Collabs
52:57 New Make Style Strategy
56:28 Wrap Up and Thanks
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