Not Another Whisky Podcast

This week Mitch sits down with David Stirk — whisky writer, independent bottler, whisky historian — for a wide-ranging conversation on Campbeltown, the rise (and early struggles) of indie bottlers, and where the Scotch industry is and might actually be heading.From his first life-changing dram of Glenlivet 21 in 1996 to building Creative Whisky, rewriting the history of Campbeltown, and diving into a Master’s in History to sharpen his research, this episode covers David's graft, controversy, and some properly strong opinions about surplus production and the future of Scotch.Before all that, though…Daz and Mitch chat about existential dread about Scotland’s rugby chances. Standard start to the week and kick of with with winter vibes, whisky chat, and a public service announcement about the pies at Glasgow’s Pot Still (worth the train fare alone).LIVE TASTING ALERTWe’re hosting the Thompson Brothers (Phil & Simon) at the Craigellachie Hotel on March 26th at 7pm. It will be loud, it will be chaotic, it will sell out. Tickets at notanotherwhiskypodcast.com or via the Instagram link.BUY TICKETS HEREWe also get into Spirit of Speyside prep — nine events hosted by us this year, four live podcast tastings, and listings landing mid-February. If last year’s sell-outs taught us anything… move fast.00:00 Snowy Speyside Catch-Up: Whisky, Fire & Winter Vibes00:23 Rugby Reality Check: Dreading the England Match00:43 Glasgow’s Pot Still Love-In: Pies, Beans & Whisky Bar Chat02:00 Valentine’s Weekend Welcome + A Pink Port-Cask Promise02:36 Big News: Thompson Brothers Live Tasting (Craigellachie, Mar 26)03:52 Spirit of Speyside Prep: Uploading Events & Hosting Nine Tastings04:47 Meet the Guest: David Stirk Returns to the Podcast06:32 How It Started: A Glenlivet 21 Dram That Changed Everything09:35 Breaking In: Speyside Festival Tastings to Whisky Magazine Days11:28 Detours & Turning Points: America, 9/11, Cadenhead’s & Campbeltown14:14 Writing Whisky Books: Campbeltown, Publishing Realities & Archives19:16 Where He’s At Now: Master’s in History & The Drive to Carve Your Path21:33 Next Up: What Exactly Is Creative Whisky?21:49 The cask sample that sparked the idea to create whisky22:22 Early indie bottling struggles: price pushback & skeptical drinkers23:48 Why indie bottlers are booming now (and how big brands see them)27:20 Back to uni: the whisky history books David wants to write29:57 State of the industry: SWA numbers, India, and the next-gen drinking shift34:15 Book plug: David Stirk’s whisky library (and what each one covers)36:41 What’s next: festivals, Little Brown Dog, and a Glasgow distilling dissertation39:47 Wrap-up & host banter: upcoming trips, Islay stories, and next episode tease

This week on Not Another Whisky Podcast, Mitch & Daz do something dangerously self-indulgent: they look back at how this whole thing started. From a shared love of whisky (and questionable decision-making) to accidentally building a podcast people actually listen to, they dig into the origins of NAWP, the friendships that fuel it, and why they’ve never quite followed the “normal” whisky podcast rulebook.They chat inspiration, format, and how their approach stacks up against other whisky pods — including why they’ve always leaned into conversation over catechism, curiosity over credentials, and fun over faux-seriousness.Then things get properly nerdy (in a good way) as they’re joined by Mark Gillespie, the man behind WhiskyCast, who’s been podcasting about whisky longer than most of us have been arguing about chill filtration online. Mark shares what it’s been like documenting the whisky world for over two decades — how the industry has evolved, what’s genuinely changed, what hasn’t, and which trends he finds exciting… or mildly terrifying.Expect plenty of side-quests into favourite drams, legendary whisky characters, industry myths, and a few moments of “how did we end up here?” reflection.00:00 Introduction and Banter00:21 Discussing the Podcast's Unique Approach01:03 Origins of the Podcast03:36 Whisky Podcast Landscape04:53 Personal Podcast Preferences08:31 Interview with Mark Gillespie Begins20:42 Vegas Toga Party and Whisky Adventures21:32 Current State of the Whisky Industry24:35 Future of Whisky Cask and Industry Reflections25:07 Whisky Festivals and Podcasting Insights29:12 Global Whisky Trends and Innovations34:20 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans

A lively kick-off of Season 6, the Mitch & Daz welcome listeners with a post-holiday catch-up. They contemplate the ideal cutoff for New Year greetings, and share their plans for revealing their weights in the next episode (maybe not!) They get into their festive adventures, from drinking boutique whiskies to escaping to sunny Portugal. The duo previews exciting plans for 2026, including 45 episodes, live shows, and their participation in the Spirit of Speyside Festival with industry heavyweights. They touch on Whisky news, including a trademark battle involving James Martin, changes in Whisky tourism with Clynelish's closure, and exciting new releases like Lochlea's 7-year-old and Highland Park's vibrant Heather. Additionally, they lament Meta's impact on Whisky communities, discuss the potential of aluminum Whisky bottles, and celebrate Rita Greenwood as the first female chair of the Scotch Whisky Association. 00:00 Introduction and New Year Greetings00:37 Holiday Recap and Personal Updates01:38 Whisky Talk and Festive Spirits03:15 Travel Tales and Whisky Prices06:25 Plans for the New Season10:53 Dry January and Burns Night15:32 Whisky World News17:31 Trademark Maintenance and Brand Transfers18:37 Whisky Tourism and Visitor Centers21:04 New Whisky Releases and Distillery Updates22:36 Meta's Alcohol Policy Changes25:34 Innovations in Whisky Packaging26:54 First Female Chair of the SWA28:28 Elixir's Trail Series and Global Spirits31:33 Highland Park's New Release33:46 Positive Outlook for the Whisky Industry34:37 Burns Night Celebrations and Farewell

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

Exploring Glenlivet's New Cask Masters Collection with Andrew Bardsley and Kevin BalmforthIn 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 Collection00:10 Meet the Experts: Andrew Bardsley and Kevin Balmforth01:40 Setting the Scene: Quake Bar and Festive Vibes02:14 Andrew's Busy Year and New Releases04:16 Kevin's Journey in the Whisky Industry07:53 The 14-Year-Old Glenlivet: Tasting and Insights16:08 Exploring the 16-Year-Old Glenlivet18:02 Exploring Whisky Styles18:49 The Surprising 16-Year-Old20:36 Innovation and Consistency at Glenlivet23:09 The Unique Scottish Oak30:19 The 56-Year-Old Glenlivet33:38 Cask Masters Series and Pricing35:54 Final Thoughts and Farewell

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-whiskyhttps://www.arranwhisky.com/shop-whiskies/arran-single-malts/14-arran-quarter-cask-whisky-the-bothyhttps://www.bowmore.com/en-gb/whiskies/15-year-old-sherry-oak-cask00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene00:47 Catching Up with Mark Thomson01:26 Life Changes and New Beginnings03:07 Whisky Industry Insights05:27 Market Trends and Predictions14:41 Brand Ambassadorship Challenges17:30 Value Whiskies Discussion18:09 Reviewing the Limited Edition Arran Whiskey19:37 Exploring Glen Scotia's Offerings20:53 Discovering InchDairnie Distillery23:40 Tasting Notes on Tormore and Bunnahabhain27:59 Reflecting on Whisky Preferences and Trends32:00 Whisky Predictions for 202635:47 Closing Remarks and Future Plans

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 Welcome00:43 Meet the Guests: Greg Schwartz and Guy Satchel01:50 The Water of Life: Origins and Inspirations05:31 Making Connections in the Whisky World09:19 Filming Challenges and Experiences15:03 The Impact of COVID-19 on the Film's Release16:16 The Journey to the Docuseries16:27 The Birth of the Independent Bottlers Film17:18 Challenges and Collaborations18:42 The Making of the Docuseries19:21 Insights into Independent Bottlers22:01 Structuring the Series26:53 The Independent Spirit Festival30:19 Future Projects and Final Thoughts

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 Start01:26 Celebrating Scotland's World Cup Qualification03:45 Whiskey Adventures and Tastings10:56 Fine Dining at the Craigellachie Hotel21:34 Discussing the Menu Concept22:47 The River Space Course23:18 Goals for the Restaurant24:52 Booking and Pricing Details26:41 The Gamekeeper and Polly's Tipple30:44 Whiskey News: Diageo Halts Roseisle Maltings32:39 Peatland Restoration Efforts37:34 Brooke Laddie's Quadruple Distilled Whiskey39:22 Glen Ham Visitor Center Opening41:54 Holiday Whiskey Traditions

In this special episode of 'Not Another Whisky Podcast,' hosts celebrate nearing their 200th show by welcoming co-host Mitch Beard as a guest on his own podcast! Mitch discusses his recently published book, 'Not Another F*cking Whisky Book,' shares some of its hilarious anecdotes, and reflects on the challenges and inspirations behind writing it. They delve into the unique storytelling style, the process of self-publishing, and how his personal stories intertwine with serious whisky industry topics. Check out the book here00:00 Introduction and Episode Milestone00:27 Technical Difficulties and Podcast Setup00:55 Special Guest Introduction: Mitch Beard02:42 Mitch Beard's New Book04:50 Inspiration Behind the Book11:02 Writing Process and Challenges13:20 Self-Publishing and Advice for Aspiring Authors15:01 Writing Process and Style15:51 Releasing the Book and Initial Reactions17:14 Stories from the Book22:53 Whisky and Sustainability23:45 Future Plans and Reflections27:07 Where to Buy the Book28:33 Upcoming Podcast Episodes