Not Another Whisky Podcast

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 Kickoff00:47 Label Art Pressure02:52 Busy Life Fundraising04:31 Dram Four Sideburn05:02 Teaspoon Naming Games06:39 Burnside Trademark Lore09:52 Tasting Notes Distillery Style11:31 World Whisky Reality Check14:51 Top Picks And Value16:56 Dram Five Mystery Malt19:41 How Mystery Malt Works23:52 Scaling The Series24:53 Live Guessing Game26:44 Breaking Shelf Bias27:29 Consumer Feedback Wins28:17 Distilleries Get Competitive30:29 Big Brands Buy In32:27 Pricing Proof of Concept34:34 Final Dram Glenrothes36:03 Audience Q&A Bourbon Plans38:15 Organic Marketing Approach42:13 Favorites and Ballots Return46:54 Future Spirits and Collabs52:57 New Make Style Strategy56:28 Wrap Up and Thanks

Recorded live at the Craigellachie Hotel, this one’s exactly what you’d hope for from a Not Another Whisky Podcast live show, six drams, zero filter, and the Thomson Brothers in full flow.Mitch sits down with Phil and Simon for part 1 of a six-dram tasting that quickly turns into a deep dive on value, volatility, and what’s actually going on behind the scenes in whisky right now.On the tasting table:North British 33 (…which turns out to be 34 — classic)A mystery maltClynelish Distillery 12“Sideburn” 35Glenrothes Distillery 20Glengoyne Distillery 27Early doors, the conversation gets into why older grain whisky like North British is suddenly everywhere, and how the Thomson Brothers are managing to put out bottles that don’t require a small bank loan (the North British sits at 40.1% and around £65, make of that what you will).From there, it opens up into a proper industry chat:The reality of building a distillery in 2026 (spoiler: it’s not cheap)Budget overruns, tough decisions, and phased builds in DornochWhy margins across the supply chain are under pressureAnd how independent bottlers are navigating a cooling marketThere’s also a no-holds-barred discussion on whisky tourism — including the impact of decisions by Diageo, the closure of Clynelish’s visitor centre, and the wider shift toward high-end, limited-access experiences.Somewhere in the middle, there’s a quick detour into upcoming Spirit of Speyside shows (because even in the middle of a tasting, you’ve still got tickets to sell…).By the final dram, the conversation lands on sherry casks, long-aged whisky, and the realities of keeping things interesting — before cutting off mid-flow with a Glen Garioch 27 discussion and a neat little cliffhanger for Part Two.TICKETS FOR OUR SHOWS:THREE BLENDERS WALK INTO A BAR WITH BRIAN KINSMAN, OLVER CHILTON AND SARAH BURGESSA CLASH OF THE STILLS - THE RETURN OF THE DISTILLERS SHOWDOWN⏱️ Chapters00:00 Band Banter00:28 Live Show Kickoff01:17 Meet Thomson Brothers02:05 Six Drams Lineup02:53 Tasting Format03:12 North British Grain04:15 Label Age Mixup04:41 Pricing And Value05:16 Yearly Catch Up05:35 New Distillery Build06:40 Budget Control Lessons08:20 Phased Build Plan09:52 Business Wins And Events11:36 Blending Approach13:44 Dram Two And Tourism16:15 Diageo Decisions Debate19:03 Tourism At Dornoch20:18 Value Over Hype20:54 Castle Bottle Strategy21:35 Speyside Events Plug23:14 Clynelish Cask Breakdown25:50 Closures Hit Communities27:42 Whisky Boom Bust Math32:05 Planning For Downturns33:43 Indie Festival Buzz38:05 Sherry Cask Debate38:53 How Many Releases42:54 Subscribe And Wrap

Mitch and Daz kick off their first proper catch-up of the year (with zero planning and maximum hair compliments), swapping updates on travel and work: Daz recaps a Dublin weekend that somehow involved more Guinness than Irish whiskey, while Mitch recounts a hectic run of podcast recordings, a corporate tasting, a long drive to see Bladnoch and the new Galloway Distillery, visits with Charlie MacLean , and his first festival since 2017, the Independent Whisky Festival. They then rip through whisky news: InchDairnie becomes a certified B Corp; Denmark’s Stauning starts making gin; GlenAllachie releases a 35-year-old; two Karuizawa casks sell for £4.25m; The Dalmore reopens to guests April 27; Bruichladdich marks 25 years since reopening with Old Skool 10-year-old; Glenrothes launches a 56-year-old; Ricky Gervais-backed Ellers Farm debuts Three Ridings (sold via a pricey Evolution Collection); Glen Moray releases Forbidden Fruit Calvados finish; and World Whiskies Awards nod to winners Joel Harrison, Gary Mills, and Bowmore 21 as best whisky in the world, plus talk of a potential live Edinburgh “battle” vs Whisky Stories.00:00 Cold Open Banter00:05 First Catch Up Of Year00:52 DA Updates And Travel01:02 Dublin Weekend Recap02:18 Busy Week In Scotland03:15 Indie Spirits Festival Highlights05:34 Whiskey News Roundup Begins05:55 InchDairnie B Corp Milestone07:16 Denmark Distillery Goes Gin08:11 Martinis And Bar Legends09:02 GlenAllachie 35 Year Release10:34 Karuizawa Casks Auction Shock11:52 Auction Buzz and Banter12:15 Ollie Stories and Podcast Tease13:34 Dalmore Reopens Visitor Experience16:10 Bruichladdich Old School Release17:46 Glenrothes 56 Year Decanter19:13 Ricky Gervais Celebrity Whisky24:17 Glen Moray Calvados Finish25:53 Awards Season Shoutouts27:13 Live Podcast Battle Plans28:41 Wrap Up and Listener Thanks

Mitch heads up to the Little Brown Dog HQ to sit down with Managing Director, DR. Andrew Smith for a properly relaxed, no-BS chat about independent bottling—and everything around it.They get into how Andrew went from hospitality (with a brief detour towards becoming a vet) to co-running one of Scotland’s more quietly interesting bottlers, what actually makes a cask worth bottling in today’s market, and why they’re not just sticking to whisky.From Scotch to rum to Calvados, this is a conversation about flavour over category—and whether whisky drinkers might need to start looking beyond their own glass.Andrew also shares the story behind starting Little Brown Dog, where they want to take it next, and how he sees the current state of the industry—especially the realities facing independent bottlers right now.There’s also an unsuccessful attempt to drag Chris onto the podcast, some rally driving chat, and a crash story that definitely wasn’t meant to be funny… but absolutely is.A loose, honest conversation with one of the good guys in the industry.

Arthur Motley on Cask Backrooms, Whisky Identity, and the Liquid AntiquarianArthur Motley joins Mitch & Daz in Bennet’s Bar for a cracking conversation on cask buying, whisky identity, and what happens when one of the industry’s most experienced retailers decides to go it alone. From his early days at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society to 21 years at Royal Mile Whiskies — where he worked his way from cask buyer to managing director — Arthur has seen whisky from just about every angle.He talks about the wild early-2000s cask market, when buying stock was a very different game, and how things gradually shifted from open sampling and relationship-led deals to tighter supply and buying “off paper.” The chat also dives into why he left Royal Mile, what his consultancy work looks like now, and why brand identity and route-to-market matter more than ever.There’s plenty of whisky geekery too, including early Japanese SMWS bottlings, the rise of world whisky, and Arthur’s brilliant historical project The Liquid Antiquarian with Dave Broom. Expect big thoughts on the 1823 Excise Act, the speed of Scotch’s evolution, and the stories behind the liquid we all bang on about.00:00 Rolling and intro00:07 Meet Arthur Motley02:14 Bennet’s Bar and pubs02:40 Cornwall pub story04:38 Joining Royal Mile05:44 Early whisky scene08:20 Whisky passion sparked10:05 Cask buying then14:19 Single malt boom18:37 Leaving Royal Mile22:15 Consultancy focus now24:53 Identity and history work27:27 Whisky History Needs Stories29:50 Brand Identity Done Right30:43 Bruichladdich Under Remy34:37 First Japanese Bottlings36:55 World Whisky Boom39:36 Scotch as Global Style42:19 Birth of Liquid Antiquarian44:38 1823 vs 1494 Debate47:38 Biggest Research Revelations51:08 Patreon Plans and Community56:09 Closing Thoughts and Farewell

Time For Whisky’s Martin Eber on Hong Kong’s Generosity, Japan’s Bar Magic, and Keeping Whiskey Blogs AliveDaz welcomes Martin Eber of Time For Whisky, an Australian whisky blogger he has known for about 11 years, to discuss his journey from collecting travel-retail bottles in 2008–2009 to starting the Time For Whisky blog in 2012 and moving to Hong Kong in 2014 as the scene rapidly expanded. They highlight Hong Kong’s uniquely generous whisky culture, where rare bottles are opened and shared, and discuss the decline of long-form whisky blogs amid social media and AI-generated content, with Martin aiming to keep authentic writing going. Martin recalls standout moments including a 2018 media trip for The Macallan’s new distillery launch, and hosting an early international Starward tasting. He names Japan as the best place to drink whisky for vintage selections and pricing, then shares updates on returning to Australia, growing Time For Whisky with contributors, and observations on Australia’s booming but crowded distilling scene.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:37 Whiskey Beginnings in Australia02:37 Starting the Time for Whiskey Blog03:51 Moving to Hong Kong Scene05:17 Hong Kong Generosity and Rare Drams06:48 Why Blogs Still Matter09:32 Standout Whiskey Moments14:37 Japan the Best Place to Drink17:56 Back in Australia Whats Next20:21 Australian Whiskey Boom and Challenges22:58 Tasmanian Highlights and Wrap Up

India is the largest whisky market in the world , yet Scottish whisky still represents only a tiny slice of what’s actually being drunk. In this episode, Mitch and Daz unpack the reality behind the headlines and explore how the Indian whisky ecosystem really works.From IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) and the role Scottish Whisky plays inside local blends, to changing consumer trends, tariffs, cocktail culture, and the rise of Indian single malts, this episode dives into one of the most complex — and fascinating — whisky markets on the planet.To get a proper on-the-ground perspective, Mitch speaks with two industry insiders working directly in the Indian drinks scene.First up is Angad Singh Gandhi, former Glenfiddich ambassador turned drinks consultant and founder of Drams With Drama, who explains how Indian drinkers are becoming more adventurous and how bars, whisky experiences, and local producers are reshaping the market.Then Fraser Morrison joins the show from just outside Delhi to discuss the reality of selling Scotch in India — from state-by-state regulations and pricing differences to the aspirational role single malt still plays for many drinkers.Along the way Mitch and Daz break down:What IMFL actually is and why it dominates the Indian whisky marketWhy India imports huge amounts of bulk Scotch for blendingThe impact of the UK–India tariff changesHow the middle class and travel culture are driving premium whisky demandThe rise of Indian single malts like Amrut, Paul John and RampurWhy India might become the most important whisky market of the next decadeIf you’ve ever wondered why India drinks so much whisky — and what that means for Scotch — this episode explains it all.GuestsAngad Singh Gandhi – Founder of Drams With DramaFraser Morrison – Whisky ambassador working in IndiaLive Podcast EventsJoin Mitch & Daz in person at one of our upcoming live whisky tastings.🎟️ Tickets & upcoming events:https://www.notanotherwhiskypodcast.com/live-eventsFollow the PodcastInstagram: @notanotherwhiskypodcastWebsite: https://www.notanotherwhiskypodcast.com

This week we welcome Ardnahoe distillery manager David Livingston to discuss the Islay distillery’s location, origins, and whisky style. Livingston explains Hunter Laing’s long-held ambition to create their own distillery, Ardnahoe’s opening in 2018, and his own third-generation Islay whisky background. He reflects on how Islay has changed with tourism and the rise of single malts, and why whisky is vital to the island’s economy as farming and fishing decline. The conversation covers Fèis Ìle’s growth and 40th anniversary, Ardnahoe’s early production moments, and the distillery’s approach to making spirit—slow mashing, fermentations over 70 hours, slow distillation, and worm tubs aimed at a sweet, heavy-bodied, fruity spirit with peat on the finish. We also discuss Ardnahoe’s core range (including Infinite Loch), cask strength releases, future aging ambitions, the visitor experience and staff, and how Ardnahoe benefits from Hunter Laing’s independent bottling heritage and bar selection, including the Kinship range.00:00 Welcome to Islay: Introducing Ardnahoe & Distillery Manager David Livingston00:49 That View (and the Coffee): Why Ardnahoe’s Location Is So Special01:35 How Ardnahoe Happened: Hunter Laing’s Dream Becomes a Distillery (2018–Now)03:26 Born & Bred Islay: David’s Whisky Upbringing and Peat-Bog Memories04:43 Islay Then vs Now: Tourism, Single Malts, and the Island Economy07:25 Fèis Ìle at 40: Music, Whisky, Culture—and 2026 Plans10:40 From Banter to Build: David’s Role, Arran Detour, and the First Spirit Run14:35 Making the Spirit: Slow Mashing, Long Ferments, Worm Tubs & Flavor Goals16:19 Tasting Notes & Core Range: Infinite Loch, Cask Strength, and Smoke Level (40 PPM)20:58 Production Split & Switching Styles: Peated vs Unpeated Campaigns23:23 Looking Ahead: Quality Over Quantity, Visitor-Centre Vibes, and Independent Bottlings27:40 Wrap-Up & Invitations: Ferry Logistics, Twin Rooms, and Final Thanks