Whiskey with Witcher

In 2021, Witcher fan Ja'Nya Hashi found themself flying overseas to spend four days at The Witcher School, the long-running, now sadly defunct Witcher Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) experience set at a remote castle in Poland. Was dressing up and pretending to be a Witcher-in-training something that was thrilling, confusing...or just a whole lot of cringe? In our newest side quest, we welcome Nya to our studio to find out! Over a couple of Old Fashioneds, Nya discusses their Witcher School experience, from sneaking around the castle's secret passages late at night, to the surprisingly terrifying Nekker hunt, to surviving the oddly relaxing Trial of the Grasses. It's a fascinating, fun glimpse at a Witcher experience unlike any other—where survival (at least for your character) isn't always guaranteed.

This week, we're heading to “The Edge of the World” and to the limits of good taste, as we take on Dark Horse's most recent short story adaptation. This is the tale that taught us how elves like to hold grudges, sylvans enjoy playing with balls, and the people of Lower Posada really love their weed. We, on the other hand, are sticking with whiskey—Hudson Whiskey NY's “This is Your Favorite Whiskey,” to be specific. Yes, that's actually its name, and no, it doesn't prove to be our favorite whiskey. But that's okay since this short story isn't our favorite either, though it does prompt discussions over whether “bats” and “batses” are the same thing, if we ever wear togas around the house, and whether Geralt should really be associating with muppets.

Who's ready for another round? Having now seen The Witcher's second animated movie, we thought it would be fun to revisit its first one, 2021's Nightmare of the Wolf—and we brought new viewer Producer Sean along for the ride! How does this Vesemir-starring prequel hold up four years and two show seasons later? Does it still feel like The Witcher now that we've gotten a better feel for the franchise? And what's up with Geralt's hair? (Sadly, we don't yet have an answer for that last one.) Plus, to accompany this second viewing, Sean's made an all-new whiskey pairing…with a twist. Clean W by CleanCo is the first non-alcoholic whiskey we've sampled on the podcast, though if you think going the zero-proof route means we're any less unhinged, think again. Hold music: "Local Forecast - Slower" by Kevin MacLeod

It was touch and go for a moment, but we've just about recovered from our first dive into The Witcher: Classic Collection. And that's a good thing because it's time to finish the book! The second three chapters are all based on classic Witcher short stories, so at least we know what we're in for…or so we thought! Why is that knight riding his horse up a giant stone dildo? Is that an Edgar Allan Poe cameo? What's up with the guy and his magic cat? And don't even get us going on the descriptively named cobbler in the final story! At least there's whisky this time around—the Icelandic Flóki Single Malt, which proves to be every bit the wild ride as the book we've paired it with.

This week, we travel back to 1993 as we dive into The Witcher: Classic Collection, a new graphic novel compilation of Geralt's earliest comic book adventures. And since neither of us were old enough to drink in the early '90s, we're discussing this book sober! Well, the first half of it at any rate, which proves to be an unwise choice because the first two stories…aren't great. How does an oversized, non-speaking earwig have its own gang of thieves? What is Dandelion doing hanging out with a bunch of sheep? And do not get us started on how Geralt got his famous white hair! Be smarter than us and pour yourself a strong one before hitting play, as we navigate this weird, wild and at times strangely homoerotic Witcher world.

We've read The Witcher: Ronin and we have questions! Sadly, we don't know any actual ronin that we can approach for answers, but we do know someone with “ronin” in her Instagram name (which is basically the same thing, right?). This week, we welcome back our good friend Gosia, aka Ronin of Rivia, for a deep dive into the world of the Witcher manga. How much do witchers actually have in common with ronin samurai? Why is a yuki onna the perfect adversary for this version of Geralt? And are there any Japanese monsters she'd have liked to see? Plus, she reveals some intriguing details hidden within CDPR's Witcher: Ronin statues, shares a few juicy rumors and even offers her non-spoiler thoughts on Crossroads of Ravens—since she's one of the few people we know who's read it! Find Ronin of Rivia on Instagram at @ronin_of_rivia and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/roninofrivia.

We've woken up in some strange places on occasion, though Geralt definitely has us beat with the ancient Japan-inspired world of The Witcher: Ronin. In this 2022 manga, the monster hunter finds himself on a very different path, fighting creatures inspired by Japanese folklore in his pursuit of a mysterious white-haired woman. Fortunately, our search for the perfect whiskey pairing proved much simpler—Legent Kentucky Straight Bourbon, an east-meets-west collaboration that's well suited for enjoying alongside this equally cross-cultural comic. Plus, we discover why you'd better have some cucumbers on you before you start messing with kappas, ponder whether we'd be able to fight a dragon and remind our silver-haired samurai (and the creators of his debut adventure) that no one likes feeling unfulfilled at the end.

What was once lost is now found. And for that, we can only say...we're sorry! It's our first side quest of the season and we're dishing up over a dozen never before heard podcast moments from over the past two years. These were conversations, tangents and the occasional meltdown that we sadly had to cut for time, even though they resulted in some of the biggest laughs we've ever had behind the mics! If that's not enough to entice you, many feature past guests—including Joanna Estep and Ronin of Rivia—a few offer unique glimpses behind the scenes, and at least one of them includes Valerie singing about mermaid sex. Plus, this entire episode was recorded AFTER last week's, which means we start things off pretty lit and they only get more unhinged from there.

Don't look for restraint here, things are about to get wild! This week's comic is the Tarzan-influenced The Witcher: Wild Animals, a twist-filled blend of circle-of-life philosophy, extreme veganism and frighteningly feral action that left us wanting more…whiskey. Fortunately, we've paired it with the superbly simian Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt, a sweet, straightforward scotch that kept the conversation from getting too civilized. After all, when there are important things to discuss like whether drowners smell like fish, why mothers should handle their own homicides, if Geralt should ask for a refund on his armor and whether there's ever a good reason for a man to drop trou while relieving himself, we wouldn't want something as silly as good behavior getting in the way.

We're back in Blaviken, bitches! This week, we return to the tale that launched our podcast as we take on the graphic novel adaptation of “A Lesser Evil.” Can such a complex and morally murky Witcher story effectively make the leap to comics? Does this latest take on Renfri hold its own against the ones we've already seen? Is Stregobor as obnoxious as we'd expect? And has Tim finally warmed up to headband Geralt?!? Art is admired, creative decisions are debated and many tears are shed—though they're mostly over this week's whiskey pairing. With two flavored Dough Ball Whiskeys before us, we must choose which of them is the lesser evil…and like Geralt, we barely survive the experience.

Inside you there are two wolves…and both of them are drunk. That would be due to the Writers' Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey which we've paired with this week's topic of conversation—The Witcher: The Ballad of Two Wolves, the Brothers Grimm-inspired graphic novel that features a young woman named Red, three sisters named Hogge and one big, bad, booze-fueled wolf. (And no, we're not actually talking about Geralt here, though he's in the story as well.) As ballads go, this proves to be a lively one, as we debate the blast radius of evil curses, delight in Dandelion's delirious behavior and reveal why gathering a bunch of people who hate each other in a locked room while you accuse them of crimes is usually a dumb idea. Oh, and Geralt hooks up with a sorceress. Because of course he does. Hold music: "Local Forecast - Slower" by Kevin MacLeod

While we've been known to occasionally make up our own words, our guests in this week's special episode do it for a living. David J. Peterson and Jessie Peterson are professional linguists and conlangers—those are people who construct their own languages—and you've heard their work in Dune, Shadow & Bone, Elemental, Game of Thrones and, of course, The Witcher. What's involved in creating an all-new language? How long does the process take? How difficult is it to teach it to actors? And have they created any swear words of which they're particularly proud? (Look, you knew we were going to ask.) David and Jessie answer these questions and many more, while sharing secrets about the musical language they created for Sirens of the Deep. They even answer one of our burning questions about the film's ending, so while you may not end the episode fluent in the elder tongue, you WILL learn something new. You can find David J. Peterson on Bluesky and AO3 at @dedalvs and on Instagram at @athdavrazar. Jessie Peterson can be found at @quothalinguist on both Bluesky and Instagram, and her Conlang Year experience can be found at quothalinguist.com. Watch David and Jessie conlang live at @LangTimeStudio on YouTube.

It's time to brush up on your bruxa because this week we're diving into the graphic novel adaptation of “A Grain of Truth,” the early Witcher tale that introduced us to Nivellen, Vereena and Andrzej Sapkowski's penchant for provocative endings. Over a bottle of Wilderness Trail Kentucky Straight Bourbon, one of the more challenging whiskeys we've had in a while, we unpack this new version of The Witcher's equally complex spin on Beauty and the Beast. Was it love at first bite—er, sight? Or did we want to drive a stake through its heart? Plus, we ponder the anatomical attributes of oversized boars, explain why Roach is the smartest character in the story and reveal why sometimes, all it takes is one tiny outline of light to make your day.

It's finally here! With The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep now streaming on Netflix, we're setting sail with Geralt and Jaskier as we unpack their newest animated movie. Over a bottle of Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Bourbon, we search for pearls of the verbal variety while tackling all the tough questions. What do we think of the added events and changed ending? Why is there a random musical number? And how exactly do a mermaid and human do the deed, anyhow? Plus, we introduce two all-new segments, weigh in on the short story that inspired the film and explain why a celebrated fantasy author really needs to walk the plank. It's an episode that's guaranteed to get you just as animated as Geralt, so make a little—okay, moderately-sized sacrifice of your time and give it a listen.

We're back for an all-new season! We've heeded the siren's song (it's absolutely ear-piercing when you're nursing a hangover) and returned to the studio for a full season devoted to Witcher comics and animation, starting with the soon-to-debut Sirens of the Deep! We explain what we'll be discussing and what we won't, and how you can read and watch along with us. We also round up some of the latest Witcher news, discuss the recent Los Angeles fires (don't worry, we're safe!) and share our thoughts on the Sirens trailer that dropped while we were on hiatus. Oh, and Valerie gets really excited about a clock.

Is it last call already? Sadly, our fandom season has reached its end, but we're giving it an extra-sized, extra-sauced sendoff that's just as unhinged (and often unfortunate) as the year to which we're saying goodbye. Over some seriously strong Old Fashioneds, we unpack what we've discovered about fandom, revealing things that have surprised and delighted us over these past months. But that's not all! We also discuss the latest Witcher news—including that completely out-of-the blue Witcher 4 trailer! (We recorded a whole special section for it and everything.) Plus, Valerie discusses her recent trip to Iceland and we do another terrible review shot...of an aquavit she brought back from the trip. It's over two hours of often meandering, but also quite merry, nonsense from us which will hopefully make you a fan. Or at least make you feel better about your choices in life. Oh, and if you just can't wait to hear what we think about the trailer, it starts at 1:19:14!

We're simple people here at Whiskey With Witcher. We love geeky stuff and things that are high in alcohol, so it was only a matter of time until we spoke to a fan who combines both. This week, we say hello to Adam Carbonell, one of the authors of Supernatural: Join the Hunt, the official cocktail book of the Supernatural TV series. A longtime brewer and mixologist, Adam crafted dozens of original cocktails inspired by the show over a ridiculously short amount of time. How did he do it? That's what we attempt to find out as we discuss Adam's surprising relationship to Supernatural, how he managed to create original recipes based on sometimes limited information and which of the book's many drinks he's most proud of. Plus, he teases some other fandoms he'd enjoy creating drinks for (The Witcher, maybe?), shares a few publishing war stories and answers some demonically devious drunken questions! You can find Supernatural: Join the Hunt – The Official Cocktail Book at bookstores and online retailers. Keep up with Adam Carbonell on Instagram at @youlookitalian.

We're leaving the Continent behind and heading somewhere even stranger—Hollywood! In our newest side quest, we welcome Christina Newhall (aka Tim's wife) back to the podcast to tipsily tackle some of the entertainment questions we've heard arise again and again over the years. What causes some movies and shows to get announced, but never made? Why have TV seasons become so short and the wait between them so long? How come we don't get more official photos, clips and teases in between seasons and films? And are there really showrunners who actively hate the source material they're working on? If you're a Netflix Witcher fan, chances are these are things you've wondered about, so we do our best to provide some answers and sound like we know what we're talking about—no small feat considering we're doing it all while drinking barrel-proof bourbon.

Who says you can't have whiskey for breakfast? In our newest fandom episode, we're joined by Alyssa, the host of the Breakfast in Beauclair podcast (you know, the Witcher pod that actually knows what they're doing) for a free-flowing conversation on creating fan podcasts. When did Alyssa first get the idea for Breakfast in Beauclair? How did it develop such an engaged global fanbase? And how did they manage to record an entire episode about Dudu without the entire thing devolving into a bunch of junior high jokes?!? Alyssa reveals the challenges of hosting a podcast on her own, the joys of meeting listeners in person and what character she'd most like to invite for a literal Breakfast in Beauclair. If you like podcasts, you won't want to miss this one. And if you don't like podcasts...then what are you even doing here, you weirdo?!? Find Breakfast in Beauclair on Instagram at @breakfastinbeauclair, join their Discord server at bit.ly/thehanzadiscord and listen to the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher and anywhere else you find podcasts.

We don't hit 100 episodes every day, so perhaps we went a little overboard when planning and recording last week's milestone. But that just means the party's not over yet! This week, we're continuing our celebration by answering all the questions we received from you—our listeners. What's the most surprising thing we've learned about Witcher canon? How do we choose the whiskeys for each episode? What show would we most like to see crossover with The Witcher? We even manage to answer a question about our Witcher “hear me outs” without sounding completely ancient, so you know you're getting us at our best (though not necessarily most sober). And while technically this is no longer our 100th episode, everyone knows the real excitement happens at the afterparty, anyway. So pour yourself another drink because you're all on the guest list!

Look, we're not sure how it happened either, but somehow we made to 100 episodes. That's 100 episodes of bourbon, bards, Brotherhoods, Blood Origins, bloopers, barrel-proofs, bone caves, broken bottles, bad subtitles, and beastly shots of bitter booze. Oh yes, and absolutely wonderful conversations about our favorite fantasy franchise with all of you. To commemorate this malted milestone, we crack open a bottle of a surprisingly delicious Polish rye whiskey—The Globe—while celebrating all that we love about The Witcher. From our most beloved characters, to the Netflix episodes we can't stop replaying in our heads, to the Witcher 3 quests that thrill us more than any other, to the Andrzej Sapkowski short stories that we come back to again and again, this is a liquored up love letter to Geralt, Yennefer, Ciri and the rest of the Continent. We hope you enjoy it and thank each and every one of you for joining us on this wild ride. Here's to the next hundred!

This week, we're taking a break from all the fandom talk to sip some of the finest Witcher tea—literally and figuratively! In this new side quest, we sample three different Witcher-themed teas from Geek Grind Coffee, offering our opinions on each of them while considering if they actually reflect the character they were inspired by. (A Yennefer tea with no lilac or gooseberries? What is this craziness?!?) We also wade into some of the juiciest Witcher gossip to hit over the past few years, offering our sassiest thoughts on all of it. Beau DeMayo! Toxic fans! Possible reasons why Henry Cavill is no longer on the show! (It strayed too much from the source material? Give us a break!) All this, plus another review shot, Tim reveals his least favorite social media platform and Valerie forgets how to drink.

The Witcher is going to Japan! Well, sort of. With a Witcher manga now available, a line of Japanese-influenced statues in stores and a new Witcher tabletop game inspired by feudal Japan shipping next year, Geralt's flirtation with the far east shows no sign of slowing. What's behind it? This week, we welcome Gosia, the passionate fan, translator and student of Japanology behind the Ronin of Rivia social media account to see if we can find out! Gosia discusses how her love of The Witcher and Japanese culture inspired her to study the intersection of the two, why Geralt seems to resonate with Japanese fans and whether Andrzej Sapkowski may have been influenced by samurai when he created him. Plus, she discusses the challenges of translating video games and fiction and sings the praises of the Witcher translation teams...before we ruin it all by talking about Hexer. Find Ronin of Rivia on Instagram at @ronin_of_rivia and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/roninofrivia.

We're glad people can't see how bad we often are at videogames, but our latest guest shares her every jump, attack, and block with the world! Lucy Robyn is a Twitch streamer, podcaster and good friend of ours who not only joins us this week to talk about her love of The Witcher, but surprises us with a very nice bottle of Bushmills Black Bush to accompany the discussion. Lucy shares how the pandemic led to her discovery of the Witcher series and game, and how that developed into her role as a content creator, Twitch streamer and cohost of our favorite movie (and former Witcher) podcast, On the Path. She also discusses what it's like podcasting with a partner in a different continent, answers some stream-themed drunk questions and reveals why getting early access to a game isn't always the delight you'd expect. Keep up with Lucy's latest streams by following her on Twitch, Youtube, Twitter and Instagram at @lucyjrobyn, and find her podcast, On the Path, on Apple, Spotify, Stitcher and anywhere else you find podcasts.

Much like Sirens of the Deep itself, releasing this episode on the upcoming new Witcher animated movie was a bit delayed. But we think you'll agree it's worth the wait, as we unpack the recent Geeked Week sneak peek (try saying that five times fast) and come to terms with the movie's new release date. And that's just the start! In the second half of the episode, we unveil our latest series of Whiskey With Witcher playlists and reveal how Valerie's fandom factors into their creation. We also finally make good on our promise and take a shot of Jeppson's Malort as a thank you for our latest five-star review. (We survive...barely.) It's an episode of music and merpeople, accompanied by the strong, sweet notes of Blackened Cask Strength American Whiskey. Hold music: "Local Forecast - Slower" by Kevin MacLeod

Between the cosplay, panels, meetups, screenings, booths, signings and overall excitement, there's nothing better than a convention! Well, at least if you ignore all the crowds, lines, overpriced food, unshowered attendees and the possibility of coming home sick (something one of our hosts knows a lot about). Still, it's hard to deny the appeal of gathering with thousands of fans to celebrate something you love…especially when that celebration also spills over into the local bars. In this week's new episode, we discussing our history with conventions—both as attendees and exhibitors—including our recent trip together to San Diego Comic-Con. We share what it was like seeing Freya Allan, explain some of the issues we had with Comic-Con this year and ponder what we see happening to the convention landscape in the future. Plus, we unpack Netflix's recent Geeked Week announcement. Are we in for a shipload of Sirens news? Or just an ocean of disappointment?

Our conversation on fanfiction continues, as the always insightful Rebekah Rodriguez-Lynn discusses some of the Witcher fics she's authored and what it's been like developing as a writer on AO3. Which of her favorite Witcher ships resonate with readers and which one, despite all her best intentions, has not? What has writing and reading fanfiction taught her? And what happens when she's written fanfic while drinking? Plus, we answer some questions from Rebekah's fans on Tumblr and subject our guest to some particularly challenging drunken questions. And yes, Tim gets some more verbal spankings—but don't worry, he's into them. You can find Rebekah Rodriguez-Lynn on Twitter at @BuffySummers10, on Tumblr at @Fangirleaconmigo and on AO3 at Descarada.

The best writing often challenges you, so it's only natural that our episode on writing and fanfiction does as well! We're excited to welcome back one of our favorite past guests, fanfiction writer and Witcher expert Rebekah Rodriguez-Lynn, for a little wining and opining about all things fanfiction. We uncork two bottles of wine from Suveg Cellars—a local favorite of Rebekah's—for a fierce, but fascinating discussion that gets into what makes something fanfiction, why fans devote so much of their lives writing and reading it and whether a fanfic can drift so far from the source material that it's no longer a fanfic. In fact, we had so much fun that we ran a little longer than usual and decided to break the episode into two parts. Look for the rest of the conversation next week. Believe it or not, it gets even crazier! You can find Rebekah Rodriguez-Lynn on Twitter at @BuffySummers10, on Tumblr at @Fangirleaconmigo and on AO3 at Descarada

You can be a fan of art. But is there an art to being a fan? There certainly is when we're talking about our friend Maja, who over the past few years has become one of the most talented, distinct and sought after Witcher fan artists working today. Maja's clever illustrations of characters like Yennefer, Jaskier and Geralt (to say nothing of our podcast art, which she designed) all boast a sophisticated sense of style and influence that would seem to extend well beyond her young age, and which we discuss thoroughly with her as Maja joins us on our latest episode. Plus, she shares some savage thoughts on The Witcher's costumes, explains why she's so fond of Yenskier and yes, answers our drunken questions in what's one of our liveliest fandom discussions yet! See Maja's latest fanart by following her on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr at @perseruna

Dandelion's biggest fan...is probably himself. Dandelion's second biggest fan, however, is arguably Elias the Bard, the extraordinarily gifted cosplayer and Witcher fan who has made a name for himself cosplaying as the flamboyant troubadour. In this week's episode, we welcome Elias to the podcast, who discusses discovering The Witcher through the trilogy of games and how his love of the world and particularly Dandelion led to him creating some of the most authentic Jaskier cosplays out there. We dive deep into cosplay as a form of fandom, as Elias shares stories about dressing up at cons, explains why he cosplays the characters he does and ponders how aging might affect his cosplaying in the future (in short, it won't!). Plus, he reveals which of The Witcher's many characters would do the best job cosplaying as him! Find Elias the Bard online in the following spots... Instagram: @the.gardening.bard Twitter/X: @Gardening_bard TikTok: @eliasthegardeningbard Tumblr: @elythegardeningbard

How do you know you're a pretty big Witcher fan? When you spend over a year of your life bringing it to life! This week, we welcome Lihtar Studio's Edward Kurchevsky to the podcast to discuss the recent animated tribute short he directed based on Andrzej Sapkowski's short story, “A Grain of Truth.” A stylish interpretation of Geralt and his world, the energetic teaser is a labor of love from all involved—and Lihtar's very first project. Over scotch, Edward shares why he and his colleagues decided to launch their studio with The Witcher, what he enjoys most about the franchise and what other memorable Witcher story he'd love a chance to animate. Plus, we discuss European vs. American fandom and whether Geralt should have a beard. (The answer is surprisingly controversial!) Watch Lihtar Studio's Witcher short: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbVvxxgNj2k

Some artists draw comics full of deep emotion. Others draw comics full of sexy naked people! Getting it on! In all kinds of creative ways! Joanna Estep is one of the few who manages to do all of the above while also setting her stories within the world of The Witcher. This week, we welcome Jo back to the podcast to find out exactly how she pulls it off, while also discussing her involvement in Witcher fandom overall. Jo opens up about the role fandom has played throughout her life, revealing why she's driven to create thoughtful, poignant comic book stories (that just so happen to feature a ton of sex) and which of The Witcher's many ships is ultimately her favorite. No, it's not Yarskier, but she offers her thoughts on that as well! Buy Joanna Estep's latest Witcher fancomic: https://joannaestep.storenvy.com/

Your days of sober-minded conversation are over, as Whiskey with Witcher is back with an all-new season devoted entirely to fandom! Why do we fall hard for things like The Witcher, and why does that passion manifest so differently for all of us? How can we love a franchise so much, but still feel driven to write fanfic that's completely at odds with it? Why are some fans inspired to recreate a show's costumes, while others get drunk on podcasts and drag that same show's costume designer? (No, not us—we would never!) We fans are a diverse, opinionated and occasionally conflicted crew, and in our premiere episode, we kick off our quest to get to the bottom of what's behind it…while getting to the bottom of a bottle of Angel's Envy Bourbon. Plus, both of us share our thoughts on the first images of Liam Hemsworth as Geralt!

It's a whirlybird of a crossover! In this special bonus episode, Tim and Valerie guest on the Tentpole Trauma podcast to discuss Henry Cavill's recent box office misfire, Argylle. We break down the film with host Sebastian Bendix to see if we can figure out why the movie failed to find an audience before discussing where Cavill's career should go from here. We also recap the movie's utterly bonkers marketing campaign and throw in some Witcher talk, just to cleanse our palate. So, pour yourself a drink—even intoxicated you're likely to be far more coherent than anything in the film—and join us for some seriously sauced spy games!

We're back…sort of. While the official debut of our upcoming season is still a few weeks away, we just couldn't wait to weigh in on all the latest Witcher news! Season 4 is officially in production! Season 5 has been greenlit—and it's the show's final season?!? We debate whether this is a good or bad thing before sharing what we'd like to see in The Witcher's remaining episodes. We also discuss all the casting news that's hit since our last episode, engage in some controversial Lady of the Lake commentary and bring back over a half dozen whiskeys from previous seasons…with exactly the results you'd expect.

Take seven different Witcher-themed recipes prepared by four Continent-loving cooks, serve generously and garnish with a bottle of Woodford Reserve BevMo! Barrel Select Double Oaked Bourbon and what do you get? Our 2023 season finale! The highly anticipated Witcher Official Cookbook is now in stores, and we've asked our friends (and previous guests) Juliet Bennett Rylah and Christina Newhall to help us give it a test run. The table is set for some colorful culinary conversation, as we discuss the recipes and our experiences making them while sharing our thoughts on the cookbook overall. Which dishes did we love and which did we want to kill with Igni? The answers may surprise you in this savory seasonal sendoff!

The year may be winding down, but Witcher fans have had much to celebrate in 2023, from one of the most thrilling and book-faithful seasons so far, to news of a new Witcher novel in the works, to the announcement of an all-new animated film. So, in that spirit, we're doing some celebrating ourselves and revealing a few of our personal favorites from The Witcher's latest season…and ours! What's our pick for Season 3's best episode? Who's our favorite new character? Which actor's performance this season reigns supreme and which ship has set our hearts aflutter? We also reveal our top podcast moments, what important lessons we've learned this year, and which of this season's whiskeys was our favorite…which we bring back for a second round. In short, it's a seriously sauced soiree that's sure to delight you at times and frustrate you at others, and if that's not a fitting end to this year, we're not sure what is!

For all its evil mages, freaky monsters, and conquest-minded kings, music has always been an important part of The Witcher. And while Dandelion may love to take credit, we know that it's really the hard work of some talented composers who have shaped and finessed the sound of this world that we've all come to love. In this episode, we're raising a glass to them as we revisit the music of Netflix's Witcher, discussing what we feel works and what doesn't on each of the five released soundtracks, and highlighting a few of our favorite songs from all three seasons of The Witcher, plus Nightmare of the Wolf and Blood Origin. It's everything you need to put together the perfect monster-slaying (or bottle-killing) playlist!

We're in the presence of royalty this week as we welcome Queen Denise to the podcast for the first time. If you're a regular listener, you know who Queen Denise is, but you may not know what she actually does for a living…and how cool it is! Denise joins us to talk about her career as a bourbon steward (yes, it's a real job!), explaining what it's like to get paid to drink whiskey. She also discusses attending Moonshiner University (yes, it's a real place!), dishes about her relationships with whiskey reps and lifts the veil on what it's like being a woman in a very male-dominated industry. And of course, she shows off some of her knowledge about whiskey by bringing on not one, but two different Green River bourbons for us to try. Let there be no doubt, this Queen is VERY good to her subjects. Long may she reign!

Geeked Week has come and gone and we may have celebrated a bit TOO hard, but that's not about to stop us from unpacking some of the Witcher-shaped surprises it brought us. We got our first peek at Geralt's new animated movie with not one, but two different teaser trailers, plus all sorts of juicy details about what we can expect when it hits Netflix in…um…late 2024?!?! While we don't love that release date, everything else about The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep looks great. We give an overview of what was revealed, speculating on how close they'll stay to the short story that inspired it (but don't worry, we stay spoiler free) and whine about how long it'll be before we see more. We also discuss some of the other Geeked Week events, including how we managed to take first place in their Los Angeles trivia competition. And they say alcohol kills brain cells!

https://press.etc.cmu.edu/books/psychgeist-pop-culture

What's this? You may be forgiven for thinking you were getting yet another episode of Tim and Valerie reminding you of how excruciatingly long you'll have to wait for more of your favorite fantasy show as they mask the despair of their existence with alcohol and bad takes. But if you're into torturing yourself like that, you really should call in an expert on the subject—someone like Wednesday Addams. So, for one week only, your favorite podcast is trading in their swords, potions and magic spells for knives, poisons and evil curses as they discuss the first season of Netflix's Wednesday. And since whiskey is kind of their Thing, they've brought along a special Halloween edition of Smoke Wagon Straight Bourbon. Don't worry. They'll try not to make it TOO painful…

We're returning to the world of word balloons this week as we take on the latest Witcher comic books! Dark Horse's second omnibus collection features four very different tales starring Geralt of Rivia, each drawn by a different artist. We discuss and unpack all of them, finding much to enjoy in these stories set within the universe of the Witcher games. Tricky moral quandaries! Icky monster fights! Dandelion!! We also find much to enjoy in this episode's whisky, Kyrö Malt Rye, which we picked up on a recent trip to Finland. What were we doing in Finland? Did we drink any other Finnish whisky while we were there? And how do you say “Kyrö,” anyhow? We do a good job answering at least two of those three questions in this buoyant blend of books, banter and booze.

Five years. Three seasons. Twenty-four episodes. And a whole lot of “Hmms.” It's hard to overstate the impact Henry Cavill has had on The Witcher and the role of Geralt of Rivia, which makes his departure from the series difficult for so many of its fans. But rather than being sad that he's leaving, we're celebrating his time on the Continent with a special tribute episode! Tim and Valerie discuss the role Cavill had in their fandom of the show, share some of our favorite moments featuring his Geralt and read a few tributes written by listeners. And since we can't rightly toast him without a good whiskey, we uncork a bottle of Aberfeldy 12-Year Single Malt for Cavill…and a bottle of Aberfeldy Napa Valley Red Wine Cask 15-Year Single Malt for Liam Hemsworth, the man who will be replacing him.

With all eight episodes now unpacked, Producer Sean at last weighs in as we bid farewell to The Witcher's latest season. To borrow from our favorite bard, season three is full of “extraordinary things” and we offer our final thoughts on all of them, from the wonderful found family Geralt builds with Yen and Ciri, to Jaskier's tantalizing relationship with Radovid, to the breathtaking battle at Aretuza. But the most remarkable thing of all may just be that Producer Sean picks a Canadian whisky to accompany our discussion—Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye. We doubt even Dijkstra would have been able to see that one coming!

We've finally reached the end of The Witcher's latest season and we're feeling pretty emotional about it, at least if this week's discussion is any indication. We have some big laughs. We shed some actual tears (we're as surprised as you!). We get frustrated with characters, angry at toxic fans and a teensy bit testy with each other before declaring our unbridled love to everything The Witcher has brought to our lives. Or maybe it's just the super strong Man o' Sword Single Malt Scotch we decided to pair this climactic episode up with. We do drink a lot of it. Whatever the cause, we hope you'll join us in lifting a glass as we say so long to Henry Cavill, Tissaia de Vries, Ciri's innocence and The Witcher's sensational season three!

When we ordered a Blood and Sand, this really wasn't what we had in mind. Season three's penultimate episode features a small bit of Brokilon, a handful of teary reunions and a whole lot of Ciri wandering through the desert while hallucinating and hanging out with a unicorn. It's not the most action-packed hour of Witcher, which may be why we paired it with one of our stronger whiskeys this season—Maker's Mark Private Selection Toasted Marshmallow. We're mixed on whether we can taste the marshmallow, but all of us get plenty toasted talking about Ciri's surprisingly strong singing voice, Geralt's inarguably impressive wheezing and Little Horse's monstrously massive… You know, you should probably just listen.

Mix two parts sorcery and one part elven revenge. Add a dash of political intrigue with a light splash of Nilfgaardian conquest. Shake violently and you have the recipe for Vol. 2's first episode, “Everybody Has a Plan ‘til They Get Punched in the Face.” Considering the game-changing nature of the episode, we thought it was only fitting that our discussion of it raises the stakes for us as well. So, inspired by Geralt's climactic head-to-head duel with Vilgefortz, we open up two different whiskeys from Woodinville Whiskey Co.—their award-winning bourbon and their rye. Will double-fisting our way through our discussion leave us wheezing and immobile like a certain monster-slayer? Or will it give us the liquid courage to revisit hard-to-watch scenes like the explosion of one major character, the utter heartbreak of another and the weirdly stilted acting of a third? Listen and learn, lovelies!

It's amazing what you can discover when you're passed out on the cutting room floor. It's our first side quest of the season, and we're bringing you a treasure trove of past moments that were never lost and always found…but that we still had to cut for time. Why is there a woman in Arizona who thinks Tim has blue eyes? What would it take for Valerie to wear a hair hat? And can we actually prove Yarskier is real? (Tim seems to think so!) This is Whiskey with Witcher at its most unhinged and proof that yes, we did in fact go there.

It's a party onscreen and in the Whiskey with Witcher recording studio! We uncork a bottle of Johnny Smoking Gun Whiskey to accompany Geralt and Yen's search for proof and dance our way through season three's mélange of a fifth episode. And you know what? It turns out all is indeed not as it seems when it comes to the hour's mix of repeating timelines, juicy acting, questionable couture and oddly chaste sex scenes. (Everything except for Istredd. He is every bit as stupidly hot this season as he appears.) Plus, we recount a few of our recent adventures of Comic-Con while Producer Sean finds he's no match for Geralt…but not at all in the way that you think.

Jaskier might not be a fan of the flamboyantly-mannered songsmith introduced in season three's fourth episode, but we sure are! Actually, there's quite a bit we're fond of in this one. From its shipside monster fight, to Fringilla living her best barfly life, to the line that made Radskier shippers squeal the world over, “The Invitation” is easily one of the season's standouts. But with Valdo making so much noise, why would we pair this one with a whiskey called The Quiet Man? Well, that would be for Geralt, a man of few words. But there's another, even more powerful reason for the pairing……which you'll discover if you stop reading this and just hit play already!