Podcasts about balblair

Draußen wird's ungemütlich und wir sitzen in Ollis Küche. Tim mixt einen Port Old Fashioned und wir starten entspannt in die Folge. Der Cocktail ist perfekt für die kühleren Tage und benötigt nicht viele Zutaten. Wir reden über die Kyrö Sauna Stories und kommen so auf das Thema Fassreifung und deren Einflüsse. Olli hat uns zudem einen Balblair 15 mitgebracht, den wie ausgiebig verkosten. Zum Schluss gibt's wie immer etwas auf die Ohren für unsere Dram Good Music Spotify Playlist. Viel Spaß beim Hören Olli und Tim

Mark (The Ownch) - Balblair 12 Mark's Second Drink - Glenmoray 25 Portwood Finish Matt (The Whiskey Guy) - Penelope - Barrel Strength Unopened Treasures - Barrel - Batch 36 Chris (The Dealer) - Fireball Blazin Apple

Vi korkar upp en 32-årig Balblair anno 1990 och Chevaleresks finalwhisky Inverno, en cirka 10-årig High Coast som är en unik fatblandning! Det och vi guidar så klart resten av veckans släpp. Skål på er och ha en trevlig WhiskyVecka

Da sind wir wieder! Frisch, wie der Sommer aber auch cool, wie der Herbst! Wir starten in die neue Saison von We talk Malts mit drei schönen Abfüllungen aus Schottland. Was sagt wohl Marc zu Balblair, GlenAllachie und Co? https://www.malte-talks-malts.de https://www.facebook.com/maltetalksmalts Meine eigenen Abfüllungen: https://www.dramway.de Bei allen Äußerungen handelt es sich um persönliche Meinungen. Der Konsum alkoholischer Getränke ist an gesetzliche Grenzen gebunden.

It's time for a more "classic" episode with a distillery discussion around Ardnamurchan on the west coast of Scotland. Do us a favor and look it up on Google Maps. You'll see how cool and rural it is! Then Holly blind tastes Charles on a delicious, old, and rare whisky and we talk about Charle's coastal Scotland trip. Don't forget our 2-Year Anniversary Party on September 8th. It's gonna be awesome! To see our upcoming trips, look here. Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers! New Bottles to the shop: Silkie Red Wine Finish & Stout Finish Murray McDavid's new range – “Cask Finishes” Ten Mile Little Rest Single Malt Lost Lantern Bourbons Homebase Bourbon – Corbin Cash & Spirits Works Distillery Lindores STR/Ex-Bourbon/Sherry Cask Release Breckenridge Buddy pass, stout cask Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2014 King's County BIB 7YR Bourbon + Blended Bourbon Linkwood Emergence Raising Glasses Single Malt Lucky Cat Peated, Sakura IWAI, Wine Cask IWAI, new Ichiro World Blend Blackadder round 1: Miltonduff, Red Snake. IF YOU LIKE SHERRY: Glentauchers, Balblair, Caol Ila, Aberlour, North British.. Woohoo! Check them all out online. Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal

Är morfin och whisky en dålig kombo? Det finns bara ett sätt att få reda på det. Kämpa David! Mathias och Jeroen har hjälpt David att bära ett fat High Coast. Och några lådor Smögen också. Vi diskuterar om de ständigt ökande whiskypriserna. Finns det en ljusning i tunneln, eller blir det bara dyrare? Vi tröstar oss med Silviakaka. Veckans destilleri är Balblair, där både flaskorna och pannorna är stabbiga. Bonus: Säg hej till Norska armén! Vad var det i glaset? Schneider pimplade Bushmills 16 YO, den här: https://www.systembolaget.se/produkt/sprit/bushmills-8209801/ Jeroen hade en: Penderyn handfilled peated, kanske den här: https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/209100/penderyn-distillery-cask-peated Silviakaka (men kör 1,5 gånger satsen på glasyren!): https://mykitchenstories.se/silviakaka/ De ständigt ökande whiskypriserna Lyssna på Angus MacRaild igen: https://www.entreawhisky.se/152 Henrik Aflodal om de senaste prishöjningarna: https://spiritsnews.se/kraftiga-prishojningar-pa-sprit-1-mars Louis Reps om statistik över exporten av skotsk whisky, i gruppen Whiskynörderi på hög nivå: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1670737649822085/posts/3504131663149332/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/1670737649822085/posts/3498481650381000/ Veckans destilleri: Balblair https://www.balblair.com/ För en noggrann presentation av destilleriet, gå till youtube och whisky.coms reportage av Ben Luening: ”Balblair distillery visit”, 15/1 2022 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abDW4aiab8E Snabb blick på hur flaskorna ser ut: https://www.balblair.com/collection Lite information finns här också: https://scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia/1815/balblair/ När Balblair 2019 bestämde sig för att inte finnas på Systembolaget: https://spiritsnews.se/priskrig-far-balblair-att-lamna-sverige/ De väldigt stabbiga pannorna: https://www.balblair.com/assets/000/000/013/Balblair_Stills_large.jpg Foto: Balblair Här når du oss: En trea whisky på Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/entreawhisky) Maila till oss på hej@entreawhisky.se Davids blogg tjederswhisky.se (https://www.tjederswhisky.se) Följ oss på Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/entreawhisky Bli medlem! https://entreawhisky.memberful.com/checkout?plan=74960

Hail Henry VIII's death with Tynt Meadow - the only Trappist Beer in Britain.  Read Mark Dredge's great article about the monastery in Good Beer Hunting here: Watch the documentary "Outside City"  - all about the realities of the modern-day Monky business here. AA Milne & The Bee's Knees CocktailGet Hiver Blonde Beer from Waitrose hereBee's Knees CocktailIngredients 2 teaspoons of honey 50ml Portobello Gin 25ml Lemon Juice Ice Method: Loosen up the honey in a jug by stirring it with a little bit of freshly boiled water. When it's smooth, add the mixture to a shaker filled with plenty of ice, the lemon juice and the gin. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with some lemon zest. This week's "Les Bargains"Benriach The Original Ten Speyside Single Malt Scotch, £29 Waitrose (save £9)Sweet and easy-drinking intro into whisky. Balblair 15 Year Old, Whisky exchange, £64.95 (£13 off)A bit more punchy, 46%, full-bodied, matured in ex-bourbon casks and finished in first-fill Spanish oak butts.Vestal Kaszebe 2011 Vintage Vodka, Whisky Exchange at £21.95 (£8 off)The potatoes used as the based for this vodka are the Vineta varietal and are all grown in the Kaszebe region of central northern Poland.Absolute, £16, AsdaGreat vodka for mixed drinks and recreating the scene in Wolf of Wall StreetHeineken 0,0, 6xcans for £4.50, Sainsburys doing Bacardi Carta Blanca for £14, £2 off.Makes a wicked daiquiri, 700ml bottle, 50ml per daiquiri, how many can you make? You do the math. ________________________________Buy yourself or someone else annual membership (and a signed copy of our award-winning Thinking Drinkers Almanac Book) for just £120 here.  3 x 60ml pouches containing 3 x world class spirits delivered direct through your door every month. Exclusive access to the TD online magazine A signed copy of Thinking Drinkers Almanac (named Drinks Book of the Year 2021 by The Sunday Times) Monthly Online Tastings with The Thinking Drinkers & Guests Check out dates and tickets for our "Thinking Drinkers Pub Quiz" show, featuring lots of laughs and FIVE free drinks for evewry audience member, here:  Nottingham - 241 tickets use the word DRINKER London Leicester Square Harpenden Northallerton Alnwick Pendle Oldham Brighton Bedford Reading  Didcot Stroud Leicester Corby   

Mark (The Ownch) - Balblair 15yr Matt (The Whiskey Guy) - Jim Beam Signature Craft Chef Tom - Bradshaw Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey Unopened Treasures - NASCAR 75th Anniversary --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/librarypubcast/message

Lots of chat about conference seasons starting and some advice about not going to a conference and missing all the cool stuff because Mobile working never stops.Speaking engagements are discussions from Copenhagen to Vegas, and the boys get hung up on GDPR and admit they know nothing about what needs to be protected and decide it's a grey area they don't know anything about.Different types of Governance cover the vast array of applications and content within the M365 ecosystem Before looking at the default governance processes and audiences.Then the boys go old and taste an 18-year-old Whisky from one of the Distilleries in the most northerly part of Scotland.  An 18 BalBlair.

Helen Mark is in Ullapool in the Scottish Highlands, where she discovers the "lost" village of Balblair, visits the spectacular Corrieshalloch Gorge and tours the Russian Arctic Convoy Museum. Presented by Helen Mark Produced by Kathleen Carragher

Kevin Scotish Whisky 1 - Nessie Kevin Scotish Whisky 2 - Balvanie - 15 Madeira Finished Kevin Scotish Whisky 3 - Balblair - 18 Smooth Ambler Barrel Pick --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/librarypubcast/message

Inte en strupe är torr när Iain närmar sig nirvana och sätter det högsta betyget vi någonsin satt. Det är Gordon & MacPhail som står för buteljerna och stjärnorna i glasen är the Glenlivet och, numera, svenskdoldisen Balblair. Häng med på en grym provning där vi har svårt att inte bli fanatiska fans av denna underbara buteljerare. Skål på er alla och ha en trevlig WhiskyVecka! 0:00 Intro 02:20 Vi provar Glenlivet 2004 Gordon & MacPhail 17 YO 58,3% 09:41 Vi provar Balblair 1995 Gordon & MacPhail 26 YO 51,0%

Balblair vintage 2002, 46%, Highland Single Malt, Sem Corante e Sem Filtragem a Frio. /Whisky Destilado em 2002, Engarrafado em 2013, e maturação Somente por Barris de Carvalho Americano Ex-Bourbon. /Possui seu Aspecto Geral: Frutado e Cítrico, potente e pouco diluído, com notas sulfurosas agregando Profundidade. /PS: Os adjetivos "Ordinário" e "Vulgar" são empregados no sentido literal, sem significar algo ruim ou negativo, mas tão somente Àquilo que já acostumamos... /Descrição Completa: www.whiskyjustificado.com.br. /Instagram: @WhiskyJustificado

This week Ben and Frane blasted out a crazy week of NFL news from an outdoor location, where football should be played and football podcasts should be recorded! We discuss the NFL week 18 games, hash out the Wildcard weekend matchups, break down the betting lines, and discuss the playoff schedule. Raiders win a wild one over Chargers, the stars align for the Steelers, the Cardinals struggle continues, 49ers shock the Rams at home, the Colts fall apart and lose to Jaguars - is Carson Wentz out in Indianapolis, the Titans lock up the bye week, Vic Fangio fired by Broncos, Matt Nagy fired by Bears, Dolphins fire Brian Flores, Mike Zimmer out in Minnesota, Joe Judge fired by Giants, David Culley out in Houston, and much more.Frane concocted the shot of the week. We tasted and reviewed Balblair 12 Year Old and Allagash Brewing Kurkuma.Ben and Frane tell our fans their worst and most frustrating moment of NFL week 18.Follow us at @GoalThirst on Twitter and @thirstand on Instagram. You can listen and subscribe at thirstandgoal.buzzsprout.com. Please also check us out on Pandora and Amazon Music! To send us a question or comment, email: podcastthirstandgoal@gmail.com. Leave us a voicemail at (818) 350-2680 (Be aware: we may play it on the air). 

‘Lorg Baile Bhlàir is looking into the early settlement of Inverlael and Balblair. During phase one of the project when Ullapool Museum conducted archaeological surveys, they uncovered a prize find. An Illicit Whisky Still. The Highlands are littered with abandoned Illicit Whiskey Stills, to dodge the customs men and still produce the legendary Uisge Beatha that kept the Highlanders going through the long winter nights See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this weeks packed show we welcome back Billy Abbott of The Whisky Exchange who fills us in on some of their exciting new releases including two exclusive Single Cask bottlings, an Arron 24 Year and an Edradour 11 Year which we're lucky enough to taste. Billy also informs us of a new and educational '20 Whiskies that changed the world tasting set' as well as two upcoming books including one that he's written about whisky for the British Library no less. You can watch the full uncut video of our conversation with Billy as well as a bonus video with the three of us trying the Balblair 2005 over on our patreon page. www.patreon.com/whiskyandthings Also, as Dave mentioned in the podcast, become a patron by July 18th and you can be in our virtual audience for our 75th show recording.. How exciting! More details about that coming soon. And you can follow The Whisky Exchange social media accounts - …https://twitter.com/WhiskyExchange @whiskyexchangehttps://www.instagram.com/whiskyexchange/ @whiskyexchange https://www.facebook.com/thewhiskyexchange @thewhiskyexchangeThey also have a YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/c/whiskyexchange You can follow Billy Abbott on these siteshttps://www.instagram.com/meatrobot/ @meatrobot. https://twitter.com/cowfish @cowfishhttps://billyabbott.co.uk You can help the podcast by purchasing any whisky using our affiliate link with The Whisky Exchange… Just click on one of these links for the whiskies we featured in this weeks show and if you purchase anything at all you'll really be doing us a solid. Thank you. The Arran 24 Year -https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/aff/4431902/p/60368/arran-1996-24-year-old-the-whisky-exchange(As Billy said in the show, it's currently out of stock but more will be released very soon.)The Edradour 11 Yearhttps://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/aff/4431902/p/54765/edradour-2008-11-year-old-sherry-cask-twe-exclusive In our Patreon Exclusive Video this week with Billy we tasted the Balblair 2005 - https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/aff/4431902/p/60369/balblair-2005-bot2021-exclusive-to-the-whisky-exchange The 20 Whiskies that changed the World Tasting set - https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/aff/4431902/p/59957/20-whiskies-that-changed-the-world-tasting-set-20x3cl Engine - Organic Gin - This is what Dave was raving about… looks pretty cool.https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/aff/4431902/p/57311/engine-gin-organic Nicholas Morgan's latest book on Johnnie Walker is available here - https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/aff/4431902/p/59259/johnnie-walker-a-long-stride-the-story-of-the-worlds-no1-scotch-whisky Sadly the Malt Whisky Year Book by Ingvar Ronde that Billy certainly didn't use during this episode is out of stock but worth a look and there are past years editions available.https://www.thewhiskyexchange.com/aff/4431902/p/56355/malt-whisky-yearbook-2021 Our sweet sweet Zazzle merch we mentioned is available here - https://www.zazzle.co.uk/store/whiskyandthings Whisky and Things:Become a Patron: https://www.patreon.com/whiskyandthingsMerch and info: http://www.whiskyandthings.comBe sure to find our playlist on Spotify: Whisky and Things - The Playlist Social media:https://www.facebook.com/whiskyandthingshttps://www.twitter.com/whiskyandthingshttps://www.instagram.com/whiskyandthingspodcast For business enquiries: info@whiskyandthings.com Nick Kent:https://www.facebook.com/nickkentmusichttps://www.twitter.com/nickkenthttps://www.instagram.com/mrnickkent Dave Giles:https://www.facebook.com/davejgilesmusichttps://www.twitter.com/davejgileshttps://www.instagram.com/davejgiles Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/whiskyandthings. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The guys have a little Mid-Week action to discuss in the Premier League. City seems to be running away with the title as 6 teams are left battling for 4 European spots. No one, not even the chicken hit their bets and the guys enjoy their final Single Malt of Whiskey Advocates Top 20 of 2020 with the Balblair 15 year. Like what you hear?  Leave us a review and tell a friend.  Love what you hear?  Then support the show: https://www.patreon.com/dufootballshow www.Dufootballshow.com   Get involved: Send your questions to DUfootballshow@gmail.com   Facebook @DUfootballshow Instagram @DUfootballshow Twitter @DUfootballshow

Have you heard the tale of Gordon and Macphail? Two grocers who went on an epic quest of whisky and came out with a new friend, no? Well that's what we'll be talking about today. It's a sleepy episode for sleepy whisky so relax, unwind and let a tale of history wash over you. (Also take a drink every time Jordan says favourite or lovely... I'm kidding that might just kill you.) As for what's being tasted Jordan takes a sip of Gordon and Macphail's Balblair 12 year old from their discovery range. (That's right it's not just a Star Trek series). For any questions email us at : caskheads@gmail.com And visit our website for more: caskheads.squarespace.com

Diálogo nocturno con Víctor Patiño, el mayor coleccionista de whisky en México y fundador del club de whisky Bottles & Brothers. Hablamos de coleccionar whisky en México, la creación del club de whisky y cómo hacer crecer una colección. Nos jugamos e intentamos un trueque de whiskies de colección en vivo. Tomamos el whisky de malta español Valdespino para Bottle & Brothers, y Balblair 1989 2nd Release embotellado en el 2011.

Whisky Unscripted Episode 13 sees the 2 Gordons ‘home alone' as they chat generally on the whisky landscape. The A-Z's are on ‘L', The Year the Changed Whisky takes us to the early ‘60's, The Insider's Guide is on Ambassadorial Activity with stories from our hosts about trips to Finland, China, India and America!.  Number 3 of the legendary and limited edition Tamdhu Dalbeallie series is tasted as well as the Balblair 90.   It's a cask strength of a show!  Enjoy.

David utmanar: vad är det ni egentligen gillar med whisky? När det står 10, 12, 15 och så vidare på flaskan – tro inte att det är så enkelt! Vi benar upp åldershemligheterna. Veckans ord är washback – inte Nickelback – och veckans destilleri är Balblair. Häng med! High Coast 63 https://highcoastwhisky.se/produkter/sixty-three/ GlenDronach 15 https://www.whiskybase.com/whiskies/whisky/76810/glendronach-15-year-old GlenDronach är äldre än på etiketten https://wordsofwhisky.com/glendronach-is-a-lot-older-than-the-label-says/ Laphroaig 10 years https://www.systembolaget.se/dryck/sprit/laphroaig-57102 Vad är en whiskys ålder? https://tjederswhisky.se/vad-ar-en-whiskys-alder/ Aslångt om jäskar: https://tjederswhisky.se/whisky-en-ordbok-jaskar/ Balblair distillery https://scotchwhisky.com/whiskypedia/1815/balblair/ Här når du oss: En trea whisky på Facebook (https://ww.facebook.com/entreawhisky) Maila till oss på hej@entreawhisky.se Davids blogg tjederswhisky.se (https://www.tjederswhisky.se)

The word of the day is furlough.  The Sams discuss how the teams are treating their staff, and some are doing better than others.   The boys are apart for recording, so Graham is drinking Balblair 15-year-old whiskey and Huston is drinking Del Bac Dorado, single malt whiskey. Dufootballshow.com Like what you hear?  Leave us a review and tell a friend.  Love what you hear?  Then support the show: https://www.patreon.com/dufootballshow Get involved: Send your questions to DUfootballshow@gmail.com   Facebook @DUfootballshow Instagram @DUfootballshow Twitter @DUfootballshow

Katherine's joined by Lewis, Alex a bottle of the Balblair 12 year old and a bottle of Balblair 05.

Balblair 1999 Second Release - Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Review #198 | 2.375 out of 4 average rating!

Vor der Urlaubszeit haben wir uns noch einmal getroffen, um eine neue Folge Dram Good aufzunehmen. Heute sprechen wir über die Designänderungen bei Glenfiddich und Rebreast. Außerdem gab es zuletzt auch große Veränderungen bei Balblair, die über das Design hinaus gehen. Wir verkosten auch in dieser Folge wieder einen Whisky und zwar den Fettercairn 10 mit Riesling Finish aus dem Hause Meadowside Blending. In der zweiten Hälfte unserer inzwischen siebten Episode sprechen wir einmal mehr über aktuelle Hypes in der Whiskyszene. Den Schluss machen unsere Whisky-Enttäuschungen des ersten Halbjahres 2019. Ja, auch das muss mal sein. Viel Spaß beim Hören wünschen Olli und Tim

Distillery Manager Gordon Bruce and Brand Ambassador Gordon Stevenson. We talk about anCnoc, Balblair and Old Pulteney, whisky making culture, and there are some swears!

Distillery Manager Gordon Bruce and Brand Ambassador Gordon Stevenson. We talk about anCnoc, Balblair and Old Pulteney, whisky making culture, and there are some swears! Follow Jamie on Twitter and Instagram Follow Mark on Twitter and Instagram Buy Mark's book - The Whisky Cabinet This podcast was edited and mixed by Bryan Goman The theme song is licensed in thanks to Alan Doyle! It's available on iTunes.

Blending whiskies is both an art and a science, and Dewar's could fairly be accused of focusing more on the science side in recent years with solid, if not innovative whiskies. Master Blender Stephanie Macleod was given the green light to bring back the creativity that helped build the Dewar's legacy, starting with the new "Double Double" range. We'll talk with her about that project and her career on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Bruichladdich is planning an expansion on Islay that will include a new on-site maltings and investments in renewable energy. Balblair is the latest single malt to jettison vintages and return to age statements, and we'll honor two whisky industry veterans who passed away this week. 

Scottish Mountain Hare  www.hareoftherabbit.com There is a special place high up in the Cairngorms where the mountain hares hide. Andy Howard knows it well, as only a person can who has spent up to five hours at a time lying in snow waiting for a moment such as this. It is winter in Scotland, some 2500 miles from the Arctic, and a cold like no other is sinking into his bones. He dare not move, not even one inch, or he risks startling the animal barely a few feet from him. She's fast, he's seen her run before. If she wants to, she can take off like a silver bullet, leaping into the mountain mist like a salmon into a river. He takes a shallow breath - in-two-three and out-two-three. She moves. He freezes. Her paws pad softly over the rocks, graceful as ever in her silence. She sits herself down beside him, oblivious or deliberating ignoring the loud thumping of his heart, and delicately nibbles at the heather. She's beautiful, her pearl grey coat soft as down and the tips of her ears dark, as though dipped in coal dust. "I call her Mrs Grey," he says. "She's really quite special." Mrs Grey is his most recent subject and the images he is able to take of her are captivating. Andy often goes out in the middle of winter, Andy describes these moments as addictive as a drug - being close enough to wild animals like hares when they trust you enough to relax and behave as though you aren't there. "There is no fear, no worry, they're just carrying away on their own," he says. "That's a real privilege, for a wild animal to trust you that much." Andy is an award-winning wildlife photographer who has sat in more snow drifts and bogs than most. The wild creatures almost seem to deliberately pose for him and he has become adept at capturing their fleeting expressions and personalities, as he has with other wildlife. His ethos is always stay quiet and don't interfere. "You cannot harm them or disturb them," he says. "You must respect them and know when to leave them in peace." "I've been photographing her since September and I want to head up there and photograph her every month so I can get a full cycle," he says. Andy is trying to capture a full year in the life of his own Mrs Grey. Many professionals wait for weather windows and can plan shots years, even decades, in advance. "Sometimes, you have to wait a full year for the exact conditions to come again," explains Andy. Hares are herbivorous mammals closely related to rabbits. Two species are found in Scotland - the brown hare and the mountain hare. Mountain hares are smaller than brown hares and have shorter ears. They molt their grey coat in early winter, turning white to blend in with the snow on the uplands. They are very timid and mainly nocturnal, although they can be active during the day if undisturbed by humans. If danger is near, they crouch motionless with their ears down and at the last minute, can dart uphill at high speed. After about 50m, they stop to stand up on their hind legs and look back at what startled them. They are mainly solitary animals, especially when resting, but often graze in groups, feeding along well-trampled trails through long vegetation. On this episode we are going to explore the Scottish Mountain Hare. The mountain hare has grey/brown fur often with a slightly blueish tinge in summer and a white tail. In winter it molts to a white coat, although some animals do not become completely white. The mountain hare also has black tips to its ears. In Britain, hares are animals of open ground, relying on their good eyesight, camouflage and high speed to avoid predators. Only the mountain hare is native and is the only truly arctic mammal. Mountain hares are most likely to be seen on heather moorland that is actively managed for red grouse. The mountain hare often uses patches of woodland including conifer plantations, on the margins heather moorland. Sometimes called the 'blue' hare because of the tinge of its fur in spring and autumn, you can see mountain hares on the middle and upper levels of heathery hills and some other places besides. A mountain hare in its winter coat has a mix of white, blue-grey and black (on the ears) fur. The summer coat is much greyer, but still paler than the brown hare of lowland farmland. Be alert for the outline of large ears above heather, or for hares in winter whites that show-up against snow-free areas on hillsides. A mountain hare’s broad feet act like snowshoes (it’s North American cousins are called 'snowshoe hares'), spreading the animal’s weight over snow. Mountain hares thrive on healthy young heather, so can be abundant on the middle slopes of hills managed as grouse moors. There are mountain hares in some unusual places, such as the boggy flatlands of Flanders Moss between Stirling and Aberfoyle. They can be quite easy to see on moorland in Shetland (where the local animals don’t turn white in winter). Strongholds are in grouse-moor areas such as the hills of Deeside in the Cairngorms. Travel the A939 road from Cock Bridge to Tomintoul (traditionally, one of the first to get blocked by snow) to journey across mountain-hare-rich moors. Mountain hare bones between 114,000 and 131,000 years old have been found in the Joint Mitnor cave in Devon and in the Thames Valley. Today, the mountain hare is confined to Scotland where it is indigenous and the Isle of Man and the Peak District of Derbyshire where it was re-introduced. Mountain hares were also introduced to the Snowdonia district of Wales, but died out. Mountain hares are smaller and have a more compact shape than brown hares, but vary geographically depending upon habitat and altitude. In Britain they are only found above 500m. However, eventual weakening of the Gulf Stream could make Britain colder and increase habitat for mountain hares. Mountain hares have a very wide, virtually circumpolar distribution extending throughout the tundra regions of eastern and northern Europe, with the closely related Arctic hare (Lepus articus) in Canada and Alaska. In the Old World their habitat extends southward throughout the boreal zone to the fringes of agricultural land or open grassland. In North America the Arctic hare is restricted by the boreal forest, which is inhabited by the snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus). This world-wide pattern of restriction by both habitat and other species of hare explains the distribution of the mountain hare within Britain. After the introduction of the brown hare to England in Roman times, mountain hares became restricted to upland regions where they were able to hold their own, feeding on heather and other moorland plants, while the brown hares fed on lowland grasses and agricultural crops. By the early 19th century mountain hares were found only in the Scottish Highlands. Towards the middle and end of the 19th century - accompanying the development of grouse shooting and the management of heather for grouse - some landowners released mountain hares across the remaining British uplands. Many of these re-introduced populations have died out, leaving the large core population in the Scottish Highlands, a well established population in the Southern Uplands and a small one in the Peak District, while that in northern Wales has probably died out in the last two decades. Mountain Hares live in Scotland and the North. They graze on vegetation and nibble bark from young trees and bushes. Hares shelter in a 'form', which is simply a shallow depression in the ground or heather, but when disturbed, can be seen bounding across the moors using their powerful hind legs to propel them forwards, often in a zigzag pattern. Mountain Hares live in upland areas and are most common on heathland; they are at their most visible in spring, when the snow has melted but the Hares are still white. Total body length ranges between 430 and 610 mm. and the black tipped ears from 60 to 80 mm. Unlike brown hares the ears of mountain hares would not reach the tip of the nose if pulled forward. Like brown hares, males are slightly smaller than females. There are three moults and during the second from October to January the coat changes from russet brown to white or grey and back to brown from February to May. Both tail surfaces remain white. Mountain hares can become very conspicuous if still in their winter coats when the snow melts or if there is unseasonable snowfall. The current number of mountain hares in Scotland is unclear but the latest annual research published in 2013 by the BTO has indicated a disturbing decline of 43 per cent since 1995. Population densities are known to vary at least ten fold, reaching a peak approximately every ten years. The reasons for these fluctuations are unclear, but may possibly be related to parasite burdens. Mating begins at the end of January and pregnancy lasts about 50 days. Most leverets are born between March to August inclusive. Mountain hares are less fussy than brown hares regarding the quality of their forage and this is a major reason why mountain hares have the competitive edge at high altitudes. On Scottish moors they prefer short, young heather, but will resort to older woody plants if necessary. They will also feed on gorse, willow, birch, rowan and juniper. But in spite of their adaptable diet they prefer to eat grasses when available during the summer months. Reproduction Females typically have three litters per year between March and August. 1- 4 young (leverets) are born in each litter, fully furred and with their eyes open. The mother suckles them for about four weeks until they become independent. The most recent estimate suggests that there are approximately 350,000 hares across this range. As recent GWCT research shows, this is a relatively high density of hares compared to mountain hare populations anywhere else in Europe. As well as having affected the distribution of mountain hares through historical introductions, upland game management still affects their abundance as mountain hares seem to do best in areas managed for red grouse. Indeed it is probably the intensive fox control combined with rotational burning that benefits grouse and hares. However, where grouse suffer from tick and the tick-borne louping-ill virus, hares can sustain high levels of these parasites and help perpetuate the disease. As there is no alternative form of treatment, in these cases hare numbers may need to be temporarily reduced to suppress the disease. Mountain hare are also affected by a gut parasite, Trichostrongylosis retortaeformis, which causes similar cyclical effects on population numbers as strongyle worms in red grouse. On some grouse moors, hare shooting is a popular sport and provides additional income, supports keeper employment and moorland management. However, such sporting bags and other culls may be substantial and it is important to demonstrate that modern practices are sustainable and in line with good management. This should be a research and subsequently conservation objective as it is a requirement under the European Habitats Directive. There is increasing concern about the status of the mountain hare with reports of it being virtually extinct in some parts of Scotland where it was previously abundant. In some areas excessive grazing by deer, sheep and cattle have depleted the heather so that less food and cover is available for the hares. However, they have also declined on moorland devoid of deer and sheep, leading to the conclusion that human interference is responsible for the decline in hares. How are they protected? Both hare species are protected by the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended). This law makes it illegal to intentionally or recklessly kill, injure or take either hare species during their close seasons or to poach these species (and rabbit) at any time. Also, the mountain hare is a species of Community interest listed on Annex V the Habitats Directive . The taking of these animals and their exploitation may be subject to management measures to ensure their conservation status is favorable. The mountain hare is listed in Annex 5 of the EC Habitats Directive (1992) as a species: "of community interest whose taking in the wild and exploitation may be subject to management measures." This means that certain methods of capture such as snaring are prohibited, except under license. Mountain hares have historically been considered as "small game" but shooting is becoming increasingly commercialized. In one case a refrigerated van had been brought over by a party of Italian guns who intended to shoot 1,000 mountain hares and sell them in Italy to pay for the shooting holiday. Local mountain hare population sizes can fluctuate widely. Both species of hare are quarry species and may be legally controlled. In the case of mountain hares, control usually takes place on managed grouse moors to reduce tick numbers, or to protect young trees, but the impact of culling on mountain hare populations is not well understood. Whilst reviewing the management of mountain hares we have agreed an interim position external site on this issue with the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) and Scottish Land & Estates. Research is also underway in partnership with GWCT and the James Hutton Institute to trial methods of assessing mountain hare numbers to provide population density estimates. With this knowledge we can then improve our understanding of the overall status of mountain hares and the sustainability of hare management measures. Offenses It is an offense to intentionally or recklessly: kill, injure or take a brown or mountain hare in its close season. kill, injure or take a brown or mountain hare without a legal right to do so. The close season for the mountain hare is 1st March to 31 July. It is also an offense to: possess or control, sell or offer for sale or transport for the purpose of sale any live or dead hare (or rabbit), or any derivative of such an animal, which has been killed without a legal right to do so. Licensing and hares Licenses are available to allow specified people to carry out actions that could otherwise constitute an offense. Licenses can only be issued for specific purposes that are set out in the legislation. If you are planning any activities that could affect hares, you should make sure that you stay within the law. While the mountain hare is persecuted directly for sport it is also snared and shot in large numbers because it allegedly carries a tick borne virus which kills grouse chicks and is therefore seen as a threat to the grouse shooting industry. The Habitats Directive requires member states to ensure exploitation of Annex 5 species is: "compatible with their being maintained at a favorable conservation status." Since there are no official records of the number of hares being killed it is difficult to see how this requirement can be met. But anecdotal evidence of culling levels strongly suggests that EC wildlife law is being broken in Scotland. Now with that, we have an article titled: Culling of Scotland's mountain hares should be banned, says charity Unregulated culling of Scotland’s mountain hares should be banned and the species protected, according to a report that says shooting the animals for sport is inhumane and uncontrolled. Landowners can shoot the hares without a license from August to February and claim culls are necessary to protect game, especially red grouse, from disease. Campaigners say death rates of hares, which are native to the Highlands and thrive on grouse moors, are not monitored. The charity OneKind, in a report published on Monday, said: “Population data is sparse but suggests mountain hares are in decline. Yet they are widely persecuted for sport and as part of organized culls.” At least 25 game estates were currently offering the opportunity to shoot mountain hares for sport, it said, with no guarantees this was not driving decline. It estimates about 40% of hares killed were for shot for sport, while about 50% died as part of organized culls. It was impossible to know how many were killed as mountain hare killing was secretive and carried out in remote locations, the charity said. One estimate was that 25,000 were killed in 2006-07 – a figure now 10 years old, OneKind said. The report highlights three culls that it claims took place on grouse moors, including two carried out last year on the Balmoral estate in Royal Deeside. The Scottish government has called for voluntary restraint on the issue. A spokesman said: “We have been very clear that we will not tolerate large-scale culls of mountain hares but we recognize that numbers need to be controlled in some specific circumstances.” It is setting up an independent review to examine the sustainability of grouse moor management, including hare-culling. Data on hare populations is widely disputed. The last estimate was made in 1995 when 350,000 mountain hares were thought to exist. OneKind states the population could be between 175,000 and 500,000 hares, fluctuating year-on-year, but said monitoring by the British Trust of Ornithology – albeit for a limited sample size – suggested an overall decline of 34% between 1996 and 2014. Harry Huyton, OneKind’s director, said: “Mountain hares are an iconic species in Scotland that should be protected. Our report shows that instead they are persecuted in enormous numbers for entertainment. The killing is unregulated, and there are no guarantees that it is not further driving the decline of these species or causing unacceptable suffering. “Today, the day before the open season begins, OneKind is calling on the Scottish government to take urgent action and introduce a moratorium on large-scale hunts and culls before the season gets into full swing.” Hares can be killed under license from Scottish National Heritage. But, in addition to organized culls there are driven and walked-up shooting of the hares offered as one of many “country sports” by Scottish estates, the charity said. Its research found 25 companies offering mountain hare hunting online, eight of which were promoted by the Scottish Country Sports Tourism Group, which listed SNH and Visit Scotland as partner organizations. The report states: “For almost half the year, from March to July inclusive, mountain hares are protected and any persecution without a license from SNH is illegal. But, for the remainder of the year, they can be killed freely with no permissions and no transparency, and as such are persecuted on a large scale.” Driven hunts involved flushing hares towards a line of waiting guns. But hares were “notoriously challenging to shoot” as they were small and fast and the risk of causing injury rather than clean kills was heightened, it added. OneKind calls for a ban on hare killing, except under license, and complete protection within national parks. Now news from this past winter: UK's white mountain hares at risk from predators due to worst snowfall in 10 years http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/02/uks-white-mountain-hares-risk-predators-due-worst-snowfall-10/ Britain's mountain hares are at greater risk from predators because of a lack of snow caused by the mild winter, conservationists have warned. White mountain hares are being made an easy target as they have nowhere to hide in the Scottish Highlands after the worst snowfall in 10 years. It means the creatures, which may have been here since the Ice Age, are now particularly vulnerable to predators such as golden eagles, foxes and stoats. Rob Raynor, Scottish Natural Heritage's mammal specialist, said: "This year we have less snow in Scotland than usual. "Every spring, while their fur is still mainly white, mountain hares have to deal with difficulties evading predators as the snow disappears and they're more visible against brown heather before they moult back to grey/brown. "You can sometimes even see them among the brown heather when snow is nearby. But with less snow this year, the risk to hares of predators could begin earlier and be higher than normal." First mountain hare reared by Scottish SPCA released 1 August 2017 The Scottish SPCA has released a mountain hare back into the wild after he was found at less than a week old. We were alerted after the hare was discovered by a member of the public in Balblair in Ross-shire on 23 May. The adorable little hare was rehabilitated at the charity’s National Wildlife Rescue Center in Fishcross, where he was named Nevis. Center Manager Colin Seddon said, “Nevis was the first mountain hare we’ve ever hand reared at our center in Fishcross so it was exciting. “He was hand reared by Nicola Turnbull, one of our wildlife assistants. “Their natural habitat is In the mountains and hills so they’re rarely picked up.” “Nevis was successfully released back into the wild at a carefully selected site. Sadly mountain hares are still heavily persecuted so we’ve ensured he’s in an area where there is no form of control or culling.” Anyone who discovers an injured or distressed wild animal should call the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999. https://scottishwildlifetrust.org.uk/species/mountain-hare/ http://www.snh.gov.uk/protecting-scotlands-nature/protected-species/which-and-how/mammals/hares/ https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jul/31/mountain-hares-scotland-culling-highlands-onekind http://www.hare-preservation-trust.co.uk/mountain.php https://www.gwct.org.uk/research/species/mammals/mountain-hare/ http://www.welcometoscotland.com/about-scotland/wildlife-around-scotland/scottish-mammals/mountain-hare http://www.hutton.ac.uk/research/groups/ecological-sciences/landscape-and-spatial-ecology/mountain-hares https://ptes.org/get-informed/facts-figures/mountain-irish-hare/ https://www.scottishspca.org/newsroom/latest-news/first-mountain-hare-reared-by-scottish-spca-released/ https://stv.tv/news/features/1386680-snow-white-secrets-of-scotland-s-mountain-hare-whisperer/ Rabbit Wool Socks Now occasionally I like bring you an item on Amazon that I personally use or has been purchased by many members of the audience, and I have researched enough to recommend. A few years ago I received rabbit wool socks for a Christmas. Out of the package I noticed how soft and fuzzy they were. They are a thick sock. You can call them plush, but they are not like plush material. They are very soft thick socks. My feet have been warm and comfortable wearing them. They are very fine outside, but they are a thick sock, so they may not fit into tight shoe. They can be too warm for wearing all day indoors in a shoe. They wash well and have not lost their shape. The elastic top was just right holding up the socks without being too tight. I have no complaint about the fit. My wife likes to wear them as slippers inside do to how warm they keep your feet. These are amazing socks, they are very soft and not itchy at all! We will have a link to the socks in the show notes. Word of the week: Risk The Rabbit Herd Europe http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0570.html#ashliman Once upon a time there was a king who had a daughter that would not laugh. His jugglers, clowns, and jesters performed their utmost for her, but she could not, or would not, even break a smile. Finally the king proclaimed that whatever man -- rich or poor, young or old, strong or frail -- could break his daughter's spell should take her to wife, and receive half the kingdom as well. Men and boys came from every direction to try their luck but no one was successful, until.... The news finally reached a remote corner of the kingdom where a poor peasant lived with his three sons. The youngest -- we'll call him Hans (although some say that his name was Jack, or Ivan, or Juan) -- decided that he too would try his luck at winning the hand of the princess. He was a droll sort -- some called him silly, others just plain stupid -- whose capers often brought the villagers to laughter. Yes, he would give it a try. And he set forth, pursued by the jeers of his older and wiser brothers, on the path that led to the king's palace. At midday he was looking for a shady spot where he could rest and eat the crust of bread he had brought, when suddenly he came upon an old man by the side of the road. "Would you share your bread with a weary traveler?" asked the stranger. "Half a dry crust is quite as good as a whole one," replied Hans, and broke off a piece for the old man. "Bless you, my son," responded the stranger. "I cannot reward you with gold, but this whistle will lead you to that, and more." So saying, he offered Hans a tiny silver flute. Hans put the flute to his lips, and it began to play, first a marching tune, then a cheerful air, and then a pensive hymn. Before he knew it, Hans had arrived at the palace, and the guards, charmed by his tuneful music, let him pass. His heart leapt for joy, and the flute broke into a lusty jig. The princess, hearing the tune, opened her window and looked out. She nodded her head to the beat, then gave a cautious grin, and then an open smile. She chuckled softly to herself, then broke into a happy laugh. The king, hearing her joyful laughter, was beside himself with glee, until -- that is -- until he saw the lad who was playing the flute. Hans, you see, did have the look of a peasant and of a simpleton, and the king, in spite of his promise, was hoping for a finer man. "That is all well and good," said the king to Hans, "but before you can receive the princess, there is yet another task that you must fulfill." He then had one hundred wild rabbits set loose in a nearby forest. "Keep these animals together in a herd," said the king, and in three days the princess and half the kingdom shall be yours. But if you lose a single rabbit, you shall forfeit everything. Even as they spoke the rabbits ran to the four winds, but Hans did not despair. He blew a few notes into the silver flute, and as if by magic, the hundred rabbits assembled at his feet. Reassured, he made himself comfortable in the shade of a large tree, and waited for the three days to pass. The king, seeing how easily Hans kept the herd together was filled with worry and anger. No other solution presented itself, so finally he sent his daughter into the woods, telling her to do whatever was necessary to get a rabbit away from the peasant herdsman. The princess presented herself to Hans, and asked him ever so politely if she might not purchase one of his rabbits. His answer made her blush. "You don't mean that I would have to ...," she said, and didn't know whether to pout or to smile. No, he would accept no other offer, said Hans. "Take it, or leave it." And so she took it. The princess left the woods carrying a rabbit in her basket. But well before she arrived home, Hans put the magic flute to his lips, and in an instant the rabbit jumped from her basket and raced back to the herd. The next day the king, ever more desperate, sent his own wife into the woods with instructions to bring home a rabbit, whatever the cost. When Hans named his price, the queen, like the princess before her, first pouted, then smiled, and then gave in. But she too lost her rabbit when Hans called it back with his magic flute. On the third day the king himself went into the woods to bargain for a rabbit. Hans, as before, was willing to trade, but this time the price -- no, I cannot bring myself to say more than that it involved a mare that was grazing in a nearby clearing. Red with shame, the king took his rabbit and started off for home, but again the flute called the rabbit back into the herd. The three days had passed, and the rabbit herd was still intact, but now the king found yet another task that Hans would have to fulfill before he could claim the princess and half the kingdom. "A trifle," explained the king. "Just sing three bags full." "I can manage that," said Hans. "Bring me three empty bags, and I'll sing them full to the top, but only in the presence of the finest lords and ladies of the kingdom. The king, believing that at last he would be rid of the peasant lad, assembled the lords and ladies in a great hall, then brought in Hans and three empty bags. Hans picked up a bag and started to sing: Our princess went into the woods; She thought she'd try her luck, ... "Stop!" called out the princess. That bag is full!" Hans obligingly stopped singing, tied a string around the mouth of the bag, picked up the next one, and started a new song: Our queen she went into the woods; She thought she'd try her luck, ... "Stop!" shouted the queen. That bag is full!" Hans stopped, tied this bag shut, picked up the last one, and commenced singing: Our king he went into the woods; He thought he'd try his luck, ... "Stop!" bellowed the king. The last bag is full!" With that, the king proclaimed that Hans had won the princess's hand in marriage and half the kingdom. The wedding was celebrated that same day. All the lords and ladies attended the great feast that followed. I too was invited, but I lost my way in the woods and arrived only as the last toast was being drunk. This tale, recorded with varying degrees of raciness, is found throughout Europe. Hello Listener! Thank you for listening. If you would like to support the podcast, and keep the lights on, you can support us whenever you use Amazon through the link below: It will not cost you anything extra, and I can not see who purchased what. Or you can become a Fluffle Supporter by donating through Patreon.com at the link below: Patreon/Hare of the Rabbit What's this Patreon? Patreon is an established online platform that allows fans to provide regular financial support to creators. Patreon was created by a musician who needed a easy way for fans to support his band. Please support Hare of the Rabbit Podcast financially by becoming a Patron. Patrons agree to a regular contribution, starting at $1 per episode. Patreon.com takes a token amount as a small processing fee, but most of your money will go directly towards supporting the Hare of the Rabbit Podcast. You can change or stop your payments at any time. You can also support by donating through PayPal.com at the link below: Hare of the Rabbit PayPal Thank you for your support, Jeff Hittinger. © Copyrighted

Now seven episodes in, Joshua and Jason realize that they've never shared their whisky origin story with you. In speaking with Lukasz Dynowiak of Old Pulteney, Balblair, anCnoc, and Speyburn, the boys are reminded that their whisky origin story is not too far off from Lukasz'. **Spoiler alert** No one is bit by a spider or has crash landed here from their home planet of Krypton, however, all three of these gentlemen were bitten by the whisky bug! 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- Blue Yeti for making great microphones- Olympus and Tascam for making fine mobile recording devices- Joshua Hatton for producing and editing

Whisky was historically thought of as a "man's drink" - but today, not only are more women drinking whisky, but women make up around 40% of the Scotch Whisky industry's work force. Diageo's Maureen Robinson is one of the industry's pioneering women, and is celebrating her 40th anniversary in the whisky business this month. She's the first woman to hold the title of Master Blender in Scotland, and joins us for this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll talk not only about the changes she's seen over the last four decades, but the subtle art and science that goes into blending whiskies, too. In the news, the fight for control of Australia's Nant Distillery is getting uglier as Nant's founders and its would-be buyer fire charges of mismanagement and more at each other. The UK's government is raising taxes on domestic whisky and spirits sales this week in a move that caught the Scotch Whisky Association and other drinks industry groups by surprise, and the global boom in Irish Whiskey sales is leading to more expansion plans at Bushmills. We'll also have details on the week's new whiskies and tasting notes for whiskies from Balblair, Woodford Reserve, and Ardbeg.

On New Year's Day, David Perkins and his team at Utah's High West Distillery fired up the still at their new distillery for the first time. High West has been making whiskey since 2009 at its historic distillery and restaurant in the heart of Park City, and while the current distillery will continue, the bulk of High West's production will eventually come from the new facility located on a dude ranch and resort along Interstate 80 a few miles north of Park City. Perkins joins us to discuss the new distillery on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also have details on the latest chapter in the Balcones saga, a fake whisky scam in the UK, new whiskies from Aultmore and Balblair, and tasting notes on whiskies from Glencadam, Glenfiddich, and a new single barrel from Crown Royal.

The battle between Scotland's illicit distillers and the excisemen known as "gaugers" is the stuff of which legends, books, and now, a movie have been made. Filmmaker Mike Dziennik's "Peat Reek" will be shown this coming weekend at the Inverness Film Festival, and tells the story of a young gauger sent to the Highlands to shut down the whisky makers and the local minister who helps him see the light. We'll talk with Mike Dziennik on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the Wall Street Journal reports Diageo may be close to trading Bushmills for control of the Don Julio tequila brand, Emperador closes its deal to buy Whyte & Mackay, Old Pulteney goes green with biomass power, and Fireball faces a firestorm in Scandinavia. This week's tasting notes include The Balvenie's new Tun 1509 Batch 1, Balblair's 1999 Vintage Second Release, and what may well be one of the world's worst whiskies - a herring cask-finished single malt!

We are pleased to be joined by Charles Hubbell–actor, puppeteer, and all-around great guy. He and I reminisce about how we met and the show we worked on together (two shows, if you count shouting callbacks during the Rocky Horror Show) and discuss a bunch of random things while we taste the Laphroaig Cairdeas Origin and Balblair 91. Charles also has a Kickstarter running for a new puppet-related comedy project that will be live for a couple days after this goes live; here’s the link. Also to note, I pimp a few shows in the post-script: Former guest of the show Jena Young’s “Memoirs of a Welfare Queen” will run March 7-8 at 7pm at the Bryant Lake Bowl. Fearless Comedy Productions “Big Fun Radio Funtime” will run March 7 at 10pm (after Jena’s show–I’m doing the double feature). Finally, I will be performing stand-up at Fearless Lab at Honey on March 11 at 7:30pm.

Cutty Sark is marking two anniversaries within a week or so: the brand's 90's anniversary on March 23 and the third anniversary of its acquisition by the Edrington Group April 1. It's a legendary brand that lost its way in recent years, but recorded its first annual increase in sales during 2012 after years of declining sales. Edrington's first move three years ago was to put Jason Craig in charge of turning the ship around, and he joins us for this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, we'll have plenty of new releases to talk about from Arran, Balblair, Four Roses, Kilchoman, and more...including a very special Bruichladdich single cask with a lot of sentimental value for former managing director Mark Reynier. This week's tasting notes include a special limited edition Cutty Sark, a single malt from Germany, and a Kentucky classic.

Edwin Foote started his distilling career in the old Henry McKenna Distillery, and wound up as the Master Distiller at the legendary Stitzel-Weller and Old Fitzgerald Distillery in Louisville. This Bourbon Hall of Famer sits down with us for WhiskyCast In-Depth to discuss his career and how the whiskey business has changed over the years...both good and bad. In the news, an updates on the Balblair 1969 and other new whiskies, water bottled specially to be mixed with whisky, and more!

This week, we promise a politics-free episode! We'll look at the history and future of India's Amrut Distillery with third-generation Amrut executive director Rick Jagdale and learn how graduate school helped bring Amrut to the world. In the news, Hurricane Sandy had an impact on the whisky community, trapping a number of distillery representatives in New York as their post-WhiskyFest flights were cancelled. We'll also get an update on the latest Bonhams auction in New York, and in non-hurricane news, word of new whiskies from Glenmorangie, Balblair, Buffalo Trace, and more!

In the old days, as many as 14 men made whisky at Balblair Distillery in the Scottish Highlands. Now, just 7 men are needed...but they do a little of everything during the week, from running the stills to mowing the lawn and painting barrel heads. We'll meet some of the Balblair team in this episode.

It's a busy summer at Balblair Distillery in the Scottish Highlands. Not only are they making whisky, but the distillery is also a movie set this week, the site of a wedding next month, and two days after the wedding...construction starts on the distillery's first-ever visitors center. Distillery manager John MacDonald tells us about his hectic summer in this week's episode. In the news...plenty of new whiskies, including two charity bottlings, and dueling boycotts over the conflict in the Middle East.

The Powers family distilled whiskey for seven generations and two centuries on John's Lane in Dublin, and John Ryan is the seventh and final generation to carry on his family's tradition. While the Powers Distillery closed nearly 40 years ago, its legacy is now part of Irish Distillers, and John shares that history with us in this episode. In the news, plenty of new whiskies, awards, auctions, and a chance to buy a piece of Ponzi scheme history!

More coverage from Whisky Live Paris on this special episode of WhiskyCast! We'll hear from Anthony Wills of Kilchoman, John MacDonald of Balblair, author Dave Broom, Bill Lumsden of Glenmorangie, Ann Miller of Aberlour, Compass Box's John Glaser, Luc Timmermans of Belgium's Lindores Whisky Society and much more...along with tasting notes for some of the whiskies I've tasted today in Paris!

Balblair Distillery sits on the Dornoch Firth in Edderton, and it's been getting a lot of attention these days. Distillery manager John MacDonald was instrumental in helping re-launch the Balblair range from age-dated expressions to vintages, and the Balblair 1989 was recently picked by Scotch lovers as the best whisky at the Whisky Fringe in Edinburgh. We'll hear from John about what went into the redevelopment of Balblair. In the news, Laphroaig's John Campbell tells us about plans to harmonize the distillery's range worldwide, and we'll get updates on this fall's new Classic Malts releases, new malts from Glengoyne and Auchentoshan, and how you can help support prostate cancer research during "Movember."

Inver House was recently named Distiller of the Year in Whisky Magazine's annual Icons of Whisky Awards for its work in re-launching the Balblair single malt, along with Old Pulteney and An Cnoc. We'll hear from master blender Stuart Harvey about the behind-the-scenes work that earned Inver House its honors, and he also spills the beans about some new single malts coming later this year.