Podcasts about Islay

This month Calum and Richard are joined by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society's Anthony Delcros as the trio prepare for this year's whisky festivals. Anthony reveals his own whisky journey while covering all the adventures he has planned to take the Society's tastings off the beaten track at the Speyside, Campbeltown and Islay festivals.

A conversation with the This Is Islay team gathered in the Islay High School studio, including: Gordon Bermingham, Jean MacLellan, Tom O'Farrell, Glen Roberts, and Jolyon Thurgood.We pull back the curtain on the behind the scene workings of This Is Islay - we discuss our favourite episodes, future plans, and the challenges and opportunities that come with our Islay-focused podcast.Thanks to Islay High School, Russell Pollock and Greig Barker for studio support, and to Tom O'Farrell for production.

We go right to the top of the peat bombs list with this episode. As far as we know, Octomore is the heaviest peated single malt scotch available. Does it live up to the price tag and hype? 

Helg, igen! Tänka sig… Det innebär såklart ett nytt avsnitt! Vi har varit på galej så det blir ett och annat om det och massa annat snack. Vi testar ett nytt Proxy och två olika Rom slutlagrade på två olika Islay, gott alltihop. Ingen skräll där. Avsnittet finns på din favoritplattform för Podcasts! Ha det gott och lyssna gott!

Today, we welcome Patrick Snelle onto the R2Kast!

Welcome to another exciting whiskey review! In this video, we take a deep dive into the Dalwhinnie Distillers Edition Scotch, a premium single malt whisky that delivers a unique and complex flavor profile. Whether you're a whiskey enthusiast, Scotch lover, collector, or beginner, this review will guide you through the tasting notes, history, and expert insights on this exceptional expression.

Gavin and Boris Borissov, affectionately known as the "Whisky King," engaged in a comprehensive discussion exploring their shared passion for whisky, encompassing everything from personal collecting journeys to the intricacies of the global market. Boris, whose whisky journey began in 2013 with a pivotal tasting and a subsequent trip to Islay in 2014, detailed his evolution into an avid collector, focusing on limited releases and single cask bottles. He recounted discovering rare whiskys at affordable prices in a Munich bar, a stark contrast to today's inflated market.Their conversation delved into the dramatic surge in rare alcohol bottle prices, with both noting a tenfold increase in some cases. They explored the role of Facebook groups in facilitating private sales and the market's upheaval during the Covid-19 pandemic, when demand for rare bottles skyrocketed.Boris, an "obsessive collector," expressed his intention to retain his collection, viewing it as a liquid asset that appreciates over time, while Gavin, now prioritizing sentimental value, discussed his shift from indiscriminate buying. They analyzed the evolution of whiskey production, noting the impact of technological advancements and increased output from brands like Logable. The current market downturn, they agreed, is partly due to inexperienced investors who flooded the market during the pandemic.Their discussion extended to buying and auction strategies, with Gavin sharing his experience of leveraging Instagram to boost liquor store sales and his pivot to European auctions for better deals on American whisky. Boris detailed his experiences with French auction houses and whisky swaps with Japanese partners, emphasizing the importance of a diverse collection.Boris revealed his side venture in the whisky industry, which began with a cask exchange with a friend in China and evolved into a collaborative bottling initiative. They discussed their independent bottling process, emphasizing the freedom to select and release only the finest casks, akin to a restaurant's daily special. Gavin expressed his desire to replace his investment whiskeys with independent bottlings, particularly those from the 1960s and 1970s, echoing the high regard they both held for independent bottlers like Samaroli.They shared personal whiskey preferences and unique experiences, with Gavin favoring high-end, exclusive bottles and Boris recounting a visit to a private Japanese club boasting a rare 1970s whiskey. The conversation concluded with discussions about future travel plans to Scotland and Japan, potential visits to distilleries and bars, and attending Whisky Live events. They emphasized the importance of camaraderie within the whiskey community and the desire to experience unique whiskys before they disappear, solidifying their shared passion and dedication to the world of fine spirits.

In Folge 18 habt ihr schon einige Aufnahmen vom Tag unserer Anreise nach Islay hören können. Heute folgt also der zweite Teil, der eigentliche Reisebericht aus Oktober 2024, in dem ich den Tag von Luss am Loch Lomond an, über die Fahrt nach Inveraray, die Pause in Tarbert und die Fährfahrt von Kennacraig nach Port Ellen, bis zu unserer Ankunft in der Ferienwohnung etwas ausführlicher schildere. Das Quietschen im Hintergrund ist übrigens das alte, windschiefe Gartentor. Viel Spaß beim Zuhören und bis zum nächsten Mal!

In May 2024, This Is Islay joined Gus Newman in his corner office in Lagavulin. In our conversation Gus introduces us to his life and times in and on the waters surrounding Islay. He talks of the family ventures and adventures, including Storm-Cats, Storm-Pods and Islay Sea Adventures. Gus's mother Ann Newman joins us for the second part of the episode.This Is Islay: Gordon Bermingham, Jean MacLellan, Jolyon Thurgood

In this hilarious episode of Brothers of the Dram, A.J. and Eric dive into a smooth pour of Creag Isle 12-Year Scotch—but that's not the only thing going down! While savoring the rich flavors of this Islay gem, the guys bring their usual banter, plenty of laughs, and one huge mistake from Eric that you need to hear about. What did he do? Let's just say, it might go down in podcast history. Pour yourself a dram, sit back, and get ready for an episode full of whiskey wisdom, bad decisions, and non-stop entertainment. Cheers!

On this episode we sample and debate the merits of The Botanist's Islay Rested Gin while chatting about Kyle figuring out we've been doing a podcast this entire time, Nick's feet pics, looking for this gin for 6 months, a 3 inch 3 ring binder, smells like ribbon candy, mixing up a G&T, Tuk Tuk, we're both cured of malaria, looking for things that challenge your palate, what the bitter people are hoping, maturing to the bitter, engaging in the bitter allows you to appreciate the sweet, canned olives, red jars of pickled eggs, the obstacle is the way, the fruitcake brick, and the distilled essence of Auto Zone.  Support Us On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DrepandStone We'd love to hear from you! https://linktr.ee/DrepandStone Don't forget to subscribe! Music by @joakimkarudmusic Episode #282

Anthony Wills is the founder and creator of Kilchoman Single Malt Scotch Whisky, the first new distillery to be built on Islay since 1908. His previous career in wine sales led him to delve into independent whisky bottling ventures. And with deep roots to Islay through his wife's family, the grand idea to open a new distillery actualized in 2005. The unique profile of Kilchoman is textured, rich, and elegant. And even more unique is their Islay Barley bottling, in which all of the barley is grown on their farm at the distillery. We chat fear of failing, tinkering, Sherry, and more.

Fyra buteljer avverkas i avsnittet och det är en ruggigt hög lägstanivå. Specialare från Tomatin, mera firande av Symposions 30-år med Glenfarclas, mystisk Islay från Cadenhead och Ardnahoes första core range!Ja det är ingen blygsam lina och naturligtvis lotsar vi bland alla andra släpp.Skål på er och ha en trevlig WhiskyVecka

Judy, Jon and Marlys compare 4 more Scotches from Marlys' recent trip to Scotland

Årets Nikka Coffey Grain är här! Den och en hemlig Islay från Cooper's Choice har vi i dagens glas!Vi skulle haft tre till, men eftersom Iain är rädd för posten så blir det endast två samples i det här avsnittet.Men deppa inte för det, det finns många fina släpp den här veckan och vi går som vanligt igenom de vi tycker är värda att nämnas.Skål på er och ha en trevlig WhiskyVecka

We read fanfic and we don't judge... So this episode can be marked under RPF: Real Problematic Fanfic. Which is to say that inspiration has struck these authors straight from the headlines and we felt it was necessary to dive in. Just remember....it's fanfic until proven guilty. - Cocktail Pairing: Penicillin Ingredients: 2 ounces blended scotch whisky, 0.75 oz lemon juice, 0.75 oz honey simple syrup, 0.25 oz Islay single malt scotch (to float), 2-3 slices fresh ginger. Directions: Muddle fresh ginger in the shaker and then add all ingredients except for Islay scotch; shake; double strain and float Islay on top - Want to read this fic for yourself? Give this author the kudos they deserve. You can find this fic on archiveofourown.org! Title: down in manhattan by Anon Title: I Saw Him by Anon Title: Denial, Delay and Deposition by Anon - Fine Pairings Podcast - A podcast about fanfiction. Where we pair ships with cocktails and reading with comedy. Got fanfic you'd like to share? Please email us at FinePairingsPodcast@gmail.com Remember to follow us on Tiktok, Tumblr, and Instagram @Finepairingspodcast and X (Twitter) @Finepairingspod - Additional Credits Title: "In Your Arms" Creator: Kevin MacLeod Source: Incompetech.com  License: CC BY 3.0; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Title: “Newsroom Theme” Creator: FoolBoyMedia Source: Freesound.org  License: CC BY-NC 3.0; https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ Additional AFX from Freesound.org

Scottish Island Adventures - Colonsay - with hosts Coinneach Macleod, The Hebridean Baker and singer-songwriter Natalie Galloway. Colonsay Colonsay is an island in the Inner Hebrides located north of Islay and south of Mull. It is accessible by CalMac ferry from both Islay and Oban! Colonsay is connected to a smaller island, Oronsay, on its southern end by a tidal causeway and is a rugged island where the low-lying dune grassland known as Machair produces an array of native wildflowers such as heather and wild thyme and acts as a haven for birds and insects. Colonsay Wool Growers At the very top of Colonsay lies Balnahard Farm, the home of Colonsay Wool Growers. The farm has been in the same family for generations and currently boasts over 400 locally reared wool sheep of varying Hebridean cross-breeds. The sheared wool is dyed naturally with native flora such as bog myrtle, nettle and moss to produce yarns, knitting kits, and limited edition knitwear. Colonsay Gin Colonsay Gin began in 2016 when husband and wife duo Finlay and Eileen Geekie traded the busy life of Oxfordshire for a fresh start on Colonsay. Inspired by Celtic folklore and a love of true juniper gin, they launched Colonsay Gin. Today, their gin is a nod to the wild beauty of the island and the business contributes to the island's sustainability and future development - drawing in visitors for tours and tasting. Colonsay Black Bees Colonsay and Oronsay have a long history of traditional honey use and bee-keeping. The continued practice of native bee-keeping in small isolated pockets helps to protect and sustain the dwindling Black Bee population under threat from imported non-native honey bees, and the changing climate. The other result of the practice happens to be fragrant honey that contains all the notes of the diverse island flora providing pollen for the bees. Thank you for listening to the Caledonian MacBrayne podcast. To find out more about Scotland's west coast islands and all topics discussed on this episode, visit the CalMac website.

Wer kennt es nicht: 5 Dinge auf dem Zettel, 15 im Einkaufswagen. Typischer Wocheneinkauf. Viele schauen beim Einkaufen gern in diesen einen Mittelgang im Supermarkt, mal eine Bohrmaschine, mal eine Stehlampe oder ein Bügelbrett - und manchmal findet sich eben auch ein Single Malt Whisky in der Aktionsware!Sein Name ist Ben. Nevis? Nein...Rinnes? Ach bitte, das wäre zu einfach...Bracken! Sein Name ist Ben Bracken. Wer sich ein wenig auskennt merkt schnell: den Namen habe ich bei meinem Lieblings-Whiskyhändler noch nie gesehen - wie kommt das?Was ist das? Und wo kommt das her?Auf genau diese zentralen Fragen, die schon Generationen der Menschheitsgeschichtebewegen, möchten wir Antworten geben. Vor allem aber auf die eine: wie schmeckt das?Was es damit auf sich hat, was wir gut finden und was nicht und woran Johannes dieses Mal lecken möchte erfahrt ihr in unserer neuen Folge!Verkostete Whiskys:- Ben Bracken Highland Single Malt- Ben Bracken Speyside Single Malt- Ben Bracken Islay Single Malt

Whisky Advocate's Top 20 Whiskies of the year list is always fun to sample through. This year we have 12 ½ of the top 20 to try. This year's list is heavy on Islay whiskies, interesting barrel finishes and as always, old timey candies. #20 - Westland Beer Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey #18 - Bushmills 10-Year-Old ex-Bordeaux Cask Irish Single Malt Limited Release #17 - Virginia Distillery Company Highland Malt Finished in Hardywood Ginger Stout Cask #15 - Compass Box Crimson Casks #14- 2XO Kentucky Straight Bourbon The Kiawah Blend #13 – Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye #12 – Angel's Envy Cask Strength Bourbon Limited Release #11 – Ardbeg Spectacular Ardbeg Day Release 2024 #4 – Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series Amrut #3 – Lagavulin 12-Year-Old Cask Strength Special Release The Ink of Legends 2023 #2 – Bruichladdich 18-Year-Old Islay Malt Re/Define Eighteen #1 – Laphroaig Elements 2.0 Long Ferment If you have a question for the Barrel to Bottle Crew, email us at comments@binnys.com, or reach out to us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. If we answer your question during a podcast, you'll get a $20 Binny's Gift Card! If you like our podcast, subscribe wherever you download podcasts. Rate and review us on Apple Podcasts.    

Join me for My Islay Garden Chat with Dan Pennington, Paulie Costello, Matt Kelleher & Aidan McGovern. On a recent pilgrimage to the magical whisky island of Islay, off the coast of Scotland, with a couple of good buddies, we sat out the back of our rent-a-house on Bowmare High St, for a very honest chat about the trip so far. I hope this gives anyone thinking about making the trip, an honest insight about the pitfalls and what we found amazing about Islay. What a trip it was...... This episode of the podcast is sponsored by: www.boanndistillery.ie www.killowendistillery.com  Don't forget to sign up to my Patreon channel for early access episodes and more, for a few euros a month and help me deliver the best podcasts to you. https://www.patreon.com/whiskeychatspodcast I really hope you listening in to our chat. Laurie

Join me for My Ardbeg Distillery Chat with Jackie Thomson, Visitor Centre Manager. On a recent pilgrimage to the magical whisky island of Islay, off the coast of Scotland, with a couple of good buddies - Dan, Paulie, Matt and Aidan, we visited Ardbeg Distillery. Here, I met up with Jackie Thomson, an absolute livewire of a lady and an enthusiatic whisky evangelist. She is a recent Whisky Magazine Hall of Fame inductee for 2023. I'm not in the least bit surprised. She gave us a behind the scenes walk around the old distillery and what a amazing facility it is. She was an absolute pleasure. This episode of the podcast is sponsored by: www.boanndistillery.ie www.killowendistillery.com  Don't forget to sign up to my Patreon channel for early access episodes and more, for a few euros a month and help me deliver the best podcasts to you. https://www.patreon.com/whiskeychatspodcast I really hope you listening in to our chat. Laurie

Hellyers Road Distillery (WF0037) Burnie, Tasmania How many distilleries are there on the island of Tasmania? Wow, really?  It is time to take our first steps onto whisky island. So you thought that was Islay, right? Well, maybe by volume, but for the sheer number of distilleries, Tasmania has them by a mile.  Today, let's get a sense of what is going on in Tasmania, the flavors, the styles, the experiences, and the people. Join me as I chat with CEO Derek Charge or our Head Distiller Fiona Coutts of Hellyers Road Distillery to learn how a milk farm turned into a distillery and dive into details about the distillery fans drove up into our Sweet 16 Fan Favorite Craft Distilleries competition. Plus, on This Week in Whiskey Lore, we'll see why whisky advertising in the US was non-existent for multiple generations. Plus, I'll give away what next year's Great 48 Tour will encompass.  Cheers! Drew

Mark meets builder and artist Becky Little whose work is being displayed as part of an exhibition called A Fragile Correspondence at the V&A in Dundee. Her work involves using soil from different areas in Orkney made into cubes.A WWF Scotland scheme which is aiming to create seagrass meadows and restore oysters to the Forth has reached a major milestone. Rachel visits the Restoration Forth project to hear about what they've achieved so far and what their plans are for the future.Mark is in The McManus: Dundee's Art Gallery and Museum where there's currently an exhibition all about the Dundee Naturalists' Society which is marking its 150th anniversary this year. Mark met up with some of the members to hear about the group's history and what they get up to now.Listeners have been getting in touch with Out of Doors to tell us they aren't seeing the usual numbers of garden birds at their bird feeders and tables. Mark met up with Ian Broadbent, North-East Scotland recorder for the Scottish Ornithologists' Club, to chat about whether numbers of garden visitors are down, and what might be the cause. They also speak about what we can do to help encourage birds and get them through the winter.We're joined live by Dr Julie Oswald from the University of St Andrews who has developed a groundbreaking tool that uses machine learning to identify dolphin species based on their calls. We hear some examples of what dolphins sound like and find out why identifying them is important.It's the time of year to coorie down and listen to some folktales and we have just the thing with two tales from our recent trip to Islay, an island full of myths and legends.There's a new eye-catching steel sculpture in Callendar Park in Falkirk. It's been created by artist Caspar J Wilson and is a memorial to those who experienced loss in the Covid pandemic. Rachel met Caspar and heard how he spoke to hundreds of people in the local community before creating the sculpture.And our Scotland Outdoors podcast this week features Helen Needham looking through some audio gems from BBC Scotland's archive including an Orkney Hurricane, Sightings of the Loch Ness Monster in the 1930's and Terrifying Sounds from the Hamilton Mausoleum which is what we hear an excerpt of.

Join me for My Chat with Derek Mather in The Laddie Snug at Artisan. On a recent pilgrimage to the magical whisky island of Islay, off the coast of Scotland with a couple of good buddies, we made an overnight detour to the small town of Wishaw, midway between Edinburgh and Glasgow, to the famous Artisan restaurant. Head chef, owner, curator and co-founder of the Friends of Bruichladdich FaceBook group, Derek Mather, founded this whisky mecca 16 yrs ago..... and the grub ain't half bad either..... Derek and his wife Fiona have amassed 1000's of bottles of Independently bottled Scotch whisky, all open and for sale by the dram at their Artisan Restaurant. Derek doesn't believe in full bottles and prices each dram with a marginal mark-up, so that whisky lovers can visit and afford to drink some of the most fantastic whisky bottles they will ever have the pleasure of sampling. We sat in his Laddie Snug and had a great chat about what he's been up to. It was an absolute pleasure. This episode of the podcast is sponsored by: www.boanndistillery.ie www.killowendistillery.com  Don't forget to sign up to my Patreon channel for early access episodes and more, for a few euros a month and help me deliver the best podcasts to you. https://www.patreon.com/whiskeychatspodcast I really hope you listening in to our chat. Laurie

Waterford Distillery founder Mark Reynier isn't giving up on his dream, even though the distillery went into receivership last week. As he tells us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth, he's putting together an investor group to bid on Waterford's assets when they go up for auction in January. We'll talk with Reynier about Waterford's failure and where things went wrong on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Brown-Forman is taking pre-emptive steps to guard against the impact of potential trade tariffs, while Chivas Brothers has filed for planning permission to build a distillery on Islay. We'll also have details on the latest holiday whisky releases and much more. 

The Forth Bridges Trail is a five-mile circular route which brings together various points of interest in North and South Queensferry and crosses the Forth Road Bridge. New stops were added onto the route earlier this year, so Mark took a wander along part of it to hear about the area's fascinating history.When you think of Beaver reintroduction sites you probably imagine the Cairngorms, Knapdale or rural Tayside but certainly not the heart of London. A few weeks ago, Rachel went to visit The Ealing Beaver Project where beavers are making their home right beside a retail park! Dr Sean McCormack gave her a tour and explained how they hope the beavers, who have been relocated from Scotland, might help with flooding in the area.At the end of the summer Mark visited Loch Katrine, home to the Steamship Sir Walter Scott. But the Loch is also home to other boats and Mark went to speak to one man who's been restoring his very own steamship.We're joined live by Dr Cat Barlow, project manager with the South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project who tells us about their plans to expand and re-introduce the species to England and Wales following their success in Scotland.Next month, the winners of the BBC's Food and Farming Awards will be unveiled at a ceremony in Glasgow. Out of Doors and Landward have our own category – the BBC Scotland Food Hero award. Over the past few weeks Rachel has been visiting the three finalists, and this week we hear from the Cosaig Growers. Back in 2016, Kate Wieteska and Jake Butcher bought a challenging piece of land on a hill in the north west Highlands and since then they've completely transformed it in order to grow fruit and vegetables. Rachel paid them a visit while they were getting on with some scything.We hear a short Islay folktale recorded on our recent trip to the island which is home to lots of fantastic myths and stories.In this week's Scotland Outdoors podcast we feature the latest instalment of Mark's journey along the Stevenson Way which is based on the novel Kidnapped. We hear an extract where Mark hears about a real event, the Appin Murder of 1752 which is one of the most notorious of its kind in Scottish history.

Scott Kerr sits down with Douglas Taylor, CEO of Bruichladdich, the legendary whisky distillery located on the Isle of Islay, Scotland. Douglas discusses the demise and rise of the 143-year-old Bruichladdich Distillery and why the brand is positioned as the 'antidote' to the whisky industry norm. He also talks the distillery's visionary and progressive approach to creating a diverse portfolio of peated and unpeated Scotch whiskies, why it also got into the gin business, the challenges and opportunities of taking over the leadership from a founding CEO, and Bruichladdich's achievements in sustainability. Plus: Is the Scotch whisky market slowdown here to stay?Featuring: Douglas Taylor, CEO of Bruichladdich Distillery (bruichladdich.com)Host:Scott Kerr, Founder & President of Silvertone ConsultingAbout The Luxury Item podcast:The Luxury Item is a podcast on the business of luxury and the people and companies that are shaping the future of the luxury industry.Stay Connected: Email: scott@silvertoneconsulting.comListen and subscribe to The Luxury Item wherever you get your podcasts. Tell a friend!

In this festive episode of Chill Filtered, Cole and Bryan sip on a special release: Maker's Mark Cellar Aged (2024). Before diving into the pour, they chat about Bryan's recent whiskey night adventures, Cole's preparation for a Christmas jewelry market, and a fascinating chronological look at Maker's Mark's storied history. On Whiskey World News, Bryan highlights the latest buzz-worthy release: Whiskey Del Bac's newest Ode to Islay. And for “What Whiskey Would You Choose?”, the boys ask: What whiskey sample would you love to receive from this year's Secret Sampla? Pour yourself something cozy and join the conversation for whiskey insights, holiday vibes, and more!

Mark and Rachel with the second part of their visit the island of Islay, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides.The RSPB has two reserves on the island, one at Loch Gruinart and one at The Oa, which is where Mark and Rachel met warden David Dinsley to try and spot one of the bird species Islay is known for, the chough.Artist Heather Dewar was born on Islay in the 1940s, and although she moved away as a child, she returned regularly until she retired there. We chat to her about what makes Islay such a special place and hear some of her childhood memories.Islay is in a strategically important place in terms of shipping and trade. And between 1914 and 1918 the waters around it were an important route for troopships. Two incidents brought the First World War to the doors of the islanders, and author Les Wilson tells us about one of them and the impact it had on Islay. We also hear about a rather remarkable American flag which was made on the island and has been returned there after spending quite some time in the USA.And we couldn't visit Islay, and island with ten, nearly 11 distilleries, and not talk about whisky. People come from all across the world to visit the distilleries and taste the drams with their unique Islay style. Rachel chats to Rachel MacNeill from the Islay Whisky Academy about how she gets people passionate about whisky. And we visit the Kilchoman Distillery to hear from Sharon McHarrie about how they are continuing some of the old traditions in their comparatively young distillery.

What if you could capture the essence of a rugged Scottish island in a bottle? Join us as we journey to Islay, Scotland, with Adam Hannett, the head distiller at Bruichladdich Distillery, to explore the bold new expression of The Botanist gin—Distiller's Strength. By increasing the alcohol content to 50%, this limited edition gin accentuates its juniper core while preserving the fine balance of 22 native botanicals. Hannett highlights the importance of exploration and innovation in cocktail creation, inspiring bartenders and gin enthusiasts to push the boundaries of their craft with Islay's finest.Step into the enchanting world of Islay's botanicals with us as we uncover the nostalgic ties to plants and honor the legacy of master distiller Jim McEwan through the artistry involved in bottling Islay's unique aromas and flavors. This episode is not just a celebration of tradition but a testament to the endless possibilities of gin crafting, showcasing The Botanist's commitment to innovation and respect for the timeless beauty of Islay's landscapes. Whether you're a gin aficionado or new to the spirit, this conversation with Adam Hannett, Head Distiller at Bruichladdich Distillery, where the Botanist is made, promises a taste of something truly special.To find out more go to thebotanist.com/Or buy a bottle with our affiliate link 

Mark and Rachel visit the island of Islay, the southernmost island of the Inner Hebrides. They take a walk with gamekeeper turned outdoor guide, DJ MacPhee, to get an overview of the island which has a diverse range of landscapes and habitats.They then head to Loch Finlaggan, the seat of the Lord of the Isles, a site of huge significance for hundreds of years, and hear all about its history from Mairead Mackechnie of the Loch Finlaggan Trust.Next they visit a re-discovered ancient lifting stone on the shores of Loch Gruinart. Niall Colthart tells them about the legends attached to it and Mark tries his hand at lifting it.

With many parts of Scotland finally getting harvest underway, and planting for 2025 harvest being undertaken, NFU Scotland is asking growers to now complete its 31st consecutive annual harvest survey. Mark meets with Scott Campbell, North East representative on the NFUS Crops Committee, to chat about how the harvest has been so far and what the implications are further down the line.Helen Needham meets Gretchen Daily of the Natural Capital Project at Stanford University.A special festival gets underway this weekend in the north east giving people the chance to go “behind the scenes” with a number of food and drink producers. One of the businesses taking part is the Tullynessle Deer Farm near Alford which is offering guided tours to visitors. Rachel speaks to Janet and Willie Keith say it's a challenging time for the farmed deer industry in Scotland which is why they want more people to at least consider giving venison a try.Mark meets with Harold Hastie at the harbour in Port Ellen to discuss the many shipwrecks around Islay's coastline.Over the past couple of years, Mark has been following the story of the Ash Rise project, a collaborative project between the Scottish Furniture Makers Association, Scottish Forestry and the Association of Scottish Hardwood Sawmillers to highlight the effect of ash dieback on Scotland. It has now reached the point where the diseased trees Mark witnessed being felled in 2022 have been turned into an array of exquisite objects as part of an exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh. He went along to have a look and met up with Tom Addy, Furniture Maker and Director of Ash Rise who pointed out a rather wonderful creation.Recently, Rachel visited the Tarland Bee Group in Aberdeenshire to hear what the season has been like for them and to find out a bit more about how they entice younger people to take an interest. After getting kitted out in a bee suit, she joined Yvonne Davidson and her young helper Imogen as they prepared to smoke the bees prior to entering the hives.The new ImMerse festival takes place on the 22nd of September at Annan Harbour and in the surrounding merse (saltmarshes) and river. It will be a fun-filled chance to discover and celebrate the amazing saltmarshes – and the wider natural environment – across the south of Scotland focusing particularly on the Solway. Jan Hogarth from SCAMP (Solway Coastal and Marine Project) joins Mark and Rachel live to tell us more about the festival and how listeners can get involved.

Bunnahabhain is a single malt scotch from the island of Islay. Even though Islay is traditionally known for it's high peat content, Bunnahabhain created a 12 year product that is unpeated. Does this change what it means to be an Islay whisky? Should they add a little peat so it differentiates itself form Speyside? Check out the video to hear the full review!  Thank you to our Sponsor Addys Wine and Liquor. If you are in the market for a new bottle of whiskey or some wine, this is the place to go. Located on Transit Road in Williamsville, they have all the right staff to guide you in the perfect direction. Download their App to be notified when they have events, allocated products, and sales, and they can also ship to you! Download the app here!Android link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cta.AddyFineWineApple Link: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/addys-lexis-wine-spirits/id1375492533 **Ethics Statement**All whiskey review is 100% honest and we have no obligation to review or give a higher rating just because it is sent to us. Any one that wants to send us a bottle can contact us through our Instagram, but know that it will be our honest rating. We want to provide all of you with a genuine analysis that you can take as our stamp of approval, and we wouldn't be able to have that if we inflated just because we received it for free. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Few people know the whisky industry as well as Sukhinder Singh. He's a renowned collector of rare whiskies, founded The Whisky Exchange with his brother Rajbir, and is now building a distillery on Islay. We'll talk with Sukhinder about the coming whisky loch, progress on his new Portintruan distillery, and much more on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Scotch whisky exports fell significantly during the first half of 2024. William Grant & Sons plans a major expansion at its Girvan complex in Ayrshire, and Pernod Ricard's new North American Distillers unit plans to build a hub around its Rabbit Hole distillery in Louisville. 

Islay is an island to the west of Scotland, at the entrance to the Firth of Lorn. It's 25 miles north of Northern Ireland. Archaeological evidence shows people lived here from 8000 BCE, with evidence of Neolithic and Bronze Age tombs and burial sites.  Columba and his missionaries brought Christianity to the island, which Norse raiders also adopted once they settled. Islay lay on the route between Ireland and Scandinavia, making it an easy stop for Vikings. The Hebrides only joined Scotland in 1266. It's famous for distilling and farming, although tourism provides extra income. But what folklore does Islay have? Let's find out in this week's episode of Fabulous Folklore! Find the images and references on the blog post: https://www.icysedgwick.com/islay-folklore/ Cemetery Lore Talk: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cemetery-lore-grave-markers-folk-cures-and-graveyard-ghosts-tickets-1000779637837?aff=oddtdtcreator Get your free guide to home protection the folklore way here: https://www.icysedgwick.com/fab-folklore/ Become a member of the Fabulous Folklore Family for bonus episodes and articles at https://patreon.com/bePatron?u=2380595 Fabulous Folklore Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/fabulous_folklore Enjoyed this episode and want to show your appreciation? Buy Icy a coffee to say 'thanks' at: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick Pre-recorded illustrated talks: https://ko-fi.com/icysedgwick/shop Request an episode: https://forms.gle/gqG7xQNLfbMg1mDv7 Get extra snippets of folklore on Instagram at https://instagram.com/icysedgwick 'Like' Fabulous Folklore on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fabulousfolklore/ Find Icy on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/icysedgwick.bsky.social Tweet Icy at https://x.com/IcySedgwick

Burnie and Ashley discuss dream theory, husky voices, nasal realities, Nick Offerman, stone skipping, peaty whiskies, Islay, Oban, Umbrella Academy, billionaire space walks, cruise ships, when a cube becomes a berg, the VMAs, swing voters, and industry plants.Support our podcast at: https://www.patreon.com/morningsomewhere

On this episode we recreate Nick's trip to the Bunnahabhain distillery and splash into a Warehouse 9 Tasting as we discuss the wild island of Islay, going full Alabama, the top 3 worst roads in Scotland, what is Warehouse 9, the gravity of the situation in the pouring room, driver drams, 2007 Muscat Barrel 53.7%, 2004 PX Cask 53.3%, 2011 Moine Cognac 58.9%, 2013 Moine Bordeaux 57.9%, Kyle sings The Muppets, a hug from an old friend, why backwash doesn't count in Scotland, and our favorite of the four.  Support Us On Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DrepandStone We'd love to hear from you! https://linktr.ee/DrepandStone Don't forget to subscribe! Music by @joakimkarudmusic Episode #258

On SBS Filipino's Trending Ngayon segment, this week's hot topics include Australia celebrating Father's Day, the viral 'Very demure, very mindful' video, and Filipino athlete Islay Erika Bomogao now ranks 1 in the world Muay Thai. - Sa Trending Ngayon sa SBS Filipino, bida ngayon sa Australia ang mga tatay sa pagdiriwang ng Father's Day, 'Very demure, very mindful' video viral sa social media, at Filipino athlete Islay Erika Bomogao, siya na ngayong world number 1 sa Muay Thai.

Subscriber-only episodeSend us a textHistory of distillery- Bruichladdich distilleryFirst opened in 1881 by the Harvey brothers, William, John and RobertThe Harvey Family owned 2 glasgow distilleries alreadyState of the art. Other Islay distilleries came from farms, this one is built of stone.Used tall narrow necked stills, the opposite of the traditionalWilliam was the only one to run it after a fight with his brothers, until 1933 after a fire, then william died in 1936Then owned by Associated Scottish Distilleries1969 sold to invergordon distillersbought by Whyte and Mackay and in 1994 shut down for “Surplus to requirementson the shore of Loch Indaal, on the Rinns of Islay, the westernmost part of the island.Re-opened their doors in 2001Bought by Mark Reynier of Murray McDavid on 19 December 2000.PhilosophyBig on environmental causes2020 became the first scotch and gin distillery in europe to become B Corp certified- meaning they prove a positive impact on the environmentUses local barley and believes in staying local for everythingWebsite:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Gavin and Torsten explored the complexities of whiskey production, particularly focusing on the influence of wood and climate on the aging process. They discussed how different environments, like the hot and humid conditions at Kavalan in Taiwan and the cold, isolated setting of Islay in Scotland, impart unique characteristics to the whiskey. They underscored the importance of the relationship between the whiskey and the wood, noting that not every barrel is suitable for every whiskey. Their conversation highlighted the intricate factors that contribute to each whiskey's distinct flavor. They also compared an older Highland Park 15 with a newer one, noting significant differences in flavor profiles, with Torsten pointing out variations due to production speed and demand.

Send us a Text Message.History of distilleryFounded by Donlad and Alexander Johnston in 1815As far as I can tell not related to John Johnston who founded lagavulinStarted as cattle farmers growing barley for the cattleExcess barley used to make whisky, which became more profitable than the cattleNear the Kilbride stream, their water source which has a peaty flavor1836, donald buys out his brother, but passes away in 1847In the 19th century most whiskey was blended, and Laphroaig was used by the mackie family for lagavulin, so much so that they had a hard time keeping up their own production1907, Mackie tries to block up the kilbride to sabotage them after not being able to take so much for his production1908, laphroigs head brewer is taken by lagavulin, who made a replica of Laphroaig to try to make his own for lagavulin, this was Malt millNever really worked1921 the last of the johnston family to take ownership, Ian Hunter, take overA bit of a maverick1923 the distillery doubled in sizeIan also added windows to the malting floor, were he would put fans to bring in the sea air, adding a salty, sea like quality to the malt1935 Bessie Williamson comes to the distillery for the summer to work, she never leavesBecomes the protege for IanIan passes in 1954 and she takes overAround this time they start aging in ex-Bourbon barrels1954-67 the distillery is sold off to Seager Evens and Co. to help the distillery expand out 1994Then Prince Charles gave the distillery his Royal WarrantThey are the only Scottish Distillery to get thisFriends of laphroaig was started as well in 1994Becoming a member bought you a square foot of land on Islay, and as rent for the property, you were rewarded a dram a year2006, john Campbell takes over as distillery manager2022 Barry MacAffer becomes distillery manager, with the blessing of John CampbellThe bottleIn 2004, a special release was sent out just to those that were part of Friends of laphroaig, called Cairdeas, a gaelic word meaning friendship2008 this became a yearly bottlingSupport the Show.Website:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Hey, Hi, Hello, this is the History Wizard and welcome back for Day 18 of Have a Day w/ The History Wizard. Thank you to everyone who tuned in for Day 17 2 weeks ago, and especially thank you to everyone who rated and/or reviewed the podcast. I hope you all learned something last week and I hope the same for this week as well. This week we're going to be diving back into learning about historic genocides as we learn about the Congolese genocide committed by King Leopold II of Belgium. We've talked about the Congolese Genocide previously on Day 11, Free Congo. But for today's episode we're going to go into much greater detail about this particular genocide and not just discuss it within the context of a current conflict. Now, before we get to The Alchemist's Table I wanted to apologize that there wasn't a new episode last week. Sometimes you just don't have the energy, the motivation, the spoons or the spell slots. So, I took a week off. It might happen again. And now on to the booze! Today's libation is called Cherries Jubilee. It's 2 oz of Islay scotch. I'd recommend a Bowmore if you're not a huge fan of the peat. Then 1 oz of creme de cacao. 1 oz of frangelico. Add .75 oz of cherry syrup. Shake and pour overice. Top with ginger beer or a hard cider. Garnish with luxardo cherries and enjoy. Now, with that out of the way let's get into the Congolese Rubber Genocide. In order to understand this genocide we first need to understand European colonialism during this time. Colonialism has taken many forms over the years and in the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century it transitioned from the classic form of American colonialism into what we would consider New Colonialism. New Colonialism would rely less on direct military control of an area and would rely more on having governmental institutions in power that would directly benefit those pre existing colonial power structures. So, near the end of the 19th century there was very little European colonial and mercantile presence in Africa. There were some port towns, to be sure, and there was trade, but very little of the African continent was under the control of European powers at this time. But, European greed for gold and, especially, ivory wouldn't allow them to ignore African riches for much longer. The Berlin Conference was organized between November 1884 and February 1885 at the request of King Leopold II of Belgium and was organized by Otto von Bismarck of Germany.   The primary purpose of the Berlin Conference was regulating European colonization and trade during the New Imperialism period. It might seem strange to need to differentiate New Imperialism from the forms of empire building that came before. Afterall, the methodology was largely the same. Conquest. And the reasoning was, mostly the same. Resources and land acquisition. But New Imperialism also came with a good deal of “civilizing” flavor. You might be familiar with the poem White Man's Burden by Rudyard Kipling. If you're not. You can fully understand the entire mindset of 19th and 20th century colonialism simply by reading that poem. Now, Leopold had been using the explorations of Henry Morgan Stanley, and his own organization, the International African Association to quietly try and create his own private colony in central Africa that would be called the Congo Free State, but France found out and started making moves, and then Britain and Portugal found out and began trying to grab land which led Germany to do the same. War was brewing quickly as these various European powerhouses all sought as much land, wealth, and power as they could grab. This, ultimately, would be why the Berlin Conference was called and why it was so successful. These European powers decided, instead of going to war and killing each other over Africa they'd just all meet and carve it up like a pecan pie and settle it all peaceful like. There were 14 nations/empires in attendance at the Berlin Conference, Germany, Austria Hungary, the International Congo Society (this really means King Leopold II of Belgium), Spain, Denmark, the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Sweden-Norway, and the Ottoman Empire. And while all 14 of those countries were in attendance at the Berlin Conference and had a say in the final decisions that were made, only 7 countries were actually going to colonize Africa once it was over. Those countries were Belgium (really just King Leopold II, this would be his own private colony), Germany, Spain, France, Great Britain, Portugal, and Italy. At the time of the Berlin Conference, in 1885, less than 10% of the African continent was under European control, but by the time World War 1 broke out only Liberia and Ethiopia were still independent. Although, Liberia certainly only existed because of US colonial power, and so doesn't REALLY count as independent.  Wanna know one of the most buckwild things about the Berlin Conference? I ask knowing that there is no way for you to answer or to stop me from telling you short of skipping forward by about 30 seconds. Part of the General Act, the document that was signed and ratified at the conclusion of the Berlin Conference was a commitment from the European powers involved to END AFRICAN AND ISLAMIC SLAVERY. Most of those European powers would go on to enslave the populations they conquered and colonized. This period of New Imperialism is what we tend to call The Scramble for Africa. So far we've been talking about this all in fairly clinical terms, as if these European countries simply sat around a table and calmly decided who would get what land in the second largest continent on the planet and then it just happened, with no additional muss or fuss. Anyone who has studied even the barest amount of human history knows that nothing happens without muss or fuss. There were wars, and battles, and massacres that led to Europe gaining control of African territory. We now need to talk a bit about the Congo Free State, and how King Leopold of Belgium, a frail weakling (compared to the other European powers) managed to worm his way into the conference and into one of the most lucrative colonies in Africa. The Congo Free State was a truly massive colony that was owned personally by Leopold. It was NOT, at least between the years 1885 and 1908, part of the Belgian Empire, it was not owned by the Belgian government and was ruled entirely separately, it just happened to be ruled by the King of Belgium. Leopold was able to gain this massive colony by convincing the monarchs of Europe that he was engaged in humanitarian and philanthropic work, and that the Congo Free State would be an area of free trade in Africa. He also then proceeded to lie to the leaders of Britain, Germany, France, and the US telling them all that he would give them special trade status. Leopold maintained a guise that he was not trying to use the Congo Basin to increase his own wealth and economic and political power. He maintained that his presence in the region was, as was a huge part of the ethos of New Imperialism, to civilize the savages of the Congo Basin and to bring them closer to God and good European cultural supremacy.  Leopold pledged to suppress the east African slave trade; promote humanitarian policies; guarantee free trade within the colony; impose no import duties for twenty years; and encourage philanthropic and scientific enterprises. Beginning in the mid-1880s, Leopold first decreed that the state asserted rights of proprietorship over all vacant lands throughout the Congo territory. In three successive decrees, Leopold promised the rights of the Congolese in their land to native villages and farms, essentially making nearly all of the CFS terres domaniales (state-owned land). Leopold further decreed that merchants should limit their commercial operations in rubber trade with the natives. Additionally, the colonial administration liberated thousands of slaves. Four main problems presented themselves over the next few years. Leopold II ran up huge debts to finance his colonial endeavour and risked losing his colony to Belgium. Much of the Free State was unmapped jungle, which offered little fiscal and commercial return. Cecil Rhodes, Prime Minister of the Cape Colony (part of modern South Africa), was expanding his British South Africa Company's charter lands from the south and threatened to occupy Katanga (southern Congo) by exploiting the "Principle of Effectivity" loophole in the Berlin Treaty. In this he was supported by Harry Johnston, the British Commissioner for Central Africa, who was London's representative in the region. The Congolese interior was ruled by Arab Zanzibari slavers and sultans, powerful kings and warlords who had to be coerced or defeated by use of force. For example, the slaving gangs of Zanzibar trader Tippu Tip had a strong presence in the eastern part of the territory in the modern-day Maniema, Tanganyika and Ituri regions. They were linked to the Swahili coast via Uganda and Tanzania and had established independent slave states. So very quickly Leopold began to renege on his promises. The first concession he made to his greed and desire for power was to establish a policy of terres vacantes. Vacant land, which was defined as any land that did not have a house or cultivated garden plot. This was, of course, most of the country. Any terres vacantes was now automatically property of the state to be portioned out to Leopold's cronies and supporters. Next Leopold would decree that any locals harvesting rubber or ivory were only allowed to sell to the state. This was doubly enforced because most of the rubber or ivory harvesting was happening on “state owned land” and so it “mae sense” that they could only sell to the state, which now had a monopoly on those products and could set the prices at whatever they wanted. Trading companies were, obviously, pissed by this as part of the General Act of the Berlin Conference was a promise of Free Trade in Belgium. Now, what made The Congo so special in the history of capitalist exploitation was that it was home to something that would become one of the most important natural resources in the entire world, rubber. There are only two sources of natural rubber in the world. The sap of the Hevea brasiliensis, or rubber tree that grows in the Amazon River Basin, and the sap of Landolphia owariensis, a species of woody vines that grow in the Congo. I mean, technically there are 2500 species of plants that produce natural latex and rubber, but those two are the big ones. Today 99% of natural latex and rubber comes from the Amazon, but Leopold was able to make massive profit off of his colony. By the final decade of the 19th century, John Boyd Dunlop's 1887 invention of inflatable, rubber bicycle tubes and the growing usage of the automobile dramatically increased global demand for rubber. Now, as mentioned previously the rubber in the Congo came from vines. So while the trees in the Amazon basin could be tapped much in the same way we get Maple syrup, the Congolese workers would slash the vines and lather their bodies with the rubber latex. When the latex hardened, it would be scraped off the skin in a quite painful manner, ripping off the workers hair. The economic system in the Congo Free State was known as the red rubber system. It was a slave economy that Leopold enforced through the use of his armed forces known as the Force Publique. The officer corp of the Force Publique was made up entirely of White Europeans, and much of their rank and file was made up of slaves captured by Arabic slavers in the Upper Congo. Many of the other soldiers were children who had been kidnapped from their villages and raised in Roman Catholic missions in conditions very similar to slavery. Each slave in the Congo Free State was required to harvest a regular quota of rubber sap. What that quota was was often arbitrarily decided based purely on profit based concerns. Workers who refused to supply their labour were coerced with "constraint and repression". Dissenters were beaten or whipped with the chicotte, a bullship made of hippo hide, hostages were taken to ensure prompt collection and punitive expeditions were sent to destroy villages which refused. The policy led to a collapse of Congolese economic and cultural life, as well as farming in some areas. One refugee from these horrors described the process: We were always in the forest to find the rubber vines, to go without food, and our women had to give up cultivating the fields and gardens. Then we starved ... When we failed and our rubber was short, the soldiers came to our towns and killed us. Many were shot, some had their ears cut off; others were tied up with ropes round their necks and taken away. Failure to meet the rubber collection quotas was punishable by death. Meanwhile, the Force Publique were required to provide the hand of their victims as proof when they had shot and killed someone, as it was believed that they would otherwise use the munitions (imported from Europe at considerable cost) for hunting or to stockpile them for mutiny. As a consequence, the rubber quotas were in part paid off in cut-off hands. A Catholic priest quotes a man, Tswambe, speaking of the hated state official Léon Fiévez, who ran a district along the river 300 mi north of Stanley Pool: “All blacks saw this man as the devil of the Equator ... From all the bodies killed in the field, you had to cut off the hands. He wanted to see the number of hands cut off by each soldier, who had to bring them in baskets ... A village which refused to provide rubber would be completely swept clean. As a young man, I saw [Fiévez's] soldier Molili, then guarding the village of Boyeka, take a net, put ten arrested natives in it, attach big stones to the net, and make it tumble into the river ... Rubber causes these torments; that's why we no longer want to hear its name spoken. Soldiers made young men kill or rape their own mothers and sisters.” One junior officer in the Force Publique had this to say about the quota system: The baskets of severed hands, set down at the feet of the European post commanders, became the symbol of the Congo Free State. ... The collection of hands became an end in itself. Force Publique soldiers brought them to the stations in place of rubber; they even went out to harvest them instead of rubber ... They became a sort of currency. They came to be used to make up for shortfalls in rubber quotas, to replace ... the people who were demanded for the forced labour gangs; and the Force Publique soldiers were paid their bonuses on the basis of how many hands they collected. Within the Congo Free State there was also rampant famine and disease that killed hundreds of thousands of people, a type of residential school where children were sent to learn to be either workers or soldiers. About 50% of the children who entered these schools died. There were also several reputable reports of Congolese people turning to cannibalism in the face of their lack of food resources. With everyone being forced to harvest rubber there was no one to farm or gather or hunt for food. It is generally accepted that over the course of Leopold's rule in the Congo Free State, between 1885 and 1908 that at least 10 million Congolese people were killed. The peak year for the cost of rubber was 1903, with rubber fetching the highest price and concessionary companies raking in the highest profits. However, the boom sparked efforts to find lower-cost producers. Congolese concessionary companies started facing competition from rubber cultivation in Southeast Asia and Latin America. As plantations were begun in other tropical regions around the world, the global price of rubber started to dip. Competition heightened the drive to exploit forced labour in the Congo in order to lower production costs. Meanwhile, the cost of enforcement was eating away at profit margins, along with the toll taken by the increasingly unsustainable harvesting methods. As competition from other areas of rubber cultivation mounted, Leopold's private rule was left increasingly vulnerable to international scrutiny. Missionaries carefully and meticulously documented the many abuses of the Congolese Red Rubber system. This would finally be noted by the international community and by the Belgian government itself as a violation of the 1885 Berlin Act which gave Leopold authority and control of the Congo as long as he: "care[d] for the improvements of their conditions of their moral and material well-being" and "help[ed] in suppressing slavery." After 2 years of international pressure the Belgian government agreed to annex the Congo Free State and make it an official part of the Belgian Empire. The reason the debate lasted 2 years was that no one wanted to take on the responsibility of fixing everything Leopold had fucked up so royally (pun intended). But what happened to Leopold you ask? Did he go to jail? Did he get a slap on the wrist? Was he deposed as king and sent into exile on a small island in the Pacific where he eventually died of stomach cancer? Nah, he did die though, but he died as King of Belgium. He had surgery on December 17, 1909. He had a coronary bridging performed, aiming at correcting insufficient irrigation of the myocardium. ''A few hours after the operation, a failure of the myocardium occurred leading to death the same day''. Leopold had ruled Belgium for 44 years, which makes him, to this day, the longest reigning Belgian monarch. You also might be please to know that his funeral procession was booed by every crowd he passed. His people fucking hated him. Exciting news y'all! We actually DO have some reviews this week! So let's read em! And now for the outro! Have a Day! w/ The History Wizard is brought to you by me, The History Wizard. If you want to see/hear more of me you can find me on Tiktok @thehistorywizard or on Instagram @the_history_wizard. Please remember to rate, review, and subscribe to Have a Day! On your pod catcher of choice. The more you do, the more people will be able to listen and learn along with you. Thank you  for sticking around until the end and, as always, Have a Day.        

I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Ewan Morgan, Head of Whiskey Outreach and National Luxury Ambassador for Diageo who owns some of the largest liquor brands in the world, from Tanqueray & Casamigos, to Guiness and Non-Alcoholic brand Seedlip. But what most may not know, is that Diageo also owns a fair share of high end labels too, like Lagavulin and Mortlach. And after four decades of closure, the iconic Port Ellen distillery in the Island of Islay is reopening with Diageo in a historic moment for the Scotch industry. Ewan and I chat about the Scotch Whiskey collecting market, growing up in a family who lives and breathes the spirit, and he even takes me through a tasting of the new Port Ellen Gemini release, retailing for fifty thousand dollars. And to top it all off, we recorded at an amazing ten million dollar apartment on One Wall Street thanks to our friends at Optimist. Ewan is truly an expert which is why he's worked his way up to have what most would consider one of the greatest jobs in the world. So without further adieu, this is Ewan Morgan, for Collectors Gene Radio.Diageo - https://www.diageo.com/One Wall Street - https://onewallstreet.com/Optimist - https://www.optimistconsulting.com/Ewan Morgan - https://www.instagram.com/ewanmorgan/?hl=enPort Ellen - https://www.diageo.com/en/news-and-media/stories/2024/port-ellen-reborn-the-reopening-of-islay-s-legendary-ghost-distillery

Sustainability in Scotch with Annabel Thomas Join us as we explore the fascinating world of sustainable Scotch whisky with Annabel Thomas, the founder of Nc'nean Distillery. In this episode, Annabel takes us on her journey from the corporate world to the remote west coast of Scotland, where her family's farm became the birthplace of a visionary, sustainability-focused line of whisky. Hear about the pivotal moments that inspired her to transition from strategy consulting to whisky distilling, including a life-changing sabbatical and an enlightening trip to Islay that sparked her passion for creating an eco-friendly and innovative distillery. We delve into the unique aspects of Nc'nean's sustainability initiatives, from using organic barley to experimenting with different yeasts and fermentation techniques. Annabel shares insights on the challenges and benefits of organic farming practices, and how these choices align with her vision for a responsible and forward-thinking business. Listen as she recounts the influence of industry legends like Jim Swan and the importance of maintaining traditional craftsmanship while embracing modern innovations. Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Annabel for entering the Whiskey Ring! Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS Baxus is the world's leading collectible spirits marketplace, with user-friendly options for buyers, sellers, and collectors looking to vault their collections. Use my link below to visit the BAXUS.CO website and sign up!  BAXUS Website BAXUS on Instagram BAXUS on Facebook BAXUS on Twitter/X BAXUS on LinkedIn Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery  Black Button Distilling Website Black Button Distilling on Facebook Black Button Distilling on Instagram _________________________________________________________ If you haven't joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level.  If you haven't yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website.  Nc'nean Distillery Nc'nean Distillery Website Nc'nean Distillery Instagram Nc'nean Distillery Facebook Nc'nean Distillery LinkedIn Nc'nean Distillery YouTube

Barry MacAffer is leaving Laphroaig Distillery and his native Islay for a new adventure: building a malt whisky distillery in South Korea. This week on WhiskyCast In-Depth, Barry tells us why he's making the move now and what he'll miss most about Islay. In the news, the threat of tariffs hangs over the whisky industry again as the U.S. Presidential election heats up, another new distillery is in the works for Scotland, and Rosebank Distillery opens its doors to visitors for the first time. 

Islay's Ardnahoe Distillery has released its first single malt since the distillery opened in 2019, and we'll talk about the journey with Scott Laing of Hunter Laing & Co. on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, longtime Glen Grant master distiller Dennis Malcolm is retiring after 63 years in the whisky business, while Oregon officials have decided not to prosecute six former state liquor regulators for diverting stocks of Pappy Van Winkle whiskies for their personal use.

In Scotland in the 1980s, a slump in the whisky market brought about the closure of some of the country's most iconic distilleries. These sites become known as 'ghost' distilleries - where spirit production has stopped, but where some stock is still available. In this programme, Elizabeth Hotson will be discovering why some of these distilleries are now being brought back to life. She visits the legendary Port Ellen on the Isle of Islay for its much-anticipated re-opening and hears from the master blender there, and she takes a tour of London's fabled Vintage House. A whisky writer explains what makes a truly great dram and we learn why investors need to be careful if they're planning to jump on the whisky bandwagon.(Picture: A bottle of Port Ellen whisky bottled in 1980. Credit: Elizabeth Hotson/BBC)Presented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson

What is the Best Cocktail? Our pal Becky Ward joins us and introduces two show-inspired cocktails:The Asked and Answered ◦4 oz. Buffalo Trace Bourbon◦2 oz. Punt e Mes◦2 oz. St. Germaine ◦1 oz. Islay scotch (Smokehead, Tequila Cask)◦1/2 oz. Fresh lemon juiceCombine all ingredients in a tall cocktail pitcher, stir with ice for 30 seconds. Strain and serve up in a coupe or over a single large format ice cube in a rocks glass. (Serves 2 generously)The Plume◦Fresh mint leaves◦3 oz. Grey Whale Gin◦2 oz. Barrel Aged Tom Cat Gin◦1 oz. Lilet Blanc◦1 oz. Salers Aperitif◦1/2 oz. Fresh lime juice◦4 dashes cardamom bitters Muddle mint in the bottom of a glass cocktail pitcher. Add remaining ingredients. Stir with ice for 30 seconds. Strain and serve up in a coupe or over a single large format ice cube in a rocks glass. (Serves 2-3)