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Cask to Glass

David Holmes
Cask to Glass
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  • Here's A Deal: Scottish First Minister John Swinney on talks with US President Donald J Trump
    Could Scotch whisky be exempted from US tariffs?In this episode, after his whirlwind visit last week to meet US President Donald J Trump at the White House, Scotland's First Minister John Swinney joins John Beattie to discuss the prospects of a deal on US tariffs on Scotch whisky.Ten percent US tariffs are costing the Scotch whisky industry £4 million a week, Mr Swinney says.But Scotland, he adds, imports $300 million worth of Kentucky bourbon barrels every year. And tariffs are having an impact on that trade too."I'd also had the fortunate position to meet with one of the cask producers in Kentucky before I met Mr Trump," Mr Swinney explains. "And he was telling me that he was already having orders cancelled from Scottish distilleries. So the real life effect of the tariffs is having an effect in America already."It's a story that's been picked up by The New York Times, which reported on 15 September 2025 that "if 10 percent tariffs persist, the United States will lose 3,300 jobs and the US hospitality industry would lose $300 million according to the Distilled Spirits Council [of the United States]."One of the Scottish distilleries The Times mentioned was Kilchoman Distillery on Islay (featured in Episode 8), which imports 60 percent of its barrels from Kentucky.So a deal, Mr Swinney says, would be "a win-win": "It's also not a deal that causes any other collateral implications because Scotch whisky can only be produced in Scotland. Kentucky bourbon can only be produced in Kentucky. So there's no transfer of trade that can be involved. But there is an economic benefit for both sides of the pond if we get this right."But what was it like pitching a proposal to the most powerful man on the planet in the most well-known office in the world?"I had to know my onions about my proposal because he was questioning me. It was a questioning experience."But in essence, Mr Swinney says, "I was saying, 'Here's a deal which will benefit the Scotch whisky industry, yes, but it'll also benefit the distilling industry in the United States'."So will there be a deal?"I think there's an attractive proposition there. The question is, will we pull it off? And well, we'll get an answer to that in due course."Slàinte!-------Socials:@C2GWhisky@JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David HolmesArt work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home)Vocals: Andrea CunninghamGuitars: John BeattieBass: Alasdair VannDrums: Alan HamiltonBagpipes: Calum McCollAccordion: Gary InnesMusic & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John BeattieRecorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, ScotlandSpecial thanks: The Piper Whisky Bar, 57 Cochrane Street, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  • Reset Required? Martin Purvis of Commercial Spirits Intelligence
    How much whisky is stored in warehouses across Scotland?"Nobody really knows," says Martin Purvis of Commercial Spirits Intelligence. He tried to find out from HMRC - the UK's revenue and customs office. But they wouldn't tell him; not even when he used freedom of information legislation to get an answer.But he fears there's too much stock in too many barrels in too many warehouses: "I joined the trade 20 odd years ago," he says, "and in that time all I've seen is warehouse building."It's not just a Scottish problem. Whisky or whiskey, it doesn't matter. "Everywhere is struggling," Martn says."For most brown spirits that are matured in barrels for a period of time, the biggest challenge right now is that there's too much maturing inventory versus current sales," he tells John Beattie in this episode of Cask to Glass.Martin and his colleague Duncan MacFadzean analyse the whisky industry. They study HMRC records. And his conclusion?"Malt whisky has really had a hard time of over the last couple of years. It's 40 percent off the top in terms of volume. And it's 12 percentage down over six months in year-on-year versus last year.""There's a lot of competition and drinkers are less loyal," he continues. "The trade has really done a good job of premiumisation - certainly single malt.""But," he adds, "it's still expensive. Ten years ago I would have been drinking the odd bottle of 18 year old single malt. These days I'd probably be given a row if I came home with a bottle of 18 year old single malt given the price point it's at."But he remains optimistic, concluding: "Good product well positioned and well priced with a good liquid will do well."Still he suggests, the industry needs a "reset".Join John and Martin as they discuss the state of the industry; the challenges it faces; the role of casks; and how Martin tries to reduce the Angels' Share..."I live down the road from a complex which has got probably 10 million barrels. The amount of evaporation that is taking place from that location is really high. If you reduce that by one percent it's a huge number. So incredible commercial value here."Tune in as Martin tries to predict the future of whisky.Slàinte!-------Socials:@C2GWhisky@JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David HolmesArt work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home)Vocals: Andrea CunninghamGuitars: John BeattieBass: Alasdair VannDrums: Alan HamiltonBagpipes: Calum McCollAccordion: Gary InnesMusic & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John BeattieRecorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, ScotlandSpecial thanks: The Piper Whisky Bar, 57 Cochrane Street, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  • Cask Explorers: Stephen Woodcock from Glen Turner
    "You'll know the game, John," admits Stephen Woodcock, head of Whisky Creation and Stocks for Glen Turner, makers of Glen Moray, Cutty Sark and many other fine whiskies and spirits. "You want to play slightly offside..."Slightly offside?Perhaps Stephen shouldn't be telling John this. But it's too late now. And besides what's done is done."We kind of brand ourselves as cask explorers," Stephen explains. "We're not feart to give something a go."It's Stephen's job to explore and innovate, and try to create something new out of something traditional and simple: "I'm very lucky because I've got the freedom to do that."But there's a downside, he continues: "We've been in trouble with the SWA a couple of times."Trouble for what?Trying to produce whisky in Champagne casks, cider casks and even maple syrup casks.Why would that upset the Scotch Whisky Association, which regulates what is and isn't Scotch whisky?Well for starters, Stephen confesses, "You don't actually get a Champagne cask. You only get white wine. It's not Champagne until you put it in a bottle and add yeast. So, into trouble for that. And cider isn't traditionally aged in oak barrels. So we got into trouble with the SWA for that. But we won't do it again."And maple syrup casks?"It wasn't whisky... It's a spirit drink. It doesn't say whisky on the bottle, I need to be clear about that... But the spirit was absolutely sublime. You almost get a kind of smoky bacon note to that. The whole piece was to have an American breakfast in a dram glass."Innovation aside, Stephen's job is to think 30 years ahead, and as he explains to John, work out how to get there.So join John, Stephen (and Stephen's dog Ron), as Stephen reveals how he and Glen Turner make something magical out of what is basically just water, cereal and a fungus, matured in very special wood.Slàinte!-------Socials:@C2GWhisky@JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David HolmesArt work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home)Vocals: Andrea CunninghamGuitars: John BeattieBass: Alasdair VannDrums: Alan HamiltonBagpipes: Calum McCollAccordion: Gary InnesMusic & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John BeattieRecorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, ScotlandSpecial thanks: The Piper Whisky Bar, 57 Cochrane Street, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  • Hidden Gems: Neill Murphy "A Scot on Scotch"
    When you think of whisky - Scotch whisky - where do you think of?Islay? Campbeltown? Speyside? Or, if you want to be more specific, Dufftown? Or Aberlour?But what about Glasgow?It's the largest city in Scotland. It's still the country's industrial heartland. So why not the capital of whisky too?Far-fetched as that may seem, Neill Murphy - who blogs about whisky as A Scot on Scotch - believes there's a barley grain of truth in the idea. "Glasgow," he says, "should be better thought of, really... We have a lot of whisky history in this city that's been forgotten about by most people. I myself included. I'm constantly researching and finding new things I didn't know about."The first Glasgow distillery - "that we know of" - he says, was founded in 1770. "And between then and 1903, there were something like 27 distilleries operating in the city of Glasgow."There was the Adelphi Distillery, Yoker Distillery and Dundas Hill, "which was up on the banks of the Forth and Clyde Canal." (In 1887, Alfred Barnard reported that Port Dundas produced "no less than 2,562,000 gallons" of whisky a year and generated £430,000 in duties. That's equivalent to £72 million in today's money.)"There's just so many," Neill continues. "And that's before you even take into account all the blenders and things. We had Teacher & Sons and Mackie & Co. So the Teacher's Highland Cream was a blend that came from Glasgow. The White Horse Blend came from Glasgow. There's so much history there. And, as I say, even the people of Glasgow have forgotten most of it."So, in November 2024, Neill and his business partner John McGuire, started Scottish Rogue, to put Glasgow "back on the whisky map." They provides distillery tours, whisky tastings and whisky bar walking tours around the city. They do, however, stretch the outskirts of Glasgow to include the Deanston Distillery in Perthshire. "But," Neill says, "it's only about maybe 45 minutes, 50 minutes away. And I think it's a bit of a hidden gem really."But, Neill insists, there are two great genuine Glasgow distilleries worth exploring: Clydeside Distillery on the River Clyde and The Glasgow Distillery in Hillington.Tune in as Neill tells John about his love of whisky, which was sparked at a Highland funeral (where else?) and his thoughts on the state of the industry.Slàinte!-------Socials:@C2GWhisky@JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David HolmesArt work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home)Vocals: Andrea CunninghamGuitars: John BeattieBass: Alasdair VannDrums: Alan HamiltonBagpipes: Calum McCollAccordion: Gary InnesMusic & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John BeattieRecorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, ScotlandSpecial thanks: The Piper Whisky Bar, 57 Cochrane Street, Glasgow, Scotland Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  • Dràm Mòr with Kenny & Viktorija Macdonald
    Kenny and Viktorija Macdonald like the word "mòr", Scots Gaelic for "big".Growing up, Kenny was known as Coinneach Mòr ("Big Kenny"). He and Viktorija met in the Glasgow pub Òran Mór ("big song") over a dram of Dalmore ("big meadow")."That whisky has a lot to answer for," Viktorija jokes...After they'd hitched up, they decided to start a whisky company called Dràm Mòr: Big Dram.Iniatially they acted as agents for other whisky producers, utilising Viktorija's contacts in her native Lithuania to export uisge beatha to the Baltic states and Ukraine, before expanding elsewhere into Europe.But before all that - and Viktorija - Kenny had "many different hats". And two jobs. He was a meat inspector for the Food Standards Agency and a nightclub bouncer for 27 years, where he says, "I have seen every form of stupidity the human race has to throw at me."So how did they get into the whisky industry?"It was Viktorija's fault," Kenny insists. "Let's be perfectly clear about that. So I came home from work one night and Viktorija said to me: 'Why do you do what you do? You obviously hate it'.""Well of course I hate it," Kenny says he replied. "It's my job." But, he continues, "Viktorija said, 'Some folk really enjoy what they do.' And you know, to my utter shame, I laughed at her."But Viktorija, Kenny says, persisted: "What would you love to do?"And then it dawned on him: "I love whisky."That's when they decided to start Dràm Mòr. And they eventually went from agents to independent bottlers.But how did they get there?In this episode Kenny and Viktorija tell John about their whisky journey; how they started Dràm Mòr; the markets they trade in; their thoughts on the current state of the whisky industry; and how they believe people in Ukraine and the countries neighbouring Russia - like the Lithuania and the other Baltic states - are, as Viktorija puts it, "drinking more of the good stuff because they don't know how long they're going to live."People in Ukraine, Viktorija tells John, are "living between hope and hell. Literally."Theirs is a sobering tale about the universality of hope over fear; and the simple pleasure that can be found, even in the worst of times, from a simple dram.So raise your glass to life, hope and fortitude. If you know your history, it's what Scotch whisky has always stood for.Slàinte!-------Socials:@C2GWhisky@JohnRossBeattie Creator & producer: David HolmesArt work & design: Jess Robertson Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home)Vocals: Andrea CunninghamGuitars: John BeattieBass: Alasdair VannDrums: Alan HamiltonBagpipes: Calum McCollAccordion: Gary InnesMusic & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John BeattieRecorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, ScotlandSpecial thanks: The Piper Whisky Bar, 57 Cochrane Street, Glasgow, ScotlandFollow The Piper on Facebook to keep up to date about tastings and other events Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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About Cask to Glass

How do you take your whisky?Neat? Splash of water? Block of ice? Or even a mixer?However you take it, join John Beattie, former Scotland rugby international and semi-retired BBC radio and TV news presenter, as he celebrates the heritage and flavour of Scotland's national drink and the world's favourite spirit.Whether you call it whisky, whiskey, uisge beatha, aqua vitae, or the water of life... there's a story behind every dram; a craftsman behind every drop; an aroma with every nose; and a flavour in every sip.This is the spirit of Scotland: distilled in a place; shared around the world.What makes it so special? Why is it so loved? And who are the people that make it, and the aficionados who drink it?Join John every Thursday as he explores the alchemy that takes place from cask to glass.Slàinte!-------Host: John BeattieProducer: David HolmesSocials:@C2GWhisky@JohnRossBeattie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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