Skip to content
PodcastsArtsCask to Glass

Cask to Glass

David Holmes
Cask to Glass
Latest episode

69 episodes

  • Cask to Glass

    Liquid on Lips: How to Market Whisky with Nick Morgan

    23/07/2026 | 34 mins.
    How do you market whisky in the 21st century? Or as ex-Diageo marketing guru, Nick Morgan, puts it: How do you get "liquid on lips"? A Keeper of the Quaich and the 48th inductee in the Whisky Hall of Fame, Nick's written the definitive history of Johnnie Walker, the best-selling Scotch whisky in the world: Johnnie Walkder: A Long Stride - The Story of the World's No 1 Scotch Whisky.

    Red label. Black label. Blue label. Green label. Gold label...

    For over 200 years Johnnie Walker blended Scotch whisky has been the world's leading whisky brand recognised and enjoyed in over 180 countries. And, as Nick explains, for over a hundred years, Johnnie Walker has stuck to one abiding image and message: the Striding Man.

    In this episode, Nick explains what works and what doesn't work when it comes to marketing whisky. As a historian, Nick's studied whisky marketing techniques from the late 19th and early 20th century: "There was a lot of marketing [then]. People didn't call it that, but my goodness me, they were doing marketing of the most brilliant kind, some of the early brand owners, big brand owners.

    "I think one of the things then was that everyone really understood their product. They really understood what they were selling. They understood the whole whiskey thing."

    So join John as he and Nick discuss what works and what doesn't when it comes to marketing whisky; and what some of the new distilleries are getting right and wrong.

    Discover how sherry had an impact on the explosion of the whisky market in the mid- to late-19th century beyond providing casks.

    And learn how the prohibition movement in the UK between 1900 and 1935 led to an 80% fall in the consumption of spirits - most of it whisky - and how the how industry found new global markets.

    Could this provide a template out of the current slump in whisky sales. As Nick puts it, perhaps "some of the new market [for whisky sales] are talking to new consumers in old markets and finding relevant ways of talking to them."

    Slàinte!

    #whisky #podcast #interview #WhiskyMarketing #scotchwhisky #NickMorgan #CaskToGlass #johnniewalker
    -------
    Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie

    Creator & producer: David Holmes
    Art work & design: Jess Robertson

    Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home)
    Vocals: Andrea Cunningham
    Guitars: John Beattie
    Bass: Alasdair Vann
    Drums: Alan Hamilton
    Bagpipes: Calum McColl
    Accordion: Gary Innes
    Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie
    Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • Cask to Glass

    Mythical Beasts & Tangible Assets: Spiritfield's Ross Archer & Russell Spratley

    16/07/2026 | 34 mins.
    Is whisky ownership the ultimate tangible asset?

    In this episode of Cask to Glass, we go behind the scenes of the whisky industry with Russell Spratley and Ross Archer from Spiritfilled. From their roots in finance to launching an award-winning independent bottling brand and an HMRC-approved bond, they share what it really takes to navigate the world of casks.

    We dive deep into:
    •The reality of whisky as a tangible asset vs. a financial instrument.
    •How the Braeside Bond is creating a new standard for transparency and "experience-led" storage.
    •The revolutionary NEOC (New Era of Cask) process that is transforming how spirits are finished.
    •How Scottish rugby legend Finn Russell became the face of their brand.
    •The current state of the global whisky market and why "time" is the most valuable ingredient.

    Whether you're a seasoned collector or just curious about owning your first cask, this conversation offers a rare, honest look at the craft and business of Scotch whisky.

    Slàinte!
    -------
    Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie

    Creator & producer: David Holmes
    Art work & design: Jess Robertson

    Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home)
    Vocals: Andrea Cunningham
    Guitars: John Beattie
    Bass: Alasdair Vann
    Drums: Alan Hamilton
    Bagpipes: Calum McColl
    Accordion: Gary Innes
    Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie
    Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • Cask to Glass

    The Swallows' Tale: John Johnstone & the Spirit of Glenkinchie

    09/07/2026 | 32 mins.
    What does a 6,000-mile journey from Africa to a Scottish distillery have to do with a rare 30-year-old whisky? John Johnstone shares "The Swallows' Tale", a story of family legacy, natural cycles, and the spirit of Glenkinchie Distillery.

    From his roots in the mining community of Tranent to his transition from engineering into the heart of the whisky industry, John shares a deeply personal look at the people and history behind the "Lowland Legend."

    We dive into the arrival of the swallows at the distillery, the craftsmanship behind the legendary 30-year-old release, and how sharing a dram at the visitor center has a unique way of restoring faith in humanity.

    Slàinte!
    -------
    Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie

    Creator & producer: David Holmes
    Art work & design: Jess Robertson

    Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home)
    Vocals: Andrea Cunningham
    Guitars: John Beattie
    Bass: Alasdair Vann
    Drums: Alan Hamilton
    Bagpipes: Calum McColl
    Accordion: Gary Innes
    Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie
    Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • Cask to Glass

    The Dram Queen: Ann Miller & the Demysification of Enjoying Whisky

    18/06/2026 | 32 mins.
    There are a lot of supposed "rules" when it comes to whisky. But for Ann Miller "rules are meant to be broken". AKA The Dram Queen, Ann's been demystifying the flavour and vocabulary of whisky for years, from explaining how a drop of water unlocks the taste of a dram to explaining the science of what goes on in the cask.

    In this episode of Cask to Glass, John Beattie chats to one of Scotland’s most esteemed whisky educators.

    With a career spanning from the Scotch Whisky Experience in the 1980s to Chivas Brothers, Ann shares her deep expertise on the heritage, science, and evolving landscape of Scotland's national drink. We dive into the fascinating chemical reaction that occurs when adding water to whisky, the rise of non-age statement expressions, and the innovative cask finishes shaping the market today.

    Ann also reveals her "Desert Island" whiskies and provides professional tips on how to truly assess and savour a high-end dram. Whether you’re a seasoned connoisseur or just beginning your whisky journey, this conversation is packed with insights to help you appreciate the "water of life" on your own terms.

    #whisky #scotchwhisky #podcast #DramQueen #WhiskyTasting #CaskToGlass #Speyside #singlemaltscotch

    Slàinte!
    -------
    Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie

    Creator & producer: David Holmes
    Art work & design: Jess Robertson

    Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home)
    Vocals: Andrea Cunningham
    Guitars: John Beattie
    Bass: Alasdair Vann
    Drums: Alan Hamilton
    Bagpipes: Calum McColl
    Accordion: Gary Innes
    Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie
    Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
  • Cask to Glass

    The Art of the Dram: Tom Addy from the Fife Arms

    11/06/2026 | 31 mins.
    Would you pay £9,000 for a single nip of whisky?

    Today, we’re inside the legendary Fife Arms Hotel in Braemar, home to one of the world's most exclusive whisky libraries as John Beattie chats to Tom Addy about a whisky distilled in 1833 that was hidden behind a cellar wall for decades.

    What was his sales pitch to Jimmy Fallon? And did it work?

    Slàinte!
    -------
    Socials: @C2GWhisky | @JohnRossBeattie

    Creator & producer: David Holmes
    Art work & design: Jess Robertson

    Music: Water of Life (Never Going Home)
    Vocals: Andrea Cunningham
    Guitars: John Beattie
    Bass: Alasdair Vann
    Drums: Alan Hamilton
    Bagpipes: Calum McColl
    Accordion: Gary Innes
    Music & Lyrics: Andrea Cunningham & John Beattie
    Recorded & mixed by Murray Collier at La Chunky Studios, Glasgow, Scotland
    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More Arts podcasts
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.
Podcast website

Listen to Cask to Glass, 99% Invisible and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features
Cask to Glass: Podcasts in Family