Powered by RND
PodcastsArtsCask to Glass

Cask to Glass

David Holmes
Cask to Glass
Latest episode

Available Episodes

5 of 16
  • Edradour Distillery: 1825 to 2025 with Andrew Symington
    "I'm a whisky nerd," admits Andrew Symington the owner of Edradour Distillery. "That's how I got involved in the business. I love the different flavours."Edradour, near Pitlochry in Highland Perthshire, is one of Scotland's smallest distilleries and, Andrew says, Scotland's "last traditional farm distillery".Andrew's been in the whisky business for almost 40 years, both as the owner of Edradour and as an independent bottler with his Signatory Vintage Scotch Whisky company bottling “single, single, single malt". That's malts produced by a single distillery, from a single distillation and a single cask.And in this episode he tells John how Edradour, established 200 years ago in 1825, had "illegal origins", when local farmers would create a literal smoke screen by lighting fires to throw off the Government's excisemen looking for for the plume from illicit stills; how the distillery's "very small, short dumpy stills" make a "heavy oily spirit" which goes into Edradour's range of non-peated and heavily peated malt whiskies; how he uses traditional sherry and bourbon casks as well as red wine barrels from Bordeaux, Burgundy and Amarone; and how the Scotch whisky industry is facing "headwinds": the cost of living crisis, the effects of Brexit, over-production and over-pricing, global supply chain issues, the threat of US tariffs, and increasingly international competition.But he says: "As long as we're not greedy; as long as we keep the heritage there, Scotch whisky still has a good future."So pour yourself a wee dram and tune in as John and Andrew talk 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, 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.
    --------  
    31:51
  • Tasting Masterclass with Max McFarlane
    Next time you're in Spain, "give the oak tree a big hug," implores master blender Max McFarlane. Without the oak, he says, Scotch whisky wouldn't be what it is.Join John as Max takes him on a tasting journey from new make spirit through the casks and years to learn to recognise the look, nose and palate of several very different whiskies. And he throws in an off-note whisky that's really gone wrong. Along the way they talk about the state of the global whisky market and Max recommends whiskies he thinks are on the up-and-up and others that are overlooked.So pour yourself a wee dram and tune in.Slàinte!-------The whiskies (and spirit) tasted in this episode are:Highland Park New Make SpiritArdgowan Clydebuilt Riveter 15 Year Old Single GrainThe Famous Grouse Blended Scotch WhiskyHighland Park 12 Year Old Single MaltLaphroaig 10 Year Old Single MaltCraigellachie 11 Year Old Single MaltPlease drink responsibly.-------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.
    --------  
    39:03
  • The Community Spirit: GlenWyvis Distillery in Dingwall
    They're "fairly geeky" about the spirit at GlenWyvis admits Craig MacRitchie, Distillery Manager at Scotland's first modern day community-owned distillery.Established in Dingwall at the head the Cromarty Firth in north-east Scotland in 2016, GlenWyvis Distillery is unburdened by a traditional house style. So they do what they like - provided, Craig says, it makes good whisky and complies with the regulations set out by the Scotch Whisky Association.Such as?Longer fermentation than other more established distilleries - as much as six days; experimentation with barrels and single cask whiskies; and making classic eastern Highland-style unpeated whisky 11 months of the year and very heavily peated whisky for the remaining month.And the result?"A light, easy-going fruity whisky.""Fruity, malty, maybe a touch grassy with a wee bit of spice in the new make spirit."This week John chats to Craig and GlenWyvis's Chairman of the Management Committee, David McIntyre, about Dingwall's first legal distillery in over 100 years and the whisky it produces; the 3,800 members who make up the community enterprise behind GlenWyvis; and the community payback that supports among other things the young carers in primary school looking after a parent or the pupil who needs a laptop.GlenWyvis is about the community and the whisky, David says. It's made with love; "a distillery by the people for the people."So pour yourself a wee dram and listen in.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.
    --------  
    32:26
  • By Royal Appointment 1494: Lindores Abbey Distillery
    The origins of Scotch whisky are lost in the mists of time.But in the Exchequer Roll of 1494, King James IV bestowed his royal seal of approval on a Tironensian monk and distiller from Lindores Abbey in Fife: "Et per liberacionem factam fratri Johanni Cor per preceptum compotorum rotulatoris, ut asserit, de mandato domini regis ad faciendum aquavite infra hoc compotum, viii bolle brasii.""To Friar John Cor, 8 bolls of malt, wherewith to make aqua vitae for the King."It is the earliest written record we have of whisky in Scotland.Lindores Abbey was founded in 1191 by French monks from Tiron 60 miles south of Paris. But it was abandoned and destroyed during the Reformation in the 16th Century. The land with the abbey ruins became farmland and was eventually bought in 1913 by Drew McKenzie Smith's grandfather.Fast forward 87 years, and Drew and his family had no idea of the significance of their farm. So much so cattle grazed among the ruins. Then an unexpected visitor knocked on the door of the family home...But we won't spoil if for you.Pour yourself a dram as Drew tells John how that chance visit led to the foundation of Lindores Abbey Distillery, rekindling the spirit of 1494, and how in building the new distillery they discovered important archaeological artefacts relating to the earliest days of whisky making in Scotland.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.
    --------  
    30:47
  • Tongue Tangled: Pronunciation Masterclass with Gillian Kirkland
    Whisky makers don't make it easy, do they? Bunnahabhain. Glen Garioch. Ledaig.Even the most popular ones can be hard to get your tongue around. Is it Glenfiddich with an "ick" or with an "itch"? Glenmorangie as in "mow-ran-gee" or "morangie" - like orange with an "M" in front of it?In last week's episode, John and former Scotland rugby star Chris Cusiter, who's now a whisky importer in LA, discussed how difficult it can be to pronounce the names of some Scotch whiskies.So we thought we'd put an expert to the test.Who better, then, than Scotland's Whisky Guru 2024, Gillian Kirkland owner of the award-winning Piper Whisky Bar in Glasgow and the Scottish Bar & Pub Awards Inspirational Woman of the Year 2023?We've picked 12 whiskies: Laphroaig; Glen Garioch; Dràm Mòr Duich; Bunnahabhain; Glenmorangie; Glenglassaugh; Ledaig; Caol Ila; Torabhaig; Bruichladdich; Allt-A-Bhainne; and Glentauchers.Can she get them right? Or will she have to take her own advice, and "just point"?Pour yourself a dram and listen in for some "kks" and "vvs" and "tchs" where you'd least expect them.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.
    --------  
    23:16

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, Dish 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

Social
v7.17.1 | © 2007-2025 radio.de GmbH
Generated: 5/9/2025 - 11:39:01 AM