Podcast

Whisky Talk

Arts, Food, Places & Travel, Society & Culture

Welcome to Whisky Talk! Hosted by Richard Goslan, editor of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s members magazine Unfiltered, we'll be introducing you to some of the people who make whisky, the places it comes from and the characters who bring it to life.

Episodes
100
Releases
Every two weeks
Typical length
40 min
On air since
2019
Latest episode
1 month ago

Episodes

100 episodes, newest first

  1. Phenomenal phenols & documentary premieres | October Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    Scotch & Smoke screenings: https://smws.com/no-menu-link/scotch-and-smoke-screening-events/

    This month Calum and Duncan go up in smoke, diving into an Outturn packed with peat. As well as celebrating the launch of our brand-new feature length documentary Scotch & Smoke: A Flavour Odyssey II, the pair uncover this year's Winter Series and take a look at the rare gems in our new Creators Collection, Peat Plants III.

    Refer a friend to the Society and earn £50 in vouchers:
    UK: https://smws.io/wm8
    EU: https://smws.io/gzj

    Join the Society for £100 a year and your first bottle, worth £70, is on us:
    UK: https://smws.io/3gu
    EU: https://smws.io/mp1

    Explore the August Outturn:
    UK: https://smws.com/outturn
    EU: https://smws.eu/outturn

    Join SMWS America
    https://smws.io/459321

    36 min
  2. Brand-new cask types & the ultimate whisky taste test | September Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    Refer a friend to the Society and earn £50 in vouchers:
    UK: https://smws.io/wm8
    EU: https://smws.io/gzj

    Join the Society for £100 a year and your first bottle, worth £70, is on us:
    UK: https://smws.io/3gu
    EU: https://smws.io/mp1

    Explore the August Outturn:
    UK: https://smws.com/outturn
    EU: https://smws.eu/outturn

    Join SMWS America
    https://smws.io/459321

    This month Calum and Duncan settle into autumn with five of the best whiskies being released in the September Outturn. The pair dive into the ultimate whisky taste test, unveil a brand-new cask type, and tease the Society's next feature length documentary, Scotch & Smoke.

    41 min
  3. Massive Speyside stills & the perfect introduction to peat | August Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    Refer a friend to the Society and earn £50 in vouchers:
    UK: https://smws.io/wm8
    EU: https://smws.io/gzj

    Join the Society for £100 a year and your first bottle, worth £70, is on us:
    UK: https://smws.io/3gu
    EU: https://smws.io/mp1

    Explore the August Outturn:
    UK: https://smws.com/outturn
    EU: https://smws.eu/outturn

    Tune in to the August Outturn podcast as Calum and Duncan uncover some of the best gems being released this month. After sampling a dram produced from abnormally large stills, the pair discover the perfect introduction to peat and unveil the ultimate flight from our new Creators Collection, The Elgin Marvels - two icons from Speyside.

    44 min
  4. Getting knee deep in peat & custom distillations | July Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    Refer a friend to the Society and earn £50 in vouchers:
    UK: https://smws.io/wm8 EU: https://smws.io/gzj

    Join the Society for £100 a year and your first bottle, worth £70, is on us:
    UK: https://smws.io/3gu EU: https://smws.io/mp1

    Explore the July Outturn:
    UK: https://smws.com/outturn EU: https://smws.eu/outturn

    This month Calum and Duncan are on the road filming for an exciting new documentary. Tune in to find out more about that, see the guys enjoy some of the most intriguing bottles from the July Outturn, catch up with Richard as he stops by for a cameo and indulge in one of their favourite whisky snacks.

    44 min
  5. Society’s whisky director Kai Ivalo on retirement, his whisky journey & the growth of the SMWS

    Show notes

    Refer a friend to the Society and earn £50 in vouchers:
    UK: https://smws.io/wm8
    EU: https://smws.io/gzj

    Become a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society:
    UK: https://smws.io/3gu
    EU: https://smws.io/mp1

    The Scotch Malt Whisky Society wishes its whisky director Kai Ivalo a long and healthy retirement, after 22 years of overseeing our stocks of whisky – along with various other roles with the world’s leading whisky club. Before he heads off, Richard Goslan caught up with Kai to reflect on his time with the Society, the changes he’s seen and been part of over the past two decades and what he’s planning to do with his newfound spare time.

    40 min
  6. Episode 95: World Cup gems & whisky with breathtaking colour | June Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    Duncan and Calum are back to get stuck into some of the most exciting bottlings being released in this month's Outturn. Tune in to hear the pair get set for Scotland's long-awaited return to a World Cup, switch up their Tasting Notes, and uncork a whisky with breathtaking colour.

    40 min
  7. Festival seasons & the regionality question | May Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    Refer a friend to the Society and earn £50 in vouchers:
    UK: https://smws.io/wm8
    EU: https://smws.io/gzj

    Join the Society for £100 a year and your first bottle, worth £70, is on us:
    UK: https://smws.io/3gu
    EU: https://smws.io/mp1

    This month Calum and Duncan dive in to festival season with five spectacular drams each representing one of the five whisky regions. Tune in to hear the pair discuss whether the regions still have a place in the modern whisky world, unveil some exciting summer bottlings, and get their fill on some scintillating surprises in this months Outturn.

    54 min
  8. A revival from ruin & the magic of a single cask | Annandale distillery

    Show notes

    Refer a friend to the Society and earn £50 in vouchers:
    UK: https://smws.io/wm8
    EU: https://smws.io/gzj

    Become a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society:
    UK: https://smws.io/3gu
    EU: https://smws.io/mp1

    Tune into this episode of the Whisky Talk Podcast as Richard Goslan visits Annandale distillery to meet co-founder Professor David Thomson. Richard finds out about the incredible story of resurrection, renovation and the revival of whisky-making at the site near Dumfries after almost a century.

    36 min
  9. Getting 'fleeing' filming Still Game & ELEVEN year old whisky | Greg Hemphill & Rab Florence

    Show notes

    Refer a friend to the Society and earn £50 in vouchers:
    UK: https://smws.io/wm8
    EU: https://smws.io/gzj

    Become a member of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society:
    UK: https://smws.io/3gu
    EU: https://smws.io/mp1

    Settle down and enjoy some quality drams and craic with these three legends of Scottish comedy; Greg Hemphill, Rab Florence, and Michael Hines.

    Known for their roles in creating iconic Scottish comedies like Still Game, Chewin’ the Fat and Burnistoun, there was no shortage of laughs in this episode.

    This isn’t one you want to miss!

    1 hr 24 min
  10. Distilleries with massive variety & whiskies that look insane | April Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    This this month Duncan is joined by brand ambassador Francesco Ramella and assistant Queen Street manager Logan Shaw. The trio get stuck into some of the most exciting casks coming out in April and say farewell to Logan as he counts down his final days with the Society.

    35 min
  11. Peated lowlands & new wave distilleries | March Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    This month Calum and Duncan are joined by Anna Grahn where the trio uncover our latest Creators Collection, uncork a brand new 'Heresy' release, and get stuck into the Society's third year of partnership with the OurWhisky Foundation.

    51 min
  12. Women in whisky & The OurWhisky Foundation | Becky Paskin

    Show notes

    OurWhisky Foundation is a non-profit organisation that seeks to recognise, support and empower women working in the whisky industry. The Society’s Julie Roberts has been both a mentee and mentor for OurWhisky Foundation. She sat down for a catch up at The Vaults with founder Becky Paskin, where the pair sampled our latest release of special bottlings for International Women’s Day in support of the programme.

    42 min
  13. Traumatising first drams & debunking tasting myths | Brendan McCarron

    Show notes

    In this episode we're joined by whisky expert and master distiller Brendan McCarron. Having spent time with Diageo, Distell, and Glenmorangie, Brendan has worked with some of the biggest names in Scotch whisky, and is no stranger to us here at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Listen in as he recounts his horrific first dram, offers up a whisky masterclass, and analyses today's industry.

    56 min
  14. Unconventional drams & insanely long fermentation times | February Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    This month love is in the air as Calum and Duncan unpack some of the Society's most scintillating Valentine's Day bottlings. With plenty of cheeky names along the way the pair dive into an unconventional Speyside, a distillery with a staggeringly long fermentation and a popular Islay dram.

    30 min
  15. Industry secrets & custom made casks | January Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    This month Calum and Duncan welcome in the new year by covering a great range of Society offerings. They uncloak a lesser-known industry secret with our two new 'Heresy' bottlings, get a taste for life down under with our latest Creators Collection, Fortified, and get stuck into some custom casks from a peculiar distillery.

    44 min
  16. Solera systems & unique distilling techniques | December Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    This month Duncan and Calum are joined by the Society's head of whisky creation Euan Campbell where the trio get stuck into all the best drams in the December Outturn. In this Christmas special we embrace the festivities, uncover some unsung heroes, and taste the first bottling to come from the Society's very own solera system.

    39 min
  17. The man who brought The Macallan to the world stage | Willie Phillips

    Show notes

    As managing director of The Macallan in the 1970s, Willie Phillips helped to build its reputation at a time when the industry was in the doldrums and the market for single malts was still miniscule. After bringing The Macallan to the world stage, Willie went on to become chairman of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society, collecting plenty of stories along the way.

    32 min
  18. The biggest Outturn of the year & Edinburgh whisky festival | November Outturn Podcast

    Show notes

    This month Calum and Duncan head out to Edinburgh Whisky Festival where they get stuck in to the biggest Outturn of the year. Tune in to hear them chat with some familiar Society faces, uncover an entirely new cask type and get into the Christmas spirit with the perfect stocking filler.

    59 min
  19. The founder of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society | Pip Hills

    Show notes

    In this episode Richard Goslan sits down with Pip Hills, the founder of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society. Pip lost contact with the Society in the 1990s, and didn't rekindle his relationship with the SMWS until Richard tracked him down in 2018. Here the pair reflect on Pip's return to the Society, his health at the age of 85 and how the Society became a force for good with more than 40,000 members across the world.

    20 min
  20. Sleeping in the maltings & whisky goosebumps | Stewart Buchanan Benriach distillery

    Show notes

    Global Malts Ambassador for Brown-Forman, Stewart Buchanan stepped into Queen Street earlier this year to talk about his whisky adventures with Mads Schmoll. From his early days on the island of Mull to travelling the world to talk all about all things BenRiach today, he’s worked in nearly every part of the industry.

    Tune in to hear more and watch as Stewart and Mads try The Vaults Collection, Cask No. 12.80: Heaven in a leather hammock.

    35 min