Indian Whiskies, Japanese Drams & Whisky Wonders!

We're back in the Diggers Vaults at the Athletic Arms, sweating it out (it's roasting!) and diving into a proper global whisky adventure! This week, Angus, Ross, Fraser, and I are catching up after our whirlwind travels, and I've brought back some rather unique souvenirs for us to try.First up, we're tackling Indian whiskies! I'll share some insights from my recent trip to Mumbai for a wild blind tasting experience with the Single Malt Amateur Club. We try some of India's biggest selling brands – Royal Stag, Blender's Pride, and 100 Pipers – and let's just say, the results are... interesting. Some surprises in there, especially when it comes to the "Scotch" element!Then, Fraser unveils a true unicorn: a super rare Japanese whisky from Fuji Gotemba Distillery – the mysterious Dunbar! This one has a bizarre story and some even more bizarre tasting notes (urinal cakes, anyone?!).We also get Fraser's take on his new gig at Gordon & MacPhail, following up on our last chat with Stephen Rankin. He gives us the lowdown on life inside one of the world's most historic independent bottlers and how their incredible whisky portfolio stretches from affordable drams to absolute treasures.Plus, we talk about Rosebank Distillery's incredible Tamdhu residency and the unique blending experience there. And stick around for a hilarious debate on the "Seven Wonders of the Whisky World" and whether a distillery tour is better during production or shutdown.Finally, we unveil the utterly mind-blowing Gordon & MacPhail Driver's Pack drams that Stephen Rankin generously sent us – a line-up of truly world-class, aged whiskies we'll be showcasing in a separate video!It's just another Friday night in the pub with lots of drams, plenty of laughs, surprising whiskies, and the occasional whisky chat you won't hear anywhere else. Don't miss it! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.