Whisky Talk
by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society
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
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Episode 101: The biggest whisky release of the year | November Outturn Podcast
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society's biggest release of whisky is out in November, just in time to get your orders in for Christmas either for yourself or for the whisky lovers in your life. Join Calum and Duncan for an overview of the releases, and an emotional farewell to Duncan as he prepares to…
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Phenomenal phenols & documentary premieres | October Outturn Podcast
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...
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Brand-new cask types & the ultimate whisky taste test | September Outturn Podcast
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:...
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Massive Speyside stills & the perfect introduction to peat | August Outturn Podcast
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:...
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Getting knee deep in peat & custom distillations | July Outturn Podcast
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:...
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Society’s whisky director Kai Ivalo on retirement, his whisky journey & the growth of the SMWS
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...
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Episode 95: World Cup gems & whisky with breathtaking colour | June Outturn Podcast
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.
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Festival seasons & the regionality question | May Outturn Podcast
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...
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A revival from ruin & the magic of a single cask | Annandale distillery
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…
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Getting 'fleeing' filming Still Game & ELEVEN year old whisky | Greg Hemphill & Rab Florence
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…
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Distilleries with massive variety & whiskies that look insane | April Outturn Podcast
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.
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Peated lowlands & new wave distilleries | March Outturn Podcast
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.
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Women in whisky & The OurWhisky Foundation | Becky Paskin
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…
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Traumatising first drams & debunking tasting myths | Brendan McCarron
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...
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Unconventional drams & insanely long fermentation times | February Outturn Podcast
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.
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Industry secrets & custom made casks | January Outturn Podcast
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...
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Solera systems & unique distilling techniques | December Outturn Podcast
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...
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The man who brought The Macallan to the world stage | Willie Phillips
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…
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The biggest Outturn of the year & Edinburgh whisky festival | November Outturn Podcast
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.
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The founder of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society | Pip Hills
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,...
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Sleeping in the maltings & whisky goosebumps | Stewart Buchanan Benriach distillery
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...
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Eight new flavour profiles & local whisky heroes | October Outturn Podcast
This month Calum and Duncan are joined by Mads Schmoll to uncover the Society's eight new flavour profiles. Working their way through each of the new profiles, the trio reveal what members can expect from this evolution and shine a light on a new Winter Series.
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Taiwanese whisky & worm tub condensers | August Outturn Podcast
This month Calum and Duncan tuck into some unusual cask types, taste whisky from Taiwan and find the perfect introduction to peat. Our latest Creators Collection, Tales of the Worm Tub, transports the duo back in time as they experience a different era of Scotch whisky distillation.
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Episode 77: Brutal Islay weather, direct fired stills & peated Lowland whisky | July Outturn Podcast
This month Duncan and Calum are joined by Society brand ambassador and member services executive, Francesco Ramella. While finding out what's on offer in the July Outturn, the trio remember their favourite outdoor adventures and discuss Francesco's whisky journey.
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Episode 76: Logan Shaw and SMWS June Outturn
This month Calum and Duncan are joined by Logan Shaw, the assistant venue manager at our Queen Street Members’ Room. With hip flasks in hand, the three get stuck into this month’s Outturn with plenty of adventures, stories and drams along the way.
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Episode 75: Anthony Delcros and SMWS April Outturn
This month Calum and Richard are joined by The Scotch Malt Whisky Society's Anthony Delcros as the trio prepare for this year’s whisky festivals. Anthony reveals his own whisky journey while covering all the adventures he has planned to take the Society’s tastings off the beaten track at the...
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Episode 74: Lucy Connor and SMWS March Outturn
This month Calum and Richard get zen as they’re guided through a ‘dramaste’ styled tasting by Lucy Connor. Lucy took a day out from her time behind the bar at The Vaults to chat through this year’s International Women’s Day bottlings, discuss some of her maverick tasting ideas, and share her own...
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Episode 73: Matt Bailey and SMWS February Outturn
Richard and Calum catch up with Matt Bailey, who recently joined The Scotch Malt Whisky Society’s European team as managing director. The trio discuss Tasmanian whisky, psychotic dram decisions and delve into some of the Society bottlings coming out in the UK and Europe in February.
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Episode 72: Olaf Meier
Scotch Malt Whisky Society ambassador and Tasting Panel chairperson Olaf Meier is a fountain of knowledge, driven by a limitless number of whisky stories and a huge passion for the Society and the wider whisky world. Olaf now finds himself celebrating his 20th year representing the Society.…
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Episode 71: Scotch & Sherry
In this episode we’re going on a special journey across Spain, to tell the story of whisky and sherry and the wonderful synergy between the two worlds when it comes to sherry cask matured whisky. We travel to the oak forests of Galicia in the far northwest of Spain to take the creation of Spanish...
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Episode 70: Paul John
Regular listeners will know that we are fortunate at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society to welcome representatives from distilleries, who visit us in our Members’ Rooms, share some special samples of their whiskies with our members, and give us their insights and knowledge about their distilleries.…
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Episode 69: Flavour Journey with Kami Newton
In this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the flavour journey that takes place every time we uncork a bottle of whisky and then nose and taste it. It’s a process that the Tasting Panel at The Scotch Malt Whisky Society goes through with every sample that is presented for possible inclusion…
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Episode 68: Blair Athol
We were fortunate to have a visit from two of the team from Blair Athol distillery to The Vaults in February, for a special tasting of four expressions of Blair Athol whisky, along with a sample of one of the Society’s own single cask offerings. Blair Athol distillery manager Derek Younie was...
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Episode 67: Springbank
In February, The Scotch Malt Whisky Society paid host to Melanie Stanger from Springbank distillery in Campbeltown, who visited our Members’ Room at The Vaults in Leith to tell us more about this legendary distillery and share a few special drams.
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Episode 66: Pip's Prague Adventure
The vintage Lagonda belonging to Society founder Pip Hills played an instrumental part in our whisky club’s foundation, carrying the first precious cargo of single casks from Speyside back to his Scotland Street home in Edinburgh to share with friends. In 1990, Pip Hills and his brother-in-law…
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Episode 65: Matugga Rum
A taste of rum at a family gathering led husband-and-wife team Jacine and Paul Rutasikwa on the path to setting up their own distillery in the town of Livingston, near Edinburgh. Mads Schmoll paid a visit to uncover the fascinating story behind Matugga Rum and how it blends elements of African,...
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Episode 64: Val McDermid
Crime writer and whisky enthusiast Val has been a fan of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society since its early days, after receiving an educational journey across the whisky regions from a friend’s father who was something of an aficionado. Whisky Talk caught up with Val in an Edinburgh coffee shop to...
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Episode 63: Maverick - The Founder's Tale with Pip Hills
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society is marking its 40th anniversary with an updated and revised edition of Pip Hills' memoir, "Maverick – The Founder’s Tale", which now includes the story of 'coming in from the cold' after leaving the whisky club in the 1990s. Pip tells Richard Goslan about…
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Episode 62: The sound of Glen Scotia
How do you capture the sense of sound in a distillery and its location – and then incorporate that into a song? That’s what the team at Glen Scotia set out to do, with a whisky and music collaboration in its Campbeltown home. Whisky Talk caught up with the contributors to find out more.
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Episode 61: Denis Lesgourgues
In this episode of Whisky Talk the Society strays from the familiarity of Scotland's malt whisky to the south of France for an insight into the world of Armagnac. Denis Lesgourgues, a third-generation owner of armagnac house Château de Laubade, paid a recent visit to The Vaults to tell a packed...
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Episode 60: Kythe Distillery
With so many new distilleries coming online across Scotland, it’s sometimes hard to keep track. But when Angus MacRaild dropped the news at the start of April about his plans for Kythe distillery, it felt like time to sit up and pay attention. Angus has teamed up with partners Jonny McMillan and...
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Episode 58: Falkirk Distillery
Stray just a few moments from the M9 motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh and you will discover Falkirk Distillery, a grand whitewashed building, complete with twin copper pagodas. Duncan Gorman sat down for a chat with co-founders George and Fiona Stewart, to discuss some of the bizarre...
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Episode 59: Craig Johnstone
From East Lothian to Tasmania and back to Scotland, Craig Johnstone has worked across the whisky industry for the past 20 years. Today he works for Edrington as master blender for The Famous Grouse, a role he came to via a stint as a distillery tour guide, a distillery manager and a few years...
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Episode 57: Richard Paterson
Our guest on this edition needs little in the way of introduction to any whisky fan. Richard Paterson has been working in the whisky industry for the past 57 years, with more than half a century of his career spent with Whyte & Mackay Distillers. We were delighted to welcome Richard to the...
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Episode 56: SMWS Women
Women have been instrumental in making the Society what it is today. The three As of Anne Dana, Anne Griffiths and Annabel Meikle came from different backgrounds and hadn’t planned to have a career in whisky. But driven by a thirst for knowledge, an encouraging environment and an openness to new...
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Episode 55: Port of Leith
Port of Leith is Scotland's first vertical distillery, founded by Ian Stirling and Paddy Fletcher. Standing nine storeys tall, it’s just next door to the Royal Yacht Britannia and a stone's throw away from our spiritual home, The Vaults. As the distillery nears completion, the spirit of…
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Episode 54: Malts & Music with Sam Heughan
Outlander star and whisky fanatic Sam Heughan joins Vic Galloway in our latest episode of Whisky Talk Malts & Music. Sam discusses his passion for whisky, his appreciation of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society and his own plans for whisky and the wider spirits world. Tune in as Sam shares his…
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Episode 53: Pip Hills and his whisky epiphany
The origin of The Scotch Malt Whisky Society can be traced back to the founder, Pip Hills, visiting his friends at a farmhouse in deepest rural Aberdeenshire, where he first experienced single cask, cask strength whisky, served up from a lemonade bottle by a neighbouring farmer. Richard Goslan...
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Episode 52: Iain McAlister
Glen Scotia distillery is a favourite of Society members, and we were delighted in early December to welcome distillery manager and master distiller Iain McAlister to The Vaults in December to present a fantastic selection of cask samples, along with an SMWS bottling from distillery 93. Tune in…
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About this show
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.
Hosted by
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society