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Malted barley is critical to the making of many whiskies around the world, and this week, we'll take you inside the malting process with a visit to New Zealand's Gladfield Malt. Gabi and Doug Mitchell founded the maltings 16 years ago as an outgrowth of the family's Gladfield Farm, and has become a key supplier of malted barley for the country's growing craft distilling industry. There's so much to learn that we'll be splitting the tour between this episode and next week's WhiskyCast. In the news, a Minneapolis distillery is in ruins after it was torched by rioters during protests against the death of George Floyd while in police custody, and the distillery's founder is vowing not only to rebuild, but will help his neighbors rebuild their businesses. Some distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail are making plans to reopen to the public for tours and tastings next week following coronavirus-related closings, while we'll also have the latest on new whiskies and much more.

As governments start to relax lockdown restrictions in the fight against the Covid-19 virus, some distilleries are slowly starting to welcome the public back. While tours and tastings are still widely banned, Ireland's Teeling Whiskey Company opened the doors to its distillery shop and cafe this week, and we'll talk with Stephen Teeling about the decision and what it means to be able to get out of the house again. Meanwhile, at least four Kentucky distilleries have also opened their gift shops along with others in states with looser public health restrictions. However, Scotland's Glenfarclas Distillery will keep its visitors center in Speyside shuttered for the rest of 2020 to protect the health of distillery workers after one of its bottling hall workers died from the virus. We'll also have details on two whisky auctions to support those affected by the virus, along with the week's tasting notes and much more!

As parts of the world begin to reopen following lockdowns to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, bars are likely to be among the last businesses allowed to reopen. The social nature of bars doesn't quite work in an era of social distancing, and that will mean major changes for bar owners - and patrons. Jon Taffer is the host of the reality show "Bar Rescue" and a longtime bar industry consultant. He's been thinking about what the post-pandemic future holds for bars, and it's not a pretty picture - as he tells us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, some distilleries are starting to distill again in Scotland, while Kentucky Bourbon Trail distilleries could start to see a few gift shops reopen this week. We'll also have some of your comments to our poll question on plastic bottles for whisky and a look at research that could make wheat more attractive for distillers in the future.

While world leaders have rightly been focused on the Covid-19 pandemic, the issue of climate change has its own long-term impact on the whisky community worldwide. This week, we'll look at two projects trying to create a sustainable climate for the whisky industry in the future. The "2100 Plan" is a project between the Kentucky Distillers Association and the state's universities to come up with solutions that solve sustainability issues, while Scotland's Bruichladdich Distillery has launched a program to make the entire distillery "carbon-neutral" by 2025. That project could use the waves that pound the Islay coast every day to generate power not only for Bruichladdich, but potentially meet most of the island's electrical demand. In the news, the U.S and Great Britain have started negotiations on a new free trade agreement, and whisky industry leaders want to make sure import tariffs on whiskies are removed as part of any deal. Covid-19 lockdowns don't appear to be ending for bar owners any time soon in Irela

Whisky is what beer dreams of being when it grows up, but the Covid-19 pandemic has left craft brewers with tens of thousands of gallons of beer and no place to sell it with bars across the U.S. closed. Vermont's WhistlePig Farm has been working with brewers from as far away as Texas to give some of that beer a chance to fulfill a higher purpose: being distilled into whiskey! While we're approaching this from a humorous perspective, it's actually cheaper for the brewers and better for the environment to fill tanker trucks with their surplus beer and send it to Vermont than it would be to dump it into local sewer systems. WhistlePig distillery manager Emily Harrison and CEO Jeff Kozak join us on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, a new survey shows nearly two out of three craft distillers are at risk of going out of business because of the economic impact from the pandemic. We'll have that story along with details on the week's new whiskies and much more, including our latest Whisky Club of the Mont

With tens of thousands of bar and restaurant workers around the world laid off because of mandatory bar and restaurant closings due to the Covid-19 pandemic, some bar owners are resorting to drastic measures to support their teams during the crisis. Bill Thomas of Washington, DC's Jack Rose Dining Saloon and his partners have been selling off the whiskey bar's legendary library of nearly 3,000 bottles - either by the full bottle or single-serving drams - while they evaluate their persona collections to see what makes the cut for the bar's wall when it reopens. We'll talk with Bill on WhiskyCast In-Depth, along with Meredith Meyer Grelli of Pittsburgh's Wigle Whiskey. She's performing the typical small business owner's chainsaw juggling routine of switching from distilling and a tasting room to e-commerce sales while trying to find out why her bank dropped the ball on processing Wigle's paperwork for a federal small business relief program. In the news, the rash of coronavirus-related whisky event cancellation

The demand for Japanese whiskies has far outpaced the supply over the last five years, and entrepreneurs are taking advantage of a loophole in Japanese law big enough to sail a tanker ship through - as in a tanker ship full of whisky. There's nothing to stop a clever whisky maker from buying bulk whisky from distillers in other countries and shipping it to Japan, then bottling it as "Japanese Whisky." It's been a common - but not widely discussed - practice among Japan's whisky makers for many years, but with their reputations now on the line, industry and government are discussing how to implement a legal definition for Japanese whiskies. Liam McNulty, who blogs as "Whisky Richard" about Japanese whiskies, broke this story recently and will join us on WhiskyCast In-Depth with an explanation. In the news, we'll have the latest on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on whisky makers, including one who lost out on help from the U.S. government when its bank dropped the ball. 

This is another in our series of special episodes during the coronavirus pandemic to help bring whisky lovers together while staying home, and comes from our live webcast on April 15, 2020. We revived the WhiskyCast Tasting Panel format for this webcast, and our panelists come from the world of IndyCar racing - where there are a number of Bourbon connoisseurs in the paddock. "Off Track with Hinch & Rossi" podcast hosts James Hinchcliffe and Alexander Rossi have had great success on the race track, where Rossi made his mark in history by winning the 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 in 2016. Together with their "Off Track" podcast producer Tim Durham, they joined Mark for a tasting of the vintage Ancient Ancient Age 10-year-old, Jim Rutledge's Cream of Kentucky 11.5-year-old, the Elijah Craig 21-year-old single barrel, and a Wyoming Whiskey single barrel bottled especially for the British Columbia provincial liquor stores.

While we're all raising our glasses to honor the health care workers, first responders, and other essential workers risking their lives during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Uncle Nearest Tennessee Whiskey founder Fawn Weaver is doing something else to help them. For the last couple of months, she's been spending thousands of dollars to buy much-needed N95 respirator masks on the open market at highly inflated prices - and giving them away to those essential workers around the United States. Shipping those masks has kept all of her workers employed, and she's also hiring new employees that have been laid off by other companies. She'll explain her reasoning on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, major whisky companies are projecting sharp sales declines worldwide because of the pandemic, while more events are being pushed back until later this year or cancelled outright. We'll have the details, and we'll also pay tribute to a longtime friend we lost this week.

Spain's tonelerias supply the Sherry-seasoned casks that help give some whiskies their unique character, but those casks are increasingly in demand by whisky makers worldwide. Rafa Cabello is a second-generation master cooper and the CEO of his family's Toneleria del Sur cooperage in Montilla, Spain - and he's become the go-to supplier in Spain for many American craft distillers. One of his clients is Seattle's Westland Distillery, and we spent some time with Rafa Cabello there during the recent World Whisky Forum. You'll hear our conversation on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the unions representing many Scotch Whisky workers are fighting attempts to restart production while the UK remains in a COVID-19 lockdown, while the one state that shut down liquor sales during the pandemic is having problems bringing online sales...well, on line. We'll also have the winners of two recent whisky competitions and name this month's Whisky Club of the Month.

There's still a lot left to discover about whisky, even though the "water of life" has been around for centuries. Scientists are still unlocking the mysteries of whisky, and we'll meet a couple of them on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. Seth DeBolt is the director of the Beam Institute at the University of Kentucky, and is leading a project to decode the DNA sequences that make up the genome of Quercus Alba, the American White Oak tree that many of the world's whisky makers depend on. We'll also talk with Stuart Williams of the University of Louisville's engineering school about his development of a new technique for "fingerprinting" Bourbons - and it's one you can replicate at home (though it may not be appropriate for your kid's science fair project)! We'll also have the latest details on the COVID-19 pandemic and how it's affecting the whisky industry, along with a look at why pot stills may make great whisky, but lousy hand sanitizer. 

The global COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic took full hold on the whisky industry this week, as governments not only shut down bars and limited restaurants to take-out and delivery service, but imposed more bans on large public gatherings such as whisky festivals and even closed liquor stores in at least one U.S. state. That's led to tens of thousands of layoffs throughout the hospitality industry globally and economic stimulus programs aimed at mitigating some of the impact. We'll take a look at the big picture and a close-up view as well, including one Minneapolis distillery where the entire tasting room staff was laid off this week. Chris Montana of Du Nord Craft Spirits is still trying to keep production going while also fielding calls from his colleagues around the U.S. as president of the American Craft Spirits Association. Spirits producers have already donated nearly $2 million to help laid-off bartenders and bar workers, and we'll find out where that money is going and how you can help as well.

Since so many people are working from home, "self-isolating" or more because of the coronavirus crisis, we've decided to produce some extra content to help you pass the time. Earlier this month during DramFest 2020 in Christchurch, New Zealand, WhiskyCast's Mark Gillespie took part in a panel discussion on "the past and future of whisky" with veteran whisky writer Charles Maclean, Michael Fraser Milne of the Whisky Galore shop in Christchurch, and moderator Dave Broom. Their hour-long discussion is a bit too long for one of our regular episodes, but we thought you might enjoy listening to it on its own. The panel covered everything from the collapse of the Scotch Whisky industry in the early 80's to what the future holds given the combination of a growing craft distilling movement, global politics, and climate change. Thanks to Michael and Stella Fraser Milne of Whisky Galore and DramFest 2020 for helping to make this special episode possible, along with the sound crew at Christchurch Town Hall and the staff

Louise McGuane wants to revive a key part of Irish Whiskey's past, but she keeps wrestling with its present-day form in a bid to change the future of Ireland's whiskey industry. The Chapel Gate Whiskey Co. founder has become one of Irish Whiskey's most outspoken voices in recent years and recently spoke at the World Whisky Forum in Seattle. WhiskyCast is the only place where you'll be able to hear her comments on this St. Patrick's week...a week in which the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic has forced Ireland's legendary pubs to close, along with bars and distillery visitor centers around the world. We'll have the details in this week's news, along with updates on whisky festivals and other events cancelled or postponed by the pandemic. We'll also honor longtime Bruichladdich legend Duncan McGillivray, who passed away this past week.

This week, we're on location at Whisky Galore's DramFest 2020 in Christchurch, New Zealand! They've been making whisky in New Zealand since the first Scottish settlers arrived, but after the country's one remaining distillery closed in the early 90's, New Zealanders had to import almost all of their whisky. That changed a few years ago with the growth of a farm-based distilling industry that's a return to the days when farmers turned their crops into whisky.  We'll take a look at this resurgence on WhiskyCast In-Depth, taste a few local whiskies, and get some perspective from whisky lovers in Your Voice. In our Behind the Label segment, we'll meet a Christchurch businessman with a unique hobby - he's amassed one of the world's largest collections of Jim Beam memorabilia!

If you just needed a whisky-related reason to visit Iceland, we have one for you on this week's episode. Eimverk Distillery grew out of the dreams of two brothers who just wanted to be farmers, but found it was cheaper to import grain for cattle feed than grow it themselves. There was also some whisky involved, as Eimverk production manager Eva Mariá Sigursbjörnsdóttir explains on WhiskyCast In-Depth. There were also some sheep involved in at least part of the process, since one of Eimverk's whiskies is smoked not with peat - but with sheep dung! We'll have tasting notes for it, too. In the news, the coronavirus outbreak could cost Diageo as much as £200 million in profits this year and other whisky makers are preparing for losses of their own. The University of Kentucky is not only building an on-campus distillery in Lexington, but a million-dollar donation this week will fund construction of a new barrel "dormitory" as well. We'll have that story and look at how the mavericks at Brewdog are already ruffling

There's an old saying that "sometimes, you choose the whisky business...and sometimes, it chooses you." That could be said for Victoria Eady-Butler, who retired last year after 31 years in federal law enforcement. As it turns out, the great-great granddaughter of Nathan "Nearest" Green inherited some of her ancestor's talent. She was the first member of the Green family to pick barrels for the Uncle Nearest 1884 Small Batch whiskey last year, and was so good at it that she's started a second career as the master blender for Uncle Nearest. She's also made a place for herself in the history books as the first African-American woman to serve as master blender for an American whiskey brand. In the news, another milestone in whisky collecting has fallen with the first million-dollar bid for a whisky in an online auction. We'll have the details, along with highlights from this week's World Whisky Forum in Seattle, the Distilled Spirits Council's conference in Louisville, and a bunch of ba-a-a-ad puns around Ardbeg'

This week on WhiskyCast, we're sharing a special story of strength. Not the kind of strength one can build in the gym, but the inner strength that comes from within. Una Green is the West Coast brand ambassador for the Dewar's single malts, and a year ago last week, she received the kind of news no one ever wants to hear from a doctor - a diagnosis of breast cancer. That inner strength - and the support from her friends and co-workers - helped her manage the pain of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and all of the side effects. Now cancer-free, she's preparing to return to work after spending this week in Denver for the latest round of Speed Rack's ninth season. Una took part in the national bartending competition for women a couple of years ago, and has made it her goal to help support Speed Rack and its mission of raising money for breast cancer programs. We'll talk with her on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, the Trump Administration is holding firm on single malt Scotch Whisky tariffs for now

World leaders will be in Glasgow later this year for the United Nations COP26 Climate Change Conference, and Scotch Whisky industry leaders plan to be ready. Not with drams, but with plans for a second decade of adapting whisky production to the needs of the changing climate while not ruining the whisky. The Scotch Whisky Association released its first environmental progress plan in 2009, and is now reviewing progress over the last decade with a goal of setting even more ambitious targets for the future. We'll talk with CEO Karen Betts as part of our year-long look at the impact of climate change on whisky around the world. In the news, the coronavirus outbreak in China is starting to have an impact on whisky-related events and travel - and there are fears that it could lead to lower whisky sales in the Asia-Pacific region. Ian Macleod Distillers has unveiled the first new Rosebank single malts since plans to reopen the distillery were announced. We'll have the details and an update on construction at the dis

The whisky industry has become collateral damage in the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and the European Union, with tit-for-tat trade tariffs making life miserable for whisky companies on both sides. This week, the Scotch Whisky Association estimated annual lost exports from the U.S. tariff on single malts could reach £100 million, and industry leaders are presenting a united front to demand that politicians on both sides work toward resolving the dispute. We'll have an in-depth report on this week's WhiskyCast, along with the rest of the week's news. We'll also announce  February's Whisky Club of the Month and take a look at why some whiskies can smell like burned matches on Behind the Label.