Whiskycast Tasting Panel |whisky Lovers Tasting Whiskies From Around The World

This special episode of WhiskyCast Virtual Tastings was recorded on location at Canada's Forty Creek Distillery during its annual "Whisky Weekend" at the end of September, 2013. Mark Gillespie moderated a tasting panel with Forty Creek's John Hall, Canadian Whisky Awards founder and author Davin de Kergommeaux, and the "Whisky Lassie," Johanne McInnis. While Forty Creek is a sponsor of WhiskyCast Virtual Tastings, we have elected to present this tasting panel as a special episode because of its educational value to whisky lovers as a rare opportunity to hear whisky writers discuss a flight of whiskies with the person who created them. WhiskyCast's Mark Gillespie maintained editorial control over the content of this episode, and the opinions of each panelist are his or her own.

This month features our annual “Friends & Family” tasting panel, and comes to you from St. Mary’s, Georgia. Mark’s son-in-law, Colton Smith, and his fellow Marines Christopher Moon and Joe Clark tasted four flavored whiskies aimed at younger palates: Bushmills Irish Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Knob Creek Smoked Maple, and Red Stag Hardcore Cider.

This month, we're tasting whiskies with the "Lounge Lizards" at Karl Kadar's home in Newark, Delaware. In addition to Karl, our panelists are Aaron Spector, Gary Cline, Steve Husain, Mason Tyler, and Matt Taylor.These guys have a thing for Islay whiskies, and that's a good thing, because they're tasting The Laddie Ten from Bruichladdich, Bowmore's Dorus Mor (Tempest outside the U.S.), the Laphroaig 10-year-old, and the Jura 10 from just across the strait.

The guys from the "Barthenon" and the blog "It's Just the Booze Dancing" return to WhiskyCast Virtual Tastings this month, and they're tasting Bourbons for the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Our panel of Angelo Veneziano, Chris Eattock, John Maxwell, Mike Farley, and Ray Kassekert tasted the Russell's Reserve Single Barrel, Basil Hayden's, the John E. Fitzgerald Larceny Bourbon, and Jefferson's Reserve Bourbons. Our panel had some strong opinions, as well as a lot of fun.

Our tasting panel gathered at Whisky Live New York for this month's episode. Hana Choi, Olaf Asprink, Susannah Skiver Barton, Angelo Veneziano, John Maxwell, and special guest Ian Chang of Taiwan's King Car Distillery tasted four whiskies from around the world: France's Brenne Estate Cask, Invergordon Batch One single grain Scotch from Master of Malt's "That Boutique-y Whisky Company", Balcones Fifth Anniversary Texas Straight Bourbon, and the Redbreast 12 Cask Strength from Ireland.

This month, we've brought together a panel of novice whisky tasters with more enthusiasm than experience and turned them loose on three very different whiskies. Jim McVeigh, Carolyn Strater, and Matthew Morlock tasted the Mellow Corn Straight Corn Whiskey from Kentucky, Suntory's Hibiki 12-year-old blended whisky from Japan, and the Highland Park 12-year-old single malt from Scotland.

Our panel gathered via Skype this month to taste a series of single malts. Evan Chapman, Edwin Vargas, Jennifer Chung, and Steve Gillette tasted the Glen Garioch 12, the Springbank 21, and Highland Park's 25-year-old.

This month, our tasting panel gathered at the Victoria Whisky Festival in Victoria, British Columbia. Hanna Raskin, Johanne McInnis, and Graham MacKenny tasted four whiskies that scored highly in the 2012 Canadian Whisky Awards: Century Reserve Lot 15/25, Gibson's Finest 12, Forty Creek Confederation Oak, and the Alberta Premium Dark Horse. 

With the holiday season at hand, this month's "Friends & Family" tasting panel of Mike McElligott, Jim Ely, and Jason Herceg tasted three high-end Blended Scotch whiskies that are popular as holiday gifts: Dewar's Signature, Johnnie Walker Blue Label, and Chivas Royal Salue 21.

Our panelists for this month's tasting gathered in the most remote location yet...the old gold mining town of Atlantic City, Wyoming...home of the Miner's Delight Inn and its Second Saturday Single Malt Tastings. Bob and Barbara Townsend of the Miner's Delight picked this month's whiskies from their selection at the Two-Bit Cowboy Saloon, and joined Robert and Tiffany Hall, John Mionczynski, Jeff Judkins, and Stephen Brutger to taste the Benromach 2001 Cask Strength, Arran's 1996 Single Sherry Cask, and the Glenmorangie 18.

Rye whiskies are hot, and this month's tasting panel of Marty Kari and Andy Smith from the Los Angeles Scotch Club and California whisky blogger Rob Gard sat down at Whisky Live Los Angeles to taste four Ryes: Temptation Rye, Hudson Manhattan Rye, Bulleit Rye, and the new George Dickel Rye. There's also a surprise that you'll need to listen for as well!

We return to Paris for another Virtual Tasting session at Whisky Live Paris, and this month's tasting panel includes Malt Maniacs and Patrick de Schulthess, along with French whisky blogger . They tasted four new whiskies: Nikka's Coffey Grain Whisky, the latest edition of Compass Box's Flaming Heart, Glenfarclas 105 20-Year-Old, and Ardbeg Galileo.

Year #2 of WhiskyCast Virtual Tastings begins with three very familiar whiskies. Our tasting panel of Doug Stewart, Tim and Donna Tedesco, and Brianna Gillespie taste the Aberfeldy 12-year-old, Macallan 12, and the Glenlivet 18-year-old single malts. We also announce the winner of July's "Secret Word" contest, and there's a new "Secret Word" hidden somewhere in this episode. Find it, and you could win an exhibition print from the WhiskyCast Photo Gallery!

We're marking the end of the first year of WhiskyCast Virtual Tastings with four panelists from previous episodes. Sean Fousheé, Shelly Brisbin, Tim Davis, and Scott Rogers tasted three single malts: Suntory's Yamazaki 18-year-old, the Bunnahabhain Toiteach, and a "mystery malt" to be revealed at the end of the tasting.

The members of the "Barthenon" in Cherry Hill, New Jersey are on board for this month's tasting panel. Angelo Veneziano, Mike Farley, and Chris Eattock also write the blog "It's Just the Booze Dancing", and they tasted four whiskies for this episode: Dry Fly 100% Wheat Whiskey from Washington State, Ireland's Yellow Spot, Kilchoman's Machir Bay from Islay, and the Talisker 30 2011 Rare Malts release.

This month, our tasting panel gathered at the home of WhiskyCast listener Christopher Winters in the Indianapolis suburbs. It's the first time we've recorded an episode at a listener's home. Christopher, Josh Scott, and Tom Helt tasted four whiskies from around the world: Ireland's Green Spot, the new Crown Royal XR Rare from Canada, Amrut Portonova from India, and the Ardbeg Day single malt from Scotland.

Our tasting panel gathered at Whisky Live New York this month. Panelists Peter Silver, Neil Firetog, and Jake Pizzulo tasted the Bowmore 15, Old Pulteney 17, and Oban 18-year-old single malts from Scotland, along with the Four Roses 2012 Limited Edition Single Barrel Bourbon from Kentucky.

This time around, we're on location at the Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin, Ireland, and our panel is made up of radio pros taking part in the annual Jameson Global Broadcast on St. Patrick's Day weekend. Paul Driscoll of in Boston, Randy Malloy of  in Columbus, Ohio, and Colonel St. James of in Houston tasted four different Jameson expressions: Jameson, Jameson Select Reserve 12, Jameson Gold Reserve, and Jameson Limited Edition 18.

Our panel tried three very different whiskies this month, as Mendy Berkowitz, Chip Burkhead of "The ScotchCast", and Kevin Dixler tasted the Kilchoman Spring 2011 Release from Islay, the Amrut Two Continents single malt from India, and The Glenrothes 1994 Vintage from Speyside.

This month's tasting panel was recorded on location at the Victoria Whisky Festival in British Columbia, as Noel Buckley, Crystal Coverdale, Tony DeRamo, and Simon Seaton tasted the Glenmorangie Original, the Glenfarclas 17-year-old, and the Glenfiddich Rich Oak in front of a live audience.