This week we welcome Ardnahoe distillery manager David Livingston to discuss the Islay distillery’s location, origins, and whisky style. Livingston explains Hunter Laing’s long-held ambition to create their own distillery, Ardnahoe’s opening in 2018, and his own third-generation Islay whisky background. He reflects on how Islay has changed with tourism and the rise of single malts, and why whisky is vital to the island’s economy as farming and fishing decline. The conversation covers Fèis Ìle’s growth and 40th anniversary, Ardnahoe’s early production moments, and the distillery’s approach to making spirit—slow mashing, fermentations over 70 hours, slow distillation, and worm tubs aimed at a sweet, heavy-bodied, fruity spirit with peat on the finish. We also discuss Ardnahoe’s core range (including Infinite Loch), cask strength releases, future aging ambitions, the visitor experience and staff, and how Ardnahoe benefits from Hunter Laing’s independent bottling heritage and bar selection, including the Kinship range.

00:00 Welcome to Islay: Introducing Ardnahoe & Distillery Manager David Livingston

00:49 That View (and the Coffee): Why Ardnahoe’s Location Is So Special

01:35 How Ardnahoe Happened: Hunter Laing’s Dream Becomes a Distillery (2018–Now)

03:26 Born & Bred Islay: David’s Whisky Upbringing and Peat-Bog Memories

04:43 Islay Then vs Now: Tourism, Single Malts, and the Island Economy

07:25 Fèis Ìle at 40: Music, Whisky, Culture—and 2026 Plans

10:40 From Banter to Build: David’s Role, Arran Detour, and the First Spirit Run

14:35 Making the Spirit: Slow Mashing, Long Ferments, Worm Tubs & Flavor Goals

16:19 Tasting Notes & Core Range: Infinite Loch, Cask Strength, and Smoke Level (40 PPM)

20:58 Production Split & Switching Styles: Peated vs Unpeated Campaigns

23:23 Looking Ahead: Quality Over Quantity, Visitor-Centre Vibes, and Independent Bottlings

27:40 Wrap-Up & Invitations: Ferry Logistics, Twin Rooms, and Final Thanks

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This week Mitch sits down with David Stirk — whisky writer, independent bottler, whisky historian — for a wide-ranging conversation on Campbeltown, the rise (and early struggles) of indie bottlers, and where the Scotch industry is and might actually be heading.

From his first life-changing dram of Glenlivet 21 in 1996 to building Creative Whisky, rewriting the history of Campbeltown, and diving into a Master’s in History to sharpen his research, this episode covers David's graft, controversy, and some properly strong opinions about surplus production and the future of Scotch.

Before all that, though…

Daz and Mitch chat about existential dread about Scotland’s rugby chances. Standard start to the week and kick of with with winter vibes, whisky chat, and a public service announcement about the pies at Glasgow’s Pot Still (worth the train fare alone).

LIVE TASTING ALERT

We’re hosting the Thompson Brothers (Phil & Simon) at the Craigellachie Hotel on March 26th at 7pm. It will be loud, it will be chaotic, it will sell out. Tickets at notanotherwhiskypodcast.com or via the Instagram link.

BUY TICKETS HERE

We also get into Spirit of Speyside prep — nine events hosted by us this year, four live podcast tastings, and listings landing mid-February. If last year’s sell-outs taught us anything… move fast.

00:00 Snowy Speyside Catch-Up: Whisky, Fire & Winter Vibes

00:23 Rugby Reality Check: Dreading the England Match

00:43 Glasgow’s Pot Still Love-In: Pies, Beans & Whisky Bar Chat

02:00 Valentine’s Weekend Welcome + A Pink Port-Cask Promise

02:36 Big News: Thompson Brothers Live Tasting (Craigellachie, Mar 26)

03:52 Spirit of Speyside Prep: Uploading Events & Hosting Nine Tastings

04:47 Meet the Guest: David Stirk Returns to the Podcast

06:32 How It Started: A Glenlivet 21 Dram That Changed Everything

09:35 Breaking In: Speyside Festival Tastings to Whisky Magazine Days

11:28 Detours & Turning Points: America, 9/11, Cadenhead’s & Campbeltown

14:14 Writing Whisky Books: Campbeltown, Publishing Realities & Archives

19:16 Where He’s At Now: Master’s in History & The Drive to Carve Your Path

21:33 Next Up: What Exactly Is Creative Whisky?

21:49 The cask sample that sparked the idea to create whisky

22:22 Early indie bottling struggles: price pushback & skeptical drinkers

23:48 Why indie bottlers are booming now (and how big brands see them)

27:20 Back to uni: the whisky history books David wants to write

29:57 State of the industry: SWA numbers, India, and the next-gen drinking shift

34:15 Book plug: David Stirk’s whisky library (and what each one covers)

36:41 What’s next: festivals, Little Brown Dog, and a Glasgow distilling dissertation

39:47 Wrap-up & host banter: upcoming trips, Islay stories, and next episode tease

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This week on Not Another Whisky Podcast, Mitch & Daz do something dangerously self-indulgent: they look back at how this whole thing started. From a shared love of whisky (and questionable decision-making) to accidentally building a podcast people actually listen to, they dig into the origins of NAWP, the friendships that fuel it, and why they’ve never quite followed the “normal” whisky podcast rulebook.

They chat inspiration, format, and how their approach stacks up against other whisky pods — including why they’ve always leaned into conversation over catechism, curiosity over credentials, and fun over faux-seriousness.

Then things get properly nerdy (in a good way) as they’re joined by Mark Gillespie, the man behind WhiskyCast, who’s been podcasting about whisky longer than most of us have been arguing about chill filtration online. Mark shares what it’s been like documenting the whisky world for over two decades — how the industry has evolved, what’s genuinely changed, what hasn’t, and which trends he finds exciting… or mildly terrifying.

Expect plenty of side-quests into favourite drams, legendary whisky characters, industry myths, and a few moments of “how did we end up here?” reflection.

00:00 Introduction and Banter

00:21 Discussing the Podcast's Unique Approach

01:03 Origins of the Podcast

03:36 Whisky Podcast Landscape

04:53 Personal Podcast Preferences

08:31 Interview with Mark Gillespie Begins

20:42 Vegas Toga Party and Whisky Adventures

21:32 Current State of the Whisky Industry

24:35 Future of Whisky Cask and Industry Reflections

25:07 Whisky Festivals and Podcasting Insights

29:12 Global Whisky Trends and Innovations

34:20 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-another-whisky-podcast.

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A lively kick-off of Season 6, the Mitch & Daz welcome listeners with a post-holiday catch-up. They contemplate the ideal cutoff for New Year greetings, and share their plans for revealing their weights in the next episode (maybe not!)

They get into their festive adventures, from drinking boutique whiskies to escaping to sunny Portugal. The duo previews exciting plans for 2026, including 45 episodes, live shows, and their participation in the Spirit of Speyside Festival with industry heavyweights. They touch on Whisky news, including a trademark battle involving James Martin, changes in Whisky tourism with Clynelish's closure, and exciting new releases like Lochlea's 7-year-old and Highland Park's vibrant Heather.

Additionally, they lament Meta's impact on Whisky communities, discuss the potential of aluminum Whisky bottles, and celebrate Rita Greenwood as the first female chair of the Scotch Whisky Association.

00:00 Introduction and New Year Greetings

00:37 Holiday Recap and Personal Updates

01:38 Whisky Talk and Festive Spirits

03:15 Travel Tales and Whisky Prices

06:25 Plans for the New Season

10:53 Dry January and Burns Night

15:32 Whisky World News

17:31 Trademark Maintenance and Brand Transfers

18:37 Whisky Tourism and Visitor Centers

21:04 New Whisky Releases and Distillery Updates

22:36 Meta's Alcohol Policy Changes

25:34 Innovations in Whisky Packaging

26:54 First Female Chair of the SWA

28:28 Elixir's Trail Series and Global Spirits

31:33 Highland Park's New Release

33:46 Positive Outlook for the Whisky Industry

34:37 Burns Night Celebrations and Farewell

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Mitch & Daz sit down and look back on the year that was 2025. Thanks to all of you who listened to us this year and have a great festive season, we will be back 1st Feb 2026

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Exploring Glenlivet's New Cask Masters Collection with Andrew Bardsley and Kevin Balmforth

In this episode, we dive into the Glenlivet's new Cask Masters collection with special guests and Kevin Balmforth, Glenlivet’s newly appointed Master Blender and Andrew Bardsley, the Global Brand Director of Prestige at Pernod Ricard, The discussion touches on their personal experiences, motivations, and approaches to crafting these unique whiskies. We taste and evaluates three new expressions: the 14-year-old, 16-year-old, and 19-year-old, highlighting the distinct flavours, casks, and innovations involved. Kevin also shares insights into the creation of the Glenlivet 56-year-old special release, and there are discussions on the balance between innovation and consistency in maintaining Glenlivet's storied legacy. The episode wraps up with information on where to find these exclusive whiskies in travel retail.

00:00 Introduction to Glenlivet's Cask Masters Collection

00:10 Meet the Experts: Andrew Bardsley and Kevin Balmforth

01:40 Setting the Scene: Quake Bar and Festive Vibes

02:14 Andrew's Busy Year and New Releases

04:16 Kevin's Journey in the Whisky Industry

07:53 The 14-Year-Old Glenlivet: Tasting and Insights

16:08 Exploring the 16-Year-Old Glenlivet

18:02 Exploring Whisky Styles

18:49 The Surprising 16-Year-Old

20:36 Innovation and Consistency at Glenlivet

23:09 The Unique Scottish Oak

30:19 The 56-Year-Old Glenlivet

33:38 Cask Masters Series and Pricing

35:54 Final Thoughts and Farewell

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-another-whisky-podcast.

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In this episode, Mitch welcomes back Mark Thomson, to the Pod. They chat about Mark's recent departure from Duncan Taylor. Mark discusses his transition to freelance work, selling his house, and moving to the countryside. They delve into the current state of the whisky industry, including trends, pricing, and the future of brand ambassadorship.

Mark also shares his top picks for value whiskies under £100 :

-https://www.inchdairniedistillery.com/

-https://www.glenscotia.com/products/12-year-old-single-malt-whisky

https://www.arranwhisky.com/shop-whiskies/arran-single-malts/14-arran-quarter-cask-whisky-the-bothy

https://www.bowmore.com/en-gb/whiskies/15-year-old-sherry-oak-cask

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene

00:47 Catching Up with Mark Thomson

01:26 Life Changes and New Beginnings

03:07 Whisky Industry Insights

05:27 Market Trends and Predictions

14:41 Brand Ambassadorship Challenges

17:30 Value Whiskies Discussion

18:09 Reviewing the Limited Edition Arran Whiskey

19:37 Exploring Glen Scotia's Offerings

20:53 Discovering InchDairnie Distillery

23:40 Tasting Notes on Tormore and Bunnahabhain

27:59 Reflecting on Whisky Preferences and Trends

32:00 Whisky Predictions for 2026

35:47 Closing Remarks and Future Plans

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-another-whisky-podcast.

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Mitch chats with Greg Schwartz and Guy Satchwell, the masterminds behind the riveting whisky docuseries, 'Water of Life' and 'Independent Spirits'. Get a front-row seat to their journey from film sets to distilleries, the joyous mayhem of their shoots, and the serendipitous moments that fuelled their passion projects. Along the way, they spill secrets about their upcoming 'Farm to Bottle' series and tease the next Independent Spirits Festival. Spoiler: there’s plenty of whisky, collegiality, and late-night drams in between!

00:00 Introduction and Welcome

00:43 Meet the Guests: Greg Schwartz and Guy Satchel

01:50 The Water of Life: Origins and Inspirations

05:31 Making Connections in the Whisky World

09:19 Filming Challenges and Experiences

15:03 The Impact of COVID-19 on the Film's Release

16:16 The Journey to the Docuseries

16:27 The Birth of the Independent Bottlers Film

17:18 Challenges and Collaborations

18:42 The Making of the Docuseries

19:21 Insights into Independent Bottlers

22:01 Structuring the Series

26:53 The Independent Spirit Festival

30:19 Future Projects and Final Thoughts

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-another-whisky-podcast.

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