Still Life: the Edinburgh Whisky Academy podcast: Recent Episodes
Edinburgh Whisky Academy
Still Life, the Edinburgh Whisky Academy podcast, shines a light on the different fractions of the whisky industry. In this first series, we’ll travel the world speaking with distillers, historians and industry experts from across the key whisky producing countries, each offering their own unique insight into the evolution and development of distilling in their cultures, as well as learning about the different production techniques adopted.
Today we're looking at the history of American whiskey. As European colonists began arriving in America, they brought with them their knowledge of distillation. They carried rye and barley seeds with them, and while barley didn't grow well in this new environment, rye thrived. Farmers found that making whiskey worked well alongside running a farm. During the quieter months, they used the grain they had grown to make whiskey, feeding the spent grain to their animals.
Navigating us through the turbulent history of American whiskey is Hans Offringa. Hans is an author and journalist who has been writing about whiskey for the last 30 years. He is contributing editor for Whisky Magazine in Europe and its sister publication, American Whiskey. He is a Keeper of the Quaich, Lifetime International Ambassador of the Spirit of Speyside Whisky Festival, Honorary Ambassador of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, and Patron of the Whisky Festival North Netherlands. Among many books on whiskey, Hans has written A Field Guide to Whisky, Bourbon & Blues, and Still Stories. For Bourbon & Blues, which was launched at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Hans received the title of Kentucky Colonel from the Governor and Secretary of State.
Today we're speaking to Dr Don Livermore, Master Blender from Hiram Walker. Hiram Walker is the largest distillery in North America, distilling 180,000 litres of alcohol every 24 hours, and operating 24 hours a day, and 25 days a month. Producing products that include vodka, rum and Canadian whisky. They have 14 maturation warehouses storing 1.6 million barrels of spirits.
Hiram Walker, an American grocer and vinegar distiller, is remembered for some crucial innovations in Canadian production, including the first multi column distillation, the first temperature-controlled warehouses, and is one of the first creators of brand names. Don Livermore, working as Master Blender at Hiram Walker is responsible for some of Canada's best known whisky brands, including Lot 40, Pike Creek and JP Wiser's.
Canada has been producing whisky for over two centuries. Canadian whisky outsold bourbon in the United States from the 1860s until 2010, and today, many of the top selling whiskies in America, are actually Canadian. But Canadian whisky is terribly misunderstood, and today I'd like to address some of the misconceptions.
I'm delighted to be joined by Davin De Kergommeaux. Davin has been writing about whisky for over 20 years, as well as presenting seminars, tasting workshops, and judging international whisky competitions. In 2009, Davin founded the Canadian Whisky Awards, celebrating the very best in whiskey from Canada. He is the author of Canadian Whisky, The New Portable Expert, and the recently published, The Definitive Guide to Canadian Distilleries.
India is a huge whisky-drinking nation. In fact, in terms of quantity, more whisky is consumed in India than anywhere else in the world. Eight of the 10 bestselling whiskies in the world are Indian, and its domestic market alone is larger than the global market for both Scottish and US whiskies combined. But the majority of whisky being produced in India wouldn't qualify as whisky under EU regulations. Most Indian whisky is made with molasses, so similar to rum.
However, there are some exceptions to that rule. Amrut is one, and also Paul John, which began producing single-malt whisky in 2009, and launched in 2012. Paul John Indian Single Malt has been awarded the Liquid Gold Award, and the world's third-best whisky for their expression Mithuna in Jim Murray's whisky Bible, and Best Indian Single Malt by the World Whisky Awards.
I’m delighted to introduce our new podcast: Still Life. In this first series, we’ll travel the world speaking with distillers, historians and industry experts from across the key whisky producing countries…