The Whiskey Ring Podcast

Ep. 3: JK Williams Distilling

Episode 3 is here! Coming out on Cinco de Mayo (also known as Cinco de Gato in our household). On this episode, I'm joined by Andy Faris and Jeff Murphy of JK Williams Distilling.
Andy, Jeff, and the JK Williams Team are distilling and producing out of Peoria, Illinois, the former Whiskey Capital of the World. Today, that whiskey history is a long-gone legacy.....or is it? To hear Andy and Jeff talk about it, that legacy was only dormant, and now it's time for whiskey to rise again on the banks of the Illinois River.
Listen for a taste of history, bourbon, rye, and the rise of another distilling legend.
Please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram and Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter on whiskeyinmyweddingring.com. You can find Jk Williams Distilling on Instagram @jkwilliamsdistilling.
Subscribe to the Whiskey Ring Podcast on your favorite podcast platform today! We're on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
Cheers!David

Ep. 2: Kaiyō Whisky

If you follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring on Instagram, Facebook, or through the website, you know how much I love Japanese whisky. After devoting three full weeks to it, I wanted to bring on a special guest to talk about what makes Japanese whisky unique.  Please welcome Jay Cole, US Ambassador for Kaiyō, as the Whiskey Ring Podcast's second guest. Jay is a native Massachusettsan (yep, that's the real word!) but represents one of the most exciting Japanese whisky producers of the moment. He's also got a Viking-worthy beard that would make Ragnar Lothbrok jealous.
We talk about Kaiyō as a company, its ethos and thinking, the benefits and drawbacks of using mizunara in each of their expressions, the art of "teaspooning", and the new Japanese whisky regulations introduced in Q1 of 2021.  This is a thrilling conversation you won't want to miss. Links to tasting notes on Kaiyō whiskies are included below, as is a link to their website.
Please follow @whiskeyinmyweddingring on Instagram and Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter on whiskeyinmyweddingring.com. You can find Jay on Instagram (@thewhiskypirate) and Kaiyō on Instagram. 
Subscribe to the Whiskey Ring Podcast on your favorite podcast platform today! We're on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
Cheers!David

Ep. 1: Olde Tyme Spirits

Welcome to the first Whiskey Ring Podcast, hosted by Whiskey in my Wedding Ring! These podcasts will be all about talking whiskey, spirits, and furthering the whiskey journey.
If you’re listening to this, I’m sure you know how important history is when talking about whiskey. Old and/or longstanding brands take great pains to show their legacy; new brands look for any way to build off a legacy that’s available for the taking. Even for the most forward-thinking brands, the past is never just ignored. Stories of “my grandpa saved this yeast strain and kept it going through Prohibition” are more popular than they are factual.
But what about those spirits that have been around for decades, even centuries, that we just don’t hear about? Enter Olde Tyme Spirits and Will Persons. I got to talk to Will about the company he’s created, but the most fun was just talking about history - his family’s ties to 15th-century Ireland, to spirits that have largely disappeared even in the Irish homeland, to the ways he’s making authentic, regional, cultural spirits that are true to where they come from. We spoke for two hours, and I’ll be honest I think we both were ready to go longer if the dinner bell hadn’t started to ring.
For this first podcast, I want you to be able to hear it raw, lightly edited, and in its entirety. While our format will evolve over time, at the end of the day I want you to hear these conversations just like I did - as conversations. With that, enjoy the show!
Olde Tyme Spirits: Website, InstagramTasting notes from the podcast
Subscribe to the Whiskey Ring Podcast on your favorite podcast platform today! We're on Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.
Cheers!David