The Whiskey Ring Podcast

Ep. 146: Cadenhead's, AD Rattray, and Clydeside Distillery with Gary Pickard

The Oldest Independent Bottlers and a Brand New Scottish Distillery
 
Are you fascinated by the rich history of whisky and the art of independent bottling? Join me as I welcome esteemed friend Gary Pickard, Northeast Regional Manager of Pacific Edge Wine and Spirits. Gary takes us on a captivating journey through the histories of two iconic independent bottlers, William Cadenheads and AD Rattray. From George Duncan's founding of William Cadenheads in 1842 to Robert W. Duthie's tragic end and the company's resilience through decades of challenges, this episode is packed with intriguing insights and personal anecdotes from visits to Cadenheads boutique stores in London and Edinburgh.
 
As we continue, we explore the storied legacy of Campbeltown whiskies and the remarkable survival of distilleries like Springbank and Glen Scotia. Gary shares his deep knowledge of AD Rattray, tracing its evolution from Andrew Dewar Rattray's grocery store in 1868 to its current state under Tim Morrison's leadership. We delve into the Morrison family's significant impact on the whisky industry, including their acquisitions of Bowmore, Glengarry, and Auchentoshan, now under Suntory's ownership. This episode underscores the critical role independent bottlers play in bringing the hidden gems of lesser-known distilleries to light.
 
Finally, we unravel the complexities of Islay whiskies, discussing the distinctive features of renowned distilleries like Bowmore, Lagavulin, and Bruichladdich. We explore the cultural contrasts between Japanese and Anglo-American approaches to whisky production and the challenges faced during Suntory's acquisition of Beam. Additionally, we touch on the resurgence of distilleries within Glasgow's city limits, spotlighting the modern marvel that is Clydeside Distillery. This episode is a rich tapestry of whisky history, culture, and the intricate world of independent bottling that any whisky enthusiast won't want to miss.
 
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Gary for entering the Whiskey Ring!
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
Baxus is the world's leading collectible spirits marketplace, with user-friendly options for buyers, sellers, and collectors looking to vault their collections. Use my link below to visit the BAXUS.CO website and sign up! 
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Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
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If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
William Cadenhead's
William Cadenhead's Website
William Cadenhead's Instagram
William Cadenhead's Facebook
William Cadenhead's LinkedIn
A.D. Rattray
A.D. Rattray Website
A.D. Rattray Instagram
A.D. Rattray Facebook
Clydeside Distillery
Clydeside Distillery Website
Clydeside Distillery Instagram
Clydeside Distillery Facebook
Clydeside Distillery LinkedIn

Ep. 145: Hudson House Distillery with Founder Charles Ferri

From Wall Street to Whiskey: The Revival of Hudson House Distillery
Get ready for an inspiring tale of resilience, determination, and the unyielding spirit of entrepreneurship! In our latest episode, I sit down with Charles Ferri, the co-founder and CEO of Hudson House Distillery. Charles shares his incredible journey from the high-flying world of Wall Street to the picturesque Hudson Valley, where he faced and overcame countless challenges to build a world-class distillery.
🎧 Tune in to hear:
✨ How Charles transitioned from finance to the world of spirits.
✨ The emotional and financial rollercoaster of transforming a near-ruinous building into a boutique hotel, restaurant, bar, event space, and craft distillery.
✨ The importance of quality ingredients and expert craftsmanship in launching Hudson House Distillery's own vodka and whiskey brands.
✨ Touching stories of key contributors like Gable Lorenzo, whose passion left a lasting mark on the project.
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Charles for entering the Whiskey Ring!
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If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Hudson House Distillery
Hudson House Distillery Website
Hudson House Distillery Instagram
Hudson House Distillery Facebook
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
Baxus is the world's leading collectible spirits marketplace, with user-friendly options for buyers, sellers, and collectors looking to vault their collections. Use my link below to visit the BAXUS.CO website and sign up! 
BAXUS Website
BAXUS on Instagram
BAXUS on Facebook
BAXUS on Twitter/X
BAXUS on LinkedIn
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
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Ep. 144: The Cotswolds Distillery, Part 2 with Founder Dan Szor

Barley, Fortnum & Mason, and a 10th Anniversary Celebration
What if the land itself could tell the story of your whiskey? This part-two episode brings you the conclusion of our in-depth conversation with Dan Szor, founder and former CEO of Cotswolds Distilling, as he reveals how the unique terroir of the Cotswolds shapes their exceptional spirits. We draw parallels with the Bruichladdich model and discuss how the natural beauty and traditional malting barley of this region contribute to creating a whiskey that truly embodies its essence.
Balancing heritage and modernity, we delve into the complexities of managing barley varieties. Dan shares the success and challenges of using heritage barley like Plumage Archer and the economic realities of sourcing barley for production. Listen as we discuss the vital role of the local community in supporting the distillery and the intricate dance between maintaining product consistency and embracing agricultural heritage.
From Parisian adventures to impactful partnerships, we celebrate the distillery's journey and its innovative spirit. Learn about the significance of high-quality wood in whiskey aging, and the influence of industry veterans like Jim Swan. Reflecting on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dan shares market adaptations, production challenges, and future growth potential. This episode is a heartfelt exploration of building a lasting legacy in the distillery business, culminating in an invitation to join the 10th-anniversary celebration of Cotswolds Distilling.
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Dan for entering the Whiskey Ring!
Key Highlights:
The influence of Cotswolds' natural beauty and traditional malting barley on their whiskey
Managing heritage barley varieties and economic realities of whiskey production
The journey of maturation processes and their impact on whiskey profiles
Collaboration with Fortnum & Mason and the significance of high-quality wood in aging
Adaptations and growth during the COVID-19 pandemic
Celebrating a decade of Cotswolds Distilling's achievements
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If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Cotswolds Distillery
Cotswolds Distillery Website
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Cotswolds Distillery on Twitter/X
Cotswolds Distillery on YouTube
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Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
BAXUS Website
BAXUS on Instagram
BAXUS on Facebook
BAXUS on Twitter/X
BAXUS on LinkedIn
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
Black Button Distilling on Instagram

Ep. 143: The Cotswolds Distillery with Founder Dan Szor, Part 1

An Expat, Jim Swan, and Outstanding Natural Beauty
Dan Szor is an expat, a native of New York City who has found a permanent home in the Cotswolds of England, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with rolling hills, flowers, and fruits. With a background in finance, Dan found whisky as a side passion, one he converted into a full-time role in the early 2010s by starting the Cotswolds Distillery. 
In Part 1 of our conversation, Dan and I discuss his inspirations - the hedonistic time in Paris getting exposed to whisky through the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and La Maison du Whisky, the barley revelation, and meeting Jim McEwan, that wizard of whisky whose time at Bruichladdich inspired Dan long before a distillery was in the cards. 
There's a lot to talk about on the Cotswolds, so we'll have a part two coming out next week to talk more about the distillery itself and the truly excellent single malts coming out. 
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Dan for entering the Whiskey Ring!
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Cotswolds Distillery
Cotswolds Distillery Website
Cotswolds Distillery Instagram
Cotswolds Distillery Facebook
Cotswolds Distillery on Twitter/X
Cotswolds Distillery on YouTube
Cotswolds Distillery on LinkedIn
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, BAXUS
BAXUS Website
BAXUS on Instagram
BAXUS on Facebook
BAXUS on Twitter/X
BAXUS on LinkedIn
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
Black Button Distilling on Instagram

Ep. 142: Dingle Distillery with Elliot Hughes

The Wren Boy in the West
Sitting on the farthest spit of peninsula in Europe, Dingle Distillery is the first craft distillery in Ireland post-consolidation. From its place on the Wild Atlantic Way, Dingle set forth the path for the dozens of Irish distilleries that followed in the last decade-plus. 
Managing Director and son of the founder Elliot Hughes joins me to talk through Dingle's history and four expressions: Dingle Single Malt, Samhain, Bealtaine, and La Le Bride. Embracing the culture of their (and County Kerry's) Gaeltacht region, Dingle leans heavily into Celtic lore (try pronouncing the distillery's Gaelic name...I'll wait). 
We also talk about the significance of being the first craft distillery to open, joining the long-standing Midleton, Bushmills, and Cooley distilleries that pumped out all the Irish whiskey we drank for decades. It's more than just being the first, it's about setting an example, and they did. 
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Elliot for entering the Whiskey Ring!
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If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Dingle Distillery
Dingle Distillery Website
Dingle Distillery Instagram
Dingle Distillery Facebook
Reviews
Dingle Distillery Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review
Dingle Distillery Samhain Single Malt Irish Whiskey Review
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
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Ep. 141: MB Roland Distillery with Founder Paul Tomaszewski

White Corn + Amish Dairy Farm = Kentucky Craft
On my first trip to Kentucky in 2022, I needed one more distillery to visit before heading down to Nashville for the Tennessee portion of my trip. I could've gone to a heritage distillery - still haven't been to Jim Beam or Buffalo Trace - but instead, I took a chance on a small distillery in Christian County near the state line: MB Roland. 
I got to go on the first-ever Distiller's tour, led by Paul, where we got to fill our own bottles right out of the casks. From there, we went into a makeshift bar under the beautiful visitor's center and sampled many, many more products, from a rye and a single malt to Pink Lemonade Moonshine, a favorite of bachelorette parties (don't knock it - besides being a great revenue source, it does actually taste great!). 
What became clear was that this small distillery, founded by a husband and wife team in 2009 in the earliest days of craft distilling in the backyard of the biggest bourbon producers in the world, was trying to do something different. Spirits using local white corn, experimental mashbills, playing around with cask sizes (though most are 53 gallons), and most of all doing what they wanted. 
It's a great place to visit with many different whiskies and spirits to try. Take the drive off the beaten path, it's worth it. 
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Paul for entering the Whiskey Ring!
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If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
MB Roland Distillery
MB Roland Distillery Website
MB Roland Distillery Instagram
MB Roland Distillery Facebook
MB Roland Distillery Twitter
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
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Ep. 140: Casey Jones Distillery with Cody Turner

Square Stills, Moonshine, and Two Total Eclipses
Ever seen a square pot still? No? Me neither. Apparently, for moonshiners in the Land Between the Rivers (now Land Between the Lakes) region, square stills were all the rage - they could be loaded into the back of a pickup truck, easily disassembled, and still put out high quality moonshine. And nobody did it better than Arlen Jones, better known as "Casey" because he only sold moonshine by the case. 
Casey ended up in prison twice, the final time leading to him getting out of the still-making business for good. Fast forward a few decades, and in a truly ironic twist, the government came calling for him to make one more still (a working one, no less!) for the Land Between the Lakes visitors center - and he did. That still stands today in the Casey Jones Distillery.
When Casey's grandson, AJ, discovered his family's history (it was a poorly held secret), he decided to get into the game himself, too. A decade or so later, they have four mashbills of whiskey, are growing rapidly, and are the official bourbon of not one but TWO eclipses (they were in the line of totality for the 2017 solar eclipse and just outside of it for the April 2024 one). 
Finally, they're also members of the State Line Trail with MB Roland in Kentucky and Old Glory Distilling in Tennessee - look for my episode with Paul at MB Roland next week!
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Cody for entering the Whiskey Ring!
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
There are 2-3 more spots available at the $25/month bottle share club level. 
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Casey Jones Distillery
Casey Jones Distillery Website
Casey Jones Distillery Instagram
Casey Jones Distillery Facebook
Casey Jones Distillery Twitter
Casey Jones Distillery YouTube
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
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Ep. 139: Old Line Spirits Update with Mark McLaughlin

A Navy Strength Rebrand...And a Rye???
Old Line Spirits returns with some new looks! Since Mark and Old Line Spirits were last on the podcast back in Episode 54, they've made several changes to their brand. An updated label, a bumped-up proof (86 to 95) for the core single malt, and hints of a rye coming sometime in 2024...
Mark and Arch are two Navy buddies who founded Old Line in Baltimore, playing into the rise of American Single Malt. This was one of my favorite distillery visits, and if you find yourself in the DMV area, definitely hit them up for a tour and tasting!
Thanks everyone for listening, and thank you to Mark for returning to the Whiskey Ring!
_________________________________________________________
If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so at patreon.com/whiskeyinmyweddingring
If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 
Old Line Spirits
Old Line Spirits Website
Old Line Spirits Instagram
Old Line Spirits Facebook
Old Line Spirits Twitter
Thanks to our Lead Sponsor, Black Button Distillery 
Black Button Distilling Website
Black Button Distilling on Facebook
Black Button Distilling on Instagram