#11 - Distillery Exclusive Casks

In the last of our regular live Softer Side Sessions, Scott will be joined by Sam Snead.  Sam has worked with whisky since 1993 and has spent his life travelling the world hosting tastings. Now living in New Zealand, he is the co-founder of the Aotearoa Whiskey Club and in February will attempt to break the record for the world's largest whisky tasting at Eden Park.  Sam will talk about his journey with whisky, the art of the whisky tasting and his world record attempt.

This week Scott is joined by Alistair Birt and Johnny Baldaray.   Alistair is the Head Pastry Chef at Harrods and in 2019 became one of the youngest members of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. Johnny is a creative designer based in Southern California who, on a trip to Scotland in 2015, developed Whisky & Donuts.   They will talk about the art of pairing whisky with food and the variety of ways whisky can be used in food.

This week Scott is joined by Christopher Coates, Scotch Editor at Whisky Magazine, and Andrew Flatt, known to many as The Amateur Drammer.   Christopher and Andy are both whisky writers and will talk about the important role that writing plays within the whisky community and how it is changing. They are also both involved in the World Whisky Awards and will shine a light into what makes an award winning whisky and why awards are valued in a category that is so much about personal preference.

From Barrel to Bottle are a collective of four friends with a shared passion for photography, whisky and adventure. Based in Calgary, they have been sharing their whisky journey through photography since 2017 and have since grown to become one of the largest channels in the category. In this episode Scott is joined by Erik and Braydon to talk about how their passion for photography and whisky has grown and the role that independent social media channels play in the whisky industry. They also share a lot of tips and tricks on how to get the most out of your phone or camera and how to build a large Instagram following organically.

Andy Gemmell has dedicated his life to hospitality. As well as working in some of the world’s top bars which led to a stint as Global Whisky Ambassador for Bacardi Global Brands, he has continuously devised innovative training and education programmes to encourage bartenders around the world to enhance and develop their own Spirit knowledge and bartending skills.  In 2019 he opened The Gate in Glasgow’s Barrowlands area, a modern Scottish pub dedicated to showcasing the best in Scottish produce and hospitality. Most recently he has established Whisky Wonderland, an educational platform that aims to break down the pompous barriers of Scotch and showcase the diversity and fun side of our national spirit.

In this episode Scott talks to a few guests from around the world about their own lives in the whisky industry, how Scotch has developed in different markets, the different ways it is enjoyed and how each region is adapting to the current situation.   Featuring: Hiro Ito - Director at Tomatin Distillery, Takara Shuzo International Sales and Marketing General Manager   Rumi Jaffer - Phillips Distilling Director of Sales   Donald Mackenzie - Dugas Whisky Advisor, Owner of Islay Boys Ltd. and Islay Ales Ltd.

In this episode Scott is joined by Jacopo Grosser and Marco Zucchetti of WhiskyFacile.   In the 1970s Italy was the largest Single Malt market in the world and, although times have changed, few countries can claim to have a more deep rooted passion for Scotch Whisky.  In 2011 WhiskyFacile was created by two Italian whisky enthusiasts with the goal of bringing people closer to whisky through reviews and interviews and they have since amassed a global following.  

In this episode Scott is joined by Master Distiller, Graham Eunson to talk about Tomatin's five Distillery Exclusive casks which are available in the online store for a limited time.  Graham goes into why each cask was selected and how they showcase Tomatin's spirit in different ways. The pair are also joined by Julia Mackillop and Gregor McWee to taste the five casks.

In this episode Scott is joined by Becky Paskin.   Becky is a UK-based spirits journalist, whisky specialist and consultant who has been writing about drinks for over 12 years. Most recently she was editor of leading online magazine Scotchwhisky.com and global trade title The Spirits Business.  She is an advocate for breaking down cultural misconceptions about whisky, and in 2018 co-founded the OurWhisky movement to promote whisky as a diverse and widely accessible drink.

In this episode Scott is joined by John Robertson an alumni of the Edinburgh Whisky Academy and now their business development manager.