After many amazing travels to Scotland over the past few weeks, we're finally back in one place! We discuss Cotswolds Distillery, which Holly visited while in London in September, along with a review of some awesome samples from our friend David, tons of new releases to the shop, and some good news for the whisky world. It's not all doom and gloom!
NEW BOTTLES TO THE SHOP:
Nashville Barrel Co 7YR (Heaven Hill)
Nashville Barrel Co 8YR (Willett)
Nashville Barrel Co. 9YR (Jim Beam)
H.K. Young – toasted blend & single barrel 6YR
Nc’nean Orchard Cobbler Huntress
Kilchoman Sauternes
Lost Lantern J. Rieger Hazmat Rye + J.Rieger bourbon
Lost Lantern Boulder Armagnac Finish
Augusta 10YR Buckner’s Single Barrel
High N' Wicked 15YR the Jury Bourbon
Takamine Sakura Cask Japanese Whisky
Hillrock 5YR Double Cask Bourbon
Stellum Bourbon & Rye – if you like Stellum get it now because it’s going away
Lady of the Glen Tasting Kits
Lindores Abby Releases
OKI BIB Bourbon – OKI is back
Croithli Irish whiskeys out of Donegal
A bunch of Cadenheads, A.D Rattrays, etc.
Duncan Taylors, Dram Mors, Creetowns…..
Claxtons, more Duncan Taylor, Holyrood…. All on the way!
NEWS: Hong Kong Spirits Tax Break Set To Reignite Whisky Market
All travel trips can be found here.
Check out all of our products at www.firstfillspirits.com
Please leave us a review if you can, we appreciate you listening!
We're back! Today we discuss how our whisky summer has been going along with new bottles to the shop, our latest seminars/classes and upcoming whisky travel. Then, Holly blind tastes Charles on something that may be a potential new item for the shop, does it make the cut? Followed by a discussion of Holladay Distillery in Missouri and Milroy's Whisky Travel Index and their top distillery experiences.
NEW BOTTLES TO THE SHOP:
Blue Note Single Barrel Store Pick Bourbon!
Dram Mor Ruadh Maor (Peated Glenturret)
Dram Mor Dailuaine Bourbon Matured
Dram Mor Linkwood Bourbon Matured
Creetown Tullibardine 18YR
Samaroli Blended Malts & Blended Scotch
Southern Star Wheated Paragon Bourbon Single Barrel
Ben Holladay Soft Red Wheat
Augusta 10YR & 8YR Kentucky Bourbon
Kings County BIB Bourbon
New World – Pokeno, Levant Heights, Lakes, Catador Itinerante, High Coast Berg, Kamet, St. Kilian etc. --- An article from The Spirits Business where Holly discusses New World Whisky. "World Whisky finds its feet."
Nc'nean Aon Single Cask
ON THE WAY: Town Branch & Kings County Collab
Milroy's Whisky Travel Index - Top Scotch Whisky Distillery Experiences
All travel trips can be found here.
Check out all of our products at www.firstfillspirits.com
Please leave us a review if you can, we appreciate you listening!
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
Today we discuss all of the amazing trips we've just returned from -- all Scotland! There are many new releases to the shop and a lot of upcoming tastings & classes. Then we discuss Clydeside Distillery in Glasgow and the Bloomberg article that thinks "Brandy might be the next Bourbon". Thoughts??
NEW BOTTLES TO THE SHOP
Glenfarlcas 105
Alamabique Mexican Rum - Bourbon & French Oak Matured
Resilient 17YR Tennessee Bourbon Madeira Cask
Dad’s Hat Rye Single Barrel PM Collab (67% ABV)
New Riff Single Barrel Ryes - NYS & Skurnik
Lagavulin Nick Offerman Rum Cask Finish
Clydeside Cask Strength Limited Edition
Bardstown/Amurt Bourbon Collab
INCOMING SOON: Lost Lantern 'Saratoga Summer' Kings County Custom Blend, Lost Lantern Mississippi Memory, Blue Note Bourbon Store Pick Single Barrel, New Dram Mor, Creetown & Lady of the Glen….
All travel trips can be found here.
Check out all of our products at www.firstfillspirits.com
Please leave us a review if you can, we appreciate you listening!
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
In this episode, we discuss South Carolina's High Wire Distilling Co. and their Jimmy Red Corn Bourbon along with one of Fred Minnick's latest articles. According to new data, all generations, across the board, are planning to drink less for a variety of reasons but many based on health reasons. We want to know your thoughts as we share ours!
NEW BOTTLES TO THE SHOP
Dràm Mòr Independent Bottler
Tullibardine 8YR PX Cask Finish
Inchfad 16YR
Benrinnes 12YR Rancio Sec (French Sherry) Finish
Dailuaine 13YR Port Cask Finish
Cree/Creetown Independent Bottler
Arran 18YR
Caol Ila 12YR Shiraz Finish
Balblair 10YR
Teaninich 15YR Sherry Finish
North British 31YR
Cayeya Cask Strength Single Barrel Tequila
Tumblin' Dice 8YR Rye
Midwestern Lost Lantern Collection
Tom’s Foolery 9YR Rye
FEW Spirits Bourbon
Starlight Bourbon
Middle West Rye
Wollersheim Bourbon
Cedar Ridge Wheat Whiskey
Far Flung Blended Rye
Torabhaig Allt Glean Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch
All travel trips can be found here.
Check out all of our products at www.firstfillspirits.com
Please leave us a review if you can, we appreciate you listening!
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
We discuss all of the amazing new bottles to shop and it's a lot. We then do a grab-bag of sorts for new samples that we really need to taste and discuss all of the whisky trips we have planned for 2024 and 2025. In the mix, we talk about GlenAllachie and their new mainland-peated releases called "Meikle Toir". Come travel and drink whisky with us!
NEW BOTTLES TO THE SHOP:
GlenAllachie Madiera 13YR
Meikle Toirs - Original, Sherry, Chinquapin & Turbo
Nc’Nean Organic Single Malt Scotch
Glen Scotias - 12YR Amontillado, 15YR, 11YR Campbeltown Malts Festival Port Finish, Victoriana
Craigellachie, Old Pulteney & Auchentoshan Signatories
Redacted Bros – SRV5 - Caol Ila & Clynelish | TB/BSW - teaspooned Macallan
Raising Glasses Ascendence Linkwood Single Malt Scotch & Westland Single Casks
Port Askaig Islay Single Malt Scotch
SweetDram Blended Scotch
Spearhead Single Grain Scotch
Fat Baby Bourbon
Bardstown BIB Wheated Bourbon
EJ Curley Small Batch & Single Barrel Bourbon
Blue Note Uncut Single Barrel Bourbon
Kanosuke Japanese Single Malt
Penderyn Headliner Single Malt – Jamaican Rum & Ruby Port Finish
All travel trips can be found here.
Check out all of our products at www.firstfillspirits.com
Please leave us a review if you can, we appreciate you listening!
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
This episode is all about Coastal Scotland. We feature Isle of Raasay Distillery and discuss our September West Coast Scotland Whisky Trip. If these distilleries and this discussion don't make you want to book at least 5 trips to Scotland, we don't know what will...
Holly blind tastes Charles and we're both a bit out of practice when it comes to blind tastings!
** West Coast Scotland Experience -- Scotland - West Coast Whisky Tour 2024 - Rascal + Thorn (rascalandthorn.com)
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
Check out all releases online at www.firstfillspirits.com!
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
A lot of big moves and acquisitions in our Scotch & Canadian Whisky world! We discuss Found North, Single Cask Nation, and what we see happening in 2024. We also discuss a Dramface article that was pretty harsh on all of this production increase continuing to happen in the Scotch industry (and beyond).
Then, we get back to blind tastings, and Charles blind tastes Holly.
Lost Lantern Releases – Mountain Meadow, Flame & Shadow (Brooklyn Bakery gone)
Cream of Kentucky 16YR
Four Roses NY single barrels
Boone County Bourbon & Green River Bourbon Store Pick
NEW Stauning Danish Rye Whisky Store Pick
Just a heads up, these store picks are single-digit low: Stauning Tequila Finish, Black Button Bourbon & Obtainium Light Whiskey.
** Water of Life Film Speyside/Highland Trip Spring 2024 -- The Water of Life - Speyside & Highlands: May 4-12, 2024 | First Fill Spirits: Curate | Learn | Explore
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
Check out all releases online at www.firstfillspirits.com!
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
We discuss the experimental and delicious whisky from Spirits of French Lick in Indiana. We took in a few cases as a NYS exclusive of Hindostan Falls Bourbon and everyone is LOVING it, including us.
Every December all the influencers, magazines, and all their cousins and friends come out with their top picks of the year. We aren't going to tell you our favorite whiskies of 2023, that's just too dang difficult but we will take a look at our shelves and pick out the bottles that we would love for someone to gift to us. Our holiday picks!
** Water of Life Film Speyside/Highland Trip Spring 2024 -- The Water of Life - Speyside & Highlands: May 4-12, 2024 | First Fill Spirits: Curate | Learn | Explore
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
New Bottles to the shop:
IN-STORE ONLY CALL US
Check out all releases online at www.firstfillspirits.com!
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
Our Japan Whisky Tour is coming up in March 2024 so we have Kanosuke on the mind! Also, in the news a ton over the past few weeks is Indian Whisky. We are so excited to see all of this press as Indri, Kamet, and other brands continue to push the category into global awareness. We discuss our next Stauning store pick single barrel and don't forget to look at our upcoming whisky trips!
** Water of Life Film Speyside/Highland Trip Spring 2024 -- The Water of Life - Speyside & Highlands: May 4-12, 2024 | First Fill Spirits: Curate | Learn | Explore
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
New Bottles to the shop:
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
We're back! We missed you all too. During this episode we discuss both of our trips to Scotland and how whisky faired over the summer. Then we chat about Barrell Bourbon and how they truly are pioneers for American Whiskey Blenders. If you're up for it, after Barrell, we overshare our concerns or shall we say, cautious observations, regarding all of the new Scotch Distilleries in the works.
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
New Bottles to the shop:
McLean’s Nose Blended Scotch
Port Charlotte Islay Barley 2014
High Coast Swedish Whisky, Berg Sherry Matured
Lakes Distillery Single Malt Maker's No. 5
M&H Sherry Cask Single Malt
Penelope 9YR 4-Grain Bourbon
Some Adelphi Collection but now gone! -- Glen Elgin, Dailuaine and Caol Ila
Barrell Amburana Finsihed Bourbon
Lost Lantern Still Austin Texas Bourbon
Cadenhead’s Panama Rum Single Cask
Barrel House 6 Sherry Finished Bourbon
GlenAllachie Wood FInish Series – Hungarian & Spanish Oaks
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
It's time for a more "classic" episode with a distillery discussion around Ardnamurchan on the west coast of Scotland. Do us a favor and look it up on Google Maps. You'll see how cool and rural it is! Then Holly blind tastes Charles on a delicious, old, and rare whisky and we talk about Charle's coastal Scotland trip. Don't forget our 2-Year Anniversary Party on September 8th. It's gonna be awesome!
To see our upcoming trips, look here.
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
New Bottles to the shop:
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
We were able to sneak in a podcast before Charles leaves for Scotland & Holly for NOLA! Holly is on a panel this year at Tales of the Cocktail and in honor of this New World Whisky Panel, we discuss M&H Israeli Whisky Distillery. They recently won World Whiskies Awards 2023 World's Best Single Malt with their sherry-matured single malt whisky. They beat out Scotch, Irish, and single malts from all over the world! Also, I think it's fair to say, Holly gets a grade of C for her blind tasting attempt which is not a fail so she'll take it.
To see our upcoming trips, look here.
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
New Bottles to the shop:
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
It's been a month but we have good reasons! I hope you're all up for it but Holly is going to tell you all about her Islay/Water of Life Film trip. No need to get fomo though because we let you know about upcoming trips that you can join as well! Then we discuss the exciting times for Glenglassaugh Distillery even though we're a bit nervous. That has been a hidden gem of the highlands and we hope it doesn't become too popular. I know that's selfish so, fine, we hope you all enjoy it as much as we do!
Watch the Water of Life Film here!
To see our upcoming trips, look here.
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
New Bottles to the shop:
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
This episode has a dash of a psychology lesson. Holly thinks everything she tastes is Craigellachie and Charles thinks everything is New World Whisky. The lesson learned: blind tasting does not necessarily get easier! Our minds get in the way! In this episode, you'll watch Holly basically fall apart in her blind tasting while we discuss our upcoming trips to Scotland. Our distillery feature is Kilchoman as Holly prepares for her trip to Islay in two weeks. Did you know Kilchoman and the Wills family are building a rum distillery in Barbados too? That family is so cool. And then, it's a bit of old news but we discuss the Penelope buy-out with MGP. It makes sense for both parties and how impressive after just 5 years. Congrats, Penelope! We're lucky we got all of our single casks when we did and wow were they delicious.
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
New Bottles to the shop:
JP Trodden Wheated Bourbon
Doc Swinson's Blenders Cut Cask Strength Bourbon
Doc Swinson's Bourbon Sherry & Cognac Finish
Claxton’s -- BenRiach, Glen Elgin, Orkney, Bunnahabhain, Dalmunach, Croftengea, Tamnavulin, Grain Barn 30YR
James Eadie -- Glen Spey, Jura, Benrinnes
Lost Lantern -- Balcones, Del Bac, Vatted Malt
Found North Canadian Whiskey Batch 6 & 5
Raising Glasses – Port Dundas Innocence (Bourbon), Port Dundas Opulence (Sherry), RUM: 15YR Foursquare, 8YR Trinidad, 9YR Guyana
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
We just had a class with Cara & Justin King of King's Family Distillery in Tennessee so that is our featured distillery for this episode. Although they are "sourcers" they are "sorcerers" in my eyes. They come from a grain merchant family and Justin even worked at MGP so they have access to pretty amazing barrels all over the country. They also have the relationships to really get what they want. They also aren't playing with the normal mashbills and have proved their finishing skills are spot on. It's also Charles' turn to taste blind but he actually does a pretty good job. *Applause* for Charles! Then we discuss this amazing chart that's called "The Evolution of a Whiskey Drinker". We've all been there and maybe go back there quite often. Whiskey folks can be difficult to handle and know-it-alls and that's ok, we are always evolving! If you want to see the chart head to our website. We think you'll enjoy this episode because we had a lot of fun recording it!
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
New Bottles to the shop:
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
Episode 2 of our Interview Series! This time we get to chat with the former CEO & Director of the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, Douglas Murray. If you want to have the best technical knowledge of whisky production and spirits production in general, the institute is where you MUST go. I had to sit down and interview them so us folks in the USA could learn all about this UK-based program. Charles and I also have a lot to discuss before we get into the interview though. He just got back from two weeks in Japan and has a lot to share. We also talk about some new bottles in the shop since he's been away and he blind tastes me on something that he got while in Japan. But, is it Japanese Whisky??
This episode was such a blast for me and I feel honored that Douglas took an hour out of his day to chat with me. Not only do we talk about the IBD (Institute of Brewing & Distilling) and all of the courses they offer but we also chat about Talisker, Dalwhinnie, and some of the other Diageo distilleries he's worked at.
He was a part of creating the Talisker Storm release and was also one of the folks who realized they needed to put the worm tubs back in at Dalwhinnie when they were renovating and changed to shell & tube! Oh and we take over ten minutes to go over worms versus shell & tube condensers. This is an audio-only podcast but if you could only see the massive smile on my face while we were chatting about worm tubs!! Maybe you can hear my heart racing in the background of the audio. Below are important links for you to check out if you're interested in the IBD.
The Institute of Brewing & Distilling
Essentials in Brewing & Distilling
Foundations in Brewing & Distilling
General Certificate in Distillation ** This is the program and exam that I went through
If you're up for a trip, also check out their next conference which will have presentations from distillers all over the world and their latest findings: Worldwide Distilled Spirits Conference May 9th - 11th, Edinburgh UK
Thank you to Ana, Douglas, and Jerry at the IBD for all of their time and support of me, the podcast, and the shop!
NEW BOTTLES TO THE SHOP:
Kings County Barrel Proof Bourbon | 66.3% ABV
Douglas Laing Port Dundas Single Grain Scotch 21YR
Bardstown Origin Bourbon - their new release that is all their own whiskey!
Method & Madness Bottlings - Single Pot Still & Single Grain
Starward Solera Single Malt
Boone County Toasted Barrel Bourbon 58.4% ABV
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
This is our first-ever interview podcast! You'll still get to hear us banter at the beginning where we discuss some of our new bottles to the shop, our latest seminars, and Charles' trip to Japan. Also, Charles will finally get to taste Talnua, the Colorado distillery making Irish-style pot still whiskey.
The most important thing to know about this episode is that we will be chatting with Kirsty McKerrow of the Edinburgh Whisky Academy. Folks have been asking what are the most worthwhile education programs out in the market right now. With everyone designing their own ambassador-style education program, you can spend a lot of money very quickly! Just searching the internet can give you a headache. This is part 1 of a 2-part series that will showcase two education programs that focus almost exclusively on Scotch & Irish Whiskey. Find out more about the Edinburgh Whisky Academy below.
Courses -- Certificate in Scotch | Certificate in Irish Whiskey | Diploma in Single Malt Whisky ||| ALL VIRTUAL/ONLINE
Modules -- these are extra courses you can take in addition to the core listed above.
More modules are expected this year and in-person classes here in the USA for 2024.
Enjoy part 1 of this series!
We're back! Although January & February are supposed to be the retail industry's "down time", we for sure didn't feel that way and we're not even sure why. We have had quite a few amazing Saratoga Whiskey Club classes over the past few weeks and have been focusing on all of our education and travel programs that we're about to launch for 2023. It is really going to be a stellar year of whisky travel. Then, Holly blind tastes Charles on a very special pour because they both deserve it and we discuss one of our favorite Islay distilleries, Bunnahabhain! Enjoy!
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
New Bottles to the shop:
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
Charles and I discuss all of the upcoming seminars we have over the next few weeks and travel! So many great travel opportunities in 2023. To see what we've announced so far write to us or check out Rascal + Thorn. We also discuss one of our favorite New World distilleries, Amrut Indian Whisky. Truly one of the pioneers of New World Whisky. I then get close to guessing the blind dram correctly but not quite. It was and is a fantastic whisky though. Enjoy!
Please leave us a review wherever you are listening as well. We appreciate you! Cheers!
New Bottles to the shop:
Our Podcast Name: It's Whiskey #FFS (For F****'s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
It is so difficult to pick our favorite bottles for 2022 but we can pick out a few of the brands that really impressed us. Charles and I discuss which brands really hit it out of the park in 2022 and we can't wait to see what 2023 holds. We also discuss Bardstown Bourbon Company and how impressive their releases have been. They have grown so quickly! Holly blind tastes Charles on a potentially "off" whisky and we thank you all for your support this past year. See you next year!
Our Podcast Name: It’s Whiskey #FFS (For F****’s Sake!) #FirstFillSpirits @firstfillspirits www.firstfillspirits.com
Podcast Music: Isaac Joel, Goldenseal
