The state that is. Not the former Queen of England.This episode contains:- The news: Tas Whisky Week, King Island Distillery and Section 44 politics;- The Waffle, where we chat about Victorian whisky, past present and future;- The Whisky, where we review a Kinglake matured in French oak; - Waffling With, where Nick catches up with Andrew Baker and …

On this special partner episode of Scran Rosalind pays a trip to an historic hostelry in the South of Scotland - the one and only Globe Inn in Dumfries and Galloway. Famed as the favourite haunt and second home of Robert Burns, it was purchased by David Thomson and Teresa Church in 2018. Their investment in this famous bar and restaurant has seen i…

The Scotsman's Scran Awards took place for the second year recently. It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with the great and good of the Scottish food and drink industry. The shortlisted businesses and individuals are testament to the vibrant and thriving industry. Rosalind wanted to get a couple of the winners to come on Scran to talk about thei…

Back in May Rosalind took a trip to Speyside to witness some of the celebrations to mark the 200th anniversary of The Macallan. As part of these celebrations they undertook an extraordinary collaboration with Cirque du Soleil. It would appear that more and more often these days whisky brands are going to extreme lengths to market and promote their …

This episode contains:- The news: Hellyers Road are loaded! Southern Wild have whisky!;- The Waffle, where we count down the top five whiskies that are grungy in flavour or racy in nature (or, preferably, both);- The Whisky, where we review the latest Launceston Distillery peated whisky release; and- Smash Session or Savour, where we finally get to…

First up Rosalind speaks to Louise Elder, Director of the Royal Highland Agricultural Society of Scotland and Chief Steward of Scotland's Larder. Louise has been involved in the show for many years and talks about how it represents so many different things to so many different people. Su Cox also joins Rosalind on this episode. Su who comes from so…

On this episode Rosalind chat to Rodney Wages, chef-patron of Avery, who is gearing up to fully open the doors to his restaurant in Stockbridge. Kansas native Wages moved to California as a young chef to work in the kitchen at The French Laundry. He honed his culinary skills in other popular San Francisco restaurants and in 2016, he launched his po…

How else would you describe the distinct flavour of Westward?This episode contains:- The news, where we discuss Port Ellen and Hellyers Road;- The Waffle, where Ted tells us about his trip around America and we riff on the changing face of American whisk(e)y;- The Whisky, where we riff on the (very) unique flavour of Westward and narrow it down to …

You may have noticed a growing popularity for day time clubbing events in recent months. It would appear nightlife is changing, with a shift towards the day time for socialising and dancing. On this episode we learn more about this new trend, where it came from and what impact it is having on the local industry. First up Rosalind speaks to Line of …

Welcome to this special partner episode of Scran where we are teaming up with St James Quarter in Edinburgh to preview the forthcoming Edinburgh Seafood Festival which runs for the May Bank Holiday weekend from Saturday 4th to Monday 6th May. Many of the diverse eating and drinking destinations in St James Quarter are embracing this year’s Edinburg…

The time has come for the most exciting (and drunken) awards show of the season: it's the Waffle Awards!This episode contains:- The Waffle, where we narrow down the winners of each of our categories, getting steadily drunker with each category;- The Whisky, where we review one of the bottles which didn't quite worm it's way into winning an award; a…

On today's episode we're coming at food and drink from a slightly different angle. Word of Mouth (WOM) is an exhibition of new artworks and writing exploring our relationship to food, cooking and kitchens. With work spanning across print, writing, textile, collage, and paint, Word of Mouth encourages us to consider how much food and cooking inform …

On this episode Rosalind's guest is chocolatier Chloe Oswald of Chocolatia - a business she founded during Covid, in her brother's flat in Forfar and which has gone on to do great things. Chloe has been the recipient of many awards and her chocolate continues to impress many a palate. Chloe talks to me about her time in some of Scotland's most resp…

This week we're getting very excited about one of the international cultural events of the year. The Oscars take place this weekend and in an amazing turn of events, two Scottish businesses have reason to celebrate. Fetcha Chocolates and The Gin Bothy will both see their products feature as part of the famous "Everyone Wins" gift bags which the nom…

Aaaaaand we're back! We're getting old but you know what else is? The Tasmanian whisky scene! But mostly us...This episode contains:- The Waffle, where we discuss the fact that several Tassie distilleries have recently released bottles with numbers on them;- The Whisky, where we review the new Hellyers Road 12 Year Old and compare it to the previou…

Rosalind's guests on this Bonus episode of Scran are Martin Compston and Phil MacHugh, stars of Martin Compston's Norwegian Fling which has recently started on BBC Scotland and BBC Two. You may be familiar with Martin Compston from his acting roles in hit TV series' such as Line of Duty and The Rig and Phil MacHugh is a TV personality and owner of …

This is a special partnership episode of Scran with the Scotch Whisky Experience. Nestled on Castle Hill, within a stones throw of Edinburgh Castle, the Scotch Whisky Experience has been welcoming visitors from all over the world since the late 80s - a time when the world of whisky was very, very different to what it is now. Rosalind went along to …

On this episode of Scran Rosalind takes the long trek north to experience a singular event, Shetland's Up Helly Aa which takes place in Lerwick at the end of January each year. Rosalind spent two days on the island learning about the festival and its long tradition as well as exploring Shetland's world of food and drink, both past and present. You'…

On today's episode we are looking at the changing face of the dairy industry. With a rich heritage of dairy farming and production in Scotland, challenges over the last 20 years have meant that dairies have had to diversify or die. Today we talk to three such businesses whose roots in traditional farming are still informing their work today. First …

It may be a bit late for a Christmas Special, but we're focusing on the 'Special' rather than the 'Christmas' here. And it's worth it for the content in this one!This episode contains:- Waffling With: the (very) edited highlights of our time hanging out with Iron House brand ambassador Craig Spilsbury- The Case of the Malty Carrier Pigeon: a Whisky…

We're still in party mode for another little at Scran so we're talking about cocktails. More specifically we're talking to Iain McPherson of Edinburgh's Panda & Sons about his career, the cocktail business, trends and what to expect from cocktails in 2024 and beyond. Iain tells Rosalind about the fascinating work he's been doing around using freezi…

Welcome to part two of this year's Scran Christmas specials - we are fully ensconced in the festive season, celebrating all that this celebratory time of year has to offer in food and drink. On this bumper episode of Scran we have lots of tantalising treats in store. A good cheese board is at home anytime of the year but a festive one calls for som…

It's finally here - the first of our Christmas specials. Rosalind has been getting out and about to talk to businesses and producers about all things Christmas - how they are preparing, what it entails, recommendations, tips and tricks - the Scran Christmas specials have it all! Across the two episodes Roslaind looks at the option of dining out on …

We promise Macallan but talk about Belgrove for most of the episode. And fair enough, really.This episode contains:- The Waffle, where we discuss the record-breaking Macallan bottle and come up with some spending alternatives;- The Whisky, where we review an Oat Whisky made by (who else!) Belgrove; and- Dram in the Box where we consider renaming th…

This is a special partner episode of Scran with The Borders Distillery. On on a very very wet day, Rosalind took a trip to Hawick to visit The Borders Distillery - an up and coming whisky brand that is making a big impact. When it opened its doors to the public in 2018, The Borders Distillery breathed new life into an industry that had ceased to ex…

On this episode Rosalind explores the world of wild dining. This is an area of the food and drink industry that's seen a steady growth in popularity, particularly since the pandemic. Rosalind set out to hear more about why people are choosing to eat in outdoor settings and what they can expect from these experiences. Who better to hear about this f…

How overrated is this whisky from a scale of 1 to Macallan?This episode contains:- The Waffle, where the boys countdown their individual top 5 most overrated whiskies list and try and outdo each other with controversy;- The Whisky, where we review a recent Archie Rose release: one that may have been finished in rum casks... and- Mystery Whisky, whe…

On this episode of Scran we're fully embracing this time of year and investigating some of the more macabre elements of Scottish food and drink history. Earlier this year Rosalind was lucky enough to attend Whisky & Witches Presents Mythical Beasts, an immersive, mystical, musical whisky tasting produced and presented by Christine Kammerer and Jane…

On this episode of Scran Rosalind visits Harris Distillery to hear all about their long awaited whisky, The Hearach. The whisky was launched in September and sold out straight away but Rosalind's visit took place earlier in the summer when excitement was building for the launch. First up you'll hear from Maria Morrison who showed her around telling…

The English do whisky??? Yep! But is it any good? Your favourite undercover reporters are on the job. Or at least your favourite on the job reporters are under the covers...This episode contains:- The Waffle, where Nick teaches Ted about the English whisky industry while trying some Dartmore Whiskies- The Whisky, where the boys review a 10 Year Old…

On this special partner episode of Scran with 'Eat Drink Hebrides' Rosalind visited Uist for the first time and had the wonderful opportunity to sample just a little of what this unique island has to offer. First up Rosalind chatted to DJ Cameron from Long Island Retreats. A sixth generation crofter, DJ tells Rosalind all about his business and how…

On this episode of Scran we headed west for a very important date in the seafood calendar. Producer Kelly, videographer Craig and Rosalind boarded the Vital Spark with fishermen Rab Lamont and John Mills. The team sailed out into Loch Ryan on the 1st of September to catch oysters on the first day of the new season. Rab, who has been catching oyster…

On this bonus episode of Scran we celebrate an exclusive collaboration between Johnnie Walker Princes Street and the two Michelin-starred team of James and Maria Close. STIR is a ground-breaking cocktail and cuisine concept for the Explorer's Bothy Bar which serves up a unique menu of stunningly innovative small-bite plates alongside meticulously c…

You can nearly smell the gorgeous roast coffee from this episode. Rosalind visits Dear Green Coffee Roasters in this episode to hear what's hot in the coffee world. Recent high street chains have been experimenting with olive oil. Rosalind finds out if these fads stand up. Michele Mariotti Gleneagles, Head of Bar, also joins Rosalind on this episod…

It's that time of year again when performers, promoters and tourists from all over the world flock to Edinburgh to become part of the biggest arts festival in the world. Where there is art there is food and drink and on this episode Rosalind looks at some of the food and drink shows that you can go along to at this year's festival. She started her …

Nick is in France! But he's learned how to use the schedule uploads function. So have an episode recorded in July! If the whisky world has blown up in the last 3 weeks then we apologise for not covering it.This episode contains:- The Waffle, where we drunkenly define Cask Strength for an audience who already knows what it is;- The Whisky, where we …

On this episode of Scran Rosalind shares with you interviews she did with two of the recipients of the recent Scran Awards. The Scran Awards took place at the end of June and celebrated the best in Scottish food, drink and hospitality. First up you'll hear from Calum Montgomery chef owner of Edinbane Lodge on the Isle of Skye. Calum is a truly rema…

This week we are delving into some slightly lesser known and more niche products available in Scotland. We hear about an interesting array of produce, which, coincidentally are all businesses being run by women. First up Rosalind chats to Clare MacDougall of The 1295 Caviar Company - Clare is an entrepreneur with a background in marketing for the f…

You may be skeptical about our choice of distillery. But hear us out. I mean, literally, it's a podcast after all...This episode contains:- The Waffle, where we discuss Glen Moray or Murray to it's friends;- The Whisky, where we review the Glen Moray Peated Cask;- Waffling With: where we chat with Karin Spencer from Tas Whisky Selectors AND the bra…

On this special partner episode of Scran Rosalind investigates the famous Four Corners of Johnnie Walker. Whilst most people, and not just whisky drinkers, are familiar with this instantly recognisable Scottish brand Rosalind takes a closer look at the malts that combine to create Johnnie Walker's iconic blends. First stop on her journey was Glenki…

On this episode of Scran Rosalind takes a trip to West Linton to meet Diana Yates and visit her beautiful garden at Greenfields. Diana tells Rosalind all about how she came to live there and how, in recent years, a new gardening hobby has led her to a different career for her in broadcasting and now as an author of her first book 'Growing at Greenf…

So Hellyers Road looks a bit different these days. We found ourselves up there the other day and ended up doing a whole podcast about it! And we discovered that it's an exciting time to consider jumping back on the Hellyers train...This episode contains:- The Waffle, where we discuss Hellyers Road's soft reboot;- The Whisky, where we review one of …

On this special partner episode of Scran, we are celebrating the upcoming Royal Highland Show. This Scottish institution returns to Ingliston from 22-25 June this year and will showcase the very best of farming food and rural life. The first incarnation of the show took place in 1822 on a site that is now home to the Scottish Parliament. Today, it …

On this week's episode of Scran Rosalind is joined by wine expert, author and TV personality Oz Clarke and wine aficionado Diana Thomson from Wine Events Scotland. Oz tells Rosalind all about how he first got into wine, how the British public came to love it and what changes are afoot in the industry. Happily Rosalind's dreams of a Fife wine are ke…

On this episode of Scran Rosalind attended an evening of whisky tasting which was hosted by the Gleneagles Townhouse whisky club 'Chasing the Dram'. The event was held to celebrate women in whisky and showcased two impressive guests Annabel Thomas founder and CEO of Nc'Nean Whisky and Laura Rampling, Master Whisky Maker of Glenrothes whisky. Rosali…

We've had the month off. Advanced AI Nick and Ted bots have thrown this one together for you...This episode contains:- The Waffle, where we discuss the advances in AI and what it means for whisky-media!- The Whisky, where we taste a Mackmyra intriguely named AI-01;- Waffling With, where we pull out an old interview with the wonderful Ollie Herron o…

On this episode of Scran Rosalind takes a trip to the Port of Leith to visit Fingal, a Stevenson Lighthouse yacht which has been converted into a luxury hotel. The team behind the project have sea-faring experience already having run The Royal Yacht Britannia for the last 25 years. Rosalind was keen to see just how Fingal has secured, and maintaine…

Ok, the title sounds clickbaity, but wait until you hear us Waffle... This episode contains:- The Whisky, where we taste and discuss the new Lark Signature range;- The Waffle, where we review the bourbon with the Horsey on the top: Blantons; and- well that's it really, we just had a lot of opinions about Lark and Ted had many facts about Blantons t…

It's that time of year again when whisky lovers from all over the world are about to descend on Speyside to celebrate their favourite drams and all things whisky. In advance of the festivities Scran brings you an exclusive insight into this historic distillery and its 125 years of whisky production. On this episode Rosalind visits Speyburn Distille…

On this episode of Scran Rosalind finds out more about the Scotch Malt Whisky Society as it turns 40. Attending a global tasting event in Leith recently Rosalind speaks to the man who founded the society back in 1983, whisky legend, Pip Hills. They discuss everything from the history of the organisation to Pip's status as a pariah in whisky circles…