Best Islay Podcasts (2024)

1
Epis 143 - The Orange Man Takes On The Cackler 59:53

1h ago59:53

59:53

The news is literally moving too fast to keep up, but we're here to make sure you don't miss all of the important stuff. Coming right off of the attempted assassination, President Joe Biden suspended his re-election campaign and endorsed VP Kamala Harris for the Democratic nomination. We analyze, play the clips and give our usual commentary. Also h…

1
High Times at High West 28:36

1h ago28:36

28:36

Utah’s High West Distillery moved production operations from its downtown Park City gastropub to a state of the art distillery in nearby Wanship. The mountaintop distillery is producing award-winning whiskies and equally winning awards for its food and bar programs. This week, High West celebrated its annual Protect The West gala to raise money for…

1
Epis 142 - That Time We Hijacked The Living L'Chaim Studios (With Eli and Yaakov Langer) 1:41:51

3d ago1:41:51

1:41:51

Well they tried to have us forcefully removed but short of calling the cops, once we got in we weren't going to leave - at least not without taking their Youtube congratulatory plaque. Eli and Yaakov Langer from Living L'chaim have transformed the online Jewish world with their podcasts, among them Inspiration for the Nation and Kosher Money, but t…

1
Epis 141 - Extreme Shul Raffle Prizes - With Nidal Ghaneem 1:16:57

5h ago1:16:57

1:16:57

As the country continues to reel from the attempted assassination of President Trump, we decided that with all of the theories and facts swirling about, our best bet to making sense of it all was to bring back our friend, ex-Secret Service commander, sniper and special forces member, Nidal Ghaneem. Nidal's goes in depth on the cascading failures th…

1
New Life for Dallas Dhu Distillery 45:52

16m ago45:52

45:52

Speyside’s Dallas Dhu has been a historic site since it closed in 1983, left intact the way workers left it on the final day of production. Now, there are plans in place to revive the venerable distillery, which is owned by Historic Environments Scotland. HES has signed a deal with Murray McDavid owner Aceo Limited to resume production at Dallas Dh…

1
SPECIAL - The Photo of the Decade 17:33

4h ago17:33

17:33

Coming via Zoom to cover the assassination attempt against former President Trump. Help us continue creating content! Visit http://www.buymesomeherring.com Support Our Brothers and Sisters! One Israel Fund - https://oneisraelfund.org/ United Hatzalah - https://israelrescue.org/donate/ Friends of the IDF - https://www.fidf.org/ We have a call-in num…

1
Epis 140 - The Jewish Exodus From France 48:49

3d ago48:49

48:49

Just when you thought maybe, just maybe things were getting better for Jews worldwide, the French far-left has won the most seats in their recent election bringing with it more anti-Semitism and anti-Israel sentiment and potential governance. Never fear! KC is here to get you through it all with a smile. Covering the latest in Joe Biden's continued…

1
Crowded Barrel Bardstown Elemental Experiment 1:04:35

3d ago1:04:35

1:04:35

This week we are trying the Crowded Barrel Bardstown Elemental Experimental. Afterward, we go have a check-in and life update with our hosts. Find more at caskmatespodcast.com/crowded-barrel-bardstown-experimental Thanks for listening and we'll see you next time. Music by The Passion HiFi

1
A Whiskey Love Story 54:47

6d ago54:47

54:47

Uncle Nearest Whiskey founder Fawn Weaver spent eight years researching and writing “Love & Whiskey,” the story of Nearest Green and Jack Daniel. During that time, she also launched the Uncle Nearest brand, one of the fastest-growing whiskey brands on the market, and the book also tells that story as well. We’ll talk with Fawn Weaver on this week’s…

1
Epis 139 - Don't Worry, Biden's Got It All Under Control! 58:28

10d ago58:28

58:28

We're back in the studio just in time to cover the most shocking, disturbing and worrying presidential debate possibly in American history. In this episode we go through the good, the bad and the "wait.. what just happened" moments. Also covered are Bowman's defeat, Omar's dual loyalty, and the rest of the major political news. Of course, Israel co…

1
Honoring J.P. Wiser with a Vintage Whisky 34:47

13d ago34:47

34:47

Canadian Whisky pioneer J.P. Wiser started making whisky 165 years ago in eastern Ontario, and the brand that bears his name to this day has now released its oldest whisky ever, the J.P. Wiser’s 42 Year Old. We’ll talk with master blender Dr. Don Livermore, who created the new whisky, about Wiser, his legacy, and the new Decades Series that begins …

1
LENs and Forth Rivers Trust 29:03

16d ago29:03

29:03

Forth Rivers Trust leads the Leven LENs, a collaborative project that aims to match investors with local activities and projects, that preserve and enhance the Leven catchment’s natural assets. This strategy for long-term investment will deliver a healthy productive landscape, while benefitting the environment, boosting biodiversity and uplifting l…

1
Epis 138 - Don't Drink The Pepsi!! 44:40

17d ago44:40

44:40

And at the blink of an eye, it's summertime again and it's HOT here in the US Northeast! Still, neither heat, nor sleet, nor snow nor traveling can keep our dedicated hosts down. This week's episode comes via Zoom (since one of our hosts are traveling.) We cover this week the Gallant visit to the US, US policy towards Israel and the ongoing war in …

1
Teeling 19 yr Calvados Single Malt Whiskey 1:09:35

17d ago1:09:35

1:09:35

This week we are trying Teeling Single Malt 19 Yr Calvados Cask Barrel Select Irish Whiskey. This whiskey is aged for 19 years, finished for 5 years in Calvados casks, and bottled at cask strength. The Teeling Distillery located in Dublin, Ireland made it. Find more information at caskmatespodcast.com/teeling-19-yr-calvados-whiskey. Afterward, we g…

1
Touring the New Heaven Hill Springs Distillery 53:08

1M ago53:08

53:08

Heaven Hill’s new $130 million distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky is still about six months away from being finished, but this week on WhiskyCast In-Depth, we’re getting a hard-hat preview tour from Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll. We’ll also have details and tasting notes for the new Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Collection of whiskies as well. In t…

1
Epis 137 - Spotting A Jewish Shabbos Goy 56:53

24d ago56:53

56:53

It's been a long two weeks and the pressure to cover all of the stories is REAL! First as usual we tackle the latest from the war in Gaza as well as the general fallout around the world from the ongoing situation. Also, news from the Jewish world including the Adirei Hatorah event, and calling out the anti-Semites wherever they are. Additionally, w…

1
Taking a Trip on the Wilderness Trail 47:27

27d ago47:27

47:27

Kentucky’s Wilderness Trail Distillery has grown over the last decade from a small barrel-a-day distillery to become one of the nation’s largest Bourbon distilleries. Dr. Pat Heist and Shane Baker founded Wilderness Trail as an offshoot of Ferm Solutions, their consulting business that works with distillers and brewers around the world. This week o…

1
Revisiting Hiking the Hebridean Way (+ Barra Travel Tips) 28:55

1M ago28:55

28:55

Last month I visited the Isles of Barra and Vatersay - two islands in the Outer Hebrides that I hadn't returned to since solo hiking the Hebridean Way in 2018. My trip inspired me to revisit one of the first stories I shared with you on Wild for Scotland. It's called 'Out of Nowhere'. But there is another reason why I decided to give this story an …

1
SPECIAL - RESCUED!! 29:25

1M ago29:25

29:25

We waited on Shabbos, holding our breath, to find out if the rumors were true. Israel made a daring rescue operation and successfully rescued four hostages! We'll go over the details, the fallout and the media spin while thanking Hakadosh Baruch Hu for the amazing news! Help us continue creating content! Visit http://www.buymesomeherring.com Suppor…

1
Leaving Laphroaig...and Islay Behind 35:14

1M ago35:14

35:14

Barry MacAffer is leaving Laphroaig Distillery and his native Islay for a new adventure: building a malt whisky distillery in South Korea. This week on WhiskyCast In-Depth, Barry tells us why he’s making the move now and what he’ll miss most about Islay. In the news, the threat of tariffs hangs over the whisky industry again as the U.S. Presidentia…

1
Epis 136 - Game Over For Trump?? 1:00:22

1M ago1:00:22

1:00:22

It was the verdict heard throughout the world: Donald Trump guilty on 34 counts! But 34 counts.. of what?? Before the Trump haters start to celebrate it needs to be asked: what exactly was the crime, and with a whole slew of unprecedented rulings and rule changes, we ask the question: is this verdict actually a good precedent for the country? Also …

1
Dispatch from Jura 36:36

2M ago36:36

36:36

There’s one distillery on Scotland’s Isle of Jura, and Jura master whisky maker Dr. Kirstie McCallum joins us from the island this week on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We’ll talk about Jura’s festival day as part of the Islay Festival of Malt and Music, this year’s Festival bottling, and her 25-year-long career in the Scotch Whisky industry. We’ll also hav…

1
Epis 135 - The Amazing Footwear of Hamas Commandos 1:00:03

2M ago1:00:03

1:00:03

As Jews worldwide celebrated Lag B'omer, war in Gaza raged on. Israel finally entered Rafah, while the rest of the world continues to condemn them and call for a ceasefire, and a de facto win for Hamas. But never fear listeners: a note from one of the Gedolei Yisroel clues us in on the real support the IDF receives! This week brings back (finally!)…

1
Trees on Farm 40:58

2M ago40:58

40:58

It’s a brand-new series of Natural Capital with a brand-new host! To kick things off Harry speaks to Scottish Forestry’s Lyn White, who is their forestry and farming development officer. Lyn promotes an integrated approach to farming and forestry, to aid understanding and explore opportunities for them to work more effectively together. We discuss …

1
A Part of the Community 40:01

2M ago40:01

40:01

Many distilleries take great pains to be involved in their surrounding communities, but Scotland’s Glen Wyvis Distillery goes to an extreme. That’s because many members of the Dingwall community are shareholders in the community distillery, which was built with a crowdfunding campaign. The distillery donates a percentage of its profits each year to…

1
Epis 134 - The Life and Times of Cmdr. Eli Copter 1:09:43

2M ago1:09:43

1:09:43

There are times where the news is slow, and there are times where it seems like it's never-ending. Both present their challenges to podcasts like ours. NOT THIS TIME!! The news is literally writing our show for us! We can sit back and watch newscasters talk about Eli Copter, and Congresspeople talking to each other like they're on the street gettin…

1
A Confidence Game - Gaining Confidence in the Hills with Glenmore Lodge 35:38

2M ago35:38

35:38

'A Confidence Game' is a story about feeling safe and confident in the Scottish mountains. I'm taking you with me on the 2-day Hill & Mountain Skills course at Glenmore Lodge to learn about navigation techniques, what kit to pack, how to plan a route off-trail and how to keep ourselves safe in the hills. After the story, I walk you through my detai…

1
A Debut Whisky for Ardnahoe 35:51

2M ago35:51

35:51

Islay’s Ardnahoe Distillery has released its first single malt since the distillery opened in 2019, and we’ll talk about the journey with Scott Laing of Hunter Laing & Co. on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, longtime Glen Grant master distiller Dennis Malcolm is retiring after 63 years in the whisky business, while Oregon officials hav…

1
SPECIAL - The Many Faces of Ami Kozak 1:07:18

2M ago1:07:18

1:07:18

What do you think of when you think of Ami Kozak? Do you think of the professional musician, and music producer? Do you think of the impressionist whose Trump impression tops just about everyone else's? Maybe you think of the Social Media personality famous for his hilarious sketches with J Sketch? Ami is all of those things and more. We sat with h…

1
Epis 132 - How To Become Chief Rabbi of Gaza 50:00

2M ago50:00

50:00

Israel and the Jews are just dominating the news. This week we cover everything from Biden's halting of bombs to Israel to the UN realizing [shock!] that Hamas was lying about the numbers of civilian deaths. Also, as the school year winds down we take a deep dive into some of the campus protests and graduations. While we don't have any air travel s…

1
Revisiting Whisky Trip to Islay (+ Tips for Fèis Ìle) 27:25

2M ago27:25

27:25

With the Islay Festival (Fèis Ìle) just around the corner, let's revisit another classic Wild for Scotland episode. 'An Acquired Taste' traces my journey to become a whisky drinker in Scotland and tells the story of my first visit to the Isle of Islay. Famous for its heavily peated whiskies, Islay is home to nine working distilleries - with more un…

1
The Latest Drops from The Last Drop 43:41

2M ago43:41

43:41

James Espey and Tom Jago founded The Last Drop 15 years ago with a goal of finding casks of rare whiskies and other spirits and bottling them. Since then, the company has been sold to Sazerac and Tom’s daughter Rebecca is now in charge, but the goal remains the same: finding those unicorn whiskies that may have fallen through the cracks…or just don…

1
Epis 131 - So Much News To Catch Up On! With Comedian Eli Liebowicz 1:13:38

2M ago1:13:38

1:13:38

So we were on hiatus for Pesach and there was so much going on in the news. When this happens, there's only one way to get to it all. That's right! It's another edition of Right or Narishkeit! This time we had special guest Comedian Eli Liebowicz join us to compete. Of course, we also do a deep dive into the campus protests occurring all over the w…

1
From One Nation to Another 34:40

2M ago34:40

34:40

O’Shaughnessy Distilling master distiller Brian Nation arrived in Minneapolis nearly three years ago after leaving Ireland’s Midleton Distillery, and it’s been an interesting transition. We’ll catch up with Brian and learn about the new Keeper’s Heart 21-year-old Irish single malt coming later this summer on WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Beam S…

1
SPECIAL - But Why Am I Needed? A Discussion With Rabbi Manis Friedman 1:21:13

2M ago1:21:13

1:21:13

Sometimes there's an episode that you need to listen to twice to really grasp its depth. This is one of those episodes. You definitely don't want to miss this one! Rabbi Manis Friedman, the most popular Rabbi on Youtube sat down with the cast to talk about his unique and interesting life, his unique approach to Yiddishkeit, and to answer the questi…

1
2XO: A Second Act for Dixon Dedman 36:27

3M ago36:27

36:27

Dixon Dedman’s family history in the whisky business goes back more than a century. 2XO (for Two Times Oak) is his second act in the Bourbon business after reviving the family’s Kentucky Owl Bourbon brand in 2014. Dedman has just released the latest edition in 2XO’s Icons Series, the Kiawah Blend, named for his family’s favorite vacation spot, Kiaw…

1
A Green Fuel Source for Distillers? 43:37

3M ago43:37

43:37

Beam Suntory has successfully tested the use of green hydrogen as a fuel source for directly-firing stills, and is part of a pilot project to create a hydrogen conversion unit that could be deployed at remote distilleries. We’ll learn more about the potential of hydrogen as a fuel source for distillers on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the new…

1
Epis 129 - Modern Passover Miracles 1:03:54

3M ago1:03:54

1:03:54

In what can only be described as a tremendous modern day miracle, Iran launched cruise and ballistic missiles as well as drones, with the intent of destroying so many innocent lives, and yet, 99% of them never made it to the Holy Land. We discuss some of the reactions around the world as well as Israel's potential retaliation. While there aren't an…

1
Bardstown Company Collaborative Series: Foursquare Whiskey 1:33:35

3M ago1:33:35

1:33:35

This week we are trying Bardstown Bourbon Company Collaborative Series: Foursquare. This whiskey is a blend of straight whiskeys finished in rum casks. The Bardstown Bourbon Company in Bardstown, KY made it. More information can be found at caskmatespodcast.com/bardstown-collaborative-foursquare/. Afterward, we play a game of Red Plags. Red Flags i…

1
A Sleeping Giant Awakens at Port Ellen 41:19

3M ago41:19

41:19

For 41 years, the Port Ellen Distillery on Scotland’s Isle of Islay sat silent. Last month, a multi-million dollar restoration of the distillery was completed when the first spirit flowed at Port Ellen since 1983. While it’ll be years before we see new bottlings of Port Ellen, the distillery will be open to Islay visitors from around the world. Dia…

1
SPECIAL - Escaping The Nova Festival With Survivor Ron Segev 55:13

3M ago55:13

55:13

It's easy to forget that in addition to the hostages still trapped in Gaza (may Hashem bring them home soon) for thousands of Israelis that survived the invasion, October 7th is still fresh in their minds, and has upended their lives. In this candid conversation, Ron Segev, a survivor from the infamous Nova Festival massacre tells us of his harrowi…

1
Epis 127 - The Great NY Quake of '24 59:04

3M ago59:04

59:04

What a CRAZY week. First, earthquakes, then eclipses, soon, cicadas, and Pesach's not even here yet! Where were you during the Great Quake of '24?? We discuss our experiences as well as some of the more spiritual implications of all of these occurences. Also in the news of course are our Israel as well as Jewish life updates, as well as our newest …

1
15 Years of Texas Whiskey 1:04:42

3M ago1:04:42

1:04:42

Texas is booming as a whiskey region, with distilleries all over the Lone Star State. That history only goes back about 15 years, when pioneers like Balcones Distilling and Garrison Brothers started out. During the recent 15th anniversary celebrations at Balcones, Texas Whiskey Festival co-founder Jake Clements moderated a panel (and tasting) on th…

1
Epis 126 - Eclipsing The Enemies of Israel 53:02

4M ago53:02

53:02

As the world awaits the coming solar eclipse, our Rabbis teach that solar eclipses are a bad sign for the world. As the war continues, Israel attacks an Iranian building in Syria, accidentally hits aid volunteers in Gaza, and the pro-Hamas crowd continues their worldwide attack against Jews. With the world on edge, New York takes the time to ignore…

1
Revisiting Stargazing on the Isle of Coll (+ Stargazing Tips) 28:38

4M ago28:38

28:38

It's International Dark Sky Week! ✨ 🔭 🪐 To celebrate we're revisiting an episode about one of my favourite islands on the Scottish west coast. 'Day and Night' is a story about my first trip to the Isle of Coll. It lasted only 24 hours, giving me a taste of everything Coll has to offer by day and by night. Rugged coastlines, wild waters, beautiful b…

1
Making the "World's Most Admired" Whiskies 47:01

4M ago47:01

47:01

Louisville’s Michter’s Distillery took top honors in the 2023 Drinks International survey to find the “world’s most admired” whiskey brand. Andrea Wilson is the Master of Maturation for Michter’s, as well as the company’s chief operating officer, and has the final say on any whisky that carries the Michter’s name. We’ll talk with Andrea about the p…

1
Biodiversity Net Gain 34:50

4M ago34:50

34:50

Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is an approach that ensures habitats for wildlife are left in a measurably better state than they were before development. In England, BNG is mandatory; developers must demonstrate and deliver an increase in biodiversity following their development of 10%. In the last episode of this series, we hear from ecological consu…

1
Epis 125 - When Friends Turn Their Backs 43:55

4M ago43:55

43:55

Congratulations to our costume winners, the Yankelewitz family in first place, and the Schiffman family in second! Purim was celebrated worldwide, and we delve into some of the clips from Israel and the IDF celebrating. At the same time, It's been a difficult time in the war. For the first time, the United States chose not to veto a UN Security Cou…

1
Like an Open Book - An Archaeology Tour in the Scottish Borders 39:11

4M ago39:11

39:11

'Like an Open Book' is a story about an archaeology tour to the Scottish Borders with HARP Archaeology. Your guides are professional archaeologists Michelle Gamble and Ian Hill, joined by a group of experts in Roman history, medieval battles, family research and more. We travel to Kelso and Melrose, uncover the secrets of Roxburgh and Hume Castle, …

1
Ask the Whisky Maker: Compass Box's James Saxon 54:54

4M ago54:54

54:54

James Saxon took on the role as chief whisky maker for Compass Box following founder John Glaser’s sudden departure several weeks ago. It’s a journey that started with a Compass Box tasting Saxon organized as a student at the University of St. Andrews a decade ago. He’ll answer your questions about Compass Box in this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth. In…

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