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This week on the podcast, we hosted our first-ever LIVE Distillery Spotlight tasting and what a night it was! We were joined by Scott Sneddon (aka the Engineer of Flavour) and Daniel Cunningham from InchDairnie Distillery, as part of our ongoing collaboration with one of the most innovative whisky producers in Scotland.
We had a packed room of whisky fans at The Diggers Vaults, all eager to taste the incredible lineup of drams, and they did not disappoint. Scott guided us through five brilliant whiskies, including a couple of exclusive previews and a very special unreleased dram drawn straight from cask the day before the tasting:
🥃 RyeLaw 1st Release
🥃 RyeLaw 2nd Release (not yet released)
🥃 KinGlassie Double Matured
🥃 KinGlassie Raw
🥃 8-Year-Old Unpeated InchDairnie matured in an Amontillado cask – a one-off cask sample shared just for the event
Scott, as always, brought the stories, the science, and plenty of laughs as he explained how InchDairnie are pushing boundaries in whisky production from their use of alternative grains to their focus on flavour innovation and fermentation.
This episode captures the energy of the night, the quality of the whiskies, and the ongoing story of modern Scotch whisky being written in Fife.
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This week on the pod, it was just the lads back in The Diggers Cellar—surrounded by drams, plenty of laughs, and a chance to reflect on what’s been a wild few months for the Whisky Stories podcast.
We cracked open a brilliant selection of Scotch whiskies, shared some stories, and—believe it or not—finally opened our fan mail! Over the last few months, we’ve been sent some amazing packages from our incredible listeners, and this was the perfect moment to open them up and say thanks.
We also reached out to our audience for questions, prompts, and chat suggestions—you delivered, and we dove into some cracking conversations, debates, and downright daft moments.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper episode without another round of Play Your Distilleries Right, and we also dropped some BIG breaking news about what’s coming next for Whisky Stories.
No guests, no script—just pure whisky-fuelled chaos, proper laughs, and some brilliant community spirit.
Enjoy!
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This week on the podcast, we were invited to record at one of the most iconic whisky destinations in the world—the Scotch Whisky Experience, right at the top of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile.
Ever since Episode 5, we’ve been talking about how many of our guests started their journeys here, and this week we finally got the chance to sit down with the people at the heart of it:
🥃 Susan Morrison, Chief Executive
🥃 Angela Dineen, Operations Director
🥃 Lenka Whyles, Senior Specialist Tours & Tastings Manager
Between them, Susan, Angela, and Lenka have helped shape the careers of countless whisky professionals, while also welcoming and educating hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world about the world of Scotch whisky.
👉 Susan—now a Master of the Quaich—started out as a tour guide on opening day in 1988 and has since worked her way to becoming the CEO.
👉 Angela and Lenka—both Keepers of the Quaich—have helped shape everything from the visitor experience to the sensory storytelling that makes the Scotch Whisky Experience so legendary.
In this episode, we chat about:
Their careers in the Scotch whisky industryThe incredible growth of whisky tourism in EdinburghThe importance of storytelling, education, and mentorship in whiskyAnd, of course, their What3DramsA must-listen for anyone interested in:
✅ Working in the whisky industry
✅ The people behind the scenes of whisky’s biggest attractions
✅ The Scotch Whisky Experience and its role in global whisky culture
✅ Female leadership in whisky
Enjoy!
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This week’s episode is a huge milestone for us—it marks our first official distillery collaboration: Whisky Stories x InchDairnie Distillery!
We were invited to the InchDairnie Distillery in Glenrothes, Fife, for a full behind-the-scenes tour and a fascinating chat with Managing Director Scott Sneddon, who we’ve officially nicknamed the "Engineer of Flavour".
This distillery is closed to the public, so getting exclusive access was a rare treat—and with Chuck on camera, we captured the full all-access experience.
Not only did we get the tour, we were among the first people in the world to sample InchDairnie’s debut Single Malt Scotch Whisky, officially released today, 8th May 2025:
🥃 KinGlassie Double Maturation
🥃 KinGlassie Raw
Both are 8-Year-Old Single Malts, and both blew us away.
InchDairnie is truly one of the most innovative distilleries in Scotland, combining traditional whisky-making with cutting-edge techniques. Alongside their Fife Single Malt Scotch, they’re also producing Rye Whisky and experimenting with a huge variety of grains and yeasts.
In total, nine unique spirit styles are produced at the distillery—an incredible feat for a single site. From peated Fife Single Malt to unexpected mash bills and fermentation styles, InchDairnie is doing things differently… and doing them brilliantly.
These exciting new releases are now available via The Whisky Exchange and Royal Mile Whiskies.
To celebrate the partnership, we’re also hosting our first-ever Distillery Spotlight tasting event at The Diggers Vaults on Friday 23rd May, where you’ll be able to meet Scott Sneddon, hear about the incredible work going on at the distillery, and taste some of their standout whiskies for yourself.
This episode is packed with:
✅ Exclusive access to a closed-to-the-public Scotch whisky distillery
✅ The first taste of a brand-new Fife Single Malt release
✅ Deep dive into innovative whisky production
✅ A huge moment for us here at Whisky Stories
Enjoy!
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This week on the podcast, we were joined by Nicole Leslie from Halewood Artisanal Spirits for a cracking conversation recorded in The Diggers.
Nicole gave us a proper insight into her career in whisky, her work with Halewood, and most importantly, the mysterious Bonnington Distillery—one of Edinburgh’s least talked-about distilleries, largely because it’s closed to the public.
We’ve spoken often about the growing whisky scene in Scotland’s capital, but Bonnington has always felt like a bit of a mystery… until now. Nicole walked us through the distillery’s history, current releases, and how they operate behind the scenes.
Bonnington’s whisky is bottled under both the Bonnington and Crabbie’s brands—John Crabbie being a legendary figure in Edinburgh’s distilling past. It’s a fascinating dual-brand setup that reflects both heritage and modern craft.
Nicole brought along a couple of bottles from each range, and they were very well received indeed.
We also got into a lively chat about maturing whisky in unregulated cask types and the controversy surrounding the Dalry Milk release from Master of Malt.
A brilliant episode shining a light on a hidden distillery, a storied brand, and some of the big conversations happening in whisky today.
Enjoy! 🥃
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This week’s episode is another LIVE Indy Bottler Spotlight, and for our 7th edition, we were down in Leith with a brilliant crowd and an even better lineup of whisky.
We were joined by friend of the pod Simon Smith, representing the Independent Bottler Pintail. Not only did Simon guide us through a delicious lineup of drams, but he also welcomed us into his brand-new pub, The Finch, to record the episode—just hours after getting the keys!
While The Finch isn’t open just yet, we’ve no doubt it’ll become a go-to spot for a proper dram, especially with Simon behind the bar.
Pintail is a fascinating bottler, known for their focus on sweet wine cask finishes, sourcing casks from across Europe and giving their whiskies a unique twist. Simon walked us through the history of wine cask use in Scotch whisky and broke down the five-dram tasting lineup in style.
🥃 Inchgower 16yo Banyuls Cask
🥃 Linkwood 14yo Loupaic Cask
🥃 Tullibardine 10yo Calvados Cask
🥃 Dailuaine 14yo Palo Cortado Sherry Barrel
🥃 Laphroaig 16yo Oloroso Sherry Barel
We were also joined by the always entertaining Launce Morgan and his lovely 'current wife' Sandra, who made the journey up from England for the night.
As always, this Indy Bottler Spotlight was packed with great whisky, proper stories, and plenty of laughs.
Enjoy!
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This week, we were joined by the brilliant Stuart Baxter—aka Barley Baxter—Global Spirits Ambassador for International Beverage, covering iconic Scotch whisky brands like Old Pulteney, Speyburn, Balblair, and anCnoc.
Stuart’s whisky journey began with the Chivas Ambassador Programme, and since then, he’s travelled the globe sharing drams and stories. One highlight? His wild time working in India—including that unforgettable night as the only guest in an entire hotel.
We dived into the history of Old Pulteney Distillery, including the wild days of prohibition in Scotland when the distillery was—believe it or not—used as a morgue.
Stuart brought some fantastic whiskies for us to try, including a dram from Speyburn, which only opened its doors to visitors in the last three years. With its drum maltings from 1905—the first distillery to install them—it’s now firmly on my must-visit distillery list.
We were also lucky enough to sample a rare staff-only bottling from Balmenach, and a surprise dram from New Zealand—Cardrona Single Malt Whisky.
And if that wasn’t enough, we even uncovered the bizarre connection between Dr Seuss and a drunken duck in a kilt...
An episode packed with whisky, scotch, distillery stories, global adventures, and big laughs.
Enjoy! 🥃🌍🦆
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This week, we bring you the final episode from our epic Whisky Stories road trip up north—and we’re wrapping it up in style with a private tour of Tomatin Distillery.
Located in the heart of the Highlands, Tomatin is a Highland Distillery with a rich history and a reputation for producing some truly exceptional Scotch whisky. We were lucky enough to get access-all-areas, diving deep into the production process, the history of the distillery, and of course… sampling whisky straight from the cask in their oldest warehouse.
Along the way, we kept the fun going with a few of our favourite games—Mystery Distillery and Play Your Distilleries Right—and we also heard the chaotic tale of Chuck’s mad dash to the airport after one too many drams the night before his flight to Japan.
This episode is packed with great laughs, brilliant insight, and some stunning Tomatin whisky. A huge thanks to the team at Tomatin Distillery for the warm welcome and the unforgettable experience.
Enjoy!
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We’re back in Dornoch for Episode 2 of our Highland whisky adventure, and this time, Phil and Simon Thompson gave us the full behind-the-scenes tour of everything they’ve built—and everything that’s still to come.
We started at the heart of it all: the Dornoch Distillery, tucked away in the back garden of Dornoch Castle. This tiny distillery—built in an old storage building—is one of the smallest in the world, but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in character and craftsmanship.
The lads walked us through their whisky-making ethos, from using heritage barley and old-school yeast strains, to how they push their tiny stills to get the character they’re after.
Then it was a short stroll through the town to visit their bonded warehouse, where they store, bottle, and label both their independent releases under Thompson Bros and their own Dornoch Distillery whisky.
We also got a sneak peek into their exciting new project—Mystery Distillery—and we’re already buzzing for what’s to come.
After a quick browse in their bottle shop, we made our way to the site of their next big venture: the future home of the Struie Distillery. Phill and Simon shared the vision behind the build and how whisky fans can get involved through their crowdfunding campaign.
And of course, we wrapped it all up back at the Dornoch Castle bar, enjoying some cracking whiskies... and some seriously questionable opinions about how to eat French pastries.
Another brilliant episode full of whisky, scotch whisky, whisky history, and a look into the future Highland whisky.
Enjoy
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We hit the road for a true Highland whisky adventure as the Whisky Stories Grand Tour to Dornoch begins!
Leaving Edinburgh bright and early at 7am, we jumped in the Whisky Wagon and headed north. After a quick stop at Tomatin Distillery (more on that in a future episode!), we made our way to Dornoch to meet the brilliant Phill and Simon Thompson—aka the Thompson Bros.
Phill and Simon welcomed us with open arms for the weekend and gave us the full story behind their incredible journey—from bottling 1930s-era whisky on their parents’ kitchen table, to launching their own line of independent bottlings, building the tiny but mighty Dornoch Distillery, and now planning their bold next step: the brand-new Struie Distillery.
We stayed at the beautiful Dornoch Castle, enjoyed a cracking evening in the cellar with the lads, and were treated to some amazing whiskies and proper Highland hospitality.
This is just Episode 1 of our Dornoch adventure—stay tuned for Part 2 next week, and trust us, you won't want to miss it.
Enjoy! 🥃🏰🔥
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This week, we welcomed back Justine Hazlehurst, co-founder and organiser of the Fife Whisky Festival, to talk about the success of this year’s festival, which took place over three whisky-filled days in March.
Our conversation sparked an interesting debate—should Fife become its own independent whisky region in Scotland? With the growing number of Fife whisky distilleries and the success of the Fife Whisky Festival, the idea is certainly worth exploring!
But Justine wasn’t just here to talk about the festival—she’s also just written and published a whisky book, and it’s one that dives deep into one of the most infamous events in Scotch Whisky history: The Pattison Crash of the 1890s.
The Pattison Brothers have made frequent appearances on the podcast, but Justine has uncovered the full, fascinating story in her new book, Opening the Case: Opening The Case: The Affairs of Pattisons' Whisky.
Their shady accounting practices, lavish spending, and African Grey parrots trained to advertise their whisky nearly brought Scotch Whisky to its knees.
This episode is packed with whisky history, Fife Whisky, whisky scandals, and plenty of great chat.
Enjoy! 🥃📖🔥
Where to buy the book -
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Hazel MacLeod was the third episode that we recorded back when we were just getting started. At that time, she was working for William Grant & Sons in Business Development.
Now she works for Woven Whisky as their Whisky Specialist.
Hazel is so much fun and a great laugh. We recorded this episode in the Whisky Bunker underneath the Athletic Arms and heard all about the cool and exciting things Woven are doing.
The Highball competition sounds like a lot of fun and we would be desperate to get involved in sampling some of the highballs made by the 10 bars taking part in the competition.
We also got a chance to try the new 'spirit' coffee and whisky blend Woven have done in collaboration with Project Coffee.
This episode was a great laugh, full of some good chat and whisky.
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What a night we had recording this episode!
Iain Forteath and Cameron McPherson had been delivering a training tasting night at the Athletic Arms for the staff so we were able to get a great chat with them after.
And what a chat it was. Iain and Cameron both talked us through their careers and journey's in whisky.
From becoming the youngest Master Blender in whisky at the time, Iain has always had a knack of tasting whisky and talks us through his processes when it comes to identifying flavour.
Cameron has followed the traditional path we have seen with so many guests having started at the Scotch Whisky Experience and forging his own pathway in the Whisky Industry as BA with Angus Dundee Distillers.
This was a lot of fun to record and there were some great Glencadam and Tomintoul drams on offer while we recorded.
Enjoy
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This was an episode of firsts for us on the Whisky Stories Pod.
We had never done an episode in a bonded warehouse, Angus and I had never sampled whisky straight from a cask in a warehouse, and we'd never visited an Indy Bottler before.
But in this episode we ticked off all those boxes and lots more.
Gregor kindly invited us along to his warehouse and bottling plant in Dalgety Bay, Fife to let us learn all about the Independent Bottlers Lady of the Glen.
There is so much going on in this episode, not only are we in a bonded warehouse drinking drams from the cask, we get to hear all about how Gregor got started, how he built the business from just 2 casks to over 400 casks, exporting whisky into international markets and we sampled from the only Solera Cask system in Scotland!
We also got to try their exclusive Fife Whisky Festival bottling which has a very obvious 'spelling error' on the label and heard some great whisky stories.
What a night this was. Enjoy
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This is a very random episode with just the 3 of us, some drams and back in the tiny room sandwiched nicely between the gents toilets and the bar.
Unfortunately, for the first time ever, we had a guest call off last minute for this episode, so we were left to amuse ourselves for this one.
Thankfully Ross has made a full recovery from his death bed and Angus was back from Japan bearing bottle shaped gifts.
We also tested out our new (potentially one episode only) feature 'Play your Distilleries Right' game.
As usual, loads of whisky chat, some great laughs and lovely drams.
Enjoy
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This was a wild and very funny episode to record.
With Angus out in Japan and Ross on his sick bed, we drafted in the help of friends of the podcast Fraser Souness and Chuck Kerr as co-hosts with our guest Curtis Moran from Scotch Bar in the Balmoral Hotel.
Curtis has nearly had as many jobs as Ross, but it was Ross who told Curtis that he HAD to take the job at Scotch when Ross left.
I was extremely out numbered tonight with Fraser and Curtis both working together at Scotch and Chuck Kerr having worked there previously.
We had so much to chat about as well as just general nonsense you'd expect when we all got together in Diggers with drams and microphones in front of us.
Enjoy
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We always have a great time when George and Rachel Keeble are involved and when there's 6 amazing whiskies to enjoy as well it's even better!
This was the first Indy Bottler Spotlight of the year and our 5th ever. It was also the first time we've done one on a Friday night. It was the last night of January which always calls for a celebration in my mind.
George and Rachel took us through an incredible 6 dram lineup from their whisky brand Fragrant Drops and what a lineup it was.
Carsebridge 48yo
Japanese Blend
Glen Grant 21yo
Inchgower 14yo
Linkwood 8yo
Ardmore 14yo
So much fun and loads of great stories, interesting whisky chat and one of the best 'Wanky Tasting Notes' we've had!
Enjoy
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This was a first for the podcast!
Our very own private distillery tour at Port of Leith Distillery with the one of the co-founders Ian Stirling.
Not many people decide to start distilling in their back garden. And fewer people decide to take it from there to opening their very own distillery.
But Ian Stirling and Paddy Fletcher did just that.
This was a fantastic experience getting to walk around one of the few 'vertical distilleries' in the world with the man who was part of coming up with the idea and concept of owning and opening a distillery in Leith.
We learnt so much about the importance of yeast and barley types, fermentation times and the challenges associated with trying to open and run a multi-million pound distillery.
As well as being a fully functional distillery which is producing spirit, Port of Leith Distillery is a very popular visitor centre and we were treated to a behind the scenes, VIP tour as well as enjoying a dram in the Board Room.
A very enjoyable episode to record and Ian was full of great stories and loads of whisky production chat.
Enjoy
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This was our first episode back in Diggers recording for 2025 and it was great to be back in our spiritual home.
We were joined by 2 guests this week - Stephen Woodcock who is Head of Whisky Creation and Stocks for Glen Turner and we had a last minute call up for Les Mason who is founder of the Arctic Whisky Club, and is about to head out to the Arctic on some exciting adventures.
Stephen has had an incredible journey and career in whisky. Starting off as a chemist with no real inclination for a dram, he found himself managing a cooperage site for Diageo and from there began an amazing journey which has taken him to working in some amazing distilleries and being part of some very big and significant projects.
Stephen is now working with Glen Turner which is best known for owning Glen Moray and Cutty Sark. His stories are full of insight and humour. I can see why his longest whisky tour took 7 hours and we could have easily chatted long into the night about his experiences in the industry and hearing about some of the projects he has been involved in.
Les is a firefighter by day but also works with his friend who specialises in adventure events and taking groups up mountains and off to the Arctic Circle. On Sunday 26th Jan he will be flying out to Finland to be a guide for multiple groups of people trekking three days through some of the coldest and harshest conditions in the world. But he'll be doing it with a Whisky Stories 25 yo Blend in his bag.
While on these trips the other guides have made it a little tradition to bring a bottle with them so that they can enjoy a dram or two around the campfire in the minus 30 degree weather.
As always this was a lot of fun to record and the drams and chat flowed nicely.
Enjoy
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Just before Christmas, Angus and Graeme headed along Queen Street in Edinburgh to meet Andrew Murphy who is the Venue Supervisor for the Queen Street bar but has also worked in the SMWS Vaults down in Leith and is a fountain of knowledge when it comes to the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and their whisky.
Andrew also talks us through the importance of diversity within the whisky world, as a gay man, he is very keen to promote the LGBTQ community within the whisky industry and put on a special 'Drag me to the Whisky Tasting'. Better get the lipstick and high heels looked out for this years tasting!
We had some great drams and Andrew talked us through the amazing story of the Scotch Malt Whisky Society and how it was founded and has grown to a massive global organisation, yet still holds on to the founding principles of flavour first.
Enjoy
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- Visa fler
