Not Another Whisky Podcast

This week on Not Another Whisky Podcast, Mitch & Daz do something dangerously self-indulgent: they look back at how this whole thing started. From a shared love of whisky (and questionable decision-making) to accidentally building a podcast people actually listen to, they dig into the origins of NAWP, the friendships that fuel it, and why they’ve never quite followed the “normal” whisky podcast rulebook.
They chat inspiration, format, and how their approach stacks up against other whisky pods — including why they’ve always leaned into conversation over catechism, curiosity over credentials, and fun over faux-seriousness.
Then things get properly nerdy (in a good way) as they’re joined by Mark Gillespie, the man behind WhiskyCast, who’s been podcasting about whisky longer than most of us have been arguing about chill filtration online. Mark shares what it’s been like documenting the whisky world for over two decades — how the industry has evolved, what’s genuinely changed, what hasn’t, and which trends he finds exciting… or mildly terrifying.
Expect plenty of side-quests into favourite drams, legendary whisky characters, industry myths, and a few moments of “how did we end up here?” reflection.

00:00 Introduction and Banter
00:21 Discussing the Podcast's Unique Approach
01:03 Origins of the Podcast
03:36 Whisky Podcast Landscape
04:53 Personal Podcast Preferences
08:31 Interview with Mark Gillespie Begins
20:42 Vegas Toga Party and Whisky Adventures
21:32 Current State of the Whisky Industry
24:35 Future of Whisky Cask and Industry Reflections
25:07 Whisky Festivals and Podcasting Insights
29:12 Global Whisky Trends and Innovations
34:20 Concluding Thoughts and Future Plans

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A lively kick-off of Season 6, the Mitch & Daz welcome listeners with a post-holiday catch-up. They contemplate the ideal cutoff for New Year greetings, and share their plans for revealing their weights in the next episode (maybe not!)

They get into their festive adventures, from drinking boutique whiskies to escaping to sunny Portugal. The duo previews exciting plans for 2026, including 45 episodes, live shows, and their participation in the Spirit of Speyside Festival with industry heavyweights. They touch on Whisky news, including a trademark battle involving James Martin, changes in Whisky tourism with Clynelish's closure, and exciting new releases like Lochlea's 7-year-old and Highland Park's vibrant Heather.

Additionally, they lament Meta's impact on Whisky communities, discuss the potential of aluminum Whisky bottles, and celebrate Rita Greenwood as the first female chair of the Scotch Whisky Association.

00:00 Introduction and New Year Greetings
00:37 Holiday Recap and Personal Updates
01:38 Whisky Talk and Festive Spirits
03:15 Travel Tales and Whisky Prices
06:25 Plans for the New Season
10:53 Dry January and Burns Night
15:32 Whisky World News
17:31 Trademark Maintenance and Brand Transfers
18:37 Whisky Tourism and Visitor Centers
21:04 New Whisky Releases and Distillery Updates
22:36 Meta's Alcohol Policy Changes
25:34 Innovations in Whisky Packaging
26:54 First Female Chair of the SWA
28:28 Elixir's Trail Series and Global Spirits
31:33 Highland Park's New Release
33:46 Positive Outlook for the Whisky Industry
34:37 Burns Night Celebrations and Farewell
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-another-whisky-podcast.
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Mitch & Daz sit down and look back on the year that was 2025. Thanks to all of you who listened to us this year and have a great festive season, we will be back 1st Feb 2026
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-another-whisky-podcast.
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Exploring Glenlivet's New Cask Masters Collection with Andrew Bardsley and Kevin Balmforth

In this episode, we dive into the Glenlivet's new Cask Masters collection with special guests and Kevin Balmforth, Glenlivet’s newly appointed Master Blender and Andrew Bardsley, the Global Brand Director of Prestige at Pernod Ricard, The discussion touches on their personal experiences, motivations, and approaches to crafting these unique whiskies. We taste and evaluates three new expressions: the 14-year-old, 16-year-old, and 19-year-old, highlighting the distinct flavours, casks, and innovations involved. Kevin also shares insights into the creation of the Glenlivet 56-year-old special release, and there are discussions on the balance between innovation and consistency in maintaining Glenlivet's storied legacy. The episode wraps up with information on where to find these exclusive whiskies in travel retail.

00:00 Introduction to Glenlivet's Cask Masters Collection
00:10 Meet the Experts: Andrew Bardsley and Kevin Balmforth
01:40 Setting the Scene: Quake Bar and Festive Vibes
02:14 Andrew's Busy Year and New Releases
04:16 Kevin's Journey in the Whisky Industry
07:53 The 14-Year-Old Glenlivet: Tasting and Insights
16:08 Exploring the 16-Year-Old Glenlivet
18:02 Exploring Whisky Styles
18:49 The Surprising 16-Year-Old
20:36 Innovation and Consistency at Glenlivet
23:09 The Unique Scottish Oak
30:19 The 56-Year-Old Glenlivet
33:38 Cask Masters Series and Pricing
35:54 Final Thoughts and Farewell
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-another-whisky-podcast.
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In this episode, Mitch welcomes back Mark Thomson, to the Pod. They chat about Mark's recent departure from Duncan Taylor. Mark discusses his transition to freelance work, selling his house, and moving to the countryside. They delve into the current state of the whisky industry, including trends, pricing, and the future of brand ambassadorship.

Mark also shares his top picks for value whiskies under £100 :

-https://www.inchdairniedistillery.com/

-https://www.glenscotia.com/products/12-year-old-single-malt-whisky

https://www.arranwhisky.com/shop-whiskies/arran-single-malts/14-arran-quarter-cask-whisky-the-bothy

https://www.bowmore.com/en-gb/whiskies/15-year-old-sherry-oak-cask

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Scene
00:47 Catching Up with Mark Thomson
01:26 Life Changes and New Beginnings
03:07 Whisky Industry Insights
05:27 Market Trends and Predictions
14:41 Brand Ambassadorship Challenges
17:30 Value Whiskies Discussion
18:09 Reviewing the Limited Edition Arran Whiskey
19:37 Exploring Glen Scotia's Offerings
20:53 Discovering InchDairnie Distillery
23:40 Tasting Notes on Tormore and Bunnahabhain
27:59 Reflecting on Whisky Preferences and Trends
32:00 Whisky Predictions for 2026
35:47 Closing Remarks and Future Plans
Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-another-whisky-podcast.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.