Unreserved Wine Talk

How can two rums taste completely different even though they're both made from sugar cane? What makes Jamaican rum so famously funky, and what does a dunder pit have to do with it? How does the type of ice you use change the strength, temperature, and texture of a cocktail?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Kara Newman, the author of eight cocktail books.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Giveaway
One of you is going to win a copy of one of Kara Newman's The Cocktail Cabinet. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
 
Highlights
How did writing about stocks, bonds, and commodities eventually lead Kara to a career covering cocktails and spirits?
Why does Kara see cocktail recipes as a starting point rather than a strict set of instructions?
How does writing cocktail recipes on individual cards change the way Kara approaches storytelling?
How can two rums taste so dramatically different when they're both made from sugar cane?
Why did early Tiki pioneers blend multiple styles of rum into a single cocktail?
How did the fierce rivalry between Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic help shape Tiki cocktail culture?
What gives rhum agricole its distinctive grassy, funky character?
What exactly makes Jamaican rum so funky, and what does a dunder pit have to do with it?
Why does the Three Dots and a Dash cocktail literally wear its name in its garnish?
Why did Don the Beachcomber impose a two-drink limit on his famously potent Zombie cocktail?
How does the type of ice you use change a cocktail?
Why should you stop thinking of rum as one category from one part of the world?
 
About Kara Newman
Kara Newman reviews spirits for Wine Enthusiast magazine, where she's also a writer-at-large covering cocktails, spirits and bar culture, from Cuban rum to the world's tiniest two-seat bar. Her work also appears in publications including Afar, Bloomberg Pursuits, Food & Wine, PUNCH, and the Wall Street Journal and BBC Travel. She's the author of seven cocktail books -- soon to be eight!
 
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/409.

How does smoking whisky grains with elephant dung translate into flavours like raspberry and sandalwood? What does the saying "you can't turn a donkey into a racehorse" reveal about making great whisky? How are modern whisky makers using blending to capture emotions and experiences?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Kristiane Westray.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Giveaway
Two of you are going to win a copy of Kristiane Westray's terrific book, Savour: A Guide To Tasting and Exploring Whiskies of the World. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
 
Highlights
How are modern whisky makers using blending to capture emotions and experiences rather than simply create consistency?
Why are smaller distilleries more likely to experiment with different grains, yeasts, and production methods?
How can something as simple as changing yeast dramatically influence the flavour of a whisky?
What does the saying "you can't turn a donkey into a racehorse" reveal about making great whisky?
How can a whisky maker's background and philosophy become almost like another ingredient in the final spirit?
What does ageing whisky in former Japanese shochu casks add that more familiar bourbon or Sherry casks cannot?
How do unconventional materials create entirely new flavours in whisky?
Why does Kristiane think whisky drinkers should focus on enjoying what's in the glass?
How do altitude and atmospheric pressure affect the way whisky is distilled and matured?
What makes Canada's craft whisky scene so exciting?
Why is whisky and ginger ale Kristiane's go-to pub drink, even when she's using single malt?
What are Kristiane's three essential tips for anyone who wants to enjoy whisky more?
 
About Kristiane Westray
Kristiane Westray is a whisky communicator and author. Her first book Savour was published by Bloomsbury in October 2025. She has written about spirits since 2012, and her work has appeared in Whisky Magazine, The Malt Whisky Yearbook, The Times, Club Oenologique and many more. She is the former editor at The Spirits Business and led the content team at Master of Malt, where she trained as a WSET Spirits Educator. As a judge in the UK and US, she has tasted and assessed thousands of whiskies from around the world. An accomplished presenter, Kristiane has hosted numerous tastings, co-hosted live broadcasts, and appeared as a whisky expert on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch. A passionate advocate for equity in whisky, her work on social media drives education and inclusivity with the vision that whisky is for everyone. Kristiane is based in Brighton, UK, where she lives with her girlfriend and a tiny ginger cat.
 
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/408.

Is smelling or nosing whisky different from smelling a glass of wine? How did a 1960s marketing campaign convince generations of whisky drinkers that single malt was better than blended whisky? What is it like to step inside a working whisky kiln and experience peat smoke firsthand?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Kristiane Westray, author of Savour: A Guide To Tasting and Exploring Whiskies of the World.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Giveaway
Two of you are going to win a copy of Kristiane Westray's terrific book, Savour: A Guide To Tasting and Exploring Whiskies of the World. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
 
Highlights
What was it like stepping inside the smoky kiln at Bowmore and experiencing peated whisky production firsthand?
Why did Kristiane write Savour for flavour lovers rather than whisky geeks?
How did writing the book reinforce Kristiane's belief that whisky needs to welcome new drinkers?
How did Kristiane go from an aspiring fashion and beauty writer into a whisky obsessive?
Why should you approach nosing whisky differently from nosing a glass of wine?
How can the type of peat used in different regions create dramatically different aromas in whisky?
Does the glass you drink whisky from really matter?
How can exploring the landscape around a distillery deepen your understanding of its whisky?
How does Kristiane challenge the lingering idea that whisky is primarily a drink for men?
How did a 1960s marketing campaign help convince generations of drinkers that single malt was better than blended whisky?
Do whisky drinkers worry too much about caramel colouring, small batch claims, and chill filtration?
 
About Kristiane Westray
Kristiane Westray is a whisky communicator and author. Her first book Savour was published by Bloomsbury in October 2025. She has written about spirits since 2012, and her work has appeared in Whisky Magazine, The Malt Whisky Yearbook, The Times, Club Oenologique and many more. She is the former editor at The Spirits Business and led the content team at Master of Malt, where she trained as a WSET Spirits Educator. As a judge in the UK and US, she has tasted and assessed thousands of whiskies from around the world. An accomplished presenter, Kristiane has hosted numerous tastings, co-hosted live broadcasts, and appeared as a whisky expert on Channel 4's Sunday Brunch. A passionate advocate for equity in whisky, her work on social media drives education and inclusivity with the vision that whisky is for everyone. Kristiane is based in Brighton, UK, where she lives with her girlfriend and a tiny ginger cat.
 
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/407.

How did Sacha Lichine's launch of Garrus and Whispering Angel from Château d'Esclans, which now exceeds 10 million bottles a year change Provence? What happens to a wine region when historic family estates are increasingly bought by wealthy outsiders and corporations? How can classifying wine by colour get in the way of understanding what's actually in the glass?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Liz Gabay and Ben Bernheim.
 
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Giveaway
Two of you are going to win a copy of Liz Gabay and Ben Bernheim's terrific book, The Wines of Provence. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
 
Highlights
How did Liz and Ben end up working on Kylie Minogue's Rosé?
How involved are celebrities in the wines that carry their names?
What happens to a wine region when historic family estates are increasingly bought by celebrities, corporations, and wealthy outsiders?
How did Garrus and Whispering Angel prove that consumers would pay serious money for Provence Rosé?
Why do Liz and Ben push back against the idea that expensive, oak-aged Rosé is not real Rosé?
How can classifying wines by colour get in the way of understanding what is in the glass?
Where is the line between dark Rosé, a chilled red, and the emerging category sometimes called blouge?
Could Provence's future lie in fresh, chilled reds that blur the traditional boundaries between red and Rosé?
Why should winemakers worry less about categories and focus more on making the best wine they can?
Can fine Rosé really age for decades and what happens to its flavours as it gets older?
 
About Elizabeth Gabay MW & Ben Bernheim
Elizabeth Gabay MW entered the wine trade in 1986, founding Elizabeth Gabay & Partners. She became a Master of Wine in 1998. She has lived in south-eastern France since 2002, and is currently based in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Since 2020 she has been working with her son Ben Bernheim. They write for numerous magazines with a global readership, largely, but not only, about rosé and are regular speakers at wine fairs and competitions. Elizabeth is the author of Rosé: Understanding The Pink Wine Revolution in the Classic Wine Library series, and Rosés of Southern France, which she co-authored with Ben Bernheim. Gabay and Bernheim make their own wine in Slovakia, in partnership with Vladimir Magula and have consulted with other producers on rosé, including Kylie Minogue. Together they organise a rosé writing competition and trade events, including their Fine Rosé Day.
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/406.

How is Provence far more diverse as a wine region than just Rosé? Why has Rosé struggled to be taken seriously by wine professionals despite its enormous popularity with consumers? Does Provence make the best Rosé in the world or simply the best Rosé in its style?
In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with Liz Gabay and Ben Bernheim.
You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks.
 
Giveaway
Two of you are going to win a copy of Liz Gabay and Ben Bernheim's terrific book, The Wines of Provence. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com. I'll choose two people randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!
 
Highlights
What surprised Liz and Ben most when they started digging deeper into the wines of Provence?
How do Provence's mountains, valleys, rainfall, and winds create dramatically different wine regions within a relatively small area?
How have the wines of Provence changed since Liz first started visiting vineyards there 40 years ago?
Why did Provence wineries once use unusual bottle shapes to distinguish their wines?
What was the hardest part of becoming a Master of Wine for Liz?
Why has Rosé historically struggled to be taken seriously by wine professionals despite its popularity with consumers?
How did growing up around wine and competitive blind tasting shape Ben's approach to writing about it?
What happens when a mother and son with very different writing styles collaborate on a wine book?
Why do Liz and Ben disagree over whether Provence should focus so heavily on Rosé?
Could some of Provence's best wines actually be reds rather than Rosés?
Why does Liz believe Provence-style Rosé is not necessarily the best in the world?
 
About Elizabeth Gabay MW & Ben Bernheim
Elizabeth Gabay MW entered the wine trade in 1986, founding Elizabeth Gabay & Partners. She became a Master of Wine in 1998. She has lived in south-eastern France since 2002, and is currently based in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Since 2020 she has been working with her son Ben Bernheim. They write for numerous magazines with a global readership, largely, but not only, about rosé and are regular speakers at wine fairs and competitions. Elizabeth is the author of Rosé: Understanding The Pink Wine Revolution in the Classic Wine Library series, and Rosés of Southern France, which she co-authored with Ben Bernheim. Gabay and Bernheim make their own wine in Slovakia, in partnership with Vladimir Magula and have consulted with other producers on Rosé, including Kylie Minogue. Together they organise a rosé writing competition and trade events, including their Fine Rosé Day.
 
 
 
To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/405.