Steve Malloy of Malloy’s Finest and Eric Rosentreter of Old Elk are back to discuss the financial side of whiskey and to drink some American spirits. While sipping on Virginia Distilling Co.’s collaboration with Goose Island and Old Grand Dad 16, we discuss how legacy brands are releasing more LTO’s and earlier than usual; and is building a brand on LTO’s a viable option. We also hit on the small batch blenders and their importance, retailers coming to realization that they’re not the whiskey account that thought they were, and the current glut of whiskey that producers are in.

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I sit down solo on this one to chat about my recent move to The Macallan, and my last act at Starward with a collaboration project with Pinhook Bourbon.

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Live from Slightly Toasted, John Chesney, Matthew Brown and Eric Rosentreter join the show. We dive into who are the whiskey illuminati and why they stole our idea of brands releasing city-wide single barrel picks. We also talk a little soccer, the game plan for small distilleries to build a whiskey brand, Slightly Toasted’s upcoming events, and my new scotch gig.

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We examine the positive outlook of the whiskey industry on this episode. Chris Blatner, Matthew Brown, John Chesney and Eric Rosentreter all bring their individual, professional perspectives of what’s new and what’s next in whiskey.

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Matthew Brown returns. He no longer works in the whiskey industry, however, he’s looking for a way back in, and what better way than to re-proclaim his love for whiskey here! We chat about entrepreneurs and their relationship to the spirit’s industry; the hierarchy of alcohol distributor; the Premier League, and the most notorious bands with numbers in their names.

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Bruce Perry, Global Head of Brand Advocacy of Mossburn Distillers joins the show. Bruce’s decades of experience in the whisky industry is an expiring career. He’s investing in brands, like Torabhaig, that walk down the road laid by the whisky/spirits legends. He shares the infancy of this Isle of Skye Scotch, the plan of their elegant releases, and the journey they’re on to capture Skye in a bottle of 10 and 12-year-old Scotch.

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Wilson Torres, Whistle Pig, and Eric Rosentreter, Old Elk, are back to finish off our discussion of who pulls the strings to the modern whiskey industry, and how brands of all sizes dangle and move with each squeeze of the finger of the puppeteers.

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Wilson Torres, Whistle Pig, and Eric Rosentreter, Old Elk, join me to breakdown my current dilemma of: The corporate structure, perhaps, the corporate stranglehold on the whiskey industry is killing the soul of the spirit distilled from grain. Noncreative charlatans are the current gatekeepers, while the artists, the teachers, the culture-keepers are sidelined by capitalistic greed. The boys have their own thoughts and guide me through this predicament.

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On Saturday, May 18, we were live at Slightly Toasted recording our annual World Whisky Day event. in Part 2, we spoke with The Lakes’ new US representative Marcus Reidy, Still Austin’s IL Manager Eric Mersch, and Director of Bourbon Operations Tyrus Yamagiwa of Jeppsons Bourbon.

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On Saturday, May 18, we were live at Slightly Toasted recording our annual World Whisky Day event. in Part 1, we spoke with Brett Bauer of Marussia Beverages about Hatozaki Japanese Whisky. Then Hannah Thomas and Ali Reynolds of Stauning Whisky dropped by to educate us on this great Danish whisky, and to wrap up, Kelli Nakagama, President of Women Who Whiskey Chicago, shares the first ever Jack Daniels Barrel Proof Rye Single Barrel to market.

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Pinhook founder Sean Josephs joins at The Stockroom (GNS Market) in Uptown, Chicago to select a 9-Year Single Barrel. Sean explains the backstory of his vertical-single barrel series with the distillery and how he implements his sommelier background into crafting whiskey. Sean, Chris Blatner, Z from The Stockroom and I sip through three different barrel samples to find the best fit for the Northside retailer. Wait for the end when Sean drops some big news on their annual Big Horse release.

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Chris Blatner & Eric Rosentreter pop back on for a 360 conversation on the whiskey industry. We discuss the decline of whiskey sales in this young year, the rise of layoffs, and where the category of the luxury products is heading. We also chat about the Beam’s continued method of innovation with excellent products, and large brands like Four Roses remaining firm on what they do best versus “trend chasing.”

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Live from Delilah’s in Chicago, I am joined by Brett Bauer, Chris Blatner, Alex Brick, Eric Rosentreter and Wilson Torres. I leave the show about 24 mins into the episode, and let the inmates run the asylum. We chat about what whiskey means to us, we all share our origin stories into the industry and the rising momentum of international whiskies growing across the world.

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Cameron George, Ardbeg National Brand Ambassador , joins me for an enlightening and inspiring conversation on life and whisky. We explore the wanderous perks and loneliness of working on the road. Cameron shares how the beauty of Scotland was ingrained in him as a child and built a foundation for his pursuit of scotch and whisky as an adult. We also chat about how the nature of whisky is parallel with the growth and nature of a human beings life.

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Zak Rye and Eric Rosentreter join me upstairs at Warehouse liquors in downtown Chicago. We discuss how bars are missing the mark on providing innovative experiences, and why the secondary market place driving up retails prices across the country.

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Brett Bauer and Steve Malloy join the show. We talk through the emergence of celebrity-backed spirits and the lack of integrity involved with such brands. We also forecast the trends of ’24; will premium priced bottles continue to sell? And, while sipping on single barrels, we build a Key In The LaKe whiskey portfolio.

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Chris Blatner, The UrbanBourbonist and Executive Director of Bourbon Charity, joins me for a conversation on the current climate of single barrels and LTO’s. We discuss how the market will respond to these higher-lined items in 2024, and the brands were looking forward to seeing innovations from this year.

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A one of a kind single barrel from Starward Whisky Is discussed. I’m an ambassador of Starward, and I sit down with friend and colleague Steve Malloy of Malloy’s Finest to chat about his Starward single malt single barrel aged in a Tawny cask for five years. Deal with this moment of self-indulgence.

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Alex recently became an ambassador for Teeling Whiskey. Alex shares how the roots of the distillery were involved in the revival of Teeling, and how they’re integrating an innovative approach to making modern Irish whiskey for their core collection and single barrel program.

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We finally got the whiskey power couple. The Rosentreters, Eric and Susan, joined us at Delilah’s to chat about a variety of topics. They reminisce about working and meeting at Delilah’s, and how working at such a coveted whiskey bar developed their skillsets of educating and developing brands. Susan shares her 20 years of working in a male-dominated industry, and how she’s earned the respect of buyers, consumers with her passion and commitment to whiskey. And we get into Old Elk’s Wheat Whiskey single barrel available at Slightly Toasted.

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