Dornoch Distillery returns to the show, but this time we have both Thompson brothers. Phil and Simon Thompson sit down with Jake via Zoom to discuss how their distillery has transitioned from a single malt and gin distillery to hand sanitizer operation. The brothers share great insight how distilleries around the UK had laws amended to supply their community heroes, and how COVID-19 is impacting their part of the world.

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On the front lines of the coronavirus are heroes; doctors, nurses and first responders are protecting the world, and behind the scenes more great people are contributing. Matt and Mike Blaum and their distillery Blaum Bros. Distilling Co. are those great folks behind the scenes. The Blaum Bros. have dedicated their American whiskey operation to make hand sanitizer for hospitals, firehouses and their community. This is an insightful conversation because of Matt and Mike.

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Jake and Callum sit-down in front of Jake’s fireplace to chat about our new global-life of self distancing during the coronavirus pandemic. They also deviate from the reality that surrounds us by sharing whiskey stories and laughs, and picking which whiskey legend they could choose to be quarantined with.

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Dr. Justin Steggerda, MD of Cedars-Sinai joins Jake to deliver a through message about the affects and effects of the COVID-19. Dr. Justin shares the best practices and the precautions to take during this epoch of social distancing, and the detailed measures that our medical teams are demonstrating to fight off the virus and return life to normalcy.

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Ian Hosack of Uncle Nearest and Callum O’Donnell of Aberlour join Jake for a conversation about the effects of coronavirus in the spirits industry. As of March 17, Chicago bars and restaurants will shut down for two weeks based on a government mandate. The policy is an attempt to social distance the community to prevent the widespread pandemic of the coronavirus. The fellas chat about the immediate impact, and how we can build community from this dire, unprecedented situation.

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Our dear friend from Aberlour Callum O’Donnell joins Jake and Wilson to discuss the responsibilities and the hustle as a whiskey ambassador.

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One year ago today, we released our first podcast, and on today’s episode our friends join us to celebrate a year of Key In The Lake. Our goal was to share the stories behind the whiskey bottle and to foster a community inside of this industry. Our dear friends help us highlight the future stories that need to be shared and the direction of whiskey in 2020.

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One year ago today, we released our first podcast, and on today’s episode our friends join us to celebrate a year of Key In The Lake. Our goal was to share the stories behind the whiskey bottle and to foster a community inside of this industry. Our dear friends help us highlight the future stories that need to be shared and the direction of whiskey in 2020.

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Chris Blatner returns to share some amazing rye whiskeys. Chris shares some of his new favorite whiskey spots in the city, while curating a discussion/tasting between New Riff Straight Rye and Colonel E.H. Taylor Bottled In Bond Straight Rye. The guys also rave over a couple tastes of Pinhook’s Rye Humor. They also discuss how new/craft brands like New Riff and Pinhook can succeed in this modern epoch of allocated whiskeys gleaming in the collective eye of collectors, consumers and greedy secondary market purveyors.

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Joe Z. Henry joins Jake and Wilson to share the story of his family building a legacy Bourbon brand with integrity. The Henry family began J. Henry and Sons more than 10 years ago, with a plan to produce the best possible Native Spirit with grains from their family farm. The fellas revel in a bottle of J. Henry 10th Anniversary Limited Edition Blend, while enjoying a few laughs over a recent trip to Galena, IL, and the forthcoming Chicago Whisky Week.

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Jake is joined by Callum O’Donnell to celebrate the life of Kobe Bryant by discussing their favorite memories of the Black Mamba and how the legend influenced their own lives.

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Matt Brown of Blaum Bros. Distilling Co. fills in for Wilson to host this episode with Jake. Once the guys get past Jake’s dog, Remi, disrupting with a few barks; they breakdown Galena Whiskey weekend and the cult following Blaum Bros. (The Blaum Bros.’ Bros) has developed. Matt and Jake also dive into the mindset of whiskey collectors, and how the newly established Illinois craft distillers’ laws will effect the future of craft whiskey. They also have a soccer breakdown in three, two, one… the two football clubs in Liverpool.

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She’s been a tough get, but we finally had the privilege of sitting down with Kelli Nakagama. Kelli is truly one of the online game-changers in whiskey. On the internet she’s known as Whiskied Wanderlust, providing in-depth articles about her travels across the world as she’s enjoying her greatest pleasures; whiskey, wine and opera. Her travels helped her develop a fine palate for the whiskeys of the world, and with that, her opinions and insights have earned the trust of thousands; including Women Who Whiskey. Kelli is the president of the Chicago chapter of Women Who Whiskey. Her enthusiasm for whiskey, travel, no matter the subject of her writings, always comes through, and that vigor for exploration is present during this conversation.

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Taylor joins the podcast to chat about his personal journey with whiskey, which is currently on display with the MALT-Review. Taylor shares his opinions on the mutual responsibility that distilleries and industry writers have with transparency to their consumers. We discuss how to legitimately review whiskeys by thoroughly researching brands and the flavors of their individual spirits; and the dubious impact brands can have on consumers with marketing that wavers between folklore, history and truth. Please read Taylor’s articles at malt-review.com.

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Christ Blatner returns to the show. Chris shares his new role with Bourbon Charity–a nonprofit organization of over 2,000 supporters that raise money for charity through whiskey. Chris the nonprofit’s new Director of Bourbon Reviews. Chris is using his ever-growing knowledge and passion from his personal platform Urban Bourbonist to provide a intellectual opinions and creative content in the whiskey world. We also go deep on the impact whiskey can positively have in this cynical world. We focus our conversation on the amazing unity the whiskey world is demonstrating by raising money for the devastating effects that Australian bushfire has had on the country.

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What a way to begin the new year. Ajay Bhoja joins the show to shed light on India, spirits of the world and conservation in the spirits industry. Ajay is the Midwest Market Manager for High Road Spirits. He’s traversed the world to become connected with his family’s roots in India, with the noble intent to better the underprivileged lives of India and world by practicing professional safeguards in the whiskey industry. This is our favorite conversation of 2020… for sure.

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2019 ends tomorrow, so listen to Jake and Wilson wrap-up the year by celebrating all their great whiskey experiences of the year. The hosts rundown their favorite bars, new bars, cocktails, personal experiences and the new friends they made along. 

We loved 2019, but let’s raise a glass to 2020 and live the shit out of the year. 

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Mike Moreno returns to the podcast to celebrate the launch of Osito’s Tap. Mike’s new Little Village bar is not just an innovative cocktail bar—preserving the past while celebrating modern flair—Osito’s is an emblem of transformation. We discuss the history of Little Village and how a lifted moratorium on bars in this Chicago neighborhood adds tremendous value to an already vibrant locale. Over a glass of Deadwood Tumbling Dice, We also chat about the history of bars in Chicago, and how small business owners and their customers share a mutual loyalty.

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