Time For Whisky’s Martin Eber on Hong Kong’s Generosity, Japan’s Bar Magic, and Keeping Whiskey Blogs Alive

Daz welcomes Martin Eber of Time For Whisky, an Australian whisky blogger he has known for about 11 years, to discuss his journey from collecting travel-retail bottles in 2008–2009 to starting the Time For Whisky blog in 2012 and moving to Hong Kong in 2014 as the scene rapidly expanded. They highlight Hong Kong’s uniquely generous whisky culture, where rare bottles are opened and shared, and discuss the decline of long-form whisky blogs amid social media and AI-generated content, with Martin aiming to keep authentic writing going. Martin recalls standout moments including a 2018 media trip for The Macallan’s new distillery launch, and hosting an early international Starward tasting. He names Japan as the best place to drink whisky for vintage selections and pricing, then shares updates on returning to Australia, growing Time For Whisky with contributors, and observations on Australia’s booming but crowded distilling scene.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

01:37 Whiskey Beginnings in Australia

02:37 Starting the Time for Whiskey Blog

03:51 Moving to Hong Kong Scene

05:17 Hong Kong Generosity and Rare Drams

06:48 Why Blogs Still Matter

09:32 Standout Whiskey Moments

14:37 Japan the Best Place to Drink

17:56 Back in Australia Whats Next

20:21 Australian Whiskey Boom and Challenges

22:58 Tasmanian Highlights and Wrap Up

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India is the largest whisky market in the world , yet Scottish whisky still represents only a tiny slice of what’s actually being drunk. In this episode, Mitch and Daz unpack the reality behind the headlines and explore how the Indian whisky ecosystem really works.

From IMFL (Indian Made Foreign Liquor) and the role Scottish Whisky plays inside local blends, to changing consumer trends, tariffs, cocktail culture, and the rise of Indian single malts, this episode dives into one of the most complex — and fascinating — whisky markets on the planet.

To get a proper on-the-ground perspective, Mitch speaks with two industry insiders working directly in the Indian drinks scene.

First up is Angad Singh Gandhi, former Glenfiddich ambassador turned drinks consultant and founder of Drams With Drama, who explains how Indian drinkers are becoming more adventurous and how bars, whisky experiences, and local producers are reshaping the market.

Then Fraser Morrison joins the show from just outside Delhi to discuss the reality of selling Scotch in India — from state-by-state regulations and pricing differences to the aspirational role single malt still plays for many drinkers.

Along the way Mitch and Daz break down:

• What IMFL actually is and why it dominates the Indian whisky market
• Why India imports huge amounts of bulk Scotch for blending
• The impact of the UK–India tariff changes
• How the middle class and travel culture are driving premium whisky demand
• The rise of Indian single malts like Amrut, Paul John and Rampur
• Why India might become the most important whisky market of the next decade

If you’ve ever wondered why India drinks so much whisky — and what that means for Scotch — this episode explains it all.

• Angad Singh Gandhi – Founder of Drams With Drama
• Fraser Morrison – Whisky ambassador working in India

Join Mitch & Daz in person at one of our upcoming live whisky tastings.

🎟️ Tickets & upcoming events:

https://www.notanotherwhiskypodcast.com/live-events

Instagram: @notanotherwhiskypodcast

Website: https://www.notanotherwhiskypodcast.com

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-another-whisky-podcast.

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Nicholas Pollacchi joins Mitch and Daz for the 200th episode of Not Another Whisky Podcast — which feels equal parts milestone and minor miracle.

We rewind to April 2021 when the audio was ropey, the format was loose, and Mitch decided he’d edit every episode himself (questionable life choice). From there, listener questions take over — which means things escalate quickly.

We relive:

• A VIP bourbon night in New York
• Tequila egg-white cocktails (don’t ask)
• A celebrity moment at The Edition
• Car-crash tastings in Campbeltown and Las Vegas
• Hecklers in Vegas
• Festival highs in Chicago, Seattle, and Taiwan
• And tastings in Moscow… and a Siberian banya

There’s debate on single grain, whether Fife counts as a region, innovation vs regulation, collecting vs opening bottles, dream guests, dream casks, and the ultimate “last bottle” gift.

Mostly though, this one’s about the listeners. The people who’ve turned up, sent questions, bought tickets, and backed two Speyside lads talking whisky for far longer than anyone expected.

200 episodes down.

Still serious about whisky.

Still not taking ourselves too seriously.

00:00 Cold Open Bar Banter

00:33 Episode 200 Kickoff

01:37 Roasting the Fits

03:29 How We Got Here

04:15 New York VIP Night

05:52 Tequila Egg White Cocktail

08:21 Afterparty & 30 Rock Cameo

11:19 Catching Up With Mitch

11:56 Early Podcast Days

14:18 Fan Questions Begin

17:58 Car Crash Tasting Stories

20:35 Vegas Heckler Showdown

24:42 Best Whisky Festivals

30:31 Is Fife a Region?

31:53 Rethinking Grain Categories

33:10 Innovation vs Regulations

35:22 Favourite Bottles

37:01 Snow Phoenix Alcatraz Story

39:54 Dream Distillery Manager Year

42:43 Celebrity Dream Guests

46:05 Last Dram Gift Picks

49:03 Tariffs & The US Market

50:23 Weirdest Tasting Locations

52:17 Siberia Banya Adventure

56:17 Owning a Dream Cask

01:00:49 Closing the 200th Episode

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/not-another-whisky-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.