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

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

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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.

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This week we welcome Ardnahoe distillery manager David Livingston to discuss the Islay distillery’s location, origins, and whisky style. Livingston explains Hunter Laing’s long-held ambition to create their own distillery, Ardnahoe’s opening in 2018, and his own third-generation Islay whisky background. He reflects on how Islay has changed with tourism and the rise of single malts, and why whisky is vital to the island’s economy as farming and fishing decline. The conversation covers Fèis Ìle’s growth and 40th anniversary, Ardnahoe’s early production moments, and the distillery’s approach to making spirit—slow mashing, fermentations over 70 hours, slow distillation, and worm tubs aimed at a sweet, heavy-bodied, fruity spirit with peat on the finish. We also discuss Ardnahoe’s core range (including Infinite Loch), cask strength releases, future aging ambitions, the visitor experience and staff, and how Ardnahoe benefits from Hunter Laing’s independent bottling heritage and bar selection, including the Kinship range.

00:00 Welcome to Islay: Introducing Ardnahoe & Distillery Manager David Livingston

00:49 That View (and the Coffee): Why Ardnahoe’s Location Is So Special

01:35 How Ardnahoe Happened: Hunter Laing’s Dream Becomes a Distillery (2018–Now)

03:26 Born & Bred Islay: David’s Whisky Upbringing and Peat-Bog Memories

04:43 Islay Then vs Now: Tourism, Single Malts, and the Island Economy

07:25 Fèis Ìle at 40: Music, Whisky, Culture—and 2026 Plans

10:40 From Banter to Build: David’s Role, Arran Detour, and the First Spirit Run

14:35 Making the Spirit: Slow Mashing, Long Ferments, Worm Tubs & Flavor Goals

16:19 Tasting Notes & Core Range: Infinite Loch, Cask Strength, and Smoke Level (40 PPM)

20:58 Production Split & Switching Styles: Peated vs Unpeated Campaigns

23:23 Looking Ahead: Quality Over Quantity, Visitor-Centre Vibes, and Independent Bottlings

27:40 Wrap-Up & Invitations: Ferry Logistics, Twin Rooms, and Final Thanks

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

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This week Mitch sits down with David Stirk — whisky writer, independent bottler, whisky historian — for a wide-ranging conversation on Campbeltown, the rise (and early struggles) of indie bottlers, and where the Scotch industry is and might actually be heading.

From his first life-changing dram of Glenlivet 21 in 1996 to building Creative Whisky, rewriting the history of Campbeltown, and diving into a Master’s in History to sharpen his research, this episode covers David's graft, controversy, and some properly strong opinions about surplus production and the future of Scotch.

Before all that, though…

Daz and Mitch chat about existential dread about Scotland’s rugby chances. Standard start to the week and kick of with with winter vibes, whisky chat, and a public service announcement about the pies at Glasgow’s Pot Still (worth the train fare alone).

LIVE TASTING ALERT

We’re hosting the Thompson Brothers (Phil & Simon) at the Craigellachie Hotel on March 26th at 7pm. It will be loud, it will be chaotic, it will sell out. Tickets at notanotherwhiskypodcast.com or via the Instagram link.

BUY TICKETS HERE

We also get into Spirit of Speyside prep — nine events hosted by us this year, four live podcast tastings, and listings landing mid-February. If last year’s sell-outs taught us anything… move fast.

00:00 Snowy Speyside Catch-Up: Whisky, Fire & Winter Vibes

00:23 Rugby Reality Check: Dreading the England Match

00:43 Glasgow’s Pot Still Love-In: Pies, Beans & Whisky Bar Chat

02:00 Valentine’s Weekend Welcome + A Pink Port-Cask Promise

02:36 Big News: Thompson Brothers Live Tasting (Craigellachie, Mar 26)

03:52 Spirit of Speyside Prep: Uploading Events & Hosting Nine Tastings

04:47 Meet the Guest: David Stirk Returns to the Podcast

06:32 How It Started: A Glenlivet 21 Dram That Changed Everything

09:35 Breaking In: Speyside Festival Tastings to Whisky Magazine Days

11:28 Detours & Turning Points: America, 9/11, Cadenhead’s & Campbeltown

14:14 Writing Whisky Books: Campbeltown, Publishing Realities & Archives

19:16 Where He’s At Now: Master’s in History & The Drive to Carve Your Path

21:33 Next Up: What Exactly Is Creative Whisky?

21:49 The cask sample that sparked the idea to create whisky

22:22 Early indie bottling struggles: price pushback & skeptical drinkers

23:48 Why indie bottlers are booming now (and how big brands see them)

27:20 Back to uni: the whisky history books David wants to write

29:57 State of the industry: SWA numbers, India, and the next-gen drinking shift

34:15 Book plug: David Stirk’s whisky library (and what each one covers)

36:41 What’s next: festivals, Little Brown Dog, and a Glasgow distilling dissertation

39:47 Wrap-up & host banter: upcoming trips, Islay stories, and next episode tease

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

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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

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

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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.

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