Episode 487: July 11, 2014

Glenmorangie’s Bill Lumsden wanted to push the envelope 16 years ago when he got his hands on some French Oak barriques from an undisclosed Bordeaux wine chateau, and see just how long he could put a whisky away for finishing. He got his answer a couple of years ago when five of those barriques yielded the Glenmorangie Pride 1978 single malt that was released this week. We’ll discuss that process with him on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth, and he’ll respond to Ardbeg lovers who claim the Islay landmark’s current releases don’t quite match up to those old classic Ardbegs, but still want him to revive the Ardbeg 17-year-old. In the news, Scotland’s whisky industry gets dragged into the independence referendum debate, while two distillers pick their sides in the showdown. Speaking of showdowns, John Wayne’s family is squaring off in court against Duke University over a Bourbon honoring the legendary movie star.

Links: Glenmorangie | Ardbeg | Scotland Electoral Commission | William Grant & Sons | Scotch Whisky Association | Springbank | Old Pulteney | The Glenrothes | Jack Daniel’s | The James Beard House | The Flatiron Room | Duke Spirits | Duke University | Downslope Distilling