Jim Murray's 2009 Whisky Bible named a hard-to-find rye whiskey as the Best Rye Whiskey in the World Under 10 Years Old. That whiskey is Templeton Rye, produced illegally for generations by farmers in Templeton, Iowa -- but now legally available in Iowa and Illinois. Scott Bush and Keith Karkhoff started bottling the legal version of Templeton Rye in 2006, and it's become a cult favorite among rye whiskey lovers. Scott updates us on Templeton's success and future in this episode. In the news, Old Taylor Bourbon is back home at Buffalo Trace, the SWA wins a battle against an Italian imitator, and another distillery is in the works for the area around St. Andrew's in Scotland.

John Ramsay has turned over the duties of Master Blender for The Glenrothes and the Edrington Group's other whiskies to Gordon Motion after 43 years in the whisky business. He'll share his insights with us in this episode, along with the plans for one final malt that he's working on. In the news, William Grant & Sons gets a new CEO, a 1919 Springbank sells for nearly $2500 (for a mini!), and Knob Creek runs dry for a few months.

Kate Hopkins's new book "99 Drams of Whiskey: The Accidental Hedonist's Quest for the Perfect Shot and the History of the Drink" is getting a lot of attention from whisky lovers...and with good reason. She's been blogging as the Accidental Hedonist since 2004, and I think it's one of the best whisky books of the year. We'll hear from Kate in this episode...and in the news, the legal fight over Glen Breton Rare Single Malt Canadian Whisky may be over after a Canadian Supreme Court ruling, Isle of Jura shuts down because of ferry problems, and new whiskies from The Glenrothes and Douglas Laing.

Harlen Wheatley of Buffalo Trace usually comes out with something unusual every summer when he unleashes his latest Experimental Collection releases on the world. This year, he's releasing one of the distillery's older experiments -- bourbon aged in two different types of oak casks for 15 years. One batch was aged in coarse-grained oak from fast-growth forests, and the other was aged in fine-grain oak from slow-growth forests. He'll tell us what he found in this week's episode.

It's hard enough just to keep track of whiskies, but F. Paul Pacult does just that...and rums, tequilas, gins...you name it. Paul names his top spirits of 2009 in the latest edition of the Spirit Journal, and he'll share some of his favorites in this episode. In the news, Campari closes on the purchase of Wild Turkey, Isle of Jura goes elemental, Buffalo Trace gets experimental, and the results of Kilchoman's charity auction are astronomical...

It's festival week on Islay, and thousands of people are on the island for this year's Islay Festival of Malt & Music. The festival is more than just a celebration of the island's 8 distilleries...it celebrates a unique cultural heritage as well and Feis Ile chairman Kevin Murphy will explain. In the news, U.S. Senators are eyeing whisky and other alcoholic beverages with an eye to raising taxes, there are new 40-year-old malts from Glengoyne and it's sister label Chieftain's, Suntory releases a new 12-year-old Hibiki in the U.K., and we'll get an update on the revival of Glenglassaugh from Stuart Nickerson.

It's a milestone episode of WhiskyCast, and we'll hear from veteran whisky writer and Malt Maniac Dave Broom of Whisky Magazine in this week's episode. In the news, there's a controversy developing over whisky tastings at The Gathering in Edinburgh in July...Regis LeMaitre has two new bottlings to go mad over, and Willie Tait tells us about the return of The Dalmore to the U.S.

It's another road trip for WhiskyCast...this time to the Spirit of Toronto festival! The festival is in its fifth year, and better than ever. We'll hear from Dan Tullio of Canadian Club about the debut of CC's 20-year-old expression in North America, Mike Harrison of Berry Bros. & Rudd gives us a sneak preview of the first-ever kosher expression of The Glenrothes and new expressions from Cutty Sark, and John Hall of Kittling Ridge tells us about the upcoming port wood version of Forty Creek!

The judges at Whisky Magazine gave Highland Park's 21-year-old Scotch the title of World's Best Singe Malt in this year's World Whisky Awards, and that has the guys on Orkney jumping for joy...except for one little problem. They're in the process of tweaking it because of supplies...and Jason Craig will explain in this episode. In the news...no news on the merger front, the Spirit of Speyside Festival kicks off Whisky Month in Scotland...and Benromach honors a sailing legend.

Last week, Scotland...this week, Kentucky! We'll look at plenty of vacation options in and around Louisville in the heart of Bourbon Country. Stacey Yates of the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau's Bourbon Country project will be our guide. Dave Broom of Whisky Magazine will give us the winners of this year's World Whisky Awards, and we'll talk whisky taxes in the UK, consolidation rumors within the industry, horses with Chris Morris of Woodford Reserve, and David Mair of The Balvenie updates us on the latest release of the Signature 12-year-old single malt.

We're getting into the start of the vacation season, and there are plenty of whisky-related places to see in Scotland. Chris Conway heads up the tourism initiative Scotland Whisky, and will give us a few highlights in this week's episode. In the news, Pernod Ricard may put more whisky brands and distilleries up for sale, Buffalo Trace goes Mongolian, and U.S. whisky lovers will get to try two world whiskies later this year. Jonathan Bray tells us about the impending arrival of India's Amrut and Australia's Sullivan's Cove.

Colin Scott has been the Master Blender at Chivas Brothers for years, overseeing the consistency of Chivas Regal Scotch. He's also created the Chivas Regal 18 and 25-year-old blends, and works closely with the distillers at The Glenlivet, Strathisla, and Longmorn on their single malts. Colin shares his experiences of more than 4 decades in the whisky business in this week's episode. In the news, Campari buys Wild Turkey for $575 million, China may crack down on counterfeit whiskies, and Glencairn's classic whisky glass gets an upgrade!

This has been a busy week for whisky lovers, with three major festivals in the past week. This week's episode features special coverage from Whisky Live New York, including interviews with Duncan Taylor's Euan Shand, Ardmore & Laphroaig brand ambassador Simon Brooking, and many more...and Ardbeg's Dr. Bill Lumsden helps answer a listener question, too!

55 years ago, Jimmy Russell got a job at the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky...and it was the best hire the distillery ever made. He's been the Master Distiller since 1967, and has no plans to retire any time soon. Jimmy shares his history and the Wild Turkey legend with us in this week's episode. In the news, the winners of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition have been announced, Highland Park uncovers a treasure from the past, and Buffalo Trace is now selling its "white dog" spirit at the distillery.

It's been about a year and a half since we lost Michael Jackson, and his friends are honoring the best whisky and beer writer of all time with a new book being released this week on what would have been Michael's 67th birthday. We'll hear from Ian Buxton of Classic Expressions about "Beer Hunter, Whisky Chaser" and plans to donate the proceeds to charity. We'll also hear from Doug McIvor of Berry Bros. & Rudd about the one-of-a-kind blended whisky he created from the opened bottles Michael left behind. We'll also wind up St. Patrick's Day with the annual update from Colum Egan of Bushmills, and John McDougall will tell us about a new distillery he's consulting on along the Irish coast.

It wouldn't be March without a look at Irish whiskies, and Heidi Donelon gives us a look at the history of Irish distilling. Her new Ireland Whiskey Trail website is a guide to distilleries past and present, as well as some of the island's best whiskey bars. In the news, Vijay Mallya's United Spirits is putting Whyte & Mackay up for sale, and Burn Stewart Distillers is up for sale as well. Ardbeg's annual single cask is now available at the distillery, Jack Daniel's releases its annual Scenes of Lynchburg bottle, and there's a new charity blend made from the whiskies in Michael Jackson's collection!

This week's episode features special coverage from the Whisky Classic festival in Morristown, New Jersey. We'll hear from Wild Turkey Master Distiller Jimmy Russell about his recent venture into political activism, and Wild Scotsman Jeff Topping will tell us about his new whiskies. We'll also hear from Whisky Guild guru and Whisky Life magazine publisher Jeff Karlovitch, Rick Wassmund of Copper Fox Distillery, Pat McCarthy of Bayway's World of Liquors, and Dorothy Bakker Lee of Ardbeg has details on the U.S. arrival of Supernova! We'll close things out with a tune to make you feel a little better about the economy...even if it means some self-medication...

This is Whisky Live London weekend, and one of the highlights is the annual Icons of Whisky Awards. Whisky Magazine editor Rob Allanson gives us the overall winners, as well as the winners for the world category (Scotland and U.S. regional winners were announced recently). John Glaser of Compass Box is bottling a special whisky at the festival this weekend...in hopes of making people feel more "optimistic" about the state of the world these days. In the news, the politicians run amok, and a new Irish whiskey website hits the Internet!

Mike Nicolson spent 36 years working at some of Scotland's leading distilleries before retiring to British Columbia a few years ago. He's managed Lagavulin, Royal Lochnagar, and Blair Athol...just to name a few, and he'll share some of his memories with us in this week's episode. In the news, the finalists have been announced in the Spirit of Speyside Festival Whisky Awards, the Famous Grouse has plans to migrate to India, and Malt Advocate cuts the cost of tickets for WhiskyFest Chicago.

This week...the winner of the "Pick the Interview" poll on the WhiskyCast Facebook page! We'll hear from Fred Laing of Douglas Laing & Co. about working with both blends and single cask bottlings, his family's history in the whisky business...his stories about Richard Paterson and Jim McEwan...and how he was almost traded for a distillery! In the news, Diageo and Pernod Ricard cope with the recession, Kentucky distillers protest a tax increase by dumping bourbon on the steps of the State Capitol...and Mount Vernon marks Presidents' Day by firing up the stills at George Washington's Distillery...