Join me for My Stonewell Chat with Diarmuid Madden. Diarmuid is a Production Operator at Stonewell Cidery in Carrigaline, Cork. They produce an amzing array of quality ciders. Orr Apple Brandy is their new venture, their own cider distilled by a local distillery and Diarmuid has been spearheading this project since the start of 2025. This episode o…

Join me for My Garden Chat with Dean & Cathal pt 1. Dean Fitzgerald runs the Whiskey Appreciation Society pages on Social Media platforms. He does a great job bringing people along hi journey with him and helping to promote Irish brands. I urge you to check out his profiles and give him a follow. Cathal O'Brien has been repping West Cork Distillers…

Join me for My Midleton Micro Distillery Chat with Barrett Stapleton - Head Distiller in the Micro. Barrett originally hails from the US and has beat a really interesting path to his current position in Midleton Distillery. He came back to Ireland at the end of Covid, after studying in UCC in the early 00's, to start work distilling in Clonakilty D…

Join me for My Stonewell Cidery Chat with Daniel Emerson. Founded by Daniel and Geraldine Emerson in 2009, Stonewell is a small family-run cider producer. Their story began with an old French press and apple mill from Geraldine’s Loire Valley family before upgrading to a modern press at their Carrigaline Production facility. I joined Daniel in Carr…

Join me for My Spot Whiskey Chat with Robert Mitchell. Robert Mitchell is the 7th generation of his family to run Mitchell & Son Wine and Spirits Merchants in Dublin city centre. Mitchell's have left a huge legacy in their wake on Irish whiskey, as at one point in the late 20th century, the only shop in the world to sell Pot Still Irish whiskey was…

Join me for My Mourne Dew Distillery Chat with Donal Farrell. Mourne Dew was founded in 2017 by Donal Farrell, a former barrister and chartered accountant. His inspiration came from an unexpected place—a court case involving cold distillation for forensic DNA extraction. This sparked an idea: what if the same technology could be used to create ultr…

Join me for My Hinch Distillery Chat with Emma Millar. Emma Millar is a senior distiller since 2020, at the beautiful Hinch Distillery in Co. Down, founded by Dr Terry Cross in 2019. It is clearly a labour of love. The detail and scale of Hinch Distillery really impressed me as Emma showed me around. But all the shiny things don't really matter, un…

Join me for My Ardara Distillery Chat with James Doherty. James and Moira O'Doherty founded Sliabh Liag Distillers and began releasing their Silkie range of sourced smoky whiskeys, just as the covid lockdown hit, as well as An Dúlamán Irish Maritime gins. James and Moira returned to Ireland from their last pit-stop in Hong Kong, to pick up James's …

Join me for My Chat with Tara Clarke from Dair Nua Cooperage. Tara is the National Sales Manager at the cooperage. She is the conduit between the barrels they source, import, fix, care for and distribute to most of our favourite distilleries and brands throughout the island of Ireland. It is a very important and interesting role in the whiskey indu…

An introduction to Pangur Irish Poitín from Killowen Distillery. Links for further reading and reference; Killowen Website Foley Family Wines & Spirits (US Importer) Killowen US Availability Killowen Distillery Background Poitín on Wikipedia Irish Poitín Technical File WSET Bitesize - What is Poitín? [YouTube Video] Maillard Reaction More Episodes …

An introduction to Single Malt Rum & Raisin from Killowen Distillery. Links for further reading and reference; Killowen Website Foley Family Wines & Spirits (US Importer) Killowen US Availability More Episodes Here Video on YouTube HereBy Andrew Healy

An introduction to the Dram In A Can from Two Stacks Irish Whiskey. Links for further reading and reference; Two Stacks Website Foley Family Wines & Spirits (US Importer) Two Stacks US Availability The Baby Powers More Episodes Here Video on YouTube HereBy Andrew Healy

An introduction to the Double Irish Cream Liqueur from Two Stacks Irish Whiskey. Links for further reading and reference; Two Stacks Website Foley Family Wines & Spirits (US Importer) Two Stacks US Availability European Union Geographical Indication Irish Cream Technical File Golden Vale More Episodes Here Video on YouTube Here…

An introduction to the Single Malt Double Barrel from Two Stacks Irish Whiskey. Links for further reading and reference; Two Stacks Website Foley Family Wines & Spirits (US Importer) Two Stacks US Availability More Episodes Here Video on YouTube HereBy Andrew Healy

An introduction to The First Cut Signature Blend from Two Stacks Irish Whiskey. Links for further reading and reference; Two Stacks Website Foley Family Wines & Spirits (US Importer) Two Stacks US Availability Irish Pot Still Whiskey Aeneas Coffey Dundalk Distillery More Episodes Here Video on YouTube Here Irish Coffee Recipe The 6oz Libbey Georgia…

An introduction to the Single Grain Double Barrel from Two Stacks Irish Whiskey. Links for further reading and reference; Two Stacks Website Foley Family Wines & Spirits (US Importer) Two Stacks US Availability Aeneas Coffey Dundalk Distillery More Episodes Here Video on YouTube HereBy Andrew Healy

An introduction to Two Stacks Irish Whiskey using the bottle to tell the story. Links for further reading and reference; Two Stacks Website Foley Family Wines & Spirits (US Importer) Two Stacks US Availability Dundalk Distillery More Episodes Here Video on YouTube HereBy Andrew Healy

Join me for My Master Cooper Chat with Darren Leonard. Darren is a Master Cooper, not Head Cooper, above in Dair Nua Cooperage in Foxford, Co Mayo. He is a Master Cooper because he has successfully qualified an apprentice underneath him. He is passionate about the craft of coopering and retaining the Irish traditions of coopering that Ger Buckley, …

Join me for My Palace Bar Chat with Stephen Randles, Michael Cowman & Micháel O'Flaherty. We met up in The Palace Bar on Fleet St in Dublin city centre. Owner and publican Willie Ahern kindly allowed us to use the private Power's whiskey room, on the top floor, to record the podcast. He even dropped in at the start of the chat to say hello and find…

Join me for My Boann Distillery Chat with Pat Cooney. Pat Cooney is the Patriarch of Boann Distillery, having founded it in 2019, alongside his family. Pat has been in the drinks industry in Ireland since the 1970's. We discuss on the episode his previous companies and his path to Boann, very interesting. Boann Distillery have been innovating and a…

Join me for My Achill Island Distillery Chat with Seán & Michael McKay. I recently visited this picturesque island distillery in beautiful county Mayo, just off the west coast of Ireland, by bridge. Seán and Michael McKay are brothers. They are carrying on the legacy of their father who founded the distillery originally and they are genuinely doing…

Join me for My Lough Mask Distillery Chat with Andrew Bourke-Hastings, Head Distiller. I recently visited this picturesque, yet industrial, distillery in beautiful county Mayo, surrounded on all sides by gorgeous lakes and mountains. Andrew started in Lough Mask as a brewer and is now their Head Distiller. They are nearing the point in their journe…

Join me for My Micil Distillery Chat with Pádraic Ó'Griallais. I visited Micil Distillery, based out the back of the Oslo Bar, in the heart of Salthill just outside Galway city, in January 2024. This is a really charming, boutique distillery that I wanted to see for a long time. I wasn't disappointed. What couldn't come across on the podcast was th…

Join me for My Midleton Distillery Garden Chat with Barry Chandler, Dan Pennington, Paul Costello and Mark Lonergan. I set up a marquee out my back garden over Xmas 2024. The lads called up, Dan was on BBQ duty, I made Belfast Coffees, we had a ball. I asked Midleton Master Blender Dave McCabe for a sample set from the Midleton blending lab. He ver…

Join me for My Eimverk Distillery Chat with Eva Sigurbjornsdottir, in Reykjavik, Iceland. Eimverk produce Floki Whisky, which is famous for their sheep dung smoked whisky and many other amazing spirits. My wife Sonya and I recently visited Eva for a look around their innovative distillery, where we discovered just how much effort that they put into…

Join me for My Islay Garden Chat with Dan Pennington, Paulie Costello, Matt Kelleher & Aidan McGovern. On a recent pilgrimage to the magical whisky island of Islay, off the coast of Scotland, with a couple of good buddies, we sat out the back of our rent-a-house on Bowmare High St, for a very honest chat about the trip so far. I hope this gives any…

Join me for My Ardbeg Distillery Chat with Jackie Thomson, Visitor Centre Manager. On a recent pilgrimage to the magical whisky island of Islay, off the coast of Scotland, with a couple of good buddies - Dan, Paulie, Matt and Aidan, we visited Ardbeg Distillery. Here, I met up with Jackie Thomson, an absolute livewire of a lady and an enthusiatic w…

Join me for My Chat with Derek Mather in The Laddie Snug at Artisan. On a recent pilgrimage to the magical whisky island of Islay, off the coast of Scotland with a couple of good buddies, we made an overnight detour to the small town of Wishaw, midway between Edinburgh and Glasgow, to the famous Artisan restaurant. Head chef, owner, curator and co-…

Join me for My Belfast Chat in The Friend at Hand with Jim, Mark & Séamus. On this episode, I had 3 guests who joined me in a round-table chat in the spectacular tasting room in the back of The Friend at Hand whiskey shop and museum in the heart of Belfast city. . Jim Ingram who works in The FAH and has the YouTube Channel The Whiskey Novice. . Séa…

Join me for My Chat with Willie Jack in The Friend at Hand in Belfast. Willie Jack is a legend in Belfast. He is a publican, whiskey museum curator, architectural salvager and restorer, antiques dealer, community builder, cultural ambassador and a seriously well connected and sound fella. I have wanted to speak to Willie for many years about the sh…

Join me for My Live Festival Chat with Noel Sweeney - Master Distiller. Noel is famous for his amazing time as Master Distiller at Cooley Distillery, where he became responsible for releasing alot of the amazing Irish whiskeys that we all love today. His Cooley malts and single grains are still being released by different brands and bottlers to thi…

Join me for My Live Chat at Cork on a Fork Festival I was asked to do a number of Live podcasts at a recent foodie festival in Cork - Cork on a Fork. I set up a podcast studio in the top floor bar of Cork Opera House in August 2024, in front of a Live audience, where my guests and I shared some very interesting drinks and chats. My 3 guests were: M…

Join me for My McConnell's Distillery Chat with Graham Millar, Head Distiller. Myself and Sonya visited McConnel's Distillery, in the old Crumlin Road Jail in Belfast, whilst up at Belfast Whiskey Week 2024. Graham showed us around their amazing converted and renovated centuries old prison wing, that is now their Distillery! The project was started…

Join me for My Cask Chat with Gary Ring in Boann Distillery. I visited Gary a while back, firstly joining him for a cuppa and bickie in Boann's "Distiller's Cottage", in Kestral Manor!!! I kid you not, very bougie... Gary is a distiller in Boann distillery and one of the most enthusiatic proponents of whiskey production in Irish whiskey industry...…

Join me for My Titanic Distillery Chat with Damien Rafferty. We recently visited Titanic Distillery at the Belfast city docks, while we were attending Belfast Whiskey Week 2025. We met up with Head Distiller Damien and we went for a stroll and a chat around the distillery building, finding out more about the Titanic Distillery project. It is an ama…

Join me for My Copeland Distillery Chat with Gareth Irvine. We recently visited Copeland Distillery on The Ards peninsula in Co. Down while we we attending Belfast Whiskey Week 2025. I chatted to owner and founder Gareth Irvine about his amazing distillery that he started as part of a college module!.. It is a fantastic little distillery, in a pict…

Join me for My Distillery Chat with Sarah Dowling, Cooley Distillery's Head Blender. I have wanted to see beyond the gates of the iconic Cooley Distillery for years. I finally got the opportunity and Head Blender and ex Distillery Manager Sarah Dowling showed me around. To say it was amazing is an understatement. It turns out that Cooley is a littl…

Join me for My Wee Pub Chat with Anthony & Katie Sheehy. Anthony & Katie founded Irish Whiskey Auctions, the monthly whiskey auction in Ireland and sponsor of Whiskey Chats. They then co-founded Irish Whiskey Experiences with Barry Chandler, where they have had huge successes with their Whiskey Bus tours and upcoming Whiskey Cruise in Nov 2025. But…

Join me for My Distillery Chat with Tracey Clarke in Kilbeggan. Tracey has worked as a Tour Guide in Kilbeggan Distillery for over 23yrs. She is part of the local community and would have grown up knowing it as the Old Locke's Distillery, after the family that previously owned it and ran it. It is an amazingly well preserved example of Victorian, I…

Join me for My Chat with Enguerrand Vandenbossche. Enguerrand is a French trained cooper, who was the Head Cooper in Tullamore Dew Distillery until 2022, owned by Beam Suntory, after working in France and for a time in Scotland at some of their industrial cooperages. For the past 2yrs, he has been working at the Good Spirits Co. in Dundalk. They ar…

Join me for My Distillery Chat with Gearóid Cahill in Slane Distillery. Gearóid is one of the only Master Brewers AND Master Distillers working in the alcohol industry. He spent nearly 20yrs as one of Diageo's top brewers, before going to work as Head Distiller for the fledgling Slane Distillery in Co. Meath, in the shadow of the famous concert ven…

Join me for My Distillery Chat with Connor Howlett at Stillgarden Distillery, in the heart of Dublin city. Connor has worked as a brand ambassador and chief gardener at Stillgarden for a couple of years now, after he finished his English and Film degree in 2021. He is very passionate about creating spirits of real integrity and it was a pleasure to…

Join me for My Historic Bottle Chat with Leo Phelan. Leo is a lifelong whiskey enthusiast. He has been knee deep in the Irish whiskey world for over 20yrs. He is a founding member and former president of the Irish Whiskey Society. He has become one of the authorities on historic Irish whiskey bottles in Ireland and is regularly consulted on authent…

Join me for My Peated Garden Chat with JP, Kevin & Aidan. JP O'Riordan, Kevin Murphy & Aidan McGovern called up to my back garden and we had a fantastic afternoon chatting about peated/ turfed/ smoky whiskeys, beer and a cocktail. I love recording the Garden Chats, they're the most fun. Always good to share great drops with buddies. This is part 1,…

Join me for My Chat with John O'Connell in West Cork Distillers in Skibbereen. My wife Sonya and I visited John on a very, very rainy Saturday afternoon and we were welcomed with open arms. What an amazing distillery John O'Connell, Ger McCarthy and Denis McCarthy have built. Supporting well over 200 local jobs in their locality, buying only Irish …

Join me for My Chat with Stephen D'Alton, co-author of Wise's Irish Whiskey book. Stephen recently collaborated with the legendary Midleton Master Distiller Emeritus Barry Crockett on a book detailing the story behind the distilling Wise family dynasty in Cork. The Wise's once ran the highest output Irish Whiskey distillery in the 1800's, at North …

Join me for My Chat with Bill Lark, the Godfather of Australian Whiskey. Bill & his wife Lyn were responsible for reigniting the Australian whiskey industry in the early 90's. His brand Lark Distillery is still going and he is still involved in Lark Distillery in an ambassadorial role. His is a truly fascinating tale of what you can achieve when yo…

Join me for My Tasmanian Whiskey Garden Chat with Dan, Paul Costello & JP. This Garden Chat was recorded a couple of months back. I was gifted a box of Tasmanian Whiskey samples from Transportation Whiskey founder John Halton up at Belfast Whiskey Week 2023, who is one of the biggest advocates for Irish Whiskey in Australia and Tassie Whiskey in Ir…

Join me for My Garden Chat with Dan Pennington, Paul Costello & JP O'Riordan. My 3 buddies called up to my back garden a couple of weeks ago and we cracked open many bottles and samples of liquids we had never heard of. Join us as we discover some amazing new liquds and spirits and have a laugh aswell along the way. This episode of the podcast is s…

Join me for My Chat with Alex Thomas, Master Blender with Bushmill's Distillery. Alex has spent most of her career in Bushmill's. A couple of year's ago she was afforded the honour of developing her own brand within the distillery and so The Sextant was born. From there she progressed from Master Blender of The Sextant to Master Blender of Bushmill…