“I can’t tell you how crazy it is to go down a line of barrels that were made the exact same way, the exact same day, aged in the exact same row…and they’re all different.”
According to the great Ron Swanson, "Clear alcohols are for rich women on diets". This entire week of half hour intern would make Ron proud as it's all about the #1 non-clear alcohol in the world, whiskey. Whiskey is such a great liquor to learn about as it is incredibly steeped in history, tradition, and lore. Today's guest is the perfect instructor as he has surrounded himself with the stuff in both his personal and professional life, and knows whiskey better than most people could hope to in a lifetime. This is part 1 where Josh answers all kinds of questions and gives us a foundation of knowledge about whiskey.
“The term that you’re referring to for evaporation is called “the angels share”. It’s the amount that the angels are drinking in the air in the warehouse.”
“That’s kind of what keeps the passion going. There’s so many flavors that it’s really tough to get bored.”
Interview Contents
2:20 – What is whiskey?
4:00 – How to make it.
5:00 – The many names of whiskey.
9:00 – Single malt vs. blended.
12:00 – The history of blending whiskey.
14:30 – Labeling.
17:00 – Age statements on whiskey.
20:00 – The variations in whiskey barrels.
21:30 – The use of barrels for alcohol.
22:55 – Whiskey evaporating out of the barrel.
24:40 – How Josh got into whiskey at a young age.
26:00 – First whiskey tasting experiences.
28:30 – A whiskey for everyone.
30:00 – Experimentation in whiskey.
33:00 – The barrel’s influence on the end product.
36:00 – Whiskey recommendations for beginners.
39:40 – Following along with the tasting.
