Not Another Whisky Podcast

Arthur Motley on Cask Backrooms, Whisky Identity, and the Liquid Antiquarian

Arthur Motley joins Mitch & Daz in Bennet’s Bar for a cracking conversation on cask buying, whisky identity, and what happens when one of the industry’s most experienced retailers decides to go it alone.

From his early days at the Scotch Malt Whisky Society to 21 years at Royal Mile Whiskies — where he worked his way from cask buyer to managing director — Arthur has seen whisky from just about every angle.

He talks about the wild early-2000s cask market, when buying stock was a very different game, and how things gradually shifted from open sampling and relationship-led deals to tighter supply and buying “off paper.” The chat also dives into why he left Royal Mile, what his consultancy work looks like now, and why brand identity and route-to-market matter more than ever.

There’s plenty of whisky geekery too, including early Japanese SMWS bottlings, the rise of world whisky, and Arthur’s brilliant historical project The Liquid Antiquarian with Dave Broom. Expect big thoughts on the 1823 Excise Act, the speed of Scotch’s evolution, and the stories behind the liquid we all bang on about.

00:00 Rolling and intro
00:07 Meet Arthur Motley
02:14 Bennet’s Bar and pubs
02:40 Cornwall pub story
04:38 Joining Royal Mile
05:44 Early whisky scene
08:20 Whisky passion sparked
10:05 Cask buying then
14:19 Single malt boom
18:37 Leaving Royal Mile
22:15 Consultancy focus now
24:53 Identity and history work
27:27 Whisky History Needs Stories
29:50 Brand Identity Done Right
30:43 Bruichladdich Under Remy
34:37 First Japanese Bottlings
36:55 World Whisky Boom
39:36 Scotch as Global Style
42:19 Birth of Liquid Antiquarian
44:38 1823 vs 1494 Debate
47:38 Biggest Research Revelations
51:08 Patreon Plans and Community
56:09 Closing Thoughts and Farewell

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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

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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.

Guests

Angad Singh Gandhi – Founder of Drams With Drama
Fraser Morrison – Whisky ambassador working in India

Live Podcast Events

Join Mitch & Daz in person at one of our upcoming live whisky tastings.

🎟️ Tickets & upcoming events:
https://www.notanotherwhiskypodcast.com/live-events

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Instagram: @notanotherwhiskypodcast
Website: https://www.notanotherwhiskypodcast.com
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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.

Timestamps

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

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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
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