Episode Details

Part two of our live Not Another Whisky Podcast recording with the Thompson Bros at the Craigellachie Hotel picks things up mid-tasting — and it only gets better from here.

We start with a chat on label design, working with artists, and the reality of constant releases, before getting into what life actually looks like running a distillery, a hotel, and everything else… in a whisky market that’s not exactly flying right now.

From there, we get stuck into Sideburn — a 35-year-old Burnside — and unpack some of the wonderfully confusing, slightly ridiculous naming rules that still exist in Scotch whisky.

The conversation drifts (as it should) into world whisky, market pressures, and then lands on the Mystery Malt concept — one of the most talked-about things the Thompson Bros are doing right now. Think scratch-card whisky, full transparency on the breakdown, and bottles that can massively overdeliver on the £65 price point — with a fan credited for the original idea.

Across the episode, we taste:

North British 33, Clynelish 12, Sideburn 35, Glenrothes 20, Glengoyne 27, and a Mystery Malt — before opening it up to the room for a proper audience Q&A.

We cover everything from marketing and ballots to future bottlings and what the Thompson Bros distillery style is really aiming to become.

If you enjoyed part one… this is where it really opens up.

00:00 Part Two Kickoff

00:47 Label Art Pressure

02:52 Busy Life Fundraising

04:31 Dram Four Sideburn

05:02 Teaspoon Naming Games

06:39 Burnside Trademark Lore

09:52 Tasting Notes Distillery Style

11:31 World Whisky Reality Check

14:51 Top Picks And Value

16:56 Dram Five Mystery Malt

19:41 How Mystery Malt Works

23:52 Scaling The Series

24:53 Live Guessing Game

26:44 Breaking Shelf Bias

27:29 Consumer Feedback Wins

28:17 Distilleries Get Competitive

30:29 Big Brands Buy In

32:27 Pricing Proof of Concept

34:34 Final Dram Glenrothes

36:03 Audience Q&A Bourbon Plans

38:15 Organic Marketing Approach

42:13 Favorites and Ballots Return

46:54 Future Spirits and Collabs

52:57 New Make Style Strategy

56:28 Wrap Up and Thanks

Hosted by Mitch Bechard and Daz Haldane, this is where the whisky world gets pulled apart properly, with stories, insights, and the occasional bit of chaos along the way.

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