opinion

I have lost one of my best friends, and the whisky world has lost a friend to all of us.

Peter Silver passed away overnight following a long series of illnesses…cancer, kidney disease, and in the end, it was an infection following surgery for a broken hip that took him from us.

In addition to being one of the original Malt Maniacs, Peter was a jazz trumpeter (I shot this photo during one of his band's concerts in 2011 at the legendary Blue Note jazz club in New York City) and a dentist…he was known as the "Jazz Dentist" and named his band "Blue Nitrous."

His apartments all had the nickname "Dram Central Station," and while you might need some time to search through his extensive collection of whiskies, he would gladly open and pour anything no matter whether you were a fellow connoisseur or a newcomer to whisky.

The last time I saw him, he stopped by the house a few months ago on his way to his nephew's wrestling meet nearby and brought a few vintage samples from bottles he'd collected recently. I poured him a few samples from my whiskies that he hadn't tried yet…when he left, he was optimistic about his prospects for a kidney transplant…and wanted me to stop by his place in Bayonne the next time I was going into New York.

Sadly, the pandemic has kept me from going into the city…and we never got to share another dram. I'll be pouring something special tonight from Islay in Peter's memory, and ask you to join me.

Rest well, my friend…you earned it!

Our friends (and sponsors) at @Redbreast_US are unveiling a new expression right now! The Redbreast Iberian Series debuts with the new Pedro Ximénez Edition and joins the Lustau Edition in that range. Goes on sale in Ireland 9/27, UK/Finland/Global Travel Retail late September, and the US in November!

Ever seen a fermenter bubble like this? It's an indication of just how much #Bourbon is booming these days, and we have that story on this week's WhiskyCast podcast! Listen with your favorite #podcast app or at WhiskyCast.com

Pot stills are beautiful with their rounded curves, but there's something to be said for the beauty of a column still in its industrial design, such as this Vendome-built still at Nevada's Frey Ranch in our Whisky Photo of the Week.

I joked on Twitter the other day about wanting my whisky collection sealed for 90 years after my death…but the responses led to this question: What do you want your family to do with your whiskies when you're gone? Share your ideas, and we'll read some on the next WhiskyCast #podcast.

If you missed tonight's #HappyHourLive webcast with Colby & Ashley Frey of @FreyRanchDistillery in Nevada, actor/whisky nut @BethBehrs, and Gareth Howells of @DewarsAberfeldy, the on-demand replay is available at the WhiskyCast YouTube channel!

Join us today at 5pm NY time for this week's #HappyHourLive webcast! Spent a couple of days in Nevada this week with @freyranchdistillery 's Colby & Ashley Frey, and they'll join me on the webcast! We'll also talk with actor/whisky nut @BethBehrs about her work with @DewarsAberfeldy on protecting bee habitat! You can catch the fun on the WhiskyCast YouTube channel, our Facebook page, Twitter, and Twitch.

This is the “Ranch Hand” cocktail they serve in the tasting room at @freyranchdistillery in Fallon, Nevada…very refreshing! 😏

Just added a new bar to the Great Whisky Bars page at the WhiskyCast web site. Death & Taxes in Reno not only has a great whisky selection, but they make a mean Boulevardier, too!

Either Stave wants to come with me or he’s mad that I’m taking his “bed.” #CatsofInstagram #WhiskyCats

This week on WhiskyCast, we'll catch up with two of the next-generation leaders working their way up through the Kentucky Bourbon industry. Freddie Noe is the son of Jim Beam master distiller Fred Noe and grandson of the late, great Booker Noe. Bruce Russell is the son of Wild Turkey's Eddie Russell and grandson of the legendary Jimmy Russell, who celebrated his 67th anniversary at Wild Turkey this last Friday.

In the news, Heaven Hill workers have gone on strike, and it's having an impact on this week's Kentucky Bourbon Festival. We'll have the details, and in our Behind the Label segment, we'll honor one of the whiskey industry's unsung heroes who passed away last week.

Listen at the WhiskyCast web site or wherever you get your #podcasts!

Figured out the source of the technical problems during last night’s webcast. The computer needs a wifi upgrade! 😏

Thanks to everyone who stuck with us for your patience, and to all@of our guests who joined us at the American Whiskey Convention in Philly!

Our condolences go out to the family of longtime Kentucky Bourbon maker Steve Thompson, who died Monday in an accident at his family's lake house in Michigan at the age of 77. Steve founded Kentucky Artisan Distillery after retiring from Brown-Forman, and was a mentor to craft distillers around the industry. We'll have a tribute to him on tonight's webcast from the American Whiskey Convention and on this week's episode of WhiskyCast.

We're taking the show on the road for the first time in 2021 to this year's American Whiskey Convention in Philadelphia. The entire festival is devoted exclusively to American whiskies, with distillers from small to large on hand at the Independence Seaport Museum. We'll have live guests, and you never know who might turn up to join us! We'll start at 5:00pm New York time on the WhiskyCast YouTube channel, our Facebook page, Twitter, and Twitch!

Getting ready for tonight's virtual "Cabinet of Curiosities" whisky tasting with the Ottawa Whisky Guild!

Just dropped the #podcast version of last Friday's #HappyHourLive #webcast with Christopher Coates of Whisky Magazine, Limavady Irish Whiskey's Darryl McNally, and Brent Elliott of Four Roses Bourbon!

Happy Hour Live with Brent Elliott, Darryl McNally, and Christopher Coates (Episode 896: September 8, 2021)