Whisky, Words and Wine

This week an Italian waiter called Hamish upsold Jack on a whisky that he poured over ice-cream (he was having a tough day). And Jack claims a different whiskey as his own. Meanwhile Graham goes to a friend’s coronation. Nothing cerebral on the watch list this week - World cup football has been occupying our minds and viewing times but Graham still had time to watch a loooong list of films and TV...

Excited about a few things – firstly, we are in the same place for the first time in our podcast (we are normally a few hundred kilometres apart), and we have our new theme song – written and performed by Jack, Jack gets a whisky-related recommendation from an Italian waiter called Hamish, and finds out the reason for the size of whisky hipflasks – which prompts a reframed drinking game. Meanwhile...

Scurryfungeing around The Scotsman goes Irish (Whiskey) while the Australian drinks a Jack Rabbit.  Word of the week: Scurryfunge - both have admitted to doing this at various times. Jack reads John (not of the Bible, but of John), Graham finishes Norwegian Wood (though didn't sleep in the bath to do so). ***Exciting News!!! – we have our own Theme song, “Whisky, Words and Wine” which is played in...

World Cup Fever is afflicting both Jack and Graham - great starts by both Australia and Scotland buoying the spirits – hope lives eternal and already they are looking forward to the knockout rounds. So many great individual and team performances and it is only the first week of the greatest show on Earth. And the antics of the fans always entertain. Lots of TV and podcasts fill in the small gaps b...

Graham likes bubbles – who knew? (actually several wineries in the King Valley now know). Two words of the week – Galloway (relating to the height of horses), and Aptronym – a name which accords with the profession or other attribute of the named person. Both are getting through their respective books but are not fast readers. Jack recommends a movie that teaches you  the difference  between a fal...

Graham may (or may not) have been wrong about where Aran knitwear comes from, but Jack is certain that the whisky he is drinking this week is from Lochranza on The Isle of Arran. Jack has stopped taking his phone on walks - not because he forgets where he has put it but it is actually a life choice (Mennonites rejoice!).  As usual, each go down a couple of rabbit holes – Graham’s involves railway...

Graham and Jack are  in the same country again, and we cut through the whisky haze to round off Jack’s travels, while plutons and googlewhacking make an appearance. Graham is recovering for the devasting spygate scandal (only a true football fan will understand the depths of despair this creates). Jack is reading about London Falling, while for Graham it is Moscow. Graham has found a new favourite...

Tonight is the second of this week’s podcasts featuring a cautionary tale about not drinking wine soon enough, childhood clothing trauma, and large sweaty men grappling with each other. Please listen to the Sumomainichi podcast – it is a blast - hosted by Dave and Amy, (and one episode this week by Graham), and go onto Youtube and watch some bouts – it is an awesome sport.     Send us feedback and...

A special episode this week involving Jack's jaunt around Scotland and a really interesting chat with the head of one of Britains largest distilleries, Alan Kilpatrick.  Everything you wanted to know about Scotch but were afraid to ask. A quick quiz to answer at the end: How many barrels of Scotch are their per man, woman and child in Scotland? what qualifies as "Scotch"? Single Malt vs blends - w...

“What’s worn under a Scotsman’s kilt? – Nothing! – it is all in perfect working order!” (Spike Milligan). Jack is back in the old country and living the life, planning a grand tour  of highland distilleries. Graham is jealous and resorts to arcane books on historical borders......say no more. Jack has finally got GoT, and delves Deep into Purple while meeting a famous photographer on a Dessert Isl...

This week Jack manages to throw the whisky down his mouth rather than all across his desk, and practices word of the week: “scambiari” – meaning sharing and exchanging. Graham sees Art in the theatre (not the gallery) - in a play which questions the value  of art and friendship - and also sees a bit too much of Elle Fanning in “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” (not to be watched with children or parent...

Jack was so excited about telling us about his Scottish Cosplay weekend, that he spills his 18yo Scotch . Recovering, he discusses a great distillery in Kinglake, Victoria. While Graham thought Jack throwing his Scotch around was hilarious, he gives another curmudgeonly review of  a top-rating comedy format on TV, but he did manage a lot of laughter at a Melbourne Comedy Festival gig with up-and-c...

For the first time in three weeks there weren’t any issues with the production of last week’s podcast so no groveling apology required. This week however Graham had another senior moment and mentioned a Youtube video he had twice previously recommended (over to our editor to remove it). Graham goes all French on the wine, while Jack goes all Scotch on the Scotch. Both had great reasons to celebrat...

In a world that currently seems apocalyptic, the Artemis moon shot has provided a welcome distraction this week and has revealed word of the week “bacronym”. Whisky also provides a distraction this week, particularly the Kentucky kind (which isn’t whisky at all – but “Bourbon whiskey”) – Jack has sent one of his bandmates off to taste Bourbon across America and report back.. Speaking of the Dark S...

We look skyward this week as Jack nerds out on the Artemis moonshot, while Graham watches “Blue Moon”  a sad depiction of Broadway lyricist Lorenzo Hart – he wrote the classic Broadway hit “Blue Moon”. Artemis was of course was Apollo’s sister in Greek mythology – so a nice reference back to the first moonshot – the Apollo missions - which were 50+ years ago. How such a woke naming convention surv...

The boys have been walking this week – albeit a thousand km apart. Jack for a cause, Graham just because……Both were rambles to remember not just for the spectacular coastal scenery but for the people they shared their walks with and who they met on the way. Drinking-wise Jack gets the Monkey off his Shoulder while Graham heads down Polish Hill River. Both have rekindled the Kindle and seem to be r...

Graham makes the most of being stood up by having a “readaway” (word of the week). A mention of Seattle prompt musings about how flying fish in the Pike Place Market  took over management theory. Graham has been out and about at different music events and found himself standing when everyone in the venue was crouching (story of his life!), which led to a discussion on the economics of live music e...

“Sgriob”  - say no more (Bill Bryson knows though).  We welcome new listeners from around the globe, - and wonder how  WW&W is topping the pod charts in Hong Kong. What is “value for money” in a wine/whisky? And are you drinking too much if your name is on the cellar door of a local winery? Discuss. Jack channels Lulu (doesn't look so good in that miniskirt though) but balks at shaving his won...

What were you listening to in 1976? (for our younger listeners ask your parents …..or grandparents).  Although it was a golden time for great music, the top 10 for that year was, well, mixed.  No Deep Purple or Billly Thorpe, but it did give us Bohemian Rhapsody, and Rumours.  Jack tells an improbable story about it being warm enough in Glasgow to warp a vinyl record in the sun (more likely he lef...

The unusual tilt in the Earth’s axis is corrected this week when Jack gets back to whisky and Graham to wine. And like a latter day Joe Cocker,  Jack goes full Rock God by imbibing whisky before, during and after his gig (although where Joe measured it in bottles per performance, Jack takes delicate sips from a hip flask). The morning after, he is reading “How to make a good coffee”. Graham goes d...

Jack gently steers Graham through this episode as he finishes  his Aussie Whisky odyssey - it's a big one – 64% proof. Word of the week is from Jack (or more specifically his Mum) – after rattling through a few Scottish descriptions for a no-hoper, he finally settled on the “drookit”……. What is white, spectacular, and completely nuts? Discuss. And something else that is white is a ping pong ball  ...

Lots of music listening this week, although Graham doesn't Shut Up and Listen. Jack finally finishes Traitors but has a different response to the finale to Graham  (who has largely forgotten it given how long Jack has taken to catch up). Meanwhile Jack tries to inveigle Graham into watching yet another Scottish crime drama, this time on a remote Scottish island (there’s a surprise!) . This is on a...

Graham can't tell his Freds from his Keiths but still loves his Playlunch. Jack is gasping for a Scotch, but enjoyed a great Einaudi gig at the Opera House. Graham has been spending too much time watching various things including Marty Supreme, (at the cinema) and a lot of streaming such as the return of Shrinking (had to press pause before he wet himself) and a new thriller starring Sophie Turner...

……… Jack still hasn't finished Traitors UK and Graham can barely contain himself. Retreating to less emotional ground Graham and Jack discuss the various dictionaries’ “Word of the Year” – some land well, but “Vibe Coding” (which is two words) is ridiculous (….Collins Dictionary I am looking at you!), and not being 15years old, both are baffled by  Dictionary.com’s  choice of “Six/Seven”. Meanwhil...

Lightning has taken out Graham’s internet and TV; Jack goes back to the future with vinyl and cassette tapes (remember those?) - who knew how much friction is involved?. Graham gets Traitorous, and both discuss “What You Can Know – Ian McEwan’s new book on a near-future partial apocalypse caused by …. you and I (and don't they hate us for it in the future!). Jack does some Crime (in Scotland of co...