In episode 227 of The Drinking Hour podcast, host David Kermode speaks to Millie Milliken, spirits writer and IWSC judge, about the 2025 IWSC whiskey judging in Kentucky. The pair cover a range of whiskey-related topics, including the impressive breadth of styles amongst the whiskeys winning IWSC Gold Outstanding awards at this year’s event in Bardstown.
Milliken also tells Kermode about the noticeable sense of clarity and purpose amongst the distilleries entering this year, and outlines why this is important for the identity of their whiskeys and the drinkers buying them. She also touches on the craft makers and the lesser known bottlings in the US, and the challenges posed by the introduction of tariffs.
The discussion moves on to the recent certification of American single malt and the general approachability of US whiskey. The pros and cons of cask finishing lead to a discussion of a crucial component in both whiskey and wine when it comes to pleasing judges and achieving the highest scores. Finally, Milliken explains what to expect from her new book, an extract of which is available on the Club O website here.
Discover more episodes of The Drinking Hour with David Kermode here
