Ice(land) and Whisky Go Together

If you just needed a whisky-related reason to visit Iceland, we
have one for you on this week's episode. Eimverk Distillery grew
out of the dreams of two brothers who just wanted to be farmers,
but found it was cheaper to import grain for cattle feed than
grow it themselves. There was also some whisky involved, as
Eimverk production manager Eva Mariá Sigursbjörnsdóttir
explains on WhiskyCast In-Depth. There were also some sheep
involved in at least part of the process, since one of Eimverk's
whiskies is smoked not with peat - but with sheep dung! We'll
have tasting notes for it, too. In the news, the coronavirus
outbreak could cost Diageo as much as £200 million in profits
this year and other whisky makers are preparing for losses of
their own. The University of Kentucky is not only building an
on-campus distillery in Lexington, but a million-dollar donation
this week will fund construction of a new barrel "dormitory" as
well. We'll have that story and look at how the mavericks at
Brewdog are already ruffling feathers in the Scotch Whisky
industry. Finally, if you've ever wondered why the hoops on
whisky barrels are covered with rust, we'll explain on Behind the
Label.