Terroir in Whisky: Terrific Concept or Terrible Myth?

Want to start an argument among whisky lovers? Just ask whether
there's "terroir" in whisky. Terroir is the French term for a
"sense of place" where the local environment plays a role in
developing specific flavors. It's a well-known concept among
farmers, and winemakers have been claiming a place for terroir
for years. However, terroir is still a point of contention among
whisky makers, with critics making the argument that grain
suppliers use so many different farms that there's no way to have
terroir in whisky - short of isolating the grain from individual
farms as Waterford, Kilchoman, and Bruichladdich have done.
During the Julio's Liquors Whisk(e)y Road Show this weekend in
Westborough, Massachusetts, the topic of terroir came up during a
panel of American Single Malt distillers. You'll hear their
debate on WhiskyCast In-Depth. We'll also announce November's
Whisky Club of the Month, hear from some of you on the single
malt whisky tariff, and dig deeply into Tennessee's Lincoln
County Process on Behind the Label.