• Director, Producer, Cinematographer Emily Kassie is an Emmy® and Peabody®-nominated investigative journalist and filmmaker. Kassie shoots, directs and reports stories on geopolitical conflict, humanitarian crises, corruption and the people caught in the crossfire. Her work for The New York Times, PBS Frontline, Netflix, and others ranges from drug and weapons trafficking in the Saharan desert, to immigrant detention in the United States. . Her first documentary, I Married My Family's Killer, following couples in post-genocide Rwanda, won a Student Academy Award in 2015.

One of the true pleasures of a lifetime in music and broadcasting is connecting with artists at the very beginning of their careers.

If the connection is a strong friendship, emotionally you get to go along for the ride.

On the downside, you must be prepared to lose those friends along the way through attrition, lifestyle and medical issues.

I’m pleased to say Colin James has given all of us a great ride.

8 Junos, 31 Maple Blues Awards, Induction into the Canadian Music Industry Hall of Fame, Order of BC and turning 60 years old with 21 studio albums under his belt.

Colin has played his way through an amazing collection of audiences. Starting with Stevie Ray style Texas blues, then blues rock, big band swing, roots, Americana and all the way back to blues.

What a Ride!!

Following a stellar concert at Massey Hall, Colin is on a Canadian tour now and he’s heading our way. With the wonderful Terra Lightfoot!

Feb 26 -Grey Eagle Calgary

Feb 27 – N Jubilee Edmonton

March 1 – Orpheum Vancouver

March 3 – Royal Theatre Victoria

March 4 & 5 – Port Theatre Nanaimo

This time he has tales of recovering from a road accident on his scooter in the USA. Damage to his foot and fret hand slowed him down considerably. He has stories of becoming what he dreamed of as an 8-year-old and the biography he’s almost finished writing.

The complete interview can be heard on the Mulligan Stew Podcast and the terrydavidmulligan YouTube Channel.

It's the first of two Whisky Specials from the 2025 Canadian Whisky Awards and the 2025 Victoria Whisky Festival.

There are always headlining whiskies and star whisky makers in attendance!

Whisky fans want to taste and explore the new releases from Crown Royal, Canadian Club, Forty Creek, Hiram Walker, JP Wiser's Lot 40, Pike Creek, Gooderham and Worts, Nikka, Amrut, The Dalmore and Glencadam.

For the first time ever, Gisbelle Distillery a distillery from China, would be joining the lineup.

The West Coast and Vancouver Island were well represented.

Stillhead, Odd Society, DubhGlas, Sheringham, Sons of Vancouver & Shelter Point.

Over 200 whiskies were up for the awards. 14 judges from across the country tasted and scored.

The Grand Prize Winner, judged Canadian Whisky of the Year was,

The Peat Project Moscatel Barrique single malt from Macaloney's Island Distillery (Saanich)

Here are the guests on part one of the 2025 Whisky Awards and Victoria Whisky Festival

Davin De Kergommeaux - Davin is the flag bearer for Canadian Whisky. He singlehandedly brought Canadian Whisky to the attention of Canada and The World.

His latest book is the updated and expanded third edition of Canadian Whisky - The Essential Portable Expert.

I love the first line.

"Handles, mickeys, shots or drams, no matter what its measure, Canadian whisky is a story of Canada."

Davin is my ultimate connection to the world of Canadian Whisky. He helped create these awards and leads the judging team.

Grant Stevely - Distiller at DubhGlas (Oliver)

In the fall of 2010, Grant purchased some property at Gallagher Lake near Oliver, B.C.

“I wanted to build a distillery from the ground up, which is distinctly different from a lot of other

distilleries,” he says. “So we built the distillery with expansion in mind.”

Grant Stevely[/caption]

At the heart of the operation is a German-made Arnold Holstein still.

No sooner did Stevely open Dubh Glas Distillery in the spring of 2015, when he began winning awards

for his first product, Noteworthy Gin.

“Dubh Glas” is Scottish Gaelic for “from the dark water.” It’s pronounced “Douglas,” which happens to

be Stevely’s middle name.

Jason MacIsaac - Distiller. Sheringham (Langford, BC)

Sheringham Distillery won Best Contemporary Gin at the 2019 World Gin Awards

Its Seaside Gin captured the award against World-class competition from 23 countries, including the UK and USA.

"We created Sheringham because we saw a hole in the market: the opportunity to create the world’s most drinkable spirits. This approach has served us well, and in the seven years since founding Sheringham, we have been on the ground building authentic connections with buyers, retailers, and consumers, sharing our story and highlighting our chef-driven approach to innovation and quality." (Distiller Mag)

Jason and wife Alayne now have their growing portfolio available across Canada and in 15 markets in the USA.

Graeme Macaloney - Master Distiller Macaloney Island Distillery (Saanich)

There once was a wee Scottish lad by the name of Graeme Macaloney who found a summer job bottling

whisky and fell in love with Uisge Beatha, the ‘water of life’. He dedicated his heart to finding a way to

make whisky for a living.

Graeme set up shop on Saanich, just outside Victoria. Some of his favourite Scottish and Irish whiskies were island-made.

Graeme has found his "island" in Canada.

Congratulations Champ!!

- Distillery opened in 2016

- The first whisky made onsite and released in 2020

-Canadian Whisky of the Year - 2025

Brennan Colebank - Master Distiller Stillhead Distillery (Duncan)

Founded by the Colebank family, Stillhead Distillery Inc. opened its doors in October of 2017.

After working 15 years in the tech industry, Master Distiller Brennan Colebank left his job to pursue his dream career,

blending the two things he loved most: chemistry and spirits. The chemist has created an amazing portfolio and a home for Whisky in the Cowichan Valley.

www.victoriawhiskyfestival.com

www.canadianwhiskyawards.com

BC Wine/Alberta wine fans. - Finally, a hug and a handshake.

Our guest is Paul Saywer. Board Chair BC Wine Growers & leadership at Dirty Laundry (Summerland)

BC wineries can now ship Direct-To-Consumer in Alberta!

Starting this week, BC wineries who register can sell into Alberta; report and make payment to AGLC for the wine products they sell directly to consumers in Alberta.

Alberta is a huge market for BC wineries, so it is about time that the AGLC caught up, to allow this mutually beneficial relationship.