The holidays are here, and that means gathering for a dram with family and friends. This month, Mark's joined by his son-in-law, Colton Smith, Dr. Sean McMillan, and Sean's brother-in-law, Chris Killilea, and they're tasting three Irish whiskies: Powers Gold Label, Writer's Tears, and the Knappogue Castle 16-year-old Twin Wood single malt.

This month, our tasting panel is sacrificing Virgins at the annual PhilCon science fiction convention in Philadelphia...Virgin Oaks, that is. Bill Ricker, Mark Richards, Wrenn Simms, and Dennis McCunney tasted the Deanston Virgin Oak, the Glen Garioch Virgin Oak, and Glenmorangie's Ealanta, which was matured for 19 years in Virgin Oak casks.

October means chilly weather as the leaves turn bright red and orange, and the autumn colors were especially vibrant as our tasting panel gathered in Ottawa, Ontario...Canada's capital city. Davin de Kergommeaux, Emmett Hossack, and Herb Wallace tasted four Canadian whiskies: Stalk & Barrel Single Malt Cask #3 from Still Waters Distillery, Masterson's Rye, Wiser's Legacy, and Forty Creek Copper Pot Reserve.

This special episode of WhiskyCast Virtual Tastings was recorded on location at Canada's Forty Creek Distillery during its annual "Whisky Weekend" at the end of September, 2013. Mark Gillespie moderated a tasting panel with Forty Creek's John Hall, Canadian Whisky Awards founder and author Davin de Kergommeaux, and the "Whisky Lassie," Johanne McInnis.

While Forty Creek is a sponsor of WhiskyCast Virtual Tastings, we have elected to present this tasting panel as a special episode because of its educational value to whisky lovers as a rare opportunity to hear whisky writers discuss a flight of whiskies with the person who created them. WhiskyCast's Mark Gillespie maintained editorial control over the content of this episode, and the opinions of each panelist are his or her own.

This month features our annual “Friends & Family” tasting panel, and comes to you from St. Mary’s, Georgia. Mark’s son-in-law, Colton Smith, and his fellow Marines Christopher Moon and Joe Clark tasted four flavored whiskies aimed at younger palates: Bushmills Irish Honey, Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey, Knob Creek Smoked Maple, and Red Stag Hardcore Cider.

This month, we're tasting whiskies with the "Lounge Lizards" at Karl Kadar's home in Newark, Delaware. In addition to Karl, our panelists are Aaron Spector, Gary Cline, Steve Husain, Mason Tyler, and Matt Taylor.These guys have a thing for Islay whiskies, and that's a good thing, because they're tasting The Laddie Ten from Bruichladdich, Bowmore's Dorus Mor (Tempest outside the U.S.), the Laphroaig 10-year-old, and the Jura 10 from just across the strait.

The guys from the "Barthenon" and the blog "It's Just the Booze Dancing" return to WhiskyCast Virtual Tastings this month, and they're tasting Bourbons for the Fourth of July holiday weekend. Our panel of Angelo Veneziano, Chris Eattock, John Maxwell, Mike Farley, and Ray Kassekert tasted the Russell's Reserve Single Barrel, Basil Hayden's, the John E. Fitzgerald Larceny Bourbon, and Jefferson's Reserve Bourbons. Our panel had some strong opinions, as well as a lot of fun.

Our tasting panel gathered at Whisky Live New York for this month's episode. Hana Choi, Olaf Asprink, Susannah Skiver Barton, Angelo Veneziano, John Maxwell, and special guest Ian Chang of Taiwan's King Car Distillery tasted four whiskies from around the world: France's Brenne Estate Cask, Invergordon Batch One single grain Scotch from Master of Malt's "That Boutique-y Whisky Company", Balcones Fifth Anniversary Texas Straight Bourbon, and the Redbreast 12 Cask Strength from Ireland.

This month, we've brought together a panel of novice whisky tasters with more enthusiasm than experience and turned them loose on three very different whiskies. Jim McVeigh, Carolyn Strater, and Matthew Morlock tasted the Mellow Corn Straight Corn Whiskey from Kentucky, Suntory's Hibiki 12-year-old blended whisky from Japan, and the Highland Park 12-year-old single malt from Scotland.

Our panel gathered via Skype this month to taste a series of single malts. Evan Chapman, Edwin Vargas, Jennifer Chung, and Steve Gillette tasted the Glen Garioch 12, the Springbank 21, and Highland Park's 25-year-old.

This month, our tasting panel gathered at the Victoria Whisky Festival in Victoria, British Columbia. Hanna Raskin, Johanne McInnis, and Graham MacKenny tasted four whiskies that scored highly in the 2012 Canadian Whisky Awards: Century Reserve Lot 15/25, Gibson's Finest 12, Forty Creek Confederation Oak, and the Alberta Premium Dark Horse.