Still Magic

Still Magic - Foreword & Introduction

Episode 1 Still Magic Season 1 describes how gin making is far more accessible than people would first consider. This episode references the Foreword and Introduction to the book Still Magic - A gin distiller's guide for beginners. This includes an 'early days' overview of the Four Pillars story as described by founder and distiller, Cameron Mackenzie. Four Pillars received the International Wines and Spirits Competition's highest honour, recognised as the world's best gin business in 2019, a mere 6 years after starting out. The original premise behind writing and publishing Still Magic, was recognising that ‘something was missing’ from the gin narrative. Although there is lots of information generously provided by gin enthusiasts, bloggers, cocktail aficionados, bar tenders, sales and marketing people, advertisers, historians, and entertainers, it was puzzling to see that a distiller hadn’t published a book for beginners.  What had originally started out as a fanciful idea to write a book ‘some day’, became an exercise beyond authorship and one with a renewed sense of purpose. The goals of the Still Magic podcast seasons to come, are to consider some of the finest distilled products available, and to give their producers an enduring voice. Be bold. Enjoy yourselves. Let's create the next gin narrative. Still Magic paperback, digital and audio copies available from your favourite online stores https://www.amazon.com/Still-Magic-distillers-guide-beginners-ebook/dp/B07QZ4VFRV/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=still+magic&qid=1596545333&sr=8-1 Narrator: Dave Stokes https://author2audio.com Narrator: Marcel Thompson @stillmagicway Editor:@alexiepigot

Gin as a global phenomenon

Episode 2 Welcome to the Still Magic Podcast, your one-click audio stop for all things gin be it gin making, gin production, gin distilling, gin manufacturing, gin commercialising, gin tasting, gin drinking, gin steeping and everything else in between. Gin's modern look stems from 300 year old ancestry, with its popularity reaching levels unseen since 17th century London. This podcast provides an overview of gin’s remarkable resurgence into the global phenomenon, it is today. We explore a timeline of connected events that spans alchemists in 300 AD, 13th century Benedictine monks, 17th century European warfare, 18th century London as a gin capital, late 18th century and early 19th century gin giants, and the advent of the Internet in the latter part of the 20th century. There are references to dutch courage, William of Orange seizing control of the British throne and how a series of events, led to a city awash with gin and how it’s sad and awful social consequences led to the origin of the term mother's ruin. There is another timeline of events which explores the health benefits of gin consumption including the collection of herbal tinctures developed by 13th century Dutch enthusiasts, British Navy practices to ward off scurvy, delivering quinine to British soldiers stationed in India, via gin and tonic as a defense against malaria, and a recent publication that provides some hope for hay fever sufferers who may need help choosing the best tipple. The podcast rounds out by considering a lineup of the world's most enduring gin brands and how some of today's modern expressions are built on #heritage to produce a #legacy for generations to come. The original ginnovators at Greenalls, Plymouth, Gordon's, Tanqueray and Beefeater would no doubt be delighted to see how the gin world has changed for the better. Be bold. Enjoy yourselves. Let's create the next gin narrative. Still Magic paperback, digital and audio copies available from your favourite online stores https://www.amazon.com/Still-Magic-distillers-guide-beginners-ebook/dp/B07QZ4VFRV/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=still+magic&qid=1596545333&sr=8-1 Narrator: Marcel Thompson @stillmagicway Editor:@alexiepigot

Tanqueray & Chase GB

Episode 8 Welcome to the Still Magic Podcast, your one-click audio stop for all things gin be it gin making, gin production, gin distilling, gin manufacturing, gin commercialising, gin tasting, gin drinking, gin steeping and everything else in between. In this episode I explore the premise behind "What Makes a Great Gin" and my efforts in developing a fair and objective way to describe what this means. This is a goal I would struggle to achieve by myself. Every magician needs an assistant so you will meet one of Still Magic's most ginthusiastic supporters, affectionately known as The Antipodean Harpie. We put two of Britain's finest through their paces, illustrating where the contemporary meets the traditional; Tanqueray London Dry Gin (since 1830) https://www.tanqueray.com/gins/london-dry-gin/ William Chase GB (since 2006) https://chasedistillery.co.uk/spirits/gin/ Be bold. Enjoy yourselves. Let's create the next gin narrative. Still Magic paperback, digital and audio copies available from your favourite online stores https://www.amazon.com/Still-Magic-distillers-guide-beginners-ebook/dp/B07QZ4VFRV/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=still+magic&qid=1596545333&sr=8-1 Narrator: Marcel Thompson @stillmagicway Editor: @alexiepigot Guest contributor:@antipodeanharpie

The 3Bs - Botanicals Bases and Blending

Episode 5 Welcome to the Still Magic Podcast, your one-click audio stop for all things gin be it gin making, gin production, gin distilling, gin manufacturing, gin commercialising, gin tasting, gin drinking, gin steeping and everything else in between. In this episode we consider the 3rd of the 3 Bs; Blending. Blending is a seemingly simple concept; take two or more similar things and mix them together. However, what may appear to be a simple concept in principle, does not mean it is easy to do. For example, bronze is a mixture of two similar metals; copper and tin. Somehow modifying these two metals to create a new product, is no mean feat but at its simplest, it is merely the mixing of two similar things. The creation of mayonnaise, fireworks that burst into colour, meringues, mushroom sauce and grey paint are everyday examples of products that needed blending principles in place, to create them. This podcast explores blending when conducted in spirits manufacturing in general, with a focus upon gin. You will receive insights concerning the following terms and their relevance to the blending process. It may appear a little technical at first sight, but the intent is to explain the terms using simple examples along the way Water. It’s chemical structure and propertiesAzeotrope. Why this is the key to all magic that takes place during the distillation processColligative properties. How simple additives can change freezing points and boiling pointsReduction. Adding water to alcohol, and why it must take place in stages (the 50% rule)Marrying. The process water and alcohol undergo as they combine into a coherent wholeFortification. Adding alcohol to increase strengthJigger. A simple device that helps measure 2 different liquid quantities quicklyHydrogen bonding. The reason why water and alcohol heat up during reduction processesObscuration. The difference between actual strength and apparent strengthProfessional analysis. Why this is an excellent investment for measuring strength Be bold. Enjoy yourselves. Let's create the next gin narrative. Still Magic paperback, digital and audio copies available from your favourite online stores https://www.amazon.com/Still-Magic-distillers-guide-beginners-ebook/dp/B07QZ4VFRV/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=still+magic&qid=1596545333&sr=8-1 Narrator: Marcel Thompson @stillmagicway Editor:@alexiepigot

Season 1 Wrap - What's Next

Episode 7 Welcome to the Still Magic Podcast, your one-click audio stop for all things gin be it gin making, gin production, gin distilling, gin manufacturing, gin commercialising, gin tasting, gin drinking, gin steeping and everything else in between. Season 1 comprised a collection of short podcasts, introducing the fundamental principles behind the Still Magic way Still Magic – Foreword & IntroductionGin as a global phenomenonGin’s Building Blocks – The 3BsBotanicals Berries and BandsBotanicals Bases and BlendingThe DISTIL process - Let's do it! Season 2 builds on Season 1 by assessing some of the world’s finest gins and gaining rare insights from craft distillers in far flung corners of the globe. Stay tuned for episodes of: What Makes a Great Gin, andThe Distillers’ Voice Be bold. Enjoy yourselves. Let's create the next gin narrative. Still Magic paperback, digital and audio copies available from your favourite online stores https://www.amazon.com/Still-Magic-distillers-guide-beginners-ebook/dp/B07QZ4VFRV/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=still+magic&qid=1596545333&sr=8-1 Narrator: Marcel Thompson @stillmagicway Editor:@alexiepigot