Whiskey with Witcher

We hope you brought your appetite…for drunken discussion! We’re back with our first episode of 2026, where we’re diving into Season 4’s celebration of camping out (both literally and figuratively) and baring your soul over a bowl of fish soup. Accompanied by a bottle of True Story Finished Bourbon, we share some surprisingly strong opinions about the episode’s infamous musical interlude, declare our undying love for random nonsense, and explain how while he may no longer drink blood, Regis clearly has no problem drinking Marvel’s milkshake. We also debate whether sick = sexy when it comes to Jaskier, for...

If you’re looking for spoilers, we’re serving them straight up! Our discussion of “Crossroads of Ravens” continues as we discuss Geralt’s shocking quest to…well, that would be telling. But be warned that the entire novel is fair game this week as we unpack the details of the book’s pivotal final act. But first, we share some history about Early Times Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon (did you know it was once the most popular bourbon in the United States?) before we refill our glasses and drink deeply of this surprisingly good value-priced whiskey and of Geralt’s youthful exploits, both o...

Before Dandelion. Before Ciri. Before Blaviken and Brokilon and baths with Yennefer. Before Geralt found himself following destiny and doing all the impressive things for which he’s known, he was a fresh-faced teen stumbling through life, making poor decisions and hanging with people of questionable reputation. (Guess which version we find ourselves relating to!) “Crossroads of Ravens” is the new Witcher novel by author Andrzej Sapkowski that focuses on Geralt’s first year on the path. In this first of two episodes discussing the book, we uncap a bottle of Early Times Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon before engaging in a fairly spoiler...

We’re saying goodbye to Sigismund Dijkstra the best way we know how—with a bottle of actor Graham McTavish’s very own whiskey and a lively discussion of his final Season 4 episode! Over glasses of The Warchief Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon by McTavish Spirits, we consider whether the conniving spymaster may have finally been outplayed…and whether the hopes and dreams of Radskier shippers have been crushed in the process. Plus, Valerie wants to see the receipts when it comes to Francesca’s claims, Tim can’t tell his Vesemirs from his Vizimirs and we both think Mistle and Ciri REALLY need to work...

In this discussion of Season 4’s third episode, we somberly discuss the tragic death of—um, who? Beata? Who the heck is Beata? Sadly, the young refugee was struck down just as we were getting to know…well, pretty much anything about her. But that’s okay, we have plenty of other things to discuss over our bottle of Hye-Land 12-Year Single Malt Armenian Whiskey. Like how Regis is clearly just a regular, ordinary human that just happens to have remarkable pain tolerance. And how wearing a bra on the outside of your dress may actually be quite practical. And how you...

What's better than getting a chance to meet a Witcher author? How about meeting two? When Whiskey with Witcher Special Correspondent Rebekah Rodriguez-Lynn heard that Andrzej Sapkowski and Joey Batey—whose debut novel, “It's Not a Cult,” was just released in the UK—were both embarking on book tours at the same time, she couldn't resist a trip overseas. And we couldn't resist having her on the podcast to tell us all about it! What was it like meeting and hanging out with Batey's fans? How does he balance acting, writing and performing with his band? And is Sapkowski really as crotc...

Season 4’s sophomore episode features some thieving Rats, a wandering Yen and a totally normal, not at all strange barber surgeon named Regis. Played by a scene-stealing Laurence Fishburne, Regis is also a home distiller and the reason we sought out a bottle of the gothic af Von Payne Black Blended Whiskey to pair this one with. (The fact that it also looks a little bit like blood is just a coincidence, we swear.) While we both agree that the newest member of Geralt’s hansa is a delight, we’re not at all aligned when it comes to choosing our fa...

Season 4 has finally arrived and we’re welcoming it back in grand style with this look at its first episode—the good (hello, Liam…), the bad (…and Nimue…), and the WTF (…uh, Keira?!?). Over a bottle of Starward Two-Fold, Tim proudly redeclares his love for Milva, while Valerie finds much to appreciate in new character Stefan Skellen…even if she keeps getting him mixed up with Stellan Skarsgård. We also debate the merits of blood splatters, get to the bottom of Yen’s portaling problem and settle the question about which actor looks better in Geralt’s wig. Plus, we bring back our “...

The following preview episode has been approved for drunken audiences. Yes, we’re back, Witcher fans, and just in time for the debut of The Witcher’s fourth season! But before we get into the episodes, we’re filling our glasses and offering up some thoughts, opinions and sassy speculation on just what may await us. With Liam Hemsworth as our new Geralt and Laurence Fishburne vamping it up as Regis, there’s much to be excited about…and perhaps a few reasons for concern. We discuss both as we break down the season four trailer, zoom in on some recent key...

There comes a time in the creation of every masterwork where the artist must put down their tools and declare the work done. And whaddya know, the same is true for drunken podcast seasons about art as well! We're finishing up our comics and animation season (while finishing up what's left of our favorite recent whiskeys) with some final thoughts on the topic. And to make sure they're as clear, concise and clever as possible, we start things off by doing a review shot...that somehow turns into two. Fortunately, we manage to keep our heads, if not exactly our...

Our humor may be juvenile, but this week we're going all the back to grade school! We've locked up the liquor cabinet and broken out the Welch's juice and fruit snacks for a (mostly) family friendly conversation about The Little Witcher, the ridiculously cute new graphic novel drawn by Giada Carboni and written by the talented folks at CD Projekt Red. Is this new hardcover strictly for the kids? Or could it actually be aimed at their parents? Either way, the book's a must-read and this episode is a must-listen as we unpack some of The Little Witcher's unexpectedly resonant...

We’re taking you from the streets of Dallas all the way to the mountains of Kovir in our last side quest of the season. Newly returned from a trip to Texas, we discuss why we were there (it involves a bit of Witcher and a whole lot of whiskey) before we tear into this year’s Witcher-less Tudum. After that, we enter the world of gaming with a ten-year tribute to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt and why even now we just can’t say no to Cerys. Finally, we wrap things up with a deep dive into the gorgeous new Wi...

What happens when you mix whisky with wine? You get something a lot like this week's episode in which we discuss, decode and deliriously debate writer Bartosz Sztybor's most recent and possibly final Witcher comic series, The Witcher: Corvo Bianco. Set within the idyllic vineyards of Toussaint, it's a feisty little farewell of a story and at five issues, it's a generous pour. So, settle in as we open a bottle of The Daisen Japanese Blended Whisky and touch on topics such as our love of Duchess Anna Henrietta, our confusion over Yennefer's motives (and physics defying abilities in the...

In 2021, Witcher fan Ja'Nya Hashi found themself flying overseas to spend four days at The Witcher School, the long-running, now sadly defunct Witcher Live Action Role-Playing (LARP) experience set at a remote castle in Poland. Was dressing up and pretending to be a Witcher-in-training something that was thrilling, confusing...or just a whole lot of cringe? In our newest side quest, we welcome Nya to our studio to find out! Over a couple of Old Fashioneds, Nya discusses their Witcher School experience, from sneaking around the castle's secret passages late at night, to the surprisingly terrifying Nekker hunt, to surviving...

This week, we’re heading to “The Edge of the World” and to the limits of good taste, as we take on Dark Horse’s most recent short story adaptation. This is the tale that taught us how elves like to hold grudges, sylvans enjoy playing with balls, and the people of Lower Posada really love their weed. We, on the other hand, are sticking with whiskey—Hudson Whiskey NY’s “This is Your Favorite Whiskey,” to be specific. Yes, that’s actually its name, and no, it doesn’t prove to be our favorite whiskey. But that’s okay since this short story...

Who’s ready for another round? Having now seen The Witcher’s second animated movie, we thought it would be fun to revisit its first one, 2021’s Nightmare of the Wolf—and we brought new viewer Producer Sean along for the ride! How does this Vesemir-starring prequel hold up four years and two show seasons later? Does it still feel like The Witcher now that we’ve gotten a better feel for the franchise? And what’s up with Geralt’s hair? (Sadly, we don’t yet have an answer for that last one.) Plus, to accompany this second viewing, Sean’s made an a...

It was touch and go for a moment, but we’ve just about recovered from our first dive into The Witcher: Classic Collection. And that’s a good thing because it’s time to finish the book! The second three chapters are all based on classic Witcher short stories, so at least we know what we’re in for…or so we thought! Why is that knight riding his horse up a giant stone dildo? Is that an Edgar Allan Poe cameo? What’s up with the guy and his magic cat? And don’t even get us going on the descriptiv...

This week, we travel back to 1993 as we dive into The Witcher: Classic Collection, a new graphic novel compilation of Geralt’s earliest comic book adventures. And since neither of us were old enough to drink in the early ’90s, we’re discussing this book sober! Well, the first half of it at any rate, which proves to be an unwise choice because the first two stories…aren’t great. How does an oversized, non-speaking earwig have its own gang of thieves? What is Dandelion doing hanging out with a bunch of sheep? And do not get us started on how Geralt...

We’ve read The Witcher: Ronin and we have questions! Sadly, we don’t know any actual ronin that we can approach for answers, but we do know someone with “ronin” in her Instagram name (which is basically the same thing, right?). This week, we welcome back our good friend Gosia, aka Ronin of Rivia, for a deep dive into the world of the Witcher manga. How much do witchers actually have in common with ronin samurai? Why is a yuki onna the perfect adversary for this version of Geralt? And are there any Japanese monsters she’d have liked to see? Pl...

We’ve woken up in some strange places on occasion, though Geralt definitely has us beat with the ancient Japan-inspired world of The Witcher: Ronin. In this 2022 manga, the monster hunter finds himself on a very different path, fighting creatures inspired by Japanese folklore in his pursuit of a mysterious white-haired woman. Fortunately, our search for the perfect whiskey pairing proved much simpler—Legent Kentucky Straight Bourbon, an east-meets-west collaboration that’s well suited for enjoying alongside this equally cross-cultural comic. Plus, we discover why you’d better have some cucumbers on you before you start messing with kappas, ponder whether...

What was once lost is now found. And for that, we can only say...we're sorry! It's our first side quest of the season and we're dishing up over a dozen never before heard podcast moments from over the past two years. These were conversations, tangents and the occasional meltdown that we sadly had to cut for time, even though they resulted in some of the biggest laughs we've ever had behind the mics! If that's not enough to entice you, many feature past guests—including Joanna Estep and Ronin of Rivia—a few offer unique glimpses behind the scenes, and...

Don’t look for restraint here, things are about to get wild! This week’s comic is the Tarzan-influenced The Witcher: Wild Animals, a twist-filled blend of circle-of-life philosophy, extreme veganism and frighteningly feral action that left us wanting more…whiskey. Fortunately, we’ve paired it with the superbly simian Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt, a sweet, straightforward scotch that kept the conversation from getting too civilized. After all, when there are important things to discuss like whether drowners smell like fish, why mothers should handle their own homicides, if Geralt should ask for a refund on his armor and whether there’s...

We’re back in Blaviken, bitches! This week, we return to the tale that launched our podcast as we take on the graphic novel adaptation of “A Lesser Evil.” Can such a complex and morally murky Witcher story effectively make the leap to comics? Does this latest take on Renfri hold its own against the ones we’ve already seen? Is Stregobor as obnoxious as we’d expect? And has Tim finally warmed up to headband Geralt?!? Art is admired, creative decisions are debated and many tears are shed—though they’re mostly over this week’s whiskey pairing. With two flavored Dou...

Inside you there are two wolves…and both of them are drunk. That would be due to the Writers’ Tears Copper Pot Irish Whiskey which we’ve paired with this week’s topic of conversation—The Witcher: The Ballad of Two Wolves, the Brothers Grimm-inspired graphic novel that features a young woman named Red, three sisters named Hogge and one big, bad, booze-fueled wolf. (And no, we’re not actually talking about Geralt here, though he’s in the story as well.) As ballads go, this proves to be a lively one, as we debate the blast radius of evil curses, deligh...

While we've been known to occasionally make up our own words, our guests in this week's special episode do it for a living. David J. Peterson and Jessie Peterson are professional linguists and conlangers—those are people who construct their own languages—and you've heard their work in Dune, Shadow & Bone, Elemental, Game of Thrones and, of course, The Witcher. What's involved in creating an all-new language? How long does the process take? How difficult is it to teach it to actors? And have they created any swear words of which they're particularly proud? (Look, you knew we were going to a...

It's time to brush up on your bruxa because this week we're diving into the graphic novel adaptation of “A Grain of Truth,” the early Witcher tale that introduced us to Nivellen, Vereena and Andrzej Sapkowski's penchant for provocative endings. Over a bottle of Wilderness Trail Kentucky Straight Bourbon, one of the more challenging whiskeys we've had in a while, we unpack this new version of The Witcher's equally complex spin on Beauty and the Beast. Was it love at first bite—er, sight? Or did we want to drive a stake through its heart? Plus, we ponder the anatomical attrib...

It's finally here! With The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep now streaming on Netflix, we're setting sail with Geralt and Jaskier as we unpack their newest animated movie. Over a bottle of Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea Bourbon, we search for pearls of the verbal variety while tackling all the tough questions. What do we think of the added events and changed ending? Why is there a random musical number? And how exactly do a mermaid and human do the deed, anyhow? Plus, we introduce two all-new segments, weigh in on the short story that inspired the film and explain...

We're back for an all-new season! We've heeded the siren's song (it's absolutely ear-piercing when you're nursing a hangover) and returned to the studio for a full season devoted to Witcher comics and animation, starting with the soon-to-debut Sirens of the Deep! We explain what we'll be discussing and what we won't, and how you can read and watch along with us. We also round up some of the latest Witcher news, discuss the recent Los Angeles fires (don't worry, we're safe!) and share our thoughts on the Sirens trailer that dropped while we were on hiatus. Oh, and Valerie...

Is it last call already? Sadly, our fandom season has reached its end, but we're giving it an extra-sized, extra-sauced sendoff that's just as unhinged (and often unfortunate) as the year to which we're saying goodbye. Over some seriously strong Old Fashioneds, we unpack what we've discovered about fandom, revealing things that have surprised and delighted us over these past months. But that's not all! We also discuss the latest Witcher news—including that completely out-of-the blue Witcher 4 trailer! (We recorded a whole special section for it and everything.) Plus, Valerie discusses her recent trip to Iceland and we do an...

We’re simple people here at Whiskey With Witcher. We love geeky stuff and things that are high in alcohol, so it was only a matter of time until we spoke to a fan who combines both. This week, we say hello to Adam Carbonell, one of the authors of Supernatural: Join the Hunt, the official cocktail book of the Supernatural TV series. A longtime brewer and mixologist, Adam crafted dozens of original cocktails inspired by the show over a ridiculously short amount of time. How did he do it? That’s what we attempt to find out as we disc...

We're leaving the Continent behind and heading somewhere even stranger—Hollywood! In our newest side quest, we welcome Christina Newhall (aka Tim's wife) back to the podcast to tipsily tackle some of the entertainment questions we've heard arise again and again over the years. What causes some movies and shows to get announced, but never made? Why have TV seasons become so short and the wait between them so long? How come we don't get more official photos, clips and teases in between seasons and films? And are there really showrunners who actively hate the source material they're working on? If...

Who says you can't have whiskey for breakfast? In our newest fandom episode, we're joined by Alyssa, the host of the Breakfast in Beauclair podcast (you know, the Witcher pod that actually knows what they're doing) for a free-flowing conversation on creating fan podcasts. When did Alyssa first get the idea for Breakfast in Beauclair? How did it develop such an engaged global fanbase? And how did they manage to record an entire episode about Dudu without the entire thing devolving into a bunch of junior high jokes?!? Alyssa reveals the challenges of hosting a podcast on her own, the...

We don't hit 100 episodes every day, so perhaps we went a little overboard when planning and recording last week's milestone. But that just means the party's not over yet! This week, we're continuing our celebration by answering all the questions we received from you—our listeners. What's the most surprising thing we've learned about Witcher canon? How do we choose the whiskeys for each episode? What show would we most like to see crossover with The Witcher? We even manage to answer a question about our Witcher “hear me outs” without sounding completely ancient, so you know you're getting us at our...

Look, we're not sure how it happened either, but somehow we made to 100 episodes. That's 100 episodes of bourbon, bards, Brotherhoods, Blood Origins, bloopers, barrel-proofs, bone caves, broken bottles, bad subtitles, and beastly shots of bitter booze. Oh yes, and absolutely wonderful conversations about our favorite fantasy franchise with all of you. To commemorate this malted milestone, we crack open a bottle of a surprisingly delicious Polish rye whiskey—The Globe—while celebrating all that we love about The Witcher. From our most beloved characters, to the Netflix episodes we can't stop replaying in our heads, to the Witcher 3 quests that thri...

This week, we're taking a break from all the fandom talk to sip some of the finest Witcher tea—literally and figuratively! In this new side quest, we sample three different Witcher-themed teas from Geek Grind Coffee, offering our opinions on each of them while considering if they actually reflect the character they were inspired by. (A Yennefer tea with no lilac or gooseberries? What is this craziness?!?) We also wade into some of the juiciest Witcher gossip to hit over the past few years, offering our sassiest thoughts on all of it. Beau DeMayo! Toxic fans! Possible reasons why He...

The Witcher is going to Japan! Well, sort of. With a Witcher manga now available, a line of Japanese-influenced statues in stores and a new Witcher tabletop game inspired by feudal Japan shipping next year, Geralt's flirtation with the far east shows no sign of slowing. What's behind it? This week, we welcome Gosia, the passionate fan, translator and student of Japanology behind the Ronin of Rivia social media account to see if we can find out! Gosia discusses how her love of The Witcher and Japanese culture inspired her to study the intersection of the two, why Geralt seems...

We're glad people can't see how bad we often are at videogames, but our latest guest shares her every jump, attack, and block with the world! Lucy Robyn is a Twitch streamer, podcaster and good friend of ours who not only joins us this week to talk about her love of The Witcher, but surprises us with a very nice bottle of Bushmills Black Bush to accompany the discussion. Lucy shares how the pandemic led to her discovery of the Witcher series and game, and how that developed into her role as a content creator, Twitch streamer and cohost of...

Much like Sirens of the Deep itself, releasing this episode on the upcoming new Witcher animated movie was a bit delayed. But we think you’ll agree it's worth the wait, as we unpack the recent Geeked Week sneak peek (try saying that five times fast) and come to terms with the movie’s new release date. And that’s just the start! In the second half of the episode, we unveil our latest series of Whiskey With Witcher playlists and reveal how Valerie’s fandom factors into their creation. We also finally make good on our promise and take a shot o...

Between the cosplay, panels, meetups, screenings, booths, signings and overall excitement, there’s nothing better than a convention! Well, at least if you ignore all the crowds, lines, overpriced food, unshowered attendees and the possibility of coming home sick (something one of our hosts knows a lot about). Still, it’s hard to deny the appeal of gathering with thousands of fans to celebrate something you love…especially when that celebration also spills over into the local bars. In this week’s new episode, we discussing our history with conventions—both as attendees and exhibitors—including our recent trip together to San Diego...

Our conversation on fanfiction continues, as the always insightful Rebekah Rodriguez-Lynn discusses some of the Witcher fics she’s authored and what it’s been like developing as a writer on AO3. Which of her favorite Witcher ships resonate with readers and which one, despite all her best intentions, has not? What has writing and reading fanfiction taught her? And what happens when she’s written fanfic while drinking? Plus, we answer some questions from Rebekah’s fans on Tumblr and subject our guest to some particularly challenging drunken questions. And yes, Tim gets some more verbal spankings—but don’t worry, he’...

The best writing often challenges you, so it’s only natural that our episode on writing and fanfiction does as well! We’re excited to welcome back one of our favorite past guests, fanfiction writer and Witcher expert Rebekah Rodriguez-Lynn, for a little wining and opining about all things fanfiction. We uncork two bottles of wine from Suveg Cellars—a local favorite of Rebekah’s—for a fierce, but fascinating discussion that gets into what makes something fanfiction, why fans devote so much of their lives writing and reading it and whether a fanfic can drift so far from the source mat...

You can be a fan of art. But is there an art to being a fan? There certainly is when we’re talking about our friend Maja, who over the past few years has become one of the most talented, distinct and sought after Witcher fan artists working today. Maja’s clever illustrations of characters like Yennefer, Jaskier and Geralt (to say nothing of our podcast art, which she designed) all boast a sophisticated sense of style and influence that would seem to extend well beyond her young age, and which we discuss thoroughly with her as Maja joins us on o...

Dandelion’s biggest fan...is probably himself. Dandelion’s second biggest fan, however, is arguably Elias the Bard, the extraordinarily gifted cosplayer and Witcher fan who has made a name for himself cosplaying as the flamboyant troubadour. In this week’s episode, we welcome Elias to the podcast, who discusses discovering The Witcher through the trilogy of games and how his love of the world and particularly Dandelion led to him creating some of the most authentic Jaskier cosplays out there. We dive deep into cosplay as a form of fandom, as Elias shares stories about dressing up at cons, explai...

How do you know you’re a pretty big Witcher fan? When you spend over a year of your life bringing it to life! This week, we welcome Lihtar Studio’s Edward Kurchevsky to the podcast to discuss the recent animated tribute short he directed based on Andrzej Sapkowski’s short story, “A Grain of Truth.” A stylish interpretation of Geralt and his world, the energetic teaser is a labor of love from all involved—and Lihtar’s very first project. Over scotch, Edward shares why he and his colleagues decided to launch their studio with The Witcher, what he enjoys most ab...

Some artists draw comics full of deep emotion. Others draw comics full of sexy naked people! Getting it on! In all kinds of creative ways! Joanna Estep is one of the few who manages to do all of the above while also setting her stories within the world of The Witcher. This week, we welcome Jo back to the podcast to find out exactly how she pulls it off, while also discussing her involvement in Witcher fandom overall. Jo opens up about the role fandom has played throughout her life, revealing why she’s driven to create thoughtful, poignant comic bo...

Your days of sober-minded conversation are over, as Whiskey with Witcher is back with an all-new season devoted entirely to fandom! Why do we fall hard for things like The Witcher, and why does that passion manifest so differently for all of us? How can we love a franchise so much, but still feel driven to write fanfic that’s completely at odds with it? Why are some fans inspired to recreate a show’s costumes, while others get drunk on podcasts and drag that same show’s costume designer? (No, not us—we would never!) We fans are a diverse...

It’s a whirlybird of a crossover! In this special bonus episode, Tim and Valerie guest on the Tentpole Trauma podcast to discuss Henry Cavill’s recent box office misfire, Argylle. We break down the film with host Sebastian Bendix to see if we can figure out why the movie failed to find an audience before discussing where Cavill’s career should go from here. We also recap the movie’s utterly bonkers marketing campaign and throw in some Witcher talk, just to cleanse our palate. So, pour yourself a drink—even intoxicated you’re likely to be far more coherent tha...

We’re back…sort of. While the official debut of our upcoming season is still a few weeks away, we just couldn’t wait to weigh in on all the latest Witcher news! Season 4 is officially in production! Season 5 has been greenlit—and it’s the show’s final season?!? We debate whether this is a good or bad thing before sharing what we’d like to see in The Witcher’s remaining episodes. We also discuss all the casting news that’s hit since our last episode, engage in some controversial Lady of the Lake commentary and bring back over a half dozen...

Take seven different Witcher-themed recipes prepared by four Continent-loving cooks, serve generously and garnish with a bottle of Woodford Reserve BevMo! Barrel Select Double Oaked Bourbon and what do you get? Our 2023 season finale! The highly anticipated Witcher Official Cookbook is now in stores, and we’ve asked our friends (and previous guests) Juliet Bennett Rylah and Christina Newhall to help us give it a test run. The table is set for some colorful culinary conversation, as we discuss the recipes and our experiences making them while sharing our thoughts on the cookbook overall. Which dishes did we love and wh...

The year may be winding down, but Witcher fans have had much to celebrate in 2023, from one of the most thrilling and book-faithful seasons so far, to news of a new Witcher novel in the works, to the announcement of an all-new animated film. So, in that spirit, we’re doing some celebrating ourselves and revealing a few of our personal favorites from The Witcher’s latest season…and ours! What’s our pick for Season 3’s best episode? Who’s our favorite new character? Which actor’s performance this season reigns supreme and which ship has set our hearts aflutter? We a...

For all its evil mages, freaky monsters, and conquest-minded kings, music has always been an important part of The Witcher. And while Dandelion may love to take credit, we know that it’s really the hard work of some talented composers who have shaped and finessed the sound of this world that we’ve all come to love. In this episode, we’re raising a glass to them as we revisit the music of Netflix’s Witcher, discussing what we feel works and what doesn’t on each of the five released soundtracks, and highlighting a few of our favorite songs from...

We’re in the presence of royalty this week as we welcome Queen Denise to the podcast for the first time. If you’re a regular listener, you know who Queen Denise is, but you may not know what she actually does for a living…and how cool it is! Denise joins us to talk about her career as a bourbon steward (yes, it’s a real job!), explaining what it’s like to get paid to drink whiskey. She also discusses attending Moonshiner University (yes, it’s a real place!), dishes about her relationships with whiskey reps and lifts the veil on...

Geeked Week has come and gone and we may have celebrated a bit TOO hard, but that’s not about to stop us from unpacking some of the Witcher-shaped surprises it brought us. We got our first peek at Geralt’s new animated movie with not one, but two different teaser trailers, plus all sorts of juicy details about what we can expect when it hits Netflix in…um…late 2024?!?! While we don’t love that release date, everything else about The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep looks great. We give an overview of what was revealed, speculating on how close they...

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What’s this? You may be forgiven for thinking you were getting yet another episode of Tim and Valerie reminding you of how excruciatingly long you’ll have to wait for more of your favorite fantasy show as they mask the despair of their existence with alcohol and bad takes. But if you’re into torturing yourself like that, you really should call in an expert on the subject—someone like Wednesday Addams. So, for one week only, your favorite podcast is trading in their swords, potions and magic spells for knives, poisons and evil curses as they discuss the first se...

We’re returning to the world of word balloons this week as we take on the latest Witcher comic books! Dark Horse’s second omnibus collection features four very different tales starring Geralt of Rivia, each drawn by a different artist. We discuss and unpack all of them, finding much to enjoy in these stories set within the universe of the Witcher games. Tricky moral quandaries! Icky monster fights! Dandelion!! We also find much to enjoy in this episode’s whisky, Kyrö Malt Rye, which we picked up on a recent trip to Finland. What were we doing in Finland? Did we...

Five years. Three seasons. Twenty-four episodes. And a whole lot of “Hmms.” It’s hard to overstate the impact Henry Cavill has had on The Witcher and the role of Geralt of Rivia, which makes his departure from the series difficult for so many of its fans. But rather than being sad that he’s leaving, we’re celebrating his time on the Continent with a special tribute episode! Tim and Valerie discuss the role Cavill had in their fandom of the show, share some of our favorite moments featuring his Geralt and read a few tributes written by listeners. And since...

With all eight episodes now unpacked, Producer Sean at last weighs in as we bid farewell to The Witcher’s latest season. To borrow from our favorite bard, season three is full of “extraordinary things” and we offer our final thoughts on all of them, from the wonderful found family Geralt builds with Yen and Ciri, to Jaskier’s tantalizing relationship with Radovid, to the breathtaking battle at Aretuza. But the most remarkable thing of all may just be that Producer Sean picks a Canadian whisky to accompany our discussion—Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye. We doubt even Dijkstra would have been...

We’ve finally reached the end of The Witcher’s latest season and we’re feeling pretty emotional about it, at least if this week’s discussion is any indication. We have some big laughs. We shed some actual tears (we’re as surprised as you!). We get frustrated with characters, angry at toxic fans and a teensy bit testy with each other before declaring our unbridled love to everything The Witcher has brought to our lives. Or maybe it’s just the super strong Man o’ Sword Single Malt Scotch we decided to pair this climactic episode up with. We do drink a...

When we ordered a Blood and Sand, this really wasn’t what we had in mind. Season three’s penultimate episode features a small bit of Brokilon, a handful of teary reunions and a whole lot of Ciri wandering through the desert while hallucinating and hanging out with a unicorn. It’s not the most action-packed hour of Witcher, which may be why we paired it with one of our stronger whiskeys this season—Maker’s Mark Private Selection Toasted Marshmallow. We’re mixed on whether we can taste the marshmallow, but all of us get plenty toasted talking about Ciri’s surpr...

Mix two parts sorcery and one part elven revenge. Add a dash of political intrigue with a light splash of Nilfgaardian conquest. Shake violently and you have the recipe for Vol. 2’s first episode, “Everybody Has a Plan ‘til They Get Punched in the Face.” Considering the game-changing nature of the episode, we thought it was only fitting that our discussion of it raises the stakes for us as well. So, inspired by Geralt’s climactic head-to-head duel with Vilgefortz, we open up two different whiskeys from Woodinville Whiskey Co.—their award-winning bourbon and their rye. Will double-fisting our way through our...

It’s amazing what you can discover when you’re passed out on the cutting room floor. It’s our first side quest of the season, and we’re bringing you a treasure trove of past moments that were never lost and always found…but that we still had to cut for time. Why is there a woman in Arizona who thinks Tim has blue eyes? What would it take for Valerie to wear a hair hat? And can we actually prove Yarskier is real? (Tim seems to think so!) This is Whiskey with Witcher at its most unhinged and proof that...

It’s a party onscreen and in the Whiskey with Witcher recording studio! We uncork a bottle of Johnny Smoking Gun Whiskey to accompany Geralt and Yen’s search for proof and dance our way through season three’s mélange of a fifth episode. And you know what? It turns out all is indeed not as it seems when it comes to the hour’s mix of repeating timelines, juicy acting, questionable couture and oddly chaste sex scenes. (Everything except for Istredd. He is every bit as stupidly hot this season as he appears.) Plus, we recount a few of our re...

Jaskier might not be a fan of the flamboyantly-mannered songsmith introduced in season three’s fourth episode, but we sure are! Actually, there’s quite a bit we’re fond of in this one. From its shipside monster fight, to Fringilla living her best barfly life, to the line that made Radskier shippers squeal the world over, “The Invitation” is easily one of the season’s standouts. But with Valdo making so much noise, why would we pair this one with a whiskey called The Quiet Man? Well, that would be for Geralt, a man of few words. But there’s another, eve...

Yennefer reconnects with Tissaia. Geralt reacquaints himself with a friend. Jaskier reconciles with Vespula! There are reunions a-plenty in season three’s third episode, so it’s only fitting that our whiskey pairing is one as well. We first discovered Milam & Greene back in our second season, but this time, we’re sampling their Port Cask Finished Rye, a sweeter-than-expected spirit that still has plenty of spice. And what do you know, the same can be said about this episode, which touches on parental sacrifice and love, but still manages to feature season three’s steamiest sex scene (you go, Philippa...

There are “Extraordinary Things” to be found within season 3’s stellar second episode, as well as some real nightmares, and we have a blast discussing both. Keira Metz makes her debut! Jaskier drops an eye-opening new song! Philippa whips Dijkstra into shape (literally)! Fringilla gets drunker than we do! And as for the episode’s monster, well let’s just say we much prefer it when it’s our whiskey that has all the legs. That said, the terrifying creature did inspire this episode’s pairing, High West Whiskey’s American Prairie Bourbon. Cheers?

It’s time to celebrate, Witcher fans, because season 3 is here! In “Shaerrawedd,” Geralt, Yen and Ciri are finally together...but sadly, the same isn’t true for us. Valerie’s out of town, so we’re recording our discussion of the season’s first episode virtually, but on the bright side, that means more delicious Clyde May’s Alabama Style Whiskey for Tim and Producer Sean! And that leads to a lively chat that touches on everything from Geralt’s big daddy energy, Jaskier’s “meet lute” with Prince Radovid, why Shaelmaars are suddenly called Jackapaces and the one big place where The Witc...

The Witcher’s all-new season is mere hours away, so we’re doing a little pre-gaming with one of our favorite fans. Writer and “I Can’t Believe it’s Not Fanon” creator Rebekah Rodriguez-Lynn joins us for a surprisingly classy discussion on Witcher fandom (hey, we’re capable!) and what we can expect from season three…all over a round of fiery margaritas. But be forewarned, the cocktails aren’t the only thing that gets spicy as we discuss bi-Jaskier, canon vs. fanon and whether there actually are hot springs beneath Kaer Morhen. Keep up with Rebekah’s latest activities by follow...

And so two became three… In our final episode devoted to the Witcher prequel series, Producer Sean joins the discussion as we look back at the series as a whole and unpack what worked and what didn’t. (Spoiler alert, there’s a lot more in one category than the other.) We also speculate on what influence Blood Origin may have on The Witcher’s upcoming season, take a look at some recent character posters, find a boozy link between Blood Origin and The Vampire Diaries, subject Sean to some unaged whiskey and bid farewell to a creatively compromised show we feel...

We’re four episodes into Blood Origin and…we’re finished? Yes, hard as it is to believe, we’ve reached the finale of the Witcher spinoff series and all we can say is that it’s a good thing we paired it with a strong whiskey—the 112-proof Seven Spheres Rye by The Obscure, to be specific. While there are moments here and there that we enjoyed (most of them featuring Meldof), the show’s fiery villain goes up in smoke, our proto-witcher proves to be a proto-dud and the legendary Conjunction of the Spheres leaves us all less than starry-ey...

Things get downright feisty on screen—and in our recording studio—this week as we take on The Witcher: Blood Origin’s third episode. At last, our seven heroes are united as our beloved Meldof joins the team. But our mutual love for the dwarven warrior seems like the only thing we can agree on in what proves to be one of our most contentious episodes ever. Is talking work at a party okay when lives may be on the line? We discuss (and discover we seriously disagree). If the guy you’ve been thirsting for just had a monster blood en...

Our heroic team doubles in size over Blood Origin’s second chapter, as we’re introduced to the cleaver-wielding Brother Death and the two magical celestial twins Syndril and Zacare. So, with siblings playing such a big role in this Witcher spinoff, we liven things up with a bottle of Garrison Brothers Small Batch Texas Straight Bourbon, which proves to pack a flavorful punch perfect for an episode that’s not light on action. Sadly, it’s also not light on rushed storytelling and inconsistencies, but at least we have Michele Yeoh, the wonderfully maniacal Meldof, Eredin’s hot new boy toy an...

Much like Blood Origin itself, our season covering the four-episode Witcher spinoff was more than a little delayed. But the time has finally come to dive into this sometimes-fun-sometimes-frustrating prequel tale, which we kick off with a bottle of Caol Ila Distillery’s North Star Single Malt Scotch Whisky. (Why this particular scotch? Much like most of the things in Blood Origin, it’s better not to question it too much.) So, put on your most architecturally stylish outfit and listen to what we have to say about protest songs, strangely high-tech monoliths, friends-to-lovers, last-minute Minnie Drivers and why you shou...

Things got soberingly real for our favorite fantasy franchise this month with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) choosing to go on strike and fight for a better deal for its members. Yet, while writers and studios may be at the heart of this work stoppage, the effects are being felt all throughout Hollywood. In this new bonus episode, we lay out the broad strokes of what the writers are striking over, explaining what sort of impact it’s having now on the industry and could possibly have in the future, and what all of this likely means for The Wi...

We’re not going to say that The Hexer is a good show. (We’re nowhere near drunk enough for that.) But the 2002 Polish production isn’t entirely without merit. In fact, for all its why-is-Ciri-wearing-a-gimp-mask strangeness, there are some things The Hexer does quite well. Perhaps even better than Netflix’s Witcher series. In our latest bonus episode, which doubles as our official goodbye to our Hexer season, we reveal what those things are, as each of us lists off three things that The Hexer does better than its Cavill-clad counterpart. Plus, for the first time in the history of our p...

It’s the season that’s so big they had to split it into two! We’ve returned and so has Geralt of Rivia, who’s back with a dramatic new season three teaser. We discuss what its talk of fear might reveal about season three, unpack intriguing details (so why is Rience holding a cat?) and share our thoughts on Netflix’s decision to release the season in two “volumes.” We also weigh in on the images that were released alongside it, get a little snarky about Yen’s recent sense of fashion, answer a few listener questions and even get into th...

Hello, dearest listeners, and welcome to the inaugural episode of Brandy with Bridgerton. Now we realize that you might have become accustomed to a certain uncouth and unsophisticated level of humor unbecoming of high society on this channel. But fear not, for today our discussions shall be of only the most genteel nature as we welcome a most prestigious guest, Lady Christina Newhall of Studio City (a quaint shire in the Kingdom of California), and converse on that most delightful of entertainments—Bridgerton Season One! To accompany our discourse, we have selected Carousel Brandy from Lost Spirits Distillery, a potent co...

It’s taken at least three translators, two streaming services, thirteen whiskeys, a Susanna Hoffs slow dance classic, and far too many references to Spirit Halloween, but we’ve finally gotten to the final episode of The Hexer. Will the series go out with a bang, or a poorly subtitled whimper? (Do you really need to ask?) Still, finishing this amusingly uneven series is something worth celebrating, and since The Hexer turns 21 this year, we’ve paired it with a bottle of Dewar’s Double Double 21-Year-Old Scotch. It’s super smooth, which is more than we can say for Geralt...

We’ve reached the penultimate episode of The Hexer and we still have no clue what’s going on. So in a desperate attempt to help, we’ve paired this episode with Navigator Straight Bourbon, which to our delight and dismay proves to be much more enjoyable than what’s on screen. Geralt has a bunch of acid flashbacks, Ciri dons a lucha libre mask and Jaskier may or may not declare his love to his favorite witcher (we’re still a bit hazy on that). Speaking of Geralt, he doesn’t disappear, but Ciri does, while Eithne just never shows up, pr...

Someone must have been hitting the potions a bit too hard because The Hexer’s eleventh episode is easily one of the worst of the series. After dispatching Renfri in the quickest, most anticlimactic way possible, Geralt finds himself wandering around until he winds up in Brokilon Forest again where he…wanders around some more. He also says a bunch of stuff, only half of which we understand due to a translation that reads like it was provided by Gollum on a bender. But never fear, dear listeners, our pain is your gain, as we do have quite a bit of f...

Renfri has arrived! We celebrate what’s one of The Hexer’s strongest episodes to date (but keep in mind that’s a VERY relative term), by unbottling one of Tim’s favorite whiskeys, Redbreast 12 Year Old Single Pot Still, which we drink straight up—you know, in much the same way that our girl is now a straight up villain. We also question the practicalities of impalement, wonder whether the episode’s message of “lesser evils” still makes sense when one of the parties is violently killing refugees, and take time to appreciate that Geralt actually asks Jaskier to play for him. Ge...

The Hexer’s ninth chapter just may be its most eventful one yet. Renfri returns! Geralt confronts Falwick! Ciri makes her (somewhat anticlimactic) debut! It’s an episode that’s, frankly, overloaded with important moments, and so we’ve paired it with an equally overloaded spirit—the 125-proof White Dog Mash #1 by Buffalo Trace Distillery. There’s no doubt the raw, unaged White Dog is powerful stuff, but is it actually whiskey? That proves to be a matter for debate, as does whether or not we like Hexer’s take on Ciri, if Nenneke should just stop screwing around and jump Geralt’s...

While we wait for more news on the Witcher show and games, we got an update on something we really didn’t expect: new books! Okay, we got a brief, off-the-cuff statement on them that was all of five words long. But those five words—“They are in the plans”—came from none other than Andrzej Sapkowski, which means they’re more than enough for us to devote an entire episode to! We speculate on what those plans could be based on things Sapkowski has said in the past, then share our thoughts on what we’d most like to see in any fut...

It may be Cupid’s big week, but we’re the ones playing matchmaker in this special Valentine’s Day episode. First, we discuss our all-time favorite Witcher ships, both canon and fanon. You know, the ones we may or may not be secretly writing sexy fanfic about. (Let’s just say Geraskier is SO season one.) But things really heat up in our second segment as we take turns picking Witcher characters at random and making the case for why they should smash. So, light some candles, pour some wine and definitely put the kids to bed as we celebrat...

It’s time to break out the nice glasses as we welcome our first guest of 2023! For years, Joanna Estep has successfully balanced a career drawing, coloring and lettering comics with a love of fanart and The Witcher, recently culminating in her self-published Geraskier minicomic, “Where Are You This Moment?” In this bonus episode, we talk to Jo about her art, her fandom, her love of messy women and why sometimes what seems naughty on the surface is really just about making Geralt smile. Follow Jo on Twitter at @joannaestep and Instagram at @joanna_estep_draws. You can purchase her Witche...

We suspected—well, Tim did at any rate—that with its limited production budget, The Hexer wouldn’t attempt to bring Geralt’s iconic fight with the fearsome striga to screen. Shows what he knows because that classic short story forms the basis of the series’ eighth episode, which we’ve paired with Compass Box’s uniquely fruit-forward scotch blend Orchard House. Sadly, no amount of whiskey can make a rubber suit look frightening, but it might be responsible for Geralt’s sudden penchant for older women wearing nun smocks and for random characters mating with people’s brothers. Also, we've gotten anoth...

For our first Hexer episode of 2023, we thought we’d put aside our usual drunken nonsense for a serious discussion of dopplers and elven displacement…but who are we kidding? It takes all of ten minutes for Tim and Producer Sean to devolve into juvenile jokes about the name “Dudu” and it’s all downhill from there. We do manage to discuss whether the episode’s adaptation of “The Edge of the World” is more effective than Netflix’s, riff quite a bit on The Bangles’ 1988 hit “Eternal Flame” and find a lot to like about the Stillhouse Black Bourbon we pair with the episode...

Who needs a sword when you’re wearing an outfit that absolutely slays? In our first new episode of 2023, we’re focusing on the fashion of The Witcher’s first two seasons, as we toast some of the hottest looks to hit the runways of Novigrad. Tim and Valerie each rank their five favorite costumes, discussing what they say about the characters and sharing their only slightly tipsy thoughts on why they work so well. But it’s not all! We also pick our absolute least favorites because, let’s face it, the Continent is not without its fashion fails.

Whiskey With Witcher is now a year old! Somehow we’ve managed to keep this thing going for a full trip around the sun, so to celebrate, we’re uncorking a bottle from Tim’s private stash—Harp Song, a 16-year Irish single malt—and answering questions about ourselves asked by you, our listeners! We share some of our more deeply held thoughts on The Witcher and where we see it going, weigh in on the most recent trailer for Blood Origin, and lift the veil a bit more on who we are outside of the podcast (can you guess which one...

The Law of Surprise has been called in Cintra...and on our podcast! But don’t worry, the only thing we’re rewarded with is an unexpected bottle of Gentleman Jack, which we drink a bit too generously as we unpack The Hexer’s sixth episode, “Calanthe.” We also weigh in on the latest Blood Origin trailer, speculating about what awaits us in the upcoming spinoff and predicting which characters are going to steal the show (Meldof, definitely Meldof). And speaking of predictions, we make a deliciously dirty one about what we’d like to see in episode seven. What can we say...

Bundle up, Witcher fans! This week, we’re unpacking The Hexer’s fifth episode, which finds Geralt, Yennefer and Istredd in a toxic love triangle that doesn’t end the way any of us would like. An adaptation of the short story “A Shard of Ice,” it’s a talky tour of truth and emotion that we’ve paired with a bottle of Jameson Cold Brew, a whiskey that also contains cold brew coffee. Will adding caffeine to our already adult mix of alcohol and sass add some liveliness to the chat? Or will we end up manically running around the room screa...

Surprised? Well, so were we! In this special bonus episode, we’ve bundled up two “Segments of Surprise” that were cut from our most recent episode. First, Valerie talks about completing Thronebreaker, CD Projekt Red’s card-based adventure game set in the world of The Witcher (who’s up for a hand of Gwent?). After that, we both discuss the recent teaser from Netflix’s upcoming Blood Origin. What does its wide shots and brutal action suggest about the Witcher spinoff series? When might we finally get a full trailer? And can we stop with the freakin’ monoliths already?!?

Is it just us, or is it hot in here? Maybe we’re feeling the heat from that fire-breathing dragon everyone’s been talking about. Or it could be that foursome happening over there in the tub. But really, it’s probably just the sheer amount of Douglas Liang’s Provenance Single Malt Scotch we imbibed while discussing The Hexer’s pivotal fourth episode. Introducing not one, but two key characters—Yennefer and Jaskier—it’s also the first installment of the series to directly adapt one of Andrzej Sapkowski’s short stories: the dragon hunt adventure, “The Bounds of Reason.” So, with so...

The Witcher Season 3 is still over half a year away, so surely it’s safe to take a little break, right? APPARENTLY NOT! While Valerie was on vacation, The Witcher announced that Henry Cavill is leaving the role of Geralt and Liam Hemsworth will be taking it up in his stead. Now that we’re back in the same city, we can finally discuss the big news...because, yeah, we have thoughts and oh so many questions. Did he leave for a new project? Did he have issues with the show’s direction? Was the wig too damn itchy? Could he hav...

Geralt is finally out on the Path, which is as good a reason as any to celebrate with a bottle of Noble Oak Double Oak Bourbon. We discuss this environmentally minded whiskey while unpacking The Hexer’s meandering third episode, which sees the debut of Renfri, the return of Gwidon—now oddly called Falwick—and yet another swoony Geralt romance. Also, our love of Old Witcher only grows, as does our puzzlement over why he doesn’t have a name, and we marvel at Geralt’s…um, poison sucking skills. We also manage to break Valerie, which trust us, isn’t easy to do...

CD Projekt Red recently surprised the gaming world by announcing not one, not two, but three new Witcher games. Little is known about them other than their astronomic code names and a handful of other enticing details, but of course, that’s not about to stop us from devoting most of an episode to speculating wildly about what they might be. We say “most” because we also dive into the recent Witcher-themed episode of Netflix’s Nailed It! along with a massive whiskey-fueled tangent into some strange real-life history…which Tim stubbornly refuses to accept as real-life history. It’s a whole thin...

Dim the lights and keep your loved ones close, Witcher fans, because we’re discussing some truly horrifying things in this special bonus episode: vampires, strigas…flavored whiskeys! With Halloween upon us, we surprise our less-than-thrilled Producer Sean with a bottle of Pumking Pumpkin Whiskey before sitting down to share our lists of the five Witcher creatures we find most frightening, explaining why we chose each one and giving you some insight into our own personal nightmares along the way. Its our special treat to you as we prepare for October 31st and whatever frights it may have in store. You...

Geralt may be growing up, but we remain as immature as ever during our often-derailed discussion of The Hexer’s second episode. Kaer Morhen only seems to have gotten worse, and not even the discovery of female witchers can save it. Geralt grows awfully close to one of them, but is his seduction all a ruse? We’re, uh…not sure. Maybe? This show isn’t always coherent, guys. But one thing we ARE sure of is that it all goes down a lot better with a glass of Uncle Nearest 1856 Premium Whiskey. Not only does this whiskey have an amazing...

Tudum, Netflix’s annual “global fan event,” brought with it a wealth of trailers, first looks and cringe-inducing interstitials last month, just very few having to do with The Witcher. Still, that isn’t about to stop us from pouring a glass and unpacking what new information we did get. Looks like Santa’s bringing us a stocking full of Blood Origin this Christmas, but as for Witcher Season 3...well, let’s just say that the Time of Contempt is not very nigh. Enjoy this only slightly snarky new bonus episode, and remember, to err is human, to forgive is divine, but...

The future of Whiskey with Witcher is in the past! Well, at least it is for our latest season, which is devoted entirely to The Hexer, the 2002 Polish-language series that introduced Geralt to the small screen for the first time. We paired the premiere with another famous first—Evan Williams 1783, named after Kentucky’s original distiller. What else do they have in common? They’re both clearly crafted on a budget, but that doesn’t mean there’s not joy to be found within as we unpack this truly unique take on Andrzej Sapkowski’s White Wolf…which turns out to be a litera...