Whisky Unfinished

Rickesh Kishnani

Whisky Unfinished is an intimate podcast that blends exceptional Scotch whisky with authentic conversation. Hosted by Rickesh Kishnani, a serial entrepreneur and investor with nearly two decades of experience across technology, finance, and the whisky industry, each episode features one remarkable guest and four carefully curated drams. The format is simple but powerful: no scripts, no predetermined narrative, just two people having a genuine conversation. Episodes explore the stories behind successful businesses, the realities of fundraising and investing, entrepreneurial journeys, cultural shifts reshaping industries, and the human side of building something meaningful. Guests include founders, investors, business leaders, and visionaries from around the world. Topics range from building the world's first private equity whisky fund to conversations about gender, economics, and how different cultures approach business and commerce. Each dram is selected intentionally—whether to mark a milestone, celebrate a success, or simply enhance the dialogue. The whisky is never incidental; it's part of the story. Whisky Unfinished attracts an audience of entrepreneurs, investors, business professionals, and people curious about the stories behind the businesses shaping our world. If you value authentic conversation, genuine insights, and the kind of dialogue that only happens when you slow down and actually listen, this podcast is for you. New episodes drop every Thursday at 6:00 PM HKT.

  1. 4d ago

    The Crazy Experiment That Took Wine to the Ocean Floor

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Whisky Unfinished, Rickesh Kishnani (Whisky Chief) sits down with Bojan Radulovic, an experienced sommelier and wine industry professional, to explore one of the most unusual wine experiments ever attempted - tasting wine 300 metres beneath the sea. With over 20 years of experience in the wine industry, Bojan has taken his passion for wine to extraordinary depths. From developing an underwater wine documentary to descending in a submersible and tasting wines at 100, 200 and 300 metres, he shares what inspired the experiment, how the environment changes the tasting experience, and what happened when the expedition encountered a dangerous situation at 200 metres. Along the way, they explore different wines and whiskies, comparing flavours, sharing tasting techniques, and discovering how curiosity can push the boundaries of traditional tasting. Hosted by Rickesh Kishnani - The Whisky Chief. WINES & WHISKIES FEATURED 🍷 Hyde de Villaine Chardonnay 🍷 Louis Latour Pinot Noir 🥃 Balblair Whisky 🥃 North British 1991 Single-Grain Whisky ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 Wine Tasting at the Bottom of the Sea 02:01 Meet Bojan Radulovic 02:54 The Underwater Wine Experiment 08:14 Tasting Wines at 100, 200 and 300 Metres 09:23 Hyde de Villaine Chardonnay 18:35 Bojan’s Journey to Becoming a Sommelier 21:29 Louis Latour Pinot Noir 26:00 Training Sommeliers and Wine Education 39:47 Balblair Whisky and How to Taste Whisky 43:06 Hong Kong’s Fine-Wine Market and En Primeur 51:02 Five Years Working on Cruise Ships 57:11 North British 1991 Single-Grain Whisky 60:25 Old Bordeaux, Wine and War 67:14 Casts of Significance and Gratitude 70:27 The Future of the Documentary 🔔 Subscribe for a new episode every Thursday at 6PM HKT 📩 Join the newsletter: https://whiskyunfinished.com 💬 Join the WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gsm7ZW8fm2X... 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01IYF1Q... 🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 📸 Instagram:   / whiskyunfinished  💼 LinkedIn:   / rickesh  #WhiskyUnfinished #WhiskyChief #RickeshKishnani #BojanRadulovic #WineTasting #Sommelier #UnderwaterWineTasting #WinePodcast #Whisky

  2. Oct 22

    From Banking to Lobsters - Alex Schultz on why he left Goldman Sachs

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Whisky Unfinished, Rickesh Kishnani (Whisky Chief) sits down with Alex Schultz, founder of Turnberry, to discuss his journey from investment banking to building an international seafood trading and logistics business. After moving to Hong Kong, Alex realised that the corporate path wasn't the future he wanted. Instead, he took a chance on entrepreneurship, entering a completely unfamiliar industry and learning how to build a business from the ground up. From starting with just $10,000-$25,000 to navigating international supply chains, earning customer trust, and dealing with products that have only days of shelf life, Alex shares what building a business actually looks like beyond the success stories. Along the way, Rickesh and Alex explore four whiskies, comparing flavours, discussing their backgrounds, and discovering some unexpected parallels between the worlds of seafood and whisky. Hosted by Rickesh Kishnani - The Whisky Chief. WHISKIES FEATURED 🥃 Woven Super Blend 🥃 GlenDronach 18 Year Old 🥃 Macallan 32-Year-Old Cask Sample 🥃 Peated Glenturret ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 From Goldman Sachs to Seafood Logistics 09:46 The Accidental Start of the Lobster Business 12:19 Tasting the Woven Super Blend 19:39 How Turnberry’s Seafood Supply Chain Works 28:54 GlenDronach 18-Year-Old 32:30 Staying Scrappy as an Entrepreneur 40:41 Tasting a 32-Year-Old Macallan 45:00 Leadership, Reliability and Communication 52:09 Peated Glenturret and Final Whisky Rankings 🔔 Subscribe for a new episode every Thursday at 6PM HKT 📩 Join the newsletter: https://whiskyunfinished.com 💬 Join the WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gsm7ZW8fm2XEZ3yaVVgg7Q 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01IYF1Q39l2dTrWGTOpcen?si=c50adf256c7d484e 🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whisky-unfinished/id1884496168 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiskyunfinished 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickesh/ #WhiskyUnfinished #WhiskyChief #RickeshKishnani #Entrepreneurship #GoldmanSachs #BusinessPodcast #Whisky #Macallan #GlenDronach #alexschultz

  3. Oct 15

    The Man Who Made Rare Whisky Meant to Be Opened

    Send us Fan Mail Season 2 of Whisky Unfinished continues with Kam Daswani. Rickesh Kishnani sits down with Kam - co-founder and Managing Director of Dram Good Stuff and Keeper of the Quaich - to talk about collecting, rare whisky, luxury, and why some bottles are meant to be opened rather than stored away. From watches and private events to Macallan 40, rare single casks and the growth of Dram Good Stuff, Kam reflects on how he helped turn extraordinary whisky into something people could actually experience, share and enjoy. The conversation goes beyond collecting into time, scarcity, community, cask ownership, the meaning of luxury, and why the real value of whisky often comes from the moment around the bottle rather than the price of the bottle itself. Kam also shares the story behind becoming a Keeper of the Quaich and what the recognition means after years of helping build Hong Kong’s rare whisky culture. Hosted by Rickesh Kishnani - The Whisky Chief. ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 Meet Kam Daswani and Dram Good Stuff 02:45 Four Rare Single-Cask Whiskies 03:26 Borders Distillery: Macallan-Style Whisky 10:10 Building Dram Good Stuff 13:00 Creating the Luxury Whisky Experience 20:00 37-Year-Old Invergordon and the Value of Time 25:27 Mortlach 1990: The Beast of Dufftown 30:00 Cask Ownership and Multi-Generational Whisky 40:00 How to Enjoy Whisky at Home 50:00 Whisky, Community and the Experience Beyond Investment 55:25 Caol Ila 2012: Peat Meets Sherry 57:30 Becoming a Keeper of the Quaich 1:02:20 Final Ratings and Closing 🔔 Subscribe for a new episode every Thursday at 6PM HKT 📩 Join the newsletter: https://whiskyunfinished.com 💬 Join the WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gsm7ZW8fm2X... 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01IYF1Q... 🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast... 📸 Instagram:   / whiskyunfinished  💼 LinkedIn:   / rickesh  #WhiskyUnfinished #KamDaswani #KeeperOfTheQuaich #DramGoodStuff #RareWhisky #ScotchWhisky #WhiskyCollector #LuxuryWhisky #Macallan #Mortlach #CaolIla #WhiskyExperience #WhiskyPodcast #RickeshKishnani #WhiskyChief #TheWhiskyChief

  4. Oct 8

    Ashley Dudarenok on China, AI & the Long Game

    Send us Fan Mail This episode of Whisky Unfinished is a little different. No whisky. No tasting. Just a conversation about what happens when you commit early, go deep, and let time do the work. Rickesh Kishnani sits down with entrepreneur, China digital expert and author Ashley Dudarenok to talk about entrepreneurship, personal brand, AI, China’s digital transformation, consumer behavior, community, and why some of the most valuable things in business take years to build. Ashley reflects on the decisions that shaped her career - from leaving a corporate job and building her first agency, to becoming a public voice on China’s digital economy, investing nearly a decade into thought leadership, and eventually naturalizing as Chinese. ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 Meet Ashley Dudarenok 10:00 China’s Shift from Cheap Manufacturing to High-Tech Innovation 14:34 Building Thought Leadership Before AI Takes Over 20:16 Why Ashley Chose to Become Chinese 24:05 India, China and the Power of Ancient Civilizations 30:00 China’s Resilience and Its Economic Transition 38:26 The Rise of the Emotional Economy 44:47 How Businesses Can Enter the Chinese Market 50:00 Casks of Significance and Multi-Generational Whisky 51:26 The Hidden Switch: Spotlighting Emerging-Market Founders 🔔 Subscribe for a new episode every Thursday at 6PM HKT 📩 Join the newsletter: https://whiskyunfinished.com 💬 Join the WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gsm7ZW8fm2XEZ3yaVVgg7Q 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01IYF1Q39l2dTrWGTOpcen?si=c50adf256c7d484e 🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whisky-unfinished/id1884496168 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiskyunfinished 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickesh/ #WhiskyUnfinished #AshleyDudarenok #ChinaBusiness #ChinaInnovation #PersonalBrand #ThoughtLeadership #AI #Entrepreneurship #RickeshKishnani #TheWhiskyChief

  5. Oct 1

    How Eddie McDougall The Flying Winemaker Took Wine Around the World

    Send us Fan Mail Eddie McDougall didn’t build his career around one vineyard, one country, or even one continent. He became The Flying Winemaker - travelling across the world making wine, discovering emerging regions, and eventually taking that journey to television. In this episode of Whisky Unfinished, Rickesh sits down with Eddie to talk about how a winemaker from Australia and Hong Kong built an international wine brand, turned his global travels into a television series, and helped bring a more approachable style of wine culture to audiences across Asia. Hosted by Rickesh Kishnani - The Whisky Chief. ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 Meet Eddie McDougall, the Flying Winemaker 01:33 EJ McDougall Wines and Today’s Whisky Lineup 03:44 Rebuilding Australia’s Fine-Wine Reputation 12:05 The Glass of Wine That Changed Eddie’s Life 20:00 Secret Highland 20-Year-Old PX Whisky 24:42 Scottish Roots and Whisky Cask Investment 30:00 Discovering Peat, Clynelish and Ben Nevis 35:11 Dalwhinnie 28-Year-Old Cask of Distinction 40:00 The Story Behind the Flying Winemaker 50:00 Talisker 40-Year-Old and Delicate Peat 56:43 EJ McDougall Wines and Personal Milestones 1:05:23 Lagavulin 27-Year-Old 1:10:00 Entrepreneurship, Patience and Adapting 1:14:39 Final Thoughts and Whisky Rankings 🔔 Subscribe for a new episode every Thursday at 6PM HKT 📩 Join the newsletter: https://whiskyunfinished.com 💬 Join the WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gsm7ZW8fm2XEZ3yaVVgg7Q 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01IYF1Q39l2dTrWGTOpcen?si=c50adf256c7d484e 🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whisky-unfinished/id1884496168 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiskyunfinished 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickesh/ #WhiskyUnfinished #WhiskyChief #TheFlyingWinemaker #EddieMcDougall #Winemaking #WhiskyPodcast #ScotchWhisky #SingleMalt #RickeshKishnani

  6. Sep 24

    How Macallan Became a Luxury Icon with Ken Grier

    Send us Fan Mail How did a quirky Speyside malt, used mostly for blending, become the benchmark for luxury whisky? Ken Grier, creative director of The Macallan from 1998 to 2018, tells the story from the inside. In the Season 2 opener, Rickesh Kishnani (The Whisky Chief) and Ken taste four whiskies: a Glen Fraser 21 Year Old independent bottling of Macallan, a 40 Year Old Edrington blend distilled in 1976, a Macallan-inspired sherried single malt made by David Robertson and Andy Simpson, and a 1996 Springbank single cask from a sherry butt. Along the way: building the collector's market with Fine and Rare, 10,000 Polaroids with Rankin, the £140 million distillery, the Skyfall story, the one release Ken wishes he had never allowed out, and his five rules for building a whisky brand today. 00:00 Ken Grier and the Macallan story 04:08 Tasting a 21-year-old Macallan 10:00 How Macallan became “the world’s most precious whisky” 16:46 Three creative decisions that changed Macallan 23:00 Building the iconic Macallan distillery 26:02 Tasting a Macallan-style whisky 30:00 How Macallan won collectors and superfans 33:53 The Bond story and Macallan’s global impact 40:00 Storytelling, luxury, and “a life beyond ordinary” 44:00 Tasting a Macallan-inspired whisky 51:48 Five principles for building a whisky brand today 58:02 Tasting a 30-year-old Springbank 1:04:47 Ken’s biggest regret at Macallan 1:06:21 The lesson founders should steal from Macallan 1:08:21 Closing thoughts 🔔 Subscribe for a new episode every Thursday at 6PM HKT 📩 Join the newsletter: https://whiskyunfinished.com 💬 Join the WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gsm7ZW8fm2XEZ3yaVVgg7Q 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01IYF1Q39l2dTrWGTOpcen?si=c50adf256c7d484e 🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whisky-unfinished/id1884496168 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiskyunfinished 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickesh/ New episodes every Thursday at 6:00 PM HKT. Please enjoy whisky responsibly.

  7. Jun 18

    Whisky Unfinished Special Episode - Singapore Office Opening

    Send us Fan Mail “People don’t want to be treated as an account. They want to be treated as a person.” This is a special episode of Whisky Unfinished - filmed in Singapore for the very first time. Not part of the regular season format, this episode marks the beginning of a new Singapore chapter for Casks of Significance, with Joseph joining the team and leading the presence on the ground. Rickesh sits down with Joseph for a conversation about whisky, trust, relationships, leadership, and why the human touch still matters in a world increasingly shaped by AI. Across four very different drams - Blair Atholl 18-year-old sherry cask, a 34-year-old Aultmore cask sample, Caol Ila 12, and a Caol Ila 14 sherry cask bottling - they explore Joseph’s journey from Calcutta to Australia to Singapore, his first whisky at 15, the difference between doing business in Australia and Asia, and why relationships can never be treated as transactions. Joseph also shares his CARE strategy. Connect, Appreciate, Relate, Engage — and explains why listening twice as much as you speak may be one of the most important skills in business. And somewhere between rare casks, family lessons, Indian whisky culture, Richard Branson, Patek Philippe, and the long game of trust, the episode lands on one of the best lines of the show: Whisky is time bottled. 🥃 Whiskies tasted in this special episode: • Blair Atholl 18-Year-Old - Sherry Cask / Pedro Ximénez Finish • Aultmore 34-Year-Old - Cask Sample, Cask Strength • Caol Ila 12-Year-Old - Islay Scotch, Bourbon Cask • Caol Ila 14-Year-Old - Berry Bros. & Rudd Sherry Cask Bottling ⏱ CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction - A Special Singapore Episode 01:45 People First Always - Why Trust Starts With Relationships 03:19 Transparency, Integrity & The Long-Term Connection 05:14 Who Is Joseph? Calcutta, Australia & His First Whisky 07:29 Whisky #1 - Blair Atholl 18 Sherry Cask / PX Finish 09:04 Christmas in a Glass - Joseph’s First Tasting Notes 10:42 India, Australia & Singapore - How Culture Shapes Business 15:01 Why People Say No - Consistency, Trust & Follow-Up 18:47 Whisky #2 - Aultmore 34-Year-Old Cask Sample 20:57 Joseph’s Whisky Journey - Royal Stag, Single Malts & Cigars 23:38 India’s Whisky Evolution - Single Malts, Weddings & National Pride 28:13 Career Pivots - Telecom, Property, Finance & Consulting 34:15 Learning to Adapt - Moving Cities, Renewable Energy & Richard Branson 37:25 Humility, Family & Treating Everyone the Same 40:20 Whisky #3 & #4 - Caol Ila 12 Bourbon vs Caol Ila 14 Sherry 46:50 The CARE Strategy - Connect, Appreciate, Relate, Engage 53:25 Listen Twice As Much As You Speak 56:35 Legacy, Collectors & Whisky as Bottled Time 59:43 Closing - The Signed Glass Tradition 🔔 Subscribe for a new episode every Thursday at 6PM HKT 📩 Join the newsletter: https://whiskyunfinished.com 💬 Join the WhatsApp community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gsm7ZW8fm2XEZ3yaVVgg7Q 🎙️ Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/01IYF1Q39l2dTrWGTOpcen?si=c50adf256c7d484e 🎙️ Listen on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/whisky-unfinished/id1884496168 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whiskyunfinished 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickesh/

  8. May 14

    20 Years Around Bankers, Billionaires & Presidents | Scoring a Hibiki 21 YO

    Send us Fan Mail EP10 - Paris Shepherd: Asia's Private Banking World, Myanmar, Vietnam & a Whisky Education Paris Shepherd spent 25 years in Asia running financial media businesses at the centre of the region's private banking and wealth management industry. He was Managing Director at Asian Private Banker, where he grew the publication and events business from five to 45 people, and later served as Managing Director of Citywire Asia. Before that, he spent nearly a decade at Euromoney, producing large-scale foreign investment conferences across the Philippines, Myanmar, Vietnam, and other Asian markets. In this episode, Rickesh Kishnani sits down with his 26-year friend Paris — a self-confessed red wine and champagne man — for a whisky education session across four drams: Hibiki 21-Year-Old, the Dalmore Cigar Malt, Bowmore 15-Year-Old Sherry Finish, and Oban 14. They talk about Australia's cost-of-living crisis, wealth inequality, compulsory voting, and Hong Kong's enduring resilience as a capital markets hub. Paris shares stories from his Euromoney years — including a thousand-person conference in Naypyidaw when Myanmar first opened for business, and the Vietnam event that had to be cancelled with a million dollars of sponsorship locked in because the government refused to acknowledge 40% inflation. Topics covered: Adelaide as Australia's only free settled colony and what that meansAustralia's cost-of-living crisis and housing affordabilityWealth inequality — 18 Australians own as much as the bottom 40% of the countryCompulsory voting and its effect on political outcomesHong Kong's resilience and its unique role bridging East and West capital marketsEuromoney — running foreign investment conferences in the Philippines, Myanmar, and VietnamThe Vietnam conference cancellation: a million dollars of sponsorship, 40% inflation, and a government that refused to acknowledge the problemMeeting finance ministers and heads of state across AsiaGrowing Asian Private Banker from five to 45 peopleEntrepreneurship, COVID, and the mental health reality of building a businessWhiskies tasted: Hibiki 21-Year-Old · Dalmore Cigar Malt · Bowmore 15-Year-Old Sherry Finish · Oban 14 Subscribe: New episode every Thursday at 6PM HKT Website: https://whiskyunfinished.com WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/Gsm7ZW8fm2XEZ3yaVVgg7Q Instagram: @whiskyunfinished

About

Whisky Unfinished is an intimate podcast that blends exceptional Scotch whisky with authentic conversation. Hosted by Rickesh Kishnani, a serial entrepreneur and investor with nearly two decades of experience across technology, finance, and the whisky industry, each episode features one remarkable guest and four carefully curated drams. The format is simple but powerful: no scripts, no predetermined narrative, just two people having a genuine conversation. Episodes explore the stories behind successful businesses, the realities of fundraising and investing, entrepreneurial journeys, cultural shifts reshaping industries, and the human side of building something meaningful. Guests include founders, investors, business leaders, and visionaries from around the world. Topics range from building the world's first private equity whisky fund to conversations about gender, economics, and how different cultures approach business and commerce. Each dram is selected intentionally—whether to mark a milestone, celebrate a success, or simply enhance the dialogue. The whisky is never incidental; it's part of the story. Whisky Unfinished attracts an audience of entrepreneurs, investors, business professionals, and people curious about the stories behind the businesses shaping our world. If you value authentic conversation, genuine insights, and the kind of dialogue that only happens when you slow down and actually listen, this podcast is for you. New episodes drop every Thursday at 6:00 PM HKT.