Whiskey with Witcher

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 of which left us dizzy and wanting more. Plus, we answer a few listener questions about the book, pick our Kaer Morons and offer up a pair of toasts…all while managing to stay mostly clear and coherent, despite having to say the names “Vrai Natteravn” and “Estevan Trillo da Cunha” a few too many times.

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-free conversation on important literary topics like Geralt getting his first leather jacket, possibly getting his v-card punched and whether the second time’s the charm when it comes to fighting strigas. Or would that be the first…? Prequels are confusing, guys!

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 on their pet names. Give it a listen…FOR REDANIA!

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 really should aspire to do more with your magical abilities than to be turned into portal goo. But mostly how disappointed we were that Geralt of Rawvia and Yennefer of Bangerberg didn’t actually use that unicorn they had on stage. But hey, we DID get the debut of Leo Bonhart, who mercilessly took the life of—wait, what was that Witcher’s name again?

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 crotchety as people seem to think? Plus, Rebekah reveals what the Witcher creator thinks about the book's English translation, why he doesn't have favorite characters and whether “Crossroads of Ravens” is likely to be the last Witcher novel. The answers just might surprise you!

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 favorite member of the Rats, deciding whether someone should give Jaskier a sword and counting up this week’s “Hmms.” But we’re still both very confused about what’s going on with Geralt’s pants, so at least there’s that. Track: Johann Sebastian Bach - Toccata and Fugue in Dm, BWV 565 Provided by Classical Music Copyright Free [https://tinyurl.com/visit-cmcf] Watch: https://youtu.be/jTN6ibiJ9bA?si=I_JwpFii-e_OtGDD

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 “hmm” count, elaborate on some book differences and shoot some terrible banana liqueur that haunts our nightmares to this day. In short, it’s a truly generous pour of an episode…and we’re just getting started! Hold music: "Local Forecast - Slower" by Kevin MacLeod

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 art (fix your hair, Ciri!) and discuss why sometimes a typo is just a typo. Plus, we explain our plan—or what passes for one around here—for our new podcast season. We’re hoping it’s our best one yet, so make sure you’re subscribed and that your bar’s fully stocked because you won’t want to miss a second of it!

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 dignity, for everything that follows, as we unpack what we enjoyed about The Witcher comics and animated movies and what we'd like to see going forward. Plus, we pick a few favorites and least favorites, offer some unsolicited advice and decide that what we really want to see is a crossover involving Geralt's horse and...well, you should just listen. Hold music: "Local Forecast - Slower" by Kevin MacLeod

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 themes, consider the possibility that the Welch's founder may have been Santa Claus and discover that Tim was surprisingly straight-laced as a kid..at least when it came to his Oreos.

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 Witcher 4 tech demo in which we savor the breathtaking graphics as well as Ciri’s newfound sassiness. It’s a fun, free flowing episode that unlike a certain recent streaming live event, is filled to the brim with Witcher goodness! Hold music: "Local Forecast - Slower" by Kevin MacLeod

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 bedroom), our discovery of what it means when the “tatties have goon o'wer the side,” and why you should always, always keep the cuffs on.

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 the oddly relaxing Trial of the Grasses. It's a fascinating, fun glimpse at a Witcher experience unlike any other—where survival (at least for your character) isn't always guaranteed.

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 isn’t our favorite either, though it does prompt discussions over whether “bats” and “batses” are the same thing, if we ever wear togas around the house, and whether Geralt should really be associating with muppets.

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 all-new whiskey pairing…with a twist. Clean W by CleanCo is the first non-alcoholic whiskey we’ve sampled on the podcast, though if you think going the zero-proof route means we’re any less unhinged, think again. Hold music: "Local Forecast - Slower" by Kevin MacLeod

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 descriptively named cobbler in the final story! At least there’s whisky this time around—the Icelandic Flóki Single Malt, which proves to be every bit the wild ride as the book we’ve paired it with.

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 got his famous white hair! Be smarter than us and pour yourself a strong one before hitting play, as we navigate this weird, wild and at times strangely homoerotic Witcher world.

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? Plus, she reveals some intriguing details hidden within CDPR’s Witcher: Ronin statues, shares a few juicy rumors and even offers her non-spoiler thoughts on Crossroads of Ravens—since she’s one of the few people we know who’s read it! Find Ronin of Rivia on Instagram at @ronin_of_rivia and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/roninofrivia.

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 we’d be able to fight a dragon and remind our silver-haired samurai (and the creators of his debut adventure) that no one likes feeling unfulfilled at the end.

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 at least one of them includes Valerie singing about mermaid sex. Plus, this entire episode was recorded AFTER last week's, which means we start things off pretty lit and they only get more unhinged from there.