A Whisky & Ember podcast
Cocktails & Crime
A well-made drink, and a true story from the darker side of history.
Cocktails & Crime from Whisky & Ember pairs a well-made drink with a true story from the darker side of history. George walks you through the cocktail recipe and tasting notes, then shares a carefully researched story of crime, scandal, and the people caught up in it. The tone is conversational, the drinks are real, and the line between documented fact and disputed legend stays clear.
Hosted by George Logue. Narration uses an AI model of the host’s voice.
Episodes
-
Episode 3 · October 14, 2026 · 21 min
The Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist
In 2012, a routine inventory check at a warehouse in Saint-Louis-de-Blandford, Quebec, turned up barrels of water where syrup from the Quebec Maple Syrup Producers Federation’s strategic reserve should have been. George traces how the syrup was swapped for water and moved, and keeps court findings, the Federation’s statements and reported allegations separate.
In the glass: George’s modern Maple Leaf variation, with Canadian whisky, maple syrup and fresh lemon juice.
-
Episode 2 · October 13, 2026 · 15 min
Mickey Finn: A Chicago Saloon Scandal
In 1903, Chicago saloonkeeper Mickey Finn faced accusations that customers were secretly drugged at his Lone Star Saloon. George follows what contemporary reports establish, and what they leave unanswered, keeping the documented events, allegations and later lore separate.
Content note: This episode discusses the alleged drugging of bar customers, a violent robbery, and drinks tampered with to make people ill. The 1903 reports name no drug; the chloral hydrate in later retellings is unconfirmed.
In the glass: A later Mickey Finn cocktail with gin, dry vermouth, absinthe and white crème de menthe.
-
Episode 1 · October 8, 2026 · 17 min
The Green Fairy on Trial
In August 1905, Jean Lanfray killed his wife, Marie-Louise, and their two young daughters in the Swiss village of Commugny. Over a Necromancer cocktail, George follows the family’s story, the murder trial, and the campaign that helped turn absinthe into a national prohibition issue.
Content note: This episode discusses domestic violence, the murder of children, and suicide.
-
Trailer · October 7, 2026 · 1 min
Official Trailer