After not insignificant conflict caused by a mighty customs bill, Earie is left reflecting on all of the positive connections and events brought by whisky. An exotic Overeem from a maple syrup cask is in the glass.

Finding himself battling DIY and anxiety, two Mystery Malts arrive at Doog Towers for some fun relief. A welcome arrival as he’d had a twitching eye on a bottle for himself. Now he’s got two. How’d he do? Did he win?

North America hosts the World Cup and the USA finds itself once more distracted by this odd sport that fascinates the rest of planet Earth. CA based Archie drinks it all in with two recent bottles from Fragrant Drops.

Charlie manages to attend only the very last day of this year’s Campbeltown Malts Festival, but still feels like it was very worth while - especially after picking up two Little Brown Dog bangers!

Archie takes us back to his life as a musician as he reflects on the pre-digital era and missed connections. He’s helped along by a Connections release from North Star Spirits, this time the Islay edition.

In something of a look-through-the-letterbox at the life of Broddy - including his sight challenges - we have him explain why he thinks the Arran Barley is a manifestation of emulation. In a good way.

Sometimes, we don’t get exactly what we expect. That’s when an open mind and patience can deliver a decent experience regardless, as Earie and Fergie discover on this Signatory Mortlach.

It turns out Fergie has a fear - of lightening strikes. His childhood story of why makes it understandable. But during a recent storm he found a distraction, an antidote; a Bunnahabhain from Single Malts of Scotland.

Hoping for the best, but fearing the worst, Archie picks up a high-volume bottle for the masses - a Kirkland Highland Malt Whisky 15yo at 46% . On the face of it great value. But, is it?

Wally and Charlie are at it again; wallowing in their gleeful states simply because their team have made the World Cup finals for the first time in a generation. The SV Ben Nevis Tartan Army release in the glass this time.

Charlie and Wally are nervous. Scotland appear at their first World Cup finals since 1998 this weekend. Will Clydeside’s unofficial/official distillery limited edition release be the one to pour if there’s something to celebrate?

In a fit of rebellion, Mason rails against the wave of AI generated everything he finds in his life today. Whisky, especially good old-school style such as these Ardnamurchan Golden Promise releases, seems to help.

It seems that Pulteney have never been fully forgiven for the brand update that happened all the way back in 2018. Drummond put the case forward for their often overlooked 18 year old.

Once in a store, Ogilvie heartily recommended this Jack Daniels Barrel Proof to an acquaintance. When he returns to a bottle three years later, he realises some things change, if fact sometimes everything does.

In a wonderfully candid and personal piece, Archie shares his transition into trusting independent bottlers and how he decided to start with Murray McDavid. It’s not what you might think.

With the Classic Laddie displaying its 10yo label once more, Ramsay picks up what’s only his second ever Laddie and asks if our tendency for nostalgia is well-placed, or potentially harmful.

Sometimes we place unrealistic expectations on things, based on our own dreams and memories, building up inevitable ‘failure’. The return of Arran’s 14yo has Wally wondering if we’re all just after a ‘hot take’.

Broddy gathers seven bottles of SMOS Reserve Cask Small Batch releases in a single mega review. He justifies his scoring for each while dropping a bombshell of heresy about oatcakes.

Facing the challenges of restraint, Mason tackles the inevitable fallout of over-accumulation. We can all relate. That said, it doesn’t stop him from buying a backup of this Thompson Bros Sutherland.

Kindred spirits Archie and Charlie collab on one of their favourites: Torabhaig. This time it’s all about their new Taigh core release and the meaning of home, with summery pics of California and Scotland.