It’s cocktail Friday - a whisky review and a personal cocktail recipe from one of the team. Gilbert kicks off with a trip to the coast and his take on the Old Fashioned, with a coastal Ardnamurchan AD/ as the base.

Were old blends better? Ainsley snags an old export blend and compares it to five contemporary scotch blends available to him in France. The results are revealing. It does not go well.

The plastic stag of Dalmore 18yo is in the crosshairs as Charlie revisits an old friend, one from a time before he was sullied by ‘informed’ opinions, community ‘consensus’ and, well, possibly much better whiskies.

In a fascinating piece, Aengus returns from his coffee obsession to apply some learnings to whisky. With a tasty Berry Bros Glen Moray in the glass, he tries to uncover what different water brings for flavour.

In another call for support of independent specialist retailers, Ainsley and Ramsay team up to celebrate a Caol Ila released by Adelphi to mark Arthur Motley’s 20 years at Royal Mile Whiskies.

As close as we get to comedy; Ogilvie shares a nightmare dinner evening with a ‘whiskey’ theme. An event so traumatic, he needed the salve of this Bardstown Bottled-in-Bond to right himself once more.

Charlie finds himself on an exploratory road to uncover teaspoon mysteries. With an immensely distracting Westport from Good Spirits Co. he’s transported to traversing Scotland’s famous Bealach na Bà.

A shipping miscommuniqué sees various Dramface team members end up with whisky they didn’t expect. This time it’s Glasgow’s 1770 Constantia and it means three can join in on the review.

Realising whisky’s time capsule proposition while increasingly troubled by potential nostalgia, Ogilvie seeks out a vintage Bunnahabhain 12yo to see if the flavours of his memory can be matched.

Charlie hops onboard for another circle around the whisky discovery track. This time, he’s recalling his six milestones as he journeys back into blends with a North Star Campbeltown creation.

With three Longrow expressions as company, and in a reflective mood, Drummond looks back on his first days living in Scotland as an ex-pat American. He remembers one of his influential coaches in Scottish life - and whisky.

Faced with a bargain, Fletch returns to a bottle he’s not touched in years. Noticing just how much the prices of supermarket whiskies are being crunched, he picks up Glengoyne’s 10yo to consider why.

Over the years, Earie has taught himself what he likes and likes less. But with a dearth of Signatory Vintage’s 100º Proof Series in Belgium, he picks up a North British 15yo grain, and learns a lesson.

Wally sets aside a day to sit with a line up of Decadent Drinks releases. He uncovers some show stoppers and - remarkably - he can even afford one of them.

Introducing ‘Myrtle’: 2025’s latest Ardnamurchan Midgie Release. This time using a few port casks, she’s a charmer. Four of the team line up to introduce themselves. No repellent required.

Back for his tricky follow up piece, Felix snags himself a Springbank - a Malt Festival bottle no less. As he considers how easy this was to come by, he shares his thoughts on why. And neckpours! Wally chimes in too.

Is it snobbery to suggest cask-driven flavour isn’t desirable? Or to mention that some whiskies are ‘engineered’? Fergus tracks down a Signatory Glenlivet that is a no-holds-barred unapologetic sherry bomb.

Doog tops up an online order with something he’s never tried before, and this Murray McDavid Strathdearn (Tomatin) serendipitously opens up a conversation to reveal a ‘secret’ about its presentation.

Hughie reignites an old flame - Kilchoman. Specifically their 100% Islay release. Despite the ‘monogamy’ of a single distillery and even a single expression, he still manages a little promiscuity by enjoying three at once.

Something of a late arrival, but it would seem that’s how long these things take, especially for those of us further away from the source. Folks like Broddy, and his distance from this 2024 Sherry Cask Ardnamurchan.