In a hurry to get to funner places, Wally phoned one in. This time it’s a limited edition Macallan, and there’s nothing - yet somehow everything - wrong with it.

Charlie picks up three blends from the past - his own past - and dips in to see what he was missing. A Chivas Regal 12yo from the 1970s alongside an old Johnnie Walker Swing and a 1980s Teachers.

A stranger to Glenlossie until 2025, Charlie uncovered one of Diageo’s ‘blend houses’ in a Cadenhead’s tasting. Typically for him, a pleasant experience and a bottle purchase finds him exploring and comparing.

Betraying his age as well as his sense of humour and movie preferences, Archie surprises himself with a low-expectations bottling from Lagavulin: their new 11 year old Sweet Peat.

Archie happens upon a ‘distillery’ he’s never heard of. This ‘Shieldaig’ turns out to be a branded malt, which is fine. It has a purpose. Just like Dramface, which he also wants to discuss a little.

In order to calm the tensions of travel, Archie once enjoyed an airport beer. These days, however, he’s moved up a few levels: Planedrams. In his Plaincairn on this trip he revisits an old faithful Glenfarclas 12yo.

After being challenged with a blind pour, Broddy gives the much misaligned Bowmore 15yo another chance. After gaining a reputation of being poorly handled in official bottles, this could be a rare uptick.

Wally finally cracks open a bottle that’s been around for so long it became a burden of anxiety. Now that it’s open; how’s he feeling about having a 40yo Strathisla on the shelf?

Who would’ve thought some dog-sitting would result in the ability to explore a bottle of whisky that you’d never buy yourself? Mason digs into this vintage Highland Park 18yo.

Continuing our Friday cocktail theme, Murdo bottle swaps to try a take on a somewhat famous whisky mixed drink: the Smokey Cokey with Lagavulin Distilller’s Edition. The whisky’s reviewed too, ‘course.

Are auctions coming back to the rational drinker? If so, that appeals to Nick who occasionally stumbles upon bonus bargains to assist the shipping costs, like this vintage Glen Garioch gem.

Broddy spots a tall bottle with appealing specs; 16 years and all ex-bourbon. He’s in. Glenmorangie too. Expecting an amplified 12yo, he’s left, not for the first time, rueing unmet expectations.

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.

Charlie asks the all important question - If Bowmore is truly one of Scotch whisky’s legends - why are none of their official releases any good? Brutal. But he explores three to find out.

Charlie digs out four somewhat forgotten blends from his cupboard to revisit them, all the while realising they all have a story - and a good reason for being there.

Nostalgia remains very much part of whisky enjoyment long-term. In this review of a 1991 official Knockando, Broddy shares his own take on whisky nostalgia, while using a handy bell-curve to send it home.

A man struck by strong branding and potent design, Dougie spots something that isn’t whisky - as he knows it. But it is £32.50, so he fires in to explore Port of Leith’s ‘Table Whisky’.

Nostalgic about his formative whisky days exploring supermarkets, Fergus arrives at the official 15yo Dalwhinnie. As a geek today, while he appreciates its value, we know where he goes from there…

After a horrific experience with Tasmanian whisky, Calder returns to his local stuff after significant inspiration from his favourite dram pairing; literature. He sets out with a Killara Port Cask.