Dougie’s been away. Inventing & shaping that which is meant to last forever. It takes another barnstormer from Ardnamurchan to bring him back under the enthralment of that which is deliberately transient.

Earie, like many of us, keeps Diageo on the naughty step until their insanely greedy and odd behaviours change. But gifts are gifts, so what’s he missing out on? Lagavulin 8 in the glass this time.

In discovering a cracking SMWS Loch Lomond Inchmurrin, Broddy goes full Broddy and gives us a deep dive into our scoring, the whys and the whats and the hows. It’s fascinating.

Fergus tries Glasgow malt at Glasgow whisky festival, only to ask it to live up to the experience when he has it back home. He also makes some observations about openness and transparency, and the humility of cities.

When it comes to Springbank the spectre of visceral FOMO is never far away. However, Ramsay has been a little more fortunate recently and shares his thoughts on two recent ‘wins’.

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.

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.

While in Scotland & lamenting the things he can’t easily get a hold of, Ainsley strikes a deal. In return for oor Jackie sourcing him some of this tasty Loch Lomond Distillery Edition 6, he offers a swap.

What do you take on holiday? Upon arrival in stormy Cornwall, Fergus thinks he might’ve brought the perfect Ardmore. Then the sun appears. Does it spoil things?

At first Ainsley wasn’t too enamoured with the ‘hype’ around Springbank’s Local Barley releases. It took 2025’s 8yo with heritage grain to switch all the lights on. It’s finally found him.

After something of an unintended hiatus, Drummond figures out it’s just where he’s at - no longer feeling the need to chase. Instead of FOMO, he’s embracing JOMO - and four cracking Kilkerrans.

Wally manages to comfortably pick up a bottle of the latest Kilkerran Cask Strength; in ex-bourbs too. But what’s this? Does he actually miss the madness of the old bottle-chasing days?

Refining his whisky-sights, a measured gamble on the ever-reliable Thompson Brothers connects Tav with a ‘teaspooned’ bottle he’d have to pay double for to grab the branded version.

Joining SMWS requires a membership which, as well as some other IB vagaries, was intimidating to Hamish. Now he wholeheartedly embraces indies but he shares why, until now, he’s never signed up.

If we’re serious about keeping whisky fun; should we really care too much about analysis? Over a Thompson Bros collab with Campervan, Ainsley fights for the case for the blind sofa pour.

How to convey the breathless experience of the world’s Largest Whisky Show? We send in Ainsley. Who seems to drink the time of his life. Oh, and a lesser-seen Balmenach review, for value.

When you love something, sense doesn’t always prevail. Wally, not for the first time, naively pulls the trigger on a 2024 Talisker only to discover he’s chasing nostalgia, and he needs to move on.

Another milestone is reached and Kingsbarns release an 8yo Distillery Reserve at cask strength. Is it any good though? Well, Wally is offered a bottle but deflects it to Skye. Step up Dougie.

Betrayal; that of friends and family, but also the worst kind; that of distilleries! Drummond and Ainsley team up over some peaty Bunnahabhain Staoisha to discuss the fickle relationship.

Earie has a think about the annual Online Scotch Whisky Awards, premiumisation and why he can only enjoy a delicious Glenrothes through an indie.