After a mini-gathering at Whisky Live Paris, Hughie and Ainsley buddy up for a short resumé of events over a Cadenhead’s Ledaig 14yo, as well as a campaign for us all to join them in Paris in future.

Ainsley rejoices in the friends and like-minded companionship can bring, yet selects a special and mature Cadenhead’s Glen Grant to put forward the case for sipping, contemplatively, alone.

Ainsley is full of excuses: Brexit, holidays, distractions, work, being French. Eventually, he gets around to sharing some beauties from Decadent Drinks. The good news; they’re belters & mostly still about.

Ainsley’s world spins in whisky. Through this amber life, he’s met a few friends. Some of these friends come armed with whisky. Lots of it. Like this Amrut Cask Strength Indian Single Malt.

Through adventures of European culture, Ainsley gives us an insight into taking a break from the intensity of Paris and whisky, before returning to some tasty Holyrood from Fragrant Drops.

Our cocktail shenanigans continue, but not without reviewing the whisky itself first. Ainsley brings us a Claret Snap, his own take on the Whisky Sour, using the acclaimed Uncle Nearest 100º Proof.

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.

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.

Ainsley considers the seasonal moods of enjoying our drinks and preferring light and fresh sips in summer weather. Only to throw it all out the window for a banger of an oloroso Thompson Bros Dufftown.

Today we learn the swap for yesterday’s review. Ainsley pushes the boat out for a pricey 18 year old and splits it with Dramface Jackie in a celebration of what whisky is all about - sharing. Hughie chips in too!

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.

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.

Ainsley has tried enough decent Clynelish to know he loves that waxy character it can possess, so he determines to land a bottle. But that’s harder said than done. Did he manage with this 1992 18yo?

Ainsley recounts the splendour of the recent Independent Spirits Festival held in Leith. This is just the kind of recap to make sure we see another year of this, and a perfect Fib Whisky Whitlaw to match up.

Ainsley waves a flag for Japanese whisky, suggesting we place it on our radars once more, just don’t overpay & perhaps don’t start with this Tsunuki from Mars.

Fergie evaluates the risks in paying considerably more for small-scale ‘artisanal’ products. In doing so he compares a recently acquired Daftmill to his beloved custom-made Dobro.

An annual treat for Fergie is to splash out on an indulgent treat. Despite a previous false start, he chose Deanston and their 18yo. What did he discover? It’s a Dramface pile on.

Cadenhead’s Original Collection and the Enigma Blends are perhaps the most likely of their releases to be found in the wider marketplace. Ainsley dives in to an entire outturn.

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.

Ainsley returns from his first visit to Glasgow, low on health and finances, but high on life. He shares why; but needs to pull Wally in for a review of a special Glasgow oloroso single cask.