Our resident Parisian Ainsley is still unpacking the madness that was Glasgow’s Whisky Festival in 2025. With some distance, he also unpacks a lesser seen indie Auchentoshan from newcomers Whisky Craft.

Murdo’s review of a Thompson Bros Mystery Malt Series 2 Clynelish is actually more a tale of sharing, generosity and community. With a little critical thought about the concept thrown in.

Fergus reflects on the solidifying of his whisky exploration through trips and sharing, but also the understanding of new concepts, such as independent bottling, like this month’s Decadent Drinks outturn.

After a point, we all struggle to answer “What’s your favourite whisky?” But there’s a worse question. Charlie shares an Inchmurrin fruit bomb from the Thompson Bros & Glasgow’s Good Spirits Co.

Facing challenges of keeping up, Charlie realises it’s all too easy to forget things you’d already discovered. Like how much you like peat, bourbon casks - and Torabhaig Batch Strength & Sound of Sleat

We take a break from our summer, erm, break, to bring an epic team Dramface pile-on for the Thompson Brothers’ Mystery Malt Series No.2. Let’s see if we all pay attention to the try-it-blind memo this time.

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.

Three writers buddy up with three blind bottles from the new Mystery Malt concept from Thompson Brothers. Will they all get the same? Will they like them?

Wally decides it’s his turn to try some outturn samples. This time it’s the Decadent Drinks Decadent Drams/Whiskyland April 2025 line up of Spirit of Yorkshire, Inchmurrin, Miltonduff & Imperial.

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?

Fletcher uses a quintet of quite different, independently released Ledaig expressions to try to fathom how Signatory Vintage arrived at its pricing for a recent Cask Strength 17yo single cask.

Murdo riffs off a recent Ainsley piece where he explored the concept of wax in whisky. After tracking down a bottle of Thompson Bros Dailuaine celebrated for ‘wax’, he feels ready to share.

A debut piece by our Friday First writer Mason Mack, who introduces us to his digital native generation and slow-living, through a glass of elegant Dailuaine from Fragrant Drops.

In celebrating a Thompson Brothers creation , Hamish declares his love of Ardmore, a distillery which would be completely ignored if it wasn’t for the Independent Bottlers.

Murdo’s Whisky Monday saga continues; a Tomatin trip then north to Dornoch Castle. Showing remarkable restraint, he returns home to his Thompson Bros 2009 Teaninich 12yo to reminisce.

As a lover of Deanston and their famous waxy and floral character, Murdo hits an obstacle; the complexity of casks gets in the way of simply enjoying one of his favourites.

Weekend sorted: exploring the idea you can't screw up a Caol Ila, Tav earns a gold star by lining up 5 indy bangers and comparing them all to the classic official 12yo.

Ogilvie reaches for an Inchmurrin, liking it to his favourite comfy sweater, only to discover someone has swapped it out for a polyester t-shirt one size too small.

Pragmatism and reflection are the themes as Ainsley happens upon a bargain ghost at auction. Shy at first, he eventually locks this beauty away for as long as possible. Special people only.

Batch variation is real and as enthusiasts we learn to enjoy it, providing it always meets a baseline minimum quality. Broddy and Aengus team up to see if that’s true of Tobermory’s under-the-radar 12yo.