As an advocate for bottle splits, Earie enjoys a souvenir from a pal - one of the Equinox & Solstice releases from Decadent Drinks - this time an under-the-radar Mannochmore.

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.

Over time, Ainsley thinks the Scotch whisky landscape builds into a mental whisky bell-curve where favourites lie to one side and lesser malts the other. But what about the in-betweeners, such as this Cadenhead’s Miltonduff?

Facing an ever-expanding stash of samples, Archie decides to get torn into a pack of Tri Carragh samples he was sent last year, most of which are still available, and some of which are belters.

As a lapsed fan of Dungeons & Dragons, Hughie realises he’s using whisky as a way to continually re-write and relearn experiences. An independent duo of Aultmore illustrate a recent side-quest, and they’re tasty.

Many of the Dramface team are overly-affected by branding, none more than Ally. In a space rapidly moving towards homogenised ‘clean’ and ‘modern’, he finds solace in Fragrant Drops. Tasty too.

Three of the team hark back to Christmas vibes as they each, independently, happen upon a Signatory 100º Proof Exceptional Cask Glentauchers. As is typical with Dramface, it divides opinion.

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.

Wally is surprised to see a release form The Cairn so soon. That it’s also only 1,000 bottles and only £50 for 57% ABV, he can’t help but pick it up. It makes him think about time, fairness and also Dramface.

Even in far-flung California, Archie is landing decent indie bottlings. In a follow up to his Woodrows Foursome, we have a Living Souls Trio: Two Smoky Sevens and a Speyside, all crackers.

When aspects of life challenge, Archie has discovered the joy of a walk in the woods. But these are no ordinary woods, and this is tree therapy. He brings along the Glenallachie 10yo Cask Strength.

A new year, a new writer. Debutant Archie sips from Long Beach California and for his first Dramface piece he went for four from Woodrow’s. A Balvenie, Laphroaig, Dailuaine and an Ardna. Nice.

After a remarkable career, Ogilvie has decided to retire. Not from Dramface, but his real job. By pleasant coincidence he notes that the arrival and departure of his final chapter are marked by AnCnoc’s 12 year old.

It’s Dougie’s turn to step up with a box of the latest outturn from Decadent Drinks. Like this weekend deep-dive read, it’s no small undertaking. But it starts with an Ardnamurchan, so he’s in…

In revisiting an old favourite, Hughie puts the case forward for 40% ABV entry level offerings, as well as the dangers of applying the strategy to the rest of the range. AnCnoc 12 is in the glass.

Earie has given up worrying about the scale of his ‘collection’ and admitting that the fun is in buying more whisky. He trusts SMOS and buys blind, but he may have come a cropper on this Dailuaine.

Ogilvie finds himself in a funk. His family notice it too. What else is there to do but crack a Thompson Bros Mystery Malt Series 3 and head to the back porch. Contemplative therapy time. Ogilvie style.

A solid and dependable dram is needed to help Mason come down after a whirlwind trip to Glasgow for the annual Whisky Festival. This Fragrant Drops Elevenses Linkwood does the trick nicely.

With Benromach’s latest Contrasts highlighting how high enzyme grain might affect the end product, Hamish considers how far whisky makers can push the envelope under todays regs.

Lamenting the disconnect between the whisky that’s made and the whisky that’s sold, Fergus discovers that - once more - it’s the indies that have our backs. A Signatory Vintage Longmorn is in the glass.