Edinburgh International Festival Blend 2023
Ainsley wonders three things as he sips the 2023 Festival Blend from J&A Mitchell: is 2024 finally the year of the blend?, isn’t grain whisky basically vodka?, and why are people paying £180 for a cheap sipper?
Craigellachie 17yo SMWS 44.148
It’s about addiction, but not the addiction you’re thinking of. Murdo shares some confessions as he reviews an SMWS Craigellachie 17yo. Some of us might find this difficult reading.
Two Brewers Release 36
In typical Dramface style, Aengus and Broddy team up on a bottle split review to asses the winner of the Toronto Whisky Society’s blind panel competition; a Two Brewers Moscatel Release 36
InchDairnie Pitkevy
After finding nothing on the television, Fergus finds nothing in the Whisky Shop. But he’s one of us, so he leaves with 5 bottles including a brand new InchDairnie exclusive. He seems pleased.
Shortcross Malt & Pot Still Duo
Faced with a sea of repetitive, dull, expensive and uninspired Irish whiskey releases, a frustrated Hamish searches for a spark of inspiration to celebrate St Patrick’s and beyond.
Benromach Peat Smoke Bourbon vs Sherry
A collab is required as Broddy and Drummond both review what we believe to be some of the best value all-natural whiskies about right now. Benromach Peat smoke time.
Heaven Hill 7yo
Another cracking Ogilvie tale of whiskey folks from the South, and a little bottled-in-bond bourbon edyacashun woven in. Heaven Hill’s 7yo Kentucky Straight in the glass.
Glen Garioch Sherry Duo
Before pitching two big-hitting, and not inexpensive, Glen Garioch bottlings against each other, Doog decides to wait for his bad mood to pass.
Loch Lomond The Open Edition 2024
Hamish manages to (almost) avoid a smattering of golfing analogies as he uncorks Loch Lomond’s 2024, “The Open” release. It’s on the Chardonnay theme too; but not the yeast this time.
Mortlach 15yo
After years of pounding his way through his favoured Islay big-hitters, Fergus one day encountered what he would come to understand as a Mileston Malt; Mortlach. He picks up a steal of an Signatory release to revisit.
Ardmore Duo
Despite promising himself some restraint, our Hamish has been stealing from the auctions again. This time he’s snagged two young Ardmore indies; a favourite catch.
Ben Nevis Trio
In trying to understand why Ben Nevis is such a ‘connoisseur’s malt’ Ainsley assembles a trio of indies and pours them alongside each other for a cosy night hiding from the Parisian rain.
Campbeltown Journey vs Loch
For those of us living in the wider Scotch Whisky diaspora, we often must experience Campbeltown’s mythical spirits vicariously through others. In Ogilvie’s latest, he tracks down two of the Wee Toon’s Blended Malts in this side by side comparison.
Turntable Paradise Funk
Our Dramface debutant today shares his passion for music with an appropriate release form Turntable; their malt-heavy and affordable Paradise Funk. It’s Fergus’ call as to whether it’s killer, filler or grower.
Talisker X Parley Wilder Seas
Sharing some things about the Isle of Skye that are both expected and unexpected, Dougie Crystal finds parallels in a glass of his, thus far ignored, local libation: Talisker.
Travel Retail Exclusive Quartet
When we love whisky so much, it’s hard to be brutal about some of the obvious negatives. Yet sometimes, when things are clearly wrong, we just have to call it out. This decision was not taken lightly.
Gouden Carolus Madeira
The last thing Earie needs is more fuel for FOMO, but this time he’s on home turf. It’s different. Yet, instead of a biased review, what we actually read from this coming-of-age story is a sense of relief.
Waterford All Smoke No Mirrors
Our resident Irishman Hamish takes a St Patrick’s Day tour through Waterford’s Exploration Series peated tasting set, and finds enough of a surprise to think Irish peated is under-appreciated. ☘️
Woodrow’s Pulteney 15yo
With a confession that he knows very little about art, Fletch considers the art of whisky over a lesser-spotted indie Pulteney 15yo, and how it’s not always about its creation.