9/10 klaxon: As an Englishman paying little attention to English whisky, Fergus was surprised when a friend encouraged him to try Whittaker’s First Release. Yet it might just be his WOTY for 2024.

Broddy’s favourite distillery, Millstone, collides with his favourite sherry cask, just as the owner is hosting tastings in his local retailers, but it’s his wife’s birthday. We know what happens, don’t we.

Despite his youth, Broddy has a concern that whisky is at risk of becoming stuffy once more. Is that about age? Or age statements? As Shelter Point comes of age he shares his thoughts.

How can a 1992 Cooley, bottled in 2019, be 11yo? Well, it isn’t. To help us Innes shares his thoughts on not sharing, finding singular focus and stealing time alone, especially with his newborn son.

Wally marks the 1,000th review on Dramface with an origin story, gratitude and a humble but potent release from Wire Works, their new core range Bourbon Barrel.

In doing a little bottle dusting, turning and stock taking of his 100 bottle collection, Fergus makes a stark realisation. When it comes to rabbit holes, he’s not been down enough. Bimber to the rescue.

A buddy up review on Armorik, a French single malt with a considerable age-statement and, it would seem, a considerably impressive offering. Earie and Ainsley see what France is offering these days.

Despite a love and admiration for all things Japanese, Broddy feels burned by this sourced effort form Kaiyo, where a lot of effort has gone into producing something that’s very dull indeed. And expensive.

Usually a gentle type, the spectre of a bad experience from Ogilvie’s past rears its head to have him reaching for the warning klaxon. Do not buy this. A rare 2/10 on Dramface.

Taking a broad view of the rapidly expanding Australian whisky scene, Tyree delivers a snapshot with four Aussie single malts, and almost uses the full gamut of our scoring to do so.

Broddy delivers a succinct “State of the Nation” type summary of the rise in choice of Canadian single malts while he and Aengus get together to consider two Grain Henge releases. Interesting stuff.

How often do we hear feedback about a whisky tainted by a less than stellar visitor experience? Too much, we think, too much. Ogilvie shares the tale of his visit to the Cotswolds Distillery.

This October brings good things to Wally; crisp air, warm evening light, and whisky colored trees. It also brings Ingvar Ronde’s Malt Whisky Yearbook and a new Cadrona Single Malt from New Zealand. Can this Solera style whisky bring Cadrona back within reach?

A middle-aged lawyer walks into a tattoo parlour… Not actually a joke set up, but actually how Ogilvie gets a great recent malt whisky recommendation.

Before submitting a long-awaited article, Gilbert ponders all the excuses he might have for not being as productive as he’d like. Just like the rest of us then. Cask strength Cotswolds English whisky helps though.

A love affair with Campbeltown Whiskies, gone cold, warms again for Ramsay with a lucky find of his beloved Kilkerran 16yo. Is this 2023 recipe departure enough to reignite the romance?

Discovering new things is one of the true delights of whisky exploration. It seems, in this Indri Indian Single Malt, Ogilvie, Earie and Wally have all found something very worthwhile.

It’s impossible to keep up with 49 new distilleries producing malt in England since 2006, so Ramsay takes stock while checking out his new ‘local’ distillery, Weetwood and The Cheshire.

Brash. Robust. Unapologetic.

Not what you’d expect, but everything you want it to be.