Reflecting on the rise of modern blends; Fletcher thinks about the incidental rise of the amateur blender, and tries a few of these newer products up against the benchmark; Johnnie Black 12yo.

Betrayal; that of friends and family, but also the worst kind; that of distilleries! Drummond and Ainsley team up over some peaty Bunnahabhain Staoisha to discuss the fickle relationship.

Calder returns with tales of Japanese exploration and an attempt to understand why a land of balance and harmony is so struck by Springbank, as he reviews last year's Palo Cortado 10yo.

As autumn swings in and challenges us all to accept the changing of seasons, Fergus sits with two from one of his 'dirty' favourites: Edradour - an Un-chillfiltered vs a Straight from the Cask.

Held up as an example in how to do things right, Ainsley reviews a Hazelburn 10 while sending an open letter to Ardbeg all about how they're doing it wrong. Very wrong.

Tracing back his Ardmore love to when he was an (illegal) teen, Nick compares two modern takes from industry insiders turned indy bottlers: James Eadie and The Firkin Whisky Co.

As Murdo tells tales of travel and opening minds, he shares his take on three very rare and curious 'whiskies', while taking us through his life-long dream realised: a trip to North Korea.

In another Dramface Friday First, we’re introduced to Innes, who has a soft spot for Auchentoshan, but not without quibble. Here he compares two. They’re indies. Of course they are.

Free stuff isn’t common on Dramface; each writer usually buys their own whisky. So when Earie sifts through an entire outturn via Dràm Mòr provided samples, he takes a moment to justify it.

Drummond takes a deep dive; what is Bere Barley and why are Bruichladdich using it? He then sips it against his 2014 Islay Barley to see if it’s worth the extra cash. Interesting indeed.

Another continental buddy up today as Earie and Ainsley pour over a trio of different takes on Ardmore while considering the pitfalls of brand loyalty.

In order to stave off the dreaded malt-fatigue and keep things fresh and exciting, Earie has found the perfect strategy, and a banger of a whisky too; Millstone’s Rye 10yo.

We all like intensity and focus, but what about when we just need something functional to ‘get it done’? Drummond makes the case for an under-the-radar Càrn Mòr bottling of Glenburgie he stole at auction.

In embracing springtime, Earie pulls out his inner European to complain about the weather, and how it drives his whisky consumption. To us it looks like this Benrinnes form Van Wees would go down well regardless.

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.

Dove-tailing Doog’s review of the mass-market Aberfeldy 12yo, Ainsley finds an all-too-rare alternative, one more tailored for those of a geeky bent. Inexpensive too!

Celebrating the whiskies that might not exactly be contenders for the Dramface Top 40, Earie finds cracking value in a wee 50cl Miltonduff.

Drawn to his beloved Ardmore like a moth to a flame, Fletcher believes that, while the official bottling is a pale imitation, indies always deliver Ardmore’s amber light through clumsy darkness. Unless…

Celebrating batch variation and reminding us that darker does not mean better, even if it does in this case. Tav tucks in to a crowd pleasing Ledaig 10yo comparison.

In his debut piece, Frenchman Ainsley tells us how an Ardbeg 10 and visit to an Edinburgh bar with his old man would set life-changing things in motion that are still playing out today.