Timorous Beastie Phantom Smoke Review – DRAM1 Indie Award Tasting Panel Timorous Beastie has always been one of the more playful members of Douglas Laing’s Remarkable Regional Malts family. Named after the famously timid mouse in Robert Burns’ To a […]
Suntory Ao brings together whiskies from five different countries into one remarkably balanced world blend. But does this ambitious Japanese release justify its premium price, or is Ichiro’s Malt & Grain still the better buy? Here’s my honest take.
Copper Dog may not receive the same attention as Monkey Shoulder, but after trying it at a whisky festival, I came away pleasantly surprised. In this Copper Dog Review, I explore whether this affordable Speyside blended malt deserves a place on your shelf and whether it’s one of the best entry-level whiskies available today.
Dam Dranken MacRothes 11 Year Old Review | DRAM1 Indie Awards 2026 Some whiskies sell themselves with a story. This one certainly does. Dam Dranken MacRothes is a blended malt bringing together Macallan and Glenrothes before receiving its finishing period
Turntable Bittersweet Symphony divided opinion during the DRAM1 Indie Awards 2026. Blind tasters discovered everything from raisins, prunes and European oak to lavender sweets, strawberries and grapefruit, creating one of the most debated drams of Set 1. While some panellists praised its rich sherry character and full-bodied texture, others felt its sweetness overshadowed the complexity beneath. The result was a memorable whisky that earned 72.80 points and proved far more difficult to define than its name might suggest.
This Johnnie Walker Black Label review takes a closer look at one of the most recognisable whiskies in the world, exploring its balance of smoke, sweetness, and spice, while reflecting on why it remains such an important part of so many whisky journeys.
Compass Box Brûlée Royale is a dessert-inspired blended malt built on transparency rather than gimmicks. This review explores its full recipe, flavour profile, and why sweetness, spice, and structure are so well balanced.
This Monkey Shoulder review looks at why this blended malt has become one of the most recognisable modern Scotch whiskies. Smooth, sweet, and deliberately approachable, Monkey Shoulder is designed for versatility rather than complexity — working just as comfortably neat as it does in cocktails. A reliable Speyside-style whisky that knows exactly who it’s for and why it exists.
DRAM1 Awards Panel Edition The Chivas Regal 18 is a blended Scotch whisky designed to showcase a smooth, elegant style with subtle sherry influence and rich fruit notes. Based on 100+ tasting notes from the DRAM1 Awards Tasting Panel, this
DRAM1 Awards Panel Edition Cadenhead’s 7 Star Blend is a modern revival of an old-style house blend from Scotland’s oldest independent bottler. Built from a selection of sherry-forward casks, it aims to deliver a classic, fruit-laden, richly coloured everyday dram
