Everything changed in 1823. In this episode, we witness the dramatic transformation from outlaws to entrepreneurs. We'll follow George Smith's brave decision to take the first legal licence despite death threats, explore how railways and blending revolutionised the industry, and see how Scottish whisky evolved from illicit craft into the legitimate business that would conquer global markets.

The 18th century transformed whisky-making into an act of rebellion. In this episode, we journey through the golden age of smuggling, meeting legendary figures like Magnus Eunson who outwitted Excise officers with extraordinary cunning. We'll explore how Culloden intensified resistance, why the 1784 Wash Act backfired spectacularly, and discover how entire communities united against enforcement - setting the stage for inevitable change.

Before legal distilleries existed, Scottish whisky was born in mystery and tradition. In this episode, we explore how medieval monks brought distillation knowledge from Ireland, transforming medicinal spirits into cultural cornerstone. We'll discover how this craft spread through Highland communities, with each region developing distinctive character. Finally, we examine the 1644 tax that ignited a conflict defining Scotland for centuries - the battle for its spirit had begun.

Scottish whisky has one of the most dramatic origin stories in the world of spirits. Monks and smugglers, rebellions and revolutions, outlaws who became entrepreneurs, and a spirit that survived everything from government oppression to global catastrophe. It's an epic tale spanning centuries, filled with larger-than-life characters and transformative moments that shaped not just an industry but Scottish culture itself.

I really like the Fettercairn brand - they manage to carefully tread the delicate line between desirable, classy whisky and price pretty well. I was lucky enough to attend Whisky Live in London earlier this year and one of the stands with the biggest crowds was inevitably the Fettercairn stand. They had a lovely selection of whiskies, including the 16 year old which is now part of their core range. This version, however, is from a few years earlier when it was being released in limited batches, let’s see what it is like.

Most of the whiskies I’ve explored on this journey so far have been Scottish single malts. There have been a couple of exceptions - Redbreast Lustau from Ireland and Cotswolds Reserve from England - but today we’re heading much further afield. Bearface hails from Canada, though it’s actually distilled in an undisclosed location, with the brand leaning heavily on its claim of being “elementally aged” in the extreme conditions of the Canadian wilderness. Is that clever marketing, or does the northern climate genuinely shape the whisky as much as they say? Let’s find out…

Sometimes I feel like Aberlour is my Achilles’ heel. I know their whisky isn’t the most complex, and yet something keeps drawing me back. I can never quite put my finger on it. Deep down, I know I could do better… and still I return. Today we’re looking at one of the older (and pricier) expressions in their core range - the 16 year old. Last year I tried the 14 year old and came away a little underwhelmed. Let’s see if this one fares any better.

Benriach is one of the few Speyside distilleries that produces both peated and unpeated versions of their entry levels spirit. I’m keen to investigate their peated versions soon but for now we’re focussing on the twelve year old expression from their core range. Located just south of Elgin the Benriach name is loudly emblazoned on the side of the warehouse facing the A941 - it must be one the hardest distilleries to miss when driving past! Let’s see if the whisky lives up to this brash signage…

Glenfiddich may well be the most famous name in single malt Scottish whisky. Only The Glenlivet comes close in terms of output, but Glenfiddich pairs its vast production with marketing and presentation that’s often a cut above the rest, whether it’s to your taste or not. Just take a look at their website or the stunning artwork on the presentation box for this 15 Year Old and you’ll see what I mean.

A few weeks ago I tried one of the bottlings from their experimental series: Project XX. It was genuinely interesting and made me want to revisit the dram that arguably sits at the heart of their core offering - the 15 year old. Let’s see what it’s like.

This is my first experience with the Arran distillery. Although it opened in 1995, it is relatively young by Scottish standards but is now well established as the Isle of Arran’s first distillery for well over a century. The distillery was built from scratch in the village of Lochranza in the north of the island to make use of the rainwater which pools at Loch na Davie. It is claimed that this is the ‘purest water in all of Scotland’, and this purity allows the distillery to make whisky that needs no artificial colouring and no chill-filtration. It all sounds great to me, so let’s taste the dram!

The latest spirit on my quest to become a Whisky Centurion is also a first - an Irish whisky (or should I say whiskey!). This spirit - Redbreast Lustau - is produced at the Midleton distillery in Cork alongside a variety of other whiskeys sold by Irish Distillers. Many of the bottles of Irish whiskey available today are made in column stills due to their efficiency and economy, yet Irish Distillers has maintained Redbreast on the more traditional pot still. The only difference in the production process between this spirit and a single malt that you would find in Scotland is that the mash contains a mixture of both malted and unmalted barley.