Features - Page 45
Exploring the wide world of British rumWhether they’re fermenting and distilling molasses from scratch, adding spices or botanicals to imported distillates, or blending and bottling ready-to-drink rums from overseas, Britain’s diverse, dedicated and highly experimental rum…
Getting a taste of vodka’s past with Belvedere Heritage 176What’s the deal with Belvedere’s new and intriguing rye-based expression? We get the low-down and learn all about the history of rye spirits, how Scotch whisky was an inspiration to Polish…
Classic Bars – CoupetteSay hello to our shiny new Classic Bars blog series! Here we’ll be looking at… well, classic bars. What better time than now to shine a spotlight on these well-loved…
How fans came to choose Glengoyne’s latest whiskyGlengoyne Distillery found a particularly interesting way to select which whisky should become the next ‘Cask of the Moment’ single cask bottling. Luckily, we were present to witness the fun go…
How to buy (a bit of) your own drinks brandThis week Ian Buxton explores how you can own a little bit of your own booze business through the magic of crowdfunding. You might even get in on the ground…
A spotlight on Storywood TequilaThe brainchild of Scottish chef, whisky lover and bona fide wood expert Michael Ballantyne, Storywood Tequila takes Mexico’s national spirit and treats it to a full maturation in former Speyside…
Cask customisation: have your whisky made bespokeBourbon hogshead or red wine barrique? Limousin or American oak? For devoted whisky lovers keen to call a barrel their own, there’s never been quite so many cask options available….
Exciting times for Sliabh Liag Irish whiskeyIt’s been a momentous few months for Ireland’s Sliabh Liag Distillers. Husband and wife team James and Moira Doherty filled their first cask, bringing legal whiskey distilling back to Donegal…
The growing pains of Irish whiskeyIt’s an Irish whiskey double-bill today. This morning we had exciting news of developments at Sliabh Liag, and now this afternoon Ian Buxton looks at problems and disagreements behind the…
5 must-try bottlings from certified organic distilleriesWhat makes a distillery ‘organic’? Increasingly, distillers are applying this sustainable practice to their entire production process – and they have the paperwork to prove it. Here, we take a closer…
Bitters 101: a guide and history with Bob’s BittersBitters are something of the salt and pepper of the cocktail world, but beyond Angostura and Peychaud, what’s the deal? We grabbed a minute with Bob Petrie of Bob’s Bitters…
Master of Malt tastes… new whiskies from Tobermory, Deanston and BunnahabhainSound the whisky klaxon! International spirits kingpin Distell has just released eight exceptional limited-edition bottlings across its single malt Scotch whisky portfolio, which spans Tobermory, Deanston and Bunnahabhain distilleries. And…
The land of fire and ice: Icelandic spirits part twoFor the second and final instalment of our series on Icelandic spirits, we explore the island’s native flavours and traditions, from sheep dung-smoked spirits to fermented shark chasers, reveal the…
The land of fire and ice: Icelandic spirits part oneFrom dramatic glacier-cut fjords to lunar-like lava fields, cascading waterfalls to black sand beaches, Iceland’s surreal and mesmerising landscapes have been shaped by the forces of nature over millions of…
Rock of ages: can maturation be fast forwarded?This week Ian Buxton applies his boozy magnifying glass on maturation and asks if it can ever be manipulated or accelerated to produce a quality spirit. I found myself recently…
Distilling returns to Lindores Abbey after half a millenniumAfter 523 years, the stills at Lindores Abbey Distillery were fired up, ready for whisky production to begin. We spoke to its owners and founders, Drew and Helen McKenzie Smith,…
