Fine Wines|Spirits|Liquor
WineGB’s version of a traditional contest for pruning vines common in a number of European wine-producing countries, which was held at Tinwood Wine Estate in West Sussex last quarter, saw Davenport Vineyards take top team spoils, with Gusbourne in Kent taking the yellow jersey in the individual competition.
International Excellence Luxury Magazine have selected the finest spirits and blended them into supreme cocktails that should make Christmas a smooth and uplifting celebration.Midleton Very Rare Whiskey XXXVI Cocktail
(35ml MVR, 20ml burgundy Chablis syrup)
Vacuum pack the following ingredients and leave in the fridge to rest for 24 hours
1 x bottle of Chablis
2 x pealed pears
1 x stick of vanilla
Midleton Very Rare Whiskey 2019 was launched at The Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin by Master Distiller Brian Nation. This superb whiskey combines only hand-selected single pot still and single grain Irish whiskeys of exceptional quality and rarity, from the Midleton inventory. Each whiskey has been matured exclusively in lightly charred ex-bourbon American oak barrels for between 13 and 34 years. 2019 marks the oldest collection of casks used to create a Midleton Very Rare.
Brian Nation explains:
The Macallan has unveiled Estate, an extremely special new single malt, distilled with barley grown at Easter Elchies estate, the iconic home of the world-famous whisky, and is distilled just once a year over the course of a single week.
The 485-acre Easter Elchies estate is set within the legendary Speyside region of Scotland, described as a place of timeless natural beauty, and a place that The Macallan is proud to call home, where they have been creating extraordinary single malts since 1824.
Irish Distillers, makers of some of the world’s most enjoyed whiskeys, has introduced Redbreast 27 Year Old, the oldest permanent expression in the beloved Redbreast series. An iconic addition to the collection, Redbreast 27 Year Old includes whiskey matured in ruby port barrels from Portugal’s Douro Valley to bring a new complexity and depth to the Redbreast collection.
I recently stumbled across Brugal 1888 Rum.
Brugal 1888 is a genuinely impressive rum. It is produced in the Dominican Republic and combines the rich flavours of bourbon and sherry casks through a double-aging process.
This double aging process means that 1888 is first matured in hand-picked ex-bourbon American oak casks, then in European oak, first-fill sherry casks. The bourbon is certainly recognisable, and in Brugals’ own words; “This blend of two worlds gives 1888 a complex yet balanced spirit that stimulates the senses and evolves in the glass.”
Ahead of ‘World Gin Day’ this year on 8 June, award-winning UK online broker, The Share Centre, has taken a look at how an investment of £1,000 in household-name gin brands could have returned a refreshingly nice profit of £172 since last year. Not a bad yield at 17.2% per annum all things considered.
Jameson Irish Whiskey, which is produced by Irish Distillers in Midleton Distillery, has today announced the launch of a new batch of Jameson Bow Street 18 Years Cask Strength; the only cask strength Jameson to be available globally that finishes its maturation in Dublin’s only live Maturation House in the Jameson Distillery Bow Street. To mark the launch, Jameson has partnered with artisanal Dublin cheesemonger, Loose Canon, to inspire discerning whiskey drinkers to master whiskey and cheese pairing with the Jameson 18 family this St. Patrick’s Day.
Frapin is one of the finest and oldest Cognac houses in France and still produce their eaux-de-vie from their own vineyard on the estate. Controlling the quality at every step, from grape to barrel.
Gautier Cognac is regarded by the French as one of the very best in France and therefore the world. The Gautier Extra 1755 is quite magnificent and well worth the price tag.
