Best Restaurants|Restaurant Reviews|Fine Wines|Spirits|Liquor
During our exhilarating Audi R8 Spyder Tour, we ventured into the wonderful realm of restaurant A Wong, presided over by the renowned chef Andrew Wong. The experience was extraordinary—a triumph of flavours and artistry. A Wong is the sole Chinese restaurant outside of Asia to boast two Michelin stars, a testament to its exceptional quality and innovation in gastronomy.
At the heart of Mossburn's whisky production is the art of blending. They are passionate about the craft of combining different whisky stocks to create harmonious and complex final expressions. They meticulously select casks from various distilleries, each contributing its own distinct flavour profile, and blend them to achieve a balanced and memorable whisky.
Ardbeg, one of Islay's predominate distilleries launched The Rollercoaster last week. This two-bottle set comprises a 1981 and 1989 expression representing the years the distillery closed and then reopened.
As I made a left turn from the A6 in Derbyshire to visit White Peak Distillery located in the stunning Derwent Valley, I was transported to a bygone era, steeped in decades of industrial history. This locale evoked the ambience of an environment where workers might have toiled for 12-hour shifts, clocking out at the end of the day, covered in the grime of their labour, fatigued, and longing for a full plate of homecooked food. It held a certain charm, which resonated with me, as it must have with Max and Claire Vaughan.
The first ever bottle of serious whisky I purchased (that is non-supermarket) was a GlenDronach, so it holds a special place in my heart. In September I was able to visit the distillery for the first time and enjoy a tour and tasting, in a rather opulent room whilst sitting at a large round table.
Nestled behind the worn black doors of Duty Free Warehouse “No 3” lies a treasure trove of whisky barrels, meticulously stored over decades by the Gordon family. As proprietors of William Grant, the parent company behind brands such as The Balvenie and Glenfiddich, their 80-year legacy of astute laying down of casks has yielded an extraordinary collection of malt, grain and blended whiskies, notable for their high age statements.
Islay, the picturesque island nestled in the southernmost part of the Inner Hebrides, is renowned for its rugged beauty, rich history, and, most importantly, its whisky. Among the many distilleries that dot the island, the one name that has achieved mythical status is Port Ellen. I have yet to meet any lover of peated whisky who does not jump at every opportunity to taste the spirit from this closed distillery.
Tomatin Distillery: Bridging Tradition and Innovation
Ardray is an exceptional premium blended Scotch whisky introduced in 2023 by Beam Suntory, a renowned custodian of esteemed single malt distilleries such as Bowmore, Laphroaig, Auchentoshan, and Ardmore.
Crafted from a fusion of malt and grain whiskies hailing from the Highlands, Lowlands, and Islands, it is believed to encompass the essence of revered distilleries like The Macallan, The Glenrothes, and Highland Park, among others. The name "Ardray," derived from Gaelic, translates to "towards the light" and draws inspiration from Madonna's melodious masterpiece, "Ray of Light."
Donnalucata is a pretty fishing village in the province of Ragusa on the southern west coast of Sicily. Unspoilt by tourism even in the high season. Famous for its long, sandy beach, attractive promenade, ice cream shops and excellent restaurants; one restaurant, in particular, stands out.
Il Consiglio di Sicilia is set in the divine Piazza Francesco Crispi on the Via Casmene with a gorgeous terrace encircled by trees and draped with ivy and vines.
