Food & Drink

Yes, I know. More rosé. I promised myself I'd move on to something else this month, but then a pair of Italian pinks landed on my table and made a nonsense of that plan. If the wines keep being this good, I'm afraid the rosé run continues — and honestly, with the sun doing what it's been doing, I don't think anyone's complaining.

These two come from Pasqua, a Veronese producer I've long admired but whose rosés I'd somehow never tried until now. Consider that oversight corrected — emphatically.

Located in the Monadhliath Mountains just south of Inverness, Tomatin Distillery was once a quiet giant of the Highlands, famed for its massive production capacity geared towards the blending industry. The distillery has spent the last 25 years though elegantly redefining itself. Today, Tomatin is celebrated for a lighter, fruit-forward, and sophisticated portfolio of single malts.

I love a surprise, and I certainly had one on a recent trip to Warner’s Distillery near Kettering. Having judged the gin category at major food and drink awards multiple times, I have grown to dread the afternoon session. That is the slot reserved for flavoured gin. Quite frankly, eighty per cent are atrocious monstrosities made with cheap artificial flavourings that taste foul. It is routinely the worst afternoon of my judging year. When you find a good one though, it can be absolutely delicious, as I was delighted to discover on the rolling hills of Falls Farm.

The Modern Face of Scottish Craftsmanship

There is a powerful, almost tangible energy when two distinct worlds collide under a single, unified philosophy. In the world of luxury craft, heritage is often treated as a museum piece, something to be preserved exactly as it was. Yet, a recent and pioneering collaboration between independent cask broker Cask Trade, contemporary fashion designer Siobhan Mackenzie, and the forward thinking Nc’nean Distillery has turned this notion entirely on its head.

Last week, I attended a press lunch at Carousel in London alongside fellow whisky writers for the relaunch of Tormore, one of Speyside's most distinctive distilleries. The event was far more than the simple unveiling of a new range of single malts. It represented the fulfilment of a long held ambition for brothers Sukhinder and Rajbir Singh, whose profound influence on modern whisky appreciation through The Whisky Exchange remains difficult to exaggerate.

There is a version of Champagne that exists purely for the party. The pop, the pour, the Instagram moment. And then there is the version Cédric Jacopin makes. It asks you to slow down.

The Art of the Father’s Day Dram: Why Bushmills is the Ultimate Gift for the Discerning Parent

We were invited specially to the launch of A Taste of The Championships, an exclusive seasonal menu tasting celebrating the very best of Britain’s larder, thoughtfully sourced, sustainably led, and inspired by the diverse restaurant experiences that will define The Championships 2026 at Wimbledon.

The Freshness of Thinking: Why Rosé is No Longer Just a Seasonal Footnote

There is something wonderfully liberating about drinking pink wine without pretending it has to justify itself. Rosé has spent decades being underestimated, lightly dismissed as a sugary summer seasonal or a simple patio sipper. Yet, away from the clichés, the category has quietly become one of the most dynamic corners of modern viticulture.

Regular readers will know that I have a particular affinity for House of Hazelwood and tend to anticipate each annual release with genuine interest. The 2026 Charles Gordon Collection continues a philosophy shaped by Charles Gordon, one that places patience at the centre of whisky making and recognises that time, when handled with restraint, remains the most valuable asset at a producer’s disposal.