Food & Drink

Twice. The number of times I thought I had been to Dublin previously, but I was wrong. I have a habit of that. Having been a wine merchant and writer for many years, I am convinced the cranial sub-section of my brain containing memory has diminished over time. Does anyone else feel the same? I was telling a friend about my trip, and how it was only my second trip to Ireland when they reminded me of a wedding I had photographed there.

We are all fine law-abiding citizens. Are we not? Of course we are. But let’s not kid ourselves  -  one of the attractions of the whisky business is that it has its roots in activities which once were just shy of the squeaky clean. Quite a bit shy to be honest. Robert Burns, who fantasised about the devil making off with the customs man, knew all about this, being employed as an exciseman himself.

Dingle Distillery in Co. Kerry on on the Wild Atlantic Way (2,500 km of spectacular coastline) launches its first core whiskey expression, Dingle Single Malt, a milestone in the distillery’s history and a huge step forward in its growth journey. In doing so it becomes one of few Irish distilleries to produce a core single malt product made entirely with its own spirit.

Award-winning independent distiller, Loch Lomond Whiskies, has unveiled its newest aged single malt; a 45 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

The expression is the first of three releases in The Remarkable Stills Series of single malts to be released by the distillery which celebrate its innovative and unique straight neck pot stills.

How lovely on a workday to have a virtual tasting with Hernan Parra, the Master Blender for Dictador rum, and Marc Larminaux the Creative Director of Lalique.

The new Dictador Generations En Lalique rum had been delivered in a sublime package just in time for the on-screen meeting, plus a lovely video.

I was prepared. Deep leather armchair, check, Zoom screen set up, check, Cohiba Maduro 5 Magicos cigar, nope, gave those up decades ago, but it was a nice thought.

Your intrepid taster wanted a diversion from lockdown blues during the lead up to Christmas and so appropriately tasted 26 effectively randomly chosen gins.  
    

So International Excellence met up with Hernan Parra, Dictator Master Blender, Zoltán Kovács, Dictator Winery Director and Drew Mayville, Dictator Master Blender for a sumptuous tasting of their new release: Dictador 2 Masters Royal Tokaji Rum.

Rampur Whisky is a very different single malt from Radico Khaitan, India’s third largest distillery established in 1943.

Rampur is distilled in traditional copper pot stills in the oldest distillery in India, dating from 1943 with 73 years of distillation expertise. The Himalayas provide polar opposite of climate conditions throughout the year with the flavour of the famous Indian summer giving Rampur an added dimension and depth.

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