Food & Drink

Earlier this year I attended a splendid lunch at the private members club Oswald's, in the heart of Mayfair. Upon entry our phone cameras were taped over, ensuring we complied with their no photography policy. This is not something I mind, as it meant full dedication to tasting the whisky from our hosts, the Johnson family. It was a lavish luncheon with many of the whisky worlds great and good in attendance. Looking at the crowd, it was obvious the family were keen to impress and get their whisky in the hands of some fine writers. I like their confidence. 

Domaine Evremond, the result of a unique collaboration between Champagne Taittinger, historic wine merchant Hatch Mansfield, and close friends, has reached a significant milestone with the official opening of its winery in Chilham, Kent. The event, attended by Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh, marks a pivotal moment for English sparkling wine, and it’s a development I’ve followed with particular interest.

I recently had the privilege of spending a day at Villa Margon, the beautiful heart of Ferrari Trento wines, located just an hour’s drive from the culturally rich city of Verona. Renowned for its Roman-era Arena di Verona, Verona is still a venue for operas and concerts, and its connection to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. While my previous visits had been centred around cycling along the scenic routes of Lake Garda, this trip was all about the wines of Ferrari Trento. 

Torabhaig

The Torabhaig distillery on Skye never ceases to excite me. As you may have read previously, I have tasted all the releases of their Legacy series and loved each one. However, I had never had the opportunity to taste their distillery exclusives - until now. This changed at the wonderful Merchant House in London, where Neil Macleod hosted a small group of us.

Laphroaig, one of the most storied names in Scotch whisky, has just unveiled the first release in a special series of limited-edition single malts dedicated to the trailblazers who shaped its iconic legacy. This inaugural bottling honors co-founder Donald Johnston and is accompanied by bespoke illustrations from renowned British artist Bill Bragg. This exciting release pays tribute not only to the Johnston brothers' uncompromising spirit but also to the 200-year history of one of Islay’s most revered distilleries.

Casa Barú rum has been officially launched outside Panama - in the UK - at the impressive Lucy Wong subterranean cocktail bar in London’s Fitzrovia.

Produced in the heart of the Chiriqui Highlands, whose rich volcanic soil and rainforest climate provide ideal conditions for creating the spirit, Casa Barú uses only locally grown artisanal sugarcane, distilled in traditional copper pot stills and aged in carefully selected oak barrels, with no artificial additives or sweeteners used anywhere in the process.

I have written about the House of Hazelwood extensively before. On this occasion, I thought it would be interesting to interview Jonathan Gibson, a director of House of Hazelwood to find out how they curated this, their third, extraordinary collection of whiskies. My tasting notes are below the interview. 

Roughly how many barrels were tasted before selecting the whiskies included in this collection?

When you think of St. Moritz, the first images that probably come to mind are snow-capped mountains, glamorous ski resorts, Winter Olympics and après-ski lounges where the champagne flows as easily as the conversation. However, let's shake off that wintery imagery and fast-forward to summer, where the town undergoes a transformation as stunning as the switch from mulled wine to a crisp Chardonnay.

The Kingsland Road area of Shoreditch heading into Dalston, close to the iron railway bridge, might not be the most salubrious part of town, but it means the higher-end establishments like my venue this evening – TT Restaurant & Rooftop – stand out and resonate even more.