DAVID’S DRINKS DIARIES No 32

There are plenty of wine podcasts. There are plenty of political interviews. But never have I seen them combined. ‘Vintage Politics’, hosted by Abbie Bennington, does exactly that.

The premise is simple but effective. Conversations with some of the UK’s most recognisable political voices (and a comedian), paired with wines that reflect moments in their lives. Guests include Jon Sopel, Anna Foster, and Nick Robinson, alongside figures such as Guto Harri, Dom Joly and Jo Coburn.

The result is a series that sits somewhere between a short memoir from political broadcasters and a well-curated tasting. Conversations move easily from supermarket bottles to fine wine, often revealing more about the guest than a conventional interview ever would.

Sopel, for example, recounts the realities of reporting abroad with typical candour, noting that in Afghanistan it was possible to spend $11,000 on bribes, but only $35 on a bottle of wine. It is exactly this sort of detail that gives the podcast its edge.

Visually, the show is strong. Filmed at The Savoy Hotel and HIDE, it leans into the aesthetic appeal of wine without becoming indulgent. That said, it works just as well in audio form, which is where most will likely engage with it.

What makes this particularly relevant is Abbie’s background. She understands both journalism and wine at a professional level, and that shows in the structure of each episode. Abbie was a senior producer for the News At Ten, and is currently chair of the Association of Wine Educators.

It is also refreshing to see something genuinely original in a space that can, at times, feel repetitive. Concepts like this deserve attention, and more importantly, support from within the wine community. If you enjoy it, take a moment to share it on your Instagram stories. That small action makes a real difference in helping projects like this find their audience.

The first three episodes are now available from your favourite platform and on YouTube (remember to follow and subscribe), with new releases each Thursday.

Vintage Politics can be found on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vintagepoliticspod/

Whisky

Bladnoch 16 Year Old

£110 from Bladnoch

The Queen of the Lowlands has spent much of the past century in a state of uncertainty, opening and closing with a frequency that would test even the most loyal following. Since its acquisition in 2015 by Australian entrepreneur David Prior, there has been a noticeable shift in direction. Stability has returned, and with it a clearer sense of identity. Much of that is owed to Dr Nick Savage, whose experience across several respected distilleries is evident in the way spirit and wood are handled here.

The sixteen year old expression sits at the centre of this revival. Fully matured in Oloroso sherry casks, it moves away from the expected Lowland profile of lightness and instead explores something deeper. That decision could easily overwhelm a delicate distillate, yet it does not. The cask influence feels measured, more structural than dominant, allowing the spirit to retain its clarity.

On the nose, the sherry influence is immediate but composed. Raisins and sultanas lead, followed by polished wood and a gentle lift of nutmeg. There is enough orange peel to keep everything defined. The palate carries more weight than expected, with a soft oiliness that brings dark chocolate and roasted coffee into focus, balanced by baked orchard fruit and restrained spice. The finish is long, dry, and controlled, leaving toasted oak and dried fruit behind. I am very much enjoying the whisky from Bladnoch at the moment - if you haven’t tried any yet, then I highly recommend that you do. 

Torabhaig Taigh

£47 from Torabhaig

On the rugged edge of the Isle of Skye, Torabhaig Distillery has been establishing a house style that has become a firm favourite of those in the know. After a series of limited releases under the Legacy banner, Taigh arrives as the first permanent expression, marking a point where experimentation gives way to definition.

The structure of the whisky reflects that intent. First fill bourbon casks provide the backbone, bringing vanilla, honey, and soft spice. Refill casks allow the distillate to remain visible, avoiding the weight that often comes with younger whiskies pushed too hard by wood. The addition of Madeira casks introduces a rounded fruit element, adding warmth without tipping into sweetness.

The nose opens with coastal smoke and a distinct mineral edge, reminiscent of embers on a cold shoreline. Beneath that sits baked apple, almonds, a touch of maple, cinnamon and red berries. The palate continues this balance, with peat very much in evidence but not at all over powering. This is a bottle that deserves a permanent place on in your collection. 

Ardbeg Ten Cask Strength

Available for Ardbeg

If Torabhaig represents a distillery finding its voice, Ardbeg Distillery is one revisiting its foundations with renewed force. The arrival of a cask strength version of the Ten is something that we have wanted for years. This 2026 Committee Release finally brings it into wider view. Unfortunately due to work commitments (I was out of the UK for a few weeks) I don’t get to write this in a timely manner, and it appears to be sold out. I am confident that it will be released again though, so worth including here. 

Matured in American oak bourbon barrels, the difference lies not in the cask but in the decision not to dilute. Bottled at 61.7 percent, the whisky presents itself with an immediacy that is both intense and revealing. It is wonderful and just what we have been waiting so long for. 

The nose is direct. Dense peat smoke, tar, and a saline edge arrive first, followed by an underlying sweetness that softens the impact. With water, more familiar notes emerge, fennel, ash, and a cooler smoke. The palate carries weight and heat, but also a surprising clarity, where sweetness and smoke remain in balance.

Wire Works Port Cask

£65 from White Peaks Distillery

In the Derwent Valley, White Peak Distillery continues to build something quietly distinctive. Having visited the site several times, what stands out is not just the setting, a former industrial space reshaped with purpose, but the consistency of approach. For me, this is one of the most interesting distilleries in the UK at the moment. 

The Port Cask joins the Provenance range as a permanent addition, signalling a move away from short run experimentation towards defined house expressions. The whisky itself is built on a long fermentation and a lightly peated spirit, giving it an oily texture that carries through into the glass.

Ex bourbon casks provide the base, while Tawny Port barriques introduce a layer of dried fruit and gentle nuttiness. The choice of Tawny over Ruby feels deliberate, allowing the spirit to remain visible rather than being overtaken by sweetness.

The nose leans towards Bakewell pudding, milk chocolate, and candied ginger. On the palate, that texture carries strawberries and cream, marzipan, and a line of citrus that keeps it from becoming heavy. The finish brings cherry, toffee, and a subtle floral lift.

GlenDronach 15

£79.25 from The Whisky Exchange

The GlenDronach 15 occupies a position few whiskies manage to hold for long, where reputation is sustained not by reinvention but by consistency. Its history of withdrawal and return has only reinforced its standing, driven as much by drinkers as by the distillery itself. Having visited the GlenDronach Distillery, it is clear that this is a place deeply anchored in its methods, and very much worth the journey.

Matured in Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks, the whisky delivers depth without excess. There is a clear sense of richness, built around dark fruit, treacle and a restrained nuttiness, but it remains composed, supported by oak and spice rather than dominated by them. It resists the heaviness that can define this style, instead maintaining clarity and structure throughout. 

Wines

Cellier des Demoiselles Cuvée Solidaire 2024, IGP Coteaux de la Cabrerisse

£17.99 from Laithwaites

Founded in 1914, the Cellier des Demoiselles is one of the oldest co-operatives in the Languedoc, its name a quiet tribute to the women who sustained it during the First World War. More than a century later, the same spirit of resilience underpins this release. The 2024 vintage follows devastating wildfires that tore through the Corbières, destroying vineyards and damaging homes. For many growers, this wine represents both continuity and recovery.

Blending Carignan, Syrah and Grenache from hand-harvested parcels, the wine leans into the warmth of the south without excess. There is a natural generosity here, but it is shaped rather than pushed. Dark berry fruit, a touch of garrigue, and a gentle spice line give it structure. 

Albastrele Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Cravet Hill, Codru DOP, Moldova

£11.99 from Laithwaites

Moldova remains largely overlooked in the UK market, which makes releases like this more interesting than they might first appear. The Codru DOP, established in 2024, marks a formal recognition of one of the country’s most important vineyard areas. At under 50 hectares, Cravet Hill sits at the smaller, more focused end of that classification, with terraced vineyards that reflect both history and necessity.

Sauvignon Blanc here behaves differently to its more familiar New World counterparts. The aromatics are present but controlled, with citrus and green orchard fruit leading rather than overt tropicality. There is a clarity to the wine, shaped by altitude and a continental climate that preserves acidity without pushing it too sharply forward. 

Rapaura Springs Marlborough Chardonnay Reserve 2023

£17.99 from Laithwaites

Rapaura Springs is a family story as much as it is a Marlborough one. The Neylons arrived via mussels and apples before turning fully to wine, drawn by the same water-rich land that now defines their vineyards. In a region still largely associated with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay continues to carve out a quieter but increasingly confident identity.

This reserve bottling reflects that shift. Partial fermentation in French oak and a restrained use of malolactic fermentation bring texture without dulling the line of acidity. There is citrus and stone fruit at the core, edged with light spice and a subtle creaminess. 

Earth, Vine & Sun Viognier Chenin Blanc 2025, Swartland

£13.99 from Laithwaites

Swartland has become one of South Africa’s most dynamic regions, driven by growers willing to work with old vineyards and minimal intervention. This wine comes through Journey’s End, but draws on fruit from Leon Esterhuizen’s Swartland Growers’ Project, which focuses on site expression rather than volume.

The blend brings together Viognier’s weight and aromatic lift with Chenin Blanc’s structure and acidity, with a small addition of Grenache Blanc adding breadth. The result is textured rather than overt, with ripe orchard fruit, a gentle floral note, and enough freshness to keep everything in place. 

Clefs du Pontif Grenache Syrah 2024, Languedoc

£11.99 from Laithwaites

The Languedoc continues to offer some of the clearest value in French wine, particularly through its co-operatives. The Union des Caves de Cébazan, established in 1932, brings together growers across several villages, pooling resources while maintaining a regional identity rooted in the Mediterranean climate.

This Grenache-Syrah blend follows a familiar southern template, but with restraint. Red and dark fruits sit alongside a soft herbal edge, with tannins that are present but not demanding. 

Enclos de la Clarière 2022, Saint-Émilion

£20 from Laithwaites

Position matters in Saint-Émilion, and Enclos de la Clarière benefits from being set on the limestone plateau, close to some of the region’s most recognised estates. The vineyard itself is enclosed and organically farmed, with a mix of hedgerows and trees that give it a slightly more protected, contained environment.

Made entirely from Merlot and aged in French oak, the wine carries the hallmarks of the appellation without excess weight. There is plum and black cherry fruit, a fine tannic structure, and a softness that develops with air. 

Bleasdale The Wild Fig Shiraz Grenache Mourvèdre 2022, Langhorne Creek

£16.99 from Laithwaites

Established in 1850, Bleasdale is one of Australia’s historic producers, and still in the hands of the Potts family. Langhorne Creek itself is often overlooked in favour of more prominent regions, yet its cooler conditions and proximity to water give it a distinct advantage in retaining freshness.

The Wild Fig is a classic Rhône-style blend, matured in large oak casks to soften rather than flavour. Shiraz provides depth, Grenache brings lift, and Mourvèdre adds structure. The result is generous but controlled, with dark fruit, spice, and a savoury edge that keeps it grounded.