There is something particularly British about organising two days of golf and discovering that the weather has other ideas. Our first day at Harewood Downs Golf Club in Buckinghamshire was, to use the appropriate meteorological terminology, a complete washout. Not the occasional shower that encourages a golfer to demonstrate a little determination, but proper, sustained rain that makes you question whether golf was ever a sensible outdoor pursuit in this country.

The 2026 British Touring Car Championship will be remembered for one name. Ashley Sutton broke the record books with a fifth drivers’ title and wrapped it up before the final meeting. Behind him, a brand new team came apart in the middle of the season, a team that lost everything in a fire swept the independent titles, and one of the paddock’s longest serving drivers said goodbye after 24 years. Here is how a remarkable season played out.

Having previously taken readers on adventures aboard some of Italy’s finest automotive machinery, including the magnificent Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, your correspondent decided that it was time for something rather different. Gone would be the glorious growl of a twin-turbocharged V6, the mechanical soundtrack and the occasional theatrical outburst. In their place came the Audi e-tron GT quattro, an all-electric German grand tourer promising extraordinary performance, cutting-edge technology and the sort of effortless refinement for which Audi has become famous.

Sweet and salty popcorn is an unlikely description for a whisky that has spent more than 17 years in cask. Having tasted Cù Bòcan Creation #9, though, I can see exactly why Tomatin chose it. The buttery sweetness and touch of salt are there, along with gentle smoke, fresh fruit and a dry, spicy finish.

There is something civilised about a Tuesday lunch that stretches into the afternoon. No weekend crowds, no conversations bouncing off the walls and, ideally, no need to check the time between courses. At Tortello, the promise was an unhurried Italian lunch in chic surroundings, with good food, a cocktail or two and a belated birthday celebration for a friend. For the most part, it delivered. There were, however, a few hiccups, including a birthday dessert that appeared to have suffered a minor existential crisis before reaching the table.

The British country-house hotel is a curious institution. We take buildings originally designed to keep the general public at a respectable distance and spend considerable sums encouraging everyone back inside. Some become rather stuffy monuments to their own importance. Others manage to turn centuries of history into something genuinely useful.

Mention that you’re visiting Prague, and you’re met with a chorus of oohs and aahs. It’s a city everyone seems to know and nearly everyone longs to see. And once you’ve been, you’re already dreaming of returning.

Christmas came early at Cinnamon Kitchen in London, where I recently joined Paul John for dinner and a taste of its Christmas Edition 2026. Our host, Anees Saboowalla, acknowledged the timing with good humour, although sometimes Christmas press events can happen in midsummer! Mid October therefore felt fine and thankfully there were no decorations on show.

I have long suspected that the Italians keep the very best of everything for themselves and export the rest with a charming smile. Parma confirms it. You can buy Prosciutto di Parma in any decent British supermarket, and very nice it is too. Eating it here is something else. Here it is sliced in front of you by a man who regards a leg of ham the way a Genevan watchmaker regards a tourbillon. Plus ça change, plus c’est la même ham, as nobody in France has ever said.

Where Is Parma? The Little Capital Between Milan And Bologna

A champagne bottle presents a rather different challenge from a dress, although Dutch couturier Iris van Herpen has brought a recognisable approach to both in her latest collaboration with Perrier-Jouët. Known for sculptural designs that draw on the natural world, she has reinterpreted the house’s familiar anemone motif for a limited edition of Belle Époque 2018, alongside two more elaborate pieces featuring older vintages.