My whisky (and rum) selections below move across styles, regions and ideas, beginning with Mosswood’s Jamaican rum shaped by the life, and mythology, of William Kidd, before returning to Scotland for three very different views of Highland distilling: the quiet composure of Tomatin’s 18 Year Old Oloroso Sherry, the seasonal experimentation behind Cù Bòcan’s Creation #7, and Tamdhu’s sherry-led Year of the Horse release with its distinctive artwork by Page Tsou.

Jones Family Kitchen is a London find that feels as though it has been waiting for you all along. Nestled quietly within Eccleston Yards, a large interior courtyard resembling a maze or labyrinth with hidden entrances and exits, and surrounded by a cluster of eclectic restaurants, it radiates the kind of charm that can turn an ordinary evening into a small adventure.

Our visit to Eccleston Square Hotel formed part of International Excellence Magazine’s BMW Z4 M40i Grand Christmas Tour of London, which is an excellent excuse to indulge in refined hotel comforts while sweeping through the city’s most elegant neighbourhoods in a machine that encourages irresponsible levels of enthusiasm.

For those of us who spend our working lives around whisky, tasting the annually released Buffalo Trace Antique Collection remains a rarity. It is cited regularly, chased relentlessly and yet rarely seen. Bottles appear in specialist shops on release and disappear almost instantly, later reappearing at auction with price tags that bear little resemblance to their intended purpose (to be drunk). Tasting even one of them is unusual. I have never managed to. Tasting all six in a single sitting is almost unheard of.

A weekend in Surrey behind the wheel of the BMW Z4 M40i LCI B58C 3.0i was a masterclass in refined indulgence. I began my week’s tour with a morning admiring the e-foiling and sailing at Queen Mary Sailing Club, followed by a festive shopping spree in Sloane Square, before retreating to the Eccleston Square Hotel for a night of calm luxury, and finished with dinner at Jones Family Kitchen in Eccleston Yards, Belgravia.

The World’s 50 Best Vineyards for 2025 have been announced, following an international awards ceremony in Margaret River, Western Australia, where the world of wine converged to recognise and celebrate this year’s winners.

As ever, there are a few surprises in there, with a picture emerging that the top tier no longer belongs exclusively to the ‘old world triangle’ of France, Italy and Spain, with the Americas, South Africa, New Zealand, Japan and Lebanon continuing to make gains in this higher end of the market. 

If you’re a food lover looking to elevate your dining experience, look no further than D.O. Cava—Spain’s iconic sparkling wine crafted using the traditional method. Born under the Mediterranean sun, Cava combines freshness, complexity, and elegance, making it one of the most versatile wines in the world.

Rifai’s story began in Beirut in 1948, when a small family business started roasting nuts using a dry roasting technique  that quickly became a reference point across Lebanon. Over the decades the brand grew steadily, not through marketing, but because families simply adopted it as part of everyday life. For many Lebanese people, Rifai is tied to memory. It appeared on the table during gatherings, visits and celebrations, and it became a quiet marker of quality that carried through generations.

The 2025 Moto Guzzi V7 Sport owes its existence to the legendary classic 1971 V7 Sport, widely considered one of the most important Italian motorcycles ever made.

The alcohol-free sparkling wine category has exploded in recent years, attracting everyone from health-conscious millennials to Michelin-starred sommeliers. Among the names making waves is French Bloom, a brand with undeniable pedigree. Founded by Maggie Frerejean-Taittinger and linked to a Champagne house, French Bloom promised glamour and refinement in a space often dismissed as bland. The branding is chic, the bottles look the part, and the price tag reflects its luxury positioning.