Tag: Spirit of the Week

Produced in Brazil, Abelha is one of the world's only organic certified Cachaças.

Produced with Davidson plums, native to Australia, Brookie's Byron Slow Gin is a play on English sloe gin.

When the Gin Act of 1751 was brought into effect, the sale of gin was banned in prisons, workhouses and any shops selling everyday staples. Distillers were also unable to sell gin direct and publicans were no longer able to issue credit. As a result, gin became less readily available ...

Flavoured vodka has seen exponential growth in popularity over the past few years. Purists will disprove, but the rise is popularity is perhaps unsurprising given the spirit’s typically neutral character. Launched in 2003, CÎROC has become renowned as a kingpin of the flavoured vodka market, with a profile of numerous ...

Approximately 713 tonnes (1.4 million punnets) of fresh table grapes per year are not suitable for fresh consumption and are thus surplus to requirements of the supply chain. Aiming to combat food waste, however, Foxhole Spirits -  specialising in the production of premium spirits from otherwise unused resources – has ...

During the early 1900s, ‘copper dogs’ became popular amongst Speyside whisky distillers. Fashioned from a length of copper tube with a penny soldered to one end, these copper dog devices were commonly used to surreptitiously steal a dram of whisky from ageing barrels. Once dipped and filled, the vessels would ...

Inspired by the building’s brutalist architecture, East London Liquor Company has launched Barbican London Dry Gin, a new collaboration featuring a Barbican-designed label and new bottle. Exclusively available from the Barbican Shop (at the Barbican Centre) and the Barbican’s Martini Bar, East London Liquor Company’s repackaged flagship, award-winning London Dry ...

With a warm, humid climate that stimulates a fast ageing process, Demerara County in Guyana is globally renowned for its rich history of rum production. Beginning during the 1640s, with the introduction of sugar cane by the early European settlers, the foundation of Demerara rum production was laid a decade ...

Salcombe Distilling Co. has enjoyed tremendous growth since launching in 2016, born from a love of gin and a dream “to produce the finest white spirit in the world, within one of the most stunning coastal towns”. Set up by co-founders Angus Lugsdin and Howard Davies, who met over 20 ...

Inspired by the discovery of an 18,000 year-old Yukagir mammoth in Siberia, in 2013, Mamont Vodka is an ultra-premium, six-time distilled Siberian vodka. Awarded a gold medal in the International Spirits Challenge 2018, Mamont is packaged in a unique tusk-shaped bottle, produced at the Itkul Distillery – one of Russia’s ...

Initially launched as part of the brand’s ‘Peaty’ series, Peatheart joined anCnoc’s core range at the end of 2017. Produced at the Knockdhu distillery in Aberdeenshire, on the border of the Highlands and Speyside whisky regions, anCnoc Peatheart is named after the peat bogs surrounding the distillery, described as the ...

Launched at Milan Fashion Week, CÎROC Vodka has collaborated with Italian fashion house Moschino on a new limited-edition bottle design, plus a global event series spearheaded by Moschino creative director Jeremy Scott. Alongside the event series in collaboration with fashion influencers including Golden Barbie (aka Jasmine Sanders), River Viiperi, Thando ...

Partially owned by Hollywood actor Ryan Reynolds, Aviation Gin has announced its biggest partnership to date with Virgin Atlantic. Announced via a short film starring Reynolds and Sir Richard Branson, the innovative American spirit will now be served in Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses, while customers will have the opportunity to sample ...

Thanks to the efforts of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation), the importance of Día de los Muertos was recognised in 2008, added to the organisation’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. As a result, the festival –meaning ‘Day of the Dead’ in English – has seen ...

Earlier this year, new figures published by the Wine and Spirit Trade Association have shown that annual rum sales in Britain have surpassed £1billion for the first time. As a result, rum now ranks alongside whisky and gin as one of the nation’s favourite spirits. Beside a collection of famed ...

Established in 2013, Four Pillars Gin began life as a project between wine industry veterans Cameron Mackenzie and Stuart Gregor – aiming to elevate the craft of distilling in Australia. Some years later, Four Pillars now vaunts a portfolio of six gins, having recently launched their Barrel Aged range of ...

At long last, Cognac is popular again. For the third consecutive year, sales of Cognac have continued to rise, around the world. In 2016, sales of Cognac had risen by 6.0 per cent in volume and 6.8 per cent in value compared to 2015. During the first quarter of 2017, ...

Inspired by the British Code Breakers of the Second World War, The Glenlivet Code was launched earlier this year. Released without cask information or tasting notes, the whisky challenges consumers’ senses while pushing boundaries of flavour exploration. Crafted from specially selected casks never before used by The Glenlivet - the ...

Now in its tenth year, World Gin Day takes place this weekend (Saturday 9th June). A global celebration of all things gin, spearheaded by Emma Stokes - also known as Gin Monkey - this year’s event will be celebrated with a four-day festival: World Gin Day LONDON. Dedicated to celebrating ...

Tying in with the Mexican festival of Cinco de Mayo, Patrón Tequila will reveal the winner of their fourth annual ‘Margarita of the Year’ this weekend (5th May). Celebrating Mexico’s most famous cocktail, three finalists have been selected from the seven cocktails entered. These include the ‘Verde Margarita’ inspired by ...

Craft spirits have witnessed an exponential rise in popularity since the turn of the Millennium. According to the American Craft Spirits Association, the United States is home to more than 1,500 craft distilleries, and according to a 2016 report; America’s craft distilling industry sold nearly 6 million cases, equating to ...

The global gin market is oversaturated, but there’s still plenty of space for Gin Mare (pronounced ‘mah-ray’). Meaning ‘sea’ in Spanish, Gin Mare is a Mediterranean gin, distilled using botanicals sourced from the region; including Spanish Arbequina olives, Greek thyme, Italian basil and Turkish rosemary. Produced in Vilanova, a small ...

Forget everything you know about tequila. Renowned in Britain for so many years as the sole reserve of teenagers hoping to dive head-first into blind drunkenness; an increase in popularity surrounding premium tequilas has finally managed to rescue the spirit’s often unsavoury reputation. One of the fastest-growing sectors in the ...

Brandy is making a triumphant comeback, and it’s about time. Released at the end of last year, research into festive online searches, from the University of Warwick, suggested brandy is the UK’s favourite Christmas spirit, beating gin, rum, vodka and whisky. Though Christmas is well and truly over, brandy still ...

With age, my personal whisky preferences have altered drastically - after some years of enjoying rich, fruit (sometimes even floral) drams. Now though, at the risk of sounding as though I’ve given in to toxic masculinity, I’m of the general credence that (dependent on occasion, of course) the smokier the ...

Blended from a selection of single malt whiskies aged in rare Mizunara oak casks for at least 18 years, Suntory Whisky launched Yamazaki Mizunara 2017 last week. Spicy, evocative of incense and uniquely Japanese, the production of this limited-edition whisky pushed the blenders at Yamazaki to perfect new cask-making techniques, ...

Have you ever wanted to know what a 46 year-old single malt whisky tastes like? Scottish distillery Bunnahabhain has unveiled its oldest single malt to date; though one of the strictly limited bottles (198 worldwide) will set you back an eye-watering £5,000. Also known as ‘Eich Bhana Lìr’ - meaning ...

Rum is finally getting the moment in the sunshine it deserves. Once the reserve of popular (read: mostly terrible) cocktails such as Mojitos and Daiquiris, the spirit’s premium, sipping expressions are finally beginning to receive some apposite recognition across the globe. The first in a new limited-edition run of ultra-premium ...

Following the success of last year’s 2001 release, premium Scotch whisky brand anCnoc (pronounced ‘a-nock’) has released a new anCnoc 2002 vintage, joining its multi award-wining parade of expressions. Part of the Inver House Distillers portfolio, anCnoc is produced at Knockdhu Distillery in the picturesque village of Knock, Aberdeenshire. First ...

The world’s oldest existing rum brand, Mount Gay has collaborated with the Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings, in Clerkenwell. Showcasing Mount Gay Black Barrel, the all-day dining space’s bar team have created a refreshing cocktail (‘Water of Life’) that’s available until the end of August, aiming to bring a taste of ...

1800 Silver Tequila is a mid-range super premium Blanco tequila that won’t completely ruin your evening.   Like most things (especially when drinking is concerned), quality is everything when it comes to tequila. While tequila has become a big business in recent years (George Clooney recently sold his tequila company ...