Cockburns of Leith opens first bottle shop in 226 years

COCKBURNS OF LEITH, Scotland’s oldest wine merchant, has opened its first shop in the company’s 226-year history. The store – which sits on Frederick Street in Edinburgh’s New Town – will run wine tastings and provide free delivery within the capital and the Lothians. Cockburns of Leith was established in 1796 by brothers Robert and…

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Royal Highland Show toasts gin, beer, and PJs launch

THE Royal Highland Show has released a gin to celebrate its 200th anniversary, alongside a beer partnership, and merchandise – including a pair of pyjamas. The gin was made for the show by Moray Distillery in Elgin, which launched its Avva gin in 2016. A bespoke recipe was created using 12 botanicals – including dandelion,…

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Wine to Dine – July 2022 – Cafe Cuil

Peter Ranscombe picks five bottles to pair with recipes from Cafe Cuil on Skye. EATING on Skye is always a pleasure, whether it’s dinner and a snooze at The Three Chimneys or those amazing Skye Pies at Glenview. That’s why I was excited to see the recipes from Cafe Cuil in this month’s printed and…

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Bank holiday rosé: Pink toasts for the Queen

Looking for bank holiday rosé wines? Drinks blogger Peter Ranscombe has you covered. AS THE nation prepares to raise a toast to Her Majesty during the platinum jubilee, it’s time for our regular review of rosés. Who knows what the weather will do over the long weekend? But rosé isn’t just for glorious bank holiday…

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Leith’s own Champagne, port, and sherry

Forget gin and whisky for a moment – it’s Port of Leith’s Champagne, port, and sherry that are the real stars, writes Peter Ranscombe. THERE’S a lot going in Leith. Not only is Port of Leith Distillery’s vertical whisky factory taking shape next to Ocean Terminal and the Royal Yacht Britannia, but the company’s sister…

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Anima: Taking beer and food matching to the next level

Peter Ranscombe reviews craft beers made by Anima in Italy’s Piemonte wine region. THINK Piemonte, think wine. From powerful reds like Barolo and Barbaresco made from nebbiolo grapes through to elegant whites like Gavi and Roero and the gentle spritz of moscato d’Asti, Piedmont has a world-class reputation for its wines. But how about its…

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REVIEW: Cask 88 Sir Walter Scott 250th anniversary whiskies

Peter Ranscombe gets an exclusive preview of whisky bottler Cask 88’s tribute to Sir Walter Scott. THERE’S something so evocative about tasting whisky outdoors. When it comes to wine tasting, many vineyards will serve visitors samples out among the vines. Whisky distilleries, less so. Standing on the terrace outside Abbotsford House near Melrose, I could…

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The Drinks Bakery toasts deal to supply Waitrose

THE Drinks Bakery has signed a deal to sell its Drinks Biscuits range in 230 branches of up-market grocer Waitrose. Andy Murray, who founded his business in 2016, already supplies his biscuits to more than 250 outlets, including Claridge’s, Liberty, and Selfridges. The deal will allow Murray to double the size of his company, which…

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Wine to Dine – June 2022 – Buck & Birch

Wine columnist Peter Ranscombe forages for five favourites to back-up the Buck & Birch recipes in the June issue of Scottish Field magazine. IT’S a tale of two malbecs this month. Argentina’s all-conquering red is a favourite with steak, yet the best examples are versatile and a good match for many game dishes too. The…

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New craft beer range coming to Scots supermarkets

Lidl has launched an exclusive new Scottish craft beer range, Beinn Brewing, in partnership with long-standing supplier, Stewart Brewing. Crafted in homage to Scotland’s scenic landscape, the Beinn Brewing range consists of three tropical pale ales for spring-time sipping. The bold and bright beers – including a Citrus Belter, Tropical Trossachs and Beinn Hazy –…

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