Posts Tagged ‘oak’
Lanzarote: The grapes that grow in lava
Peter Ranscombe pens a very personal reflection on wines from the Canaries’ most unusual island. LET me start with a confession – I’m biased horrendously when it comes to Lanzarote. In fact, I promised myself I would never write an article about the island and its wines in this blog. Selfishly, I wanted to keep…
Read MoreLockdown lamb II: Last-minute libations
As Maundy Thursday approaches, Peter Ranscombe picks wines from local stores and further afield to serve with your Easter lamb. PERHAPS this year more than any other, Easter feels full of hope. “Stay at home” is about to become “Stay local” on Good Friday. Hairdressers will reopen on Monday – goodbye, mullet – and garden…
Read MoreNew Laphroaig 10 year old is set to launch
Laphroaig is launching a 10 Year Old Sherry Oak in April – a new take on its much-loved and iconic single malt, to join its core range. Finished in Oloroso sherry casks for 12 to 18months, this new expression combines the unforgettable flavour of Beam Suntory’s Laphroaig 10 Year Old with the sweet and aromatic…
Read MoreNew Littlemill release is a testament to the past
A limited edition release of 250 Littlemill Testament decanters has been launched. The new release celebrates Littlemill’s legacy as Scotland’s oldest licensed distillery and is contained in a luxury decanter which skilfully incorporates treasured remnants of the original distillery manager’s house giving collectors the opportunity to own a true piece of Scotch Whisky history. These…
Read MoreCap Classique: Are these the world’s best-value bubbles?
Peter Ranscombe celebrates 50 years of South Africa’s flagship sparkling wine. IF YOU went to a party and all the guests were sparkling wines then you’d be able to spot the usual suspects. There’s Champagne over there, holding court, and hogging the limelight. Then there’s Prosecco in the middle of the dance floor, causing trouble…
Read MoreTurning back the clock to recreate White Heather
An iconic whisky distiller is turning back the clock on his career in blending to recreate White Heather as a premium aged small batch blend. With more than 50 prestigious awards in three years, and a Master Distiller with almost 50 years’ experience at the helm, The GlenAllachie Distillers Company is launching its first-ever Blended…
Read MoreGlenturret teams up with Jaguar for E-Type release
A new whisky is being released to celebrate 60 years since the first Jaguar E-Type made an extraordinary 11 hour overnight journey from Coventry to the Geneva Motor Show. Legendary test driver Norman Dewis arrived just in time, and a motoring icon was born. In celebration of this automotive icon delivering 265bhp (brake horsepower), Glenturret…
Read MoreCreating a unique new whisky for Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s Holyrood Distillery is offering the chance to buy casks of its new whisky. Inspired by the history, vibrancy and diversity of the city, Holyrood’s team of distillers has created a cask offering unlike anything that has gone before. By using Lothian spring barley, chocolate and crystal specialty malts, Edinburgh Brewer’s Yeast and their distinct…
Read MoreSpeyside distillery enters the smoke season
Smoky whiskies are not traditionally associated with Speyside. Now creative Speyside distillery, Benriach, has released a brand new expression, Smoke Season, to add to its recently revamped portfolio. They have looked back through their archives and it’s clear that heavily peated single malts were the preferred palate of the region back in the 19th century.…
Read MoreChardonnay showdown: Australia v New Zealand
Peter Ranscombe had a ring-side seat for this afternoon’s virtual clash between two chardonnay giants. IN THE red corner: all the way from the southern hemisphere, the undefeated heavyweight champion of chardonnay, it’s Australia. And in the blue corner, from the other side of the Tasman Sea, the upstart challenger looking to land a knock-out…
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