Aberfeldy picks Pauillac for Bordeaux cask finish

WINE casks from Pauillac in Bordeaux have been used to flavour John Dewar & Sons’ latest limited edition whisky. The Aberfeldy 18-Year-Old French Red Wine Cask is going on sale exclusively at the distillery’s shop for its first month, before being released in selected markets. The whisky spent between four and five months in the…

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de Burgh Wine Merchants delivers restaurant quality at home

WHEN the hospitality industry was shut down in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, de Burgh Wine Merchants was faced with losing 95% of its business overnight. Such a seismic shock provided the catalyst to accelerate the company’s plans to expand its web shop and home delivery service. “People have been drinking our wines for…

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Trossachs e-bike trail map hits the road

A NEW map showing six e-bike trails through the Trossachs has been launched. The routes take in sights like Loch Lomond, Loch Katrine, Duchray Castle, Stonachlachar Pier and Strathyre Forest. The map has been assembled by Loch Lomond & Trossachs Countryside Trust and Forth Valley & Lomond Leader. Routes range from the 12.5km Rob Roy…

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‘Bad Girl’ serves up good news as bakery reopens

BAD Girl Bakery in Muir of Ord has turned its café into a shop – and is even giving away some of its baking secrets. The bakery, which opened in 2017, is selling the ingredients for some of its signature dishes, so customers can try their hand at baking at home. Baking equipment is also…

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Lorne sausage crisps go global

SCOTLAND’S humble square sausage is poised to gain new fans around the world after a deal was signed to sell Lorne-flavoured crisps over the internet. Mackie’s immortalised the Lorne sausage in a limited-edition crisp flavour that went on sale in Scotmid’s shops earlier this month. Now, a fresh deal with online retailer British Corner Shop…

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Pinot punch-up: New Zealand v Oregon

Who will come out on top in a comparative tasting between Oregon and New Zealand? Peter Ranscombe grabs his whistle to act as referee. ONE grape unites most if not all wine lovers – pinot noir. Its spiritual homeland is Burgundy in France, yet winemakers around the world use the variety to test their mettle, from…

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Glasgow artists turn tattie display into community food project

ARTISTS Angus Farquhar and Rudy Kanhye have turned what was intended as a display at the SWG3 complex in Glasgow into a community food project. As part of “An Empty Gunny Bag Cannot Stand”, 120 brightly-coloured hessian sacks have been distributed around the area, allowing households to grow potatoes on their doorsteps. The bilingual title…

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Louis Latour looks beyond Burgundy for promising pinot

With the price of making wine in Burgundy continuing to rise, Peter Ranscombe finds out why one producer is turning to other regions. FEW names are as synonymous with Burgundy as Louis Latour – the wine producer traces its roots in the prestigious French region back to 1768, when Jean Latour planted vines at Aloxe, continuing…

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Furloughed foodies flock to support local food and drink

More than 3,500 people have supported Scottish food and drink businesses by searching for produce in the supportlocal.scot online directory during lockdown, according to the latest figures. Nearly 300 suppliers are promoting their wares through the website, which was created by industry body Scotland Food & Drink. Demand for Scottish produce has risen during the…

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Covid convenience: wines to pick at your corner shop

We’ve got Spar… and Co-op and Scotmid and… if you’re getting your lockdown supplies from a convenience store then Peter Ranscombe has some wine recommendations. ONE of the enduring images of the coronavirus lockdown will be shoppers queuing patiently outside supermarkets, with a line of mask-clad consumers snaking around the car park. Yet, for many…

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