The female founders bringing boxed wine into the 21st century April 6, 2021 As recently as a year or two ago, if you asked for an example of an oxymoron, “luxury boxed wine” would have been a pretty solid answer. But changes in attitudes towards packaging and a shift in drinking habits have led to the rise of a new generation of boxed booze. Laylo is one of [...]
Outdoor drinking is back: Here’s our guide on how to do it in style April 6, 2021 While we wait for pubs and restaurants to re-open, outdoor meetups are happening again. But the world of al fresco boozing is strewn with pitfalls. Luckily for you I’ve done all the hard work – here’s our guide to boozing in the great outdoors. Ditch wines with a cork Don’t be that person who brings [...]
Gin review: Hendrick’s Lunar is a giant leap for spirits fans March 31, 2021 Hendrick’s air of cultivated whimsy would be grating if it were not so consonant with the character of their product. Hendrick’s flagship cucumber and rose-flavoured gin is best known, but in all its varieties, Hendrick’s is inventive, impish, and iconoclastic. The spirits are produced at a distillery in Girvan, Southwest of Glasgow. The purpose-built Gin [...]
Hot cross bun gin and other Easter-themed boozy beverages March 31, 2021 Spotting a gap in the market and a niche in the religious calendar, the Manchester Drinks Company has launched an Easter-themed liqueur that blends sweet fruits and spices to create an alcoholic hot cross bun in a bottle. Richard Benjamin, director at Manchester Drinks Co, says: “Easter isn’t just about indulging in easter eggs, it’s [...]
Up in smoke: A beginner’s guide to cigar-smoking March 31, 2021 I started smoking cigars as an undergraduate. I know that sounds unbearable, but it was a small town and thanks to a regular influx of American tourists we had three decent cigar shops. I saw myself as an in utero sybarite, a trainee on the green slopes of decadence. After a dinner, a cigar can [...]
Why Belgium may represent the next frontier in the whisky world March 30, 2021 On his first visit to Edinburgh, in the first pub he went into – Deacon Brodies Tavern on the Royal Mile – the first drink Tom van Gyseghem had was a glass of Caol Ila 18-year-old. It inspired him to become a distiller, set up Thistle Spirits in his home city of Brussels and, with [...]
The Indian wine market is hotting up: Meet the makers March 30, 2021 At last count, there were 17,000 Indian restaurants in the UK, but only a fraction of a fraction with anything approaching an Indian wine list. Now, the UK has its first Indian wine specialist offering a range of premium bottles curated by India’s first and so far only official Master of Wines. Wines in India, [...]
Cement the Special Relationship with some American Whiskey March 30, 2021 Earlier this month the Biden administration announced it was suspending Trump-era tariffs on the import of Scotch whisky to the US, reducing the price of single malts for American consumers. If you wanted to reciprocate, there are many long-established American whiskeys you could purchase, but if you’re willing to try something new, your adventurous spirit [...]
Picnic in style with our top restaurant-in-a-box delivery kits March 29, 2021 As the weather turns and outdoor meet-ups for two groups of up to six people are finally allowed, there’s a bit of optimism in the air. What better way to celebrate than with a Covid-friendly, appropriately-distanced, outdoor feast? Our Life&Style editor Steve Dinneen continues to eat his way through as many home delivery boxes as [...]
MasterChef: The Professionals winner Alex Webb’s top 5 London restaurants March 29, 2021 With restaurant terraces set to reopen from 12 April and socially distanced indoor dining following on 17 May, Londoners will be clamouring to enjoy eating out once again. So who better to recommend some of the best fine dining spots the capital has to offer than current MasterChef: The Professionals champion Alex Webb, who at [...]