Three charts that suggest banks are stronger now than before Northern Rock October 10, 2017 September marked the 10th anniversary of the moment most people had their first inkling all was not completely well with the global financial system. On 13 September 2007, word began to spread that Northern Rock had asked for emergency funding from the Bank of England in its capacity as "lender of last resort", thus prompting [...]
That’s the (craft) spirit: Distillery numbers are booming in the UK as taste for independent gin and whiskey blossoms April 17, 2017 The UK’s growing taste for craft gin and scotch has created a boom in the number of distilleries springing up across the UK. There were 45 new ones set up last year, a rise of nearly a fifth, bringing the total number to 273, new figures reveal. And since 2010, the number has more than [...]
I went to Hollywood and, following a brief and unaccountable sense of impending doom, found it to be lovely February 10, 2017 "Look, there’s Angelyne." Our tour guide to the stars pointed to a woman in the lane next to us riding a hot pink Corvette. She looked pale and ageless, like hummus that had been moulded into the shape of a sad Dolly Parton. Her cloud of yellow hair was puffed out like a big candyfloss, [...]
Brits splash out more on whisky than rest of Europe, says Scotch Whisky Association February 7, 2017 The UK is the most expensive place to buy a dram of whisky anywhere in Europe, the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), has highlighted today. Over one quarter of all the tax on spirits collected in Europe is paid for by Britons due to a domestic tax level, which is higher than the European average. The [...]
Diageo investing €25m in new Irish whiskey brand January 31, 2017 The world’s largest spirits producer will launch a new whiskey brand “Roe & Co” in March with bottles expected to retail at around £30. Until a new facility is completed at the company’s Guinness HQ in Dublin, Roe & Co will be produced from whiskies sourced across the firm’s Irish distilleries. The investment marks a [...]
Ember, on the street where the Great Fire of London started, wants to light a fire in City workers’ bellies January 10, 2017 Opened in October of last year, Ember is a smart, subterranean drinking and dining spot on Pudding Lane with a focus on pan-Asian cuisine, original cocktails and small sharing plates. Expect contemporary presentation with carefully considered flavours and curated drinks pairings, rather than the Chinese curry from your local. In the evenings the place takes [...]
132,000 tonnes of cargo will go through Heathrow this Christmas – with salmon and clotted cream among top exports December 18, 2016 Heathrow's expecting salmon and crocheted garments to bump up its export figures for the festive period. Many shoppers raced to get all of their Christmas shopping wrapped up ahead of the international postage deadline over the weekend and the UK's biggest airport is expecting a bumper month. Read more: Here's how Stansted is planning to gain [...]
Diageo settled a lawsuit in North America over trademark infringement November 29, 2016 Diageo North America has settled a lawsuit with a US-based bourbon whiskey distiller and distributor over trademark law violations. Allied Lomar argued that Diageo infringed registered trademarks on the term "Stitzel" with the name of its Stitzel-Weller Bourbon distillery and brand labels including their Blade and Bow Bourbon. Allied, which said it first registered the [...]
Eight of the best winter gins: Remember, gin isn’t just for summer, it’s for Christmas, too November 10, 2016 At this time of year, we mistakenly relegate gin to the back of the drinks cabinet. The ubiquitous gin and tonic is a summertime staple, but what can you do to turn it evergreen? Gin, like that other popular translucent tipple vodka, is traditionally distilled in cold countries, after all, and can be made from [...]
What better excuse could you have for a G&T or six than International Gin & Tonic Day? Here’s where to drink up October 18, 2016 The Portobello Star 171 Portobello Road, W11 portobellostarbar.co.uk Journey to The Ginstitute, London’s second smallest museum sitting atop a 270-year-old pub on Portobello Road. Open since 2011, it’s also the headquarters of Portobello Road Gin, where you can learn all about the juniper drink’s rich history in London. There’s a chance to sample a tipple [...]