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Spirits

Spirits

Five agricoles chosen by five experts
A mystery to many, rhum agricole is not without its superfans. Oli Dodd rounds up five connoisseurs to find out what makes the sugarcane spirit so special to them.
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11 September, 2024

Spirits

Forget what you knew - this is the new history of gin
Anastatia Miller & Jared Brown have discovered the true history of gin. Here they give us the headlines from their newly published A Most Noble Water: Revisiting the Origins of English Gin.
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29 August, 2024

Spirits

Five Irish whiskey experts choose their five favourite expressions
With plenty of new distilleries opening up in this vibrant category, here are the top tipple suggestions from those in the know. Compiled by Oli Dodd.
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11 June, 2024

Spirits

Exploring...Aquavit
An ancient Scandinavian spirit little known outside of its native countries could be poised for a breakout, says Laura Foster.
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06 June, 2024

Spirits

What is 'distillery character'?
‘Distillery character’ can tell you a lot about how a Scotch whisky has been made. But what does it really mean? Millie Milliken poses the question.
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23 April, 2024

Spirits

Neutral no more - how vodka is becoming all about its base ingredient
Milk, peas, apples, you name it, vodka is being made from raw materials with assertive flavour profiles. Millie Milliken reports.
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05 February, 2024
Clairin

Spirits

Exploring... Clairin, the grandfather of rum

Laura Foster looks into the history and flavour profile of the internationallly littleknown “grandfather” of rum.
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29 January, 2024
Calvados

Spirits

Five Calvados you need to try
Calvados seems to have the answers to many modern-day questions. Oli Dodd speaks to five of its biggest fans about five of their favourites
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25 January, 2024
Hebrdes

Spirits

The New Hebrideans - Dave Broom on a new age of scotch
Across Scotland’s remote islands, distillers are reviving communities as they create new, terroir-driven whiskies. Dave Broom investigates this new movement of young producers.
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11 January, 2024

Spirits

Exploring Bacanora, the lesser known agave spirit

There’s a world of agave drinks beyond tequila and mezcal. Laura Foster gets to grips with one of the more obscure family members.
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21 November, 2023
Best English whiskies

Spirits

Five English whiskies you need to try
English whisky is emerging from the shadows of its neighbour. Oli Dodd speaks to some early adopters about which expressions to try first.
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20 November, 2023

Spirits

Angel's Treasure - the spirit world's lesser-known phenomenon of divine evaporation
Hamish Smith explores the distilling world in search of Angel’s Treasure.
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24 October, 2023

Spirits

A bartender's guide to sake
Co-owner of London sake bar Moto, Erika Haigh offers her guide to the various styles of Japan’s national drink and explains why it’s a perfect food pairing.
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31 August, 2023

Spirits

Exploring...Genever
Laura Foster dips into the national drink of Belgium and The Netherlands with a glance at history and a look at how some of today’s brands are being used in cocktails.
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23 August, 2023

Spirits

David Wondrich on American whiskey as it was (and could be again?)
Historian David Wondrich explains how today’s American whiskey has evolved from a narrow bloodline. What few records there are of the US’s distilling past reveal a far more diverse set of practices.
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23 August, 2023

Spirits

Five agave experts pick five Mezcals
Mezcal comes in many styles, but most people have only tried those made from espadín agave. Oli Dodd asks five experts to suggest some sippers that might open up your agave options.
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08 August, 2023

Spirits

Vintage cocktails: a tasting of 1,000 years of history
Salvatore Calabrese has amassed a treasure trove of vintage spirits. Hamish Smith tries some of his ancient collection in cocktails tasted against their latter-day equivalents.
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20 July, 2023

Spirits

How do you solve a problem like tequila?
Tequila production has soared in recent years, causing environmental and social issues where agave is intensely grown. Oli Dodd looks to the experts for future solutions.
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11 May, 2023

Spirits

Exploring...Shochu
The Japanese spirit is relatively unknown in the UK. Laura Foster makes it her mission to provide some education.
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04 May, 2023

Spirits

Exploring...Sotol (the agave spirit that's not really agave)
Previously thought of as a mezcal, sotol is a category in its own right. Laura Foster gets into the finer points of a spirit that’s looking to become the next, well, mezcal.
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27 January, 2023

Spirits

Why bars are making their own branded spirits
More cocktail bars are creating their own ingredients – often including a branded spirit. Oli Dodd reports
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23 November, 2022

Spirits

Cognac cocktails: New ways with an old spirit
If you're looking for new ways to use cognac, look no further than Le Syndicat in Paris. Thibault Massina pulls back the curtains on a bar that has changed the conversation about French spirits.
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17 November, 2022

Spirits

Cavitation in spirits? Just don't call it ageing
When reduced to the goal of speed ageing, the process of hydrodynamic cavitation became taboo. Highlight its other uses – as some brands have – and it’s just another tool for creating flavour. Hamish Smith reports.
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16 November, 2022

Spirits

Prof Charles Spence: How ambient temperature shapes drinks choice
Professor Charles Spence investigates whether or not the physical temperature of a space has an influence on guests’ drinks choices.
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10 November, 2022
Batavia Arrack production

Spirits

Exploring....Batavia Arrack
Laura Foster follows the trade routes east to Indonesia, where she discovers the first luxury spirit: batavia arrack. 
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10 November, 2022

Spirits

The simple yet delicious world of spirits and juice
With the right fruit juices, spirits can be elevated to new heights – and there’s no shortage of weird and wonderful combinations to try. By Liam O'Brien of Brass Monkey.
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02 November, 2022

Spirits

How does the speed of fermentation change flavour?
Slow fermentation can help in bringing a point of difference to a whisky’s flavour profile, and modern consumers are always looking for something new. Ellen Manning reports.
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25 October, 2022
Yuzu

Spirits

Exploring...Yuzushu
Laura Foster takes a deep dive into the delicious world of this Japanese fruit liqueur, which is creeping into cocktails across the UK.
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11 July, 2022
Pot still whiskey

Spirits

Single pot still or single malt - what is Irish whiskey's flagship style?
New distilleries are springing up and while single pot still remains key, many are also turning to easier-to-market single malts. Oli Dodd assesses the situation in Ireland.
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04 July, 2022

Spirits

Bengal rum and India's forgotten spirits history
Vikram Doctor explains how Indian rum is both an emerging category and has a storied history, dating back to the 18th century.
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28 April, 2022