Selected: Balblair 1991 Whisky

Selected: Balblair 1991 Whisky

Whisky is a creation loved the world over. Drank by famous figures of the past such as Sir Winston Churchill to Katharine Hepburn, toasted to celebrate a marriage or quaffed at the weekend to down ones sorrows, it truly is a legendary drink. Whats fascinating still is the length of time it has been around, 1790 in the case of Balblair, the oldest working whisky distillery in the Scottish Highlands. With this in mind then it was only right that I delve a little deeper, not that I took a great deal of convincing, into one of their most special creations of late, the 3rd release of their 1991 vintage Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

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The Rolls-Royce Of Cocktail Hampers

For those of you who fancy a bit more than a run of the mill glass of champagne, Rolls-Royce have created the ultimate hamper to accompany you on those leisurely Sunday jonts.

Hamper

As you’d imagine, this is no ordinary hamper – it’s beautifully hand crafted from American Walnut and the finest Natural Grain Leather that adorn the interior of Rolls Royce cars. For the creation of the Hamper, Rolls-Royce consulted with experts from Dorchester Collection’s London Hotels, The Dorchester and 45 Park Lane, to ensure it is perfectly appointed to cater for a vast selection of classic and contemporary cocktails.

Hamper

Along with all the utensils, the glassware is handmade, and takes an incredible four weeks to manufacture. The glassware is made by Europe’s finest glassmaker, Theresienthal, and the rims of each glass have been finished in platinum. Among the beautifully handmade glassware, you’ll also find a cocktail shaker, ice bucket and tongs, a bottle opener, knife, 2 sharing plates for serving canopés, cotton napkins, a stirring spoon, and a glass serving tray among loads more.

Hamper

You can secure one of the fifteen Hampers being made at any of the car manufacturers 130 worldwide agencies for a whopping £26, 366.

Join the Tudor Ice Revolution on Kickstarter

Long gone are the days when ice was America’s second largest export, although for the 209 year old company that started it all…not so much. The company itself was originally founded by Frederic Tudor, the one and only “Ice King” of America, and starting today, we find Tudor Ice have launched a Kickstarter campaign aimed at restoring that nostalgic luxury with the Tudor Ice Block.

Designed for the discerning drinker, Tudor ice is addressing a void in the beverage industry for a premium ice product which is clean, slow to melt and purified. Through Kickstarter the company is giving early backers access to its revolutionary new product.

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As we all know traditional ice cubes are small and melt very quickly after our drink is served. This brings with it watered down spirits and cocktails, diluting the beverage. What we also do not tend to realise is the general run of the mill ice can be riddled with bacteria as it passes multiple hands from the ice machine to the customer’s table or seat at the bar. More specifically, in a recent survey commissioned by Tudor Ice, one in four restaurants tested proved to have un-safe levels of bacteria in its ice. The Tudor Ice Block’s unique packaging solves this issue whilst reducing dilution thanks to its size and shape thus preserving the integrity of the spirit to provide a premium beverage experience. Primarily the Tudor Ice Block compliments crafted cocktails and high end, single pour spirits such as single malts and scotch.

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“In testing early prototypes with select customers, the response to the Tudor Ice Block has been phenomenal” said Nestor Villalobos, CEO of Tudor Ice. “When we first set out to develop the concept, I hoped for a strong reception but, ultimately, didn’t know how customers would react. I’m thrilled to report that customers are embracing the product with great exuberance”.

Tudor Ice’s premium ice will build upon the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit that defined the legacy of the Tudor name. The appropriately titled “Ice King” Frederic Tudor was the first person to harvest, package and ship ice abroad for sale. He solely pioneered the commercial ice industry when it was only accessible to climate-permitting markets. By the year 1806, Tudor had shipped his first ice cargo from Boston to Martinique and by spearheading innovations in packing, storing and harvesting said ice, he expanded distribution throughout India, Europe and the Caribbean. The ice exporting business became so successful in face that by the late 1800’s, it was second to that only of cotton.

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What we love is that Frederic Tudor’s great-great-great grandson Peter McCook, and his wife, branding expert Jacqueline McCook are brand advisors in the revitalised company. “Tudor Ice’s new premium ice products will bring a new meaning to the Tudor name. As it stands, the company is poised to disrupt the ageing ice market”, states Peter McCook. “Not since my great-great-great grandfather first shipped ice to Martinique in 1806 has anyone taken such a great leap forward in ice innovation”.

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The Tudor Ice Block will begin shipping to Kickstarter backers at the end of the first quarter of 2016. For more information on how to contribute to this fantastic campaign visit http://tudorice.com/kickstarter.

We Challenge Our Tastebuds With Don Papa Rum

When we think of rum, immediately images are conjured up of the Caribbean Islands and Latin America, and you would be correct to assume the majority of rums are made in said places. However this week we were lucky enough to sample a rum from a different part of the world all together, Don Papa Rum from the Philippines.

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With rums now produced in various grades, originally, light rum was the version predominantly used in cocktails where as dark rum was used for drinking neat and cooking, the latter has become a now staple figure in consumption with a mixer in which we have seen a surge in the appearance of premium rums with Don Papa being at the top of that list. Don Papa itself is a small batch blend aged in American oak for seven years, charcoal filtered to remove impurities before being popped in a beautifully cool bottle all of which is done on the tiny isle of Negros Occidental in the Philippines.

On the subject of the lovely bottle, you will find the label is quirky, with an aged, pirate look about it. Designed by Stranger & Stranger it features 50 animals and insects, with a Wheres Wally aura about it as you try to find them, all of which are native to the Philippines.  Once you break that seal, you get a waft of some sense tingling notes. Very fruity on the nose initially, your first sip is extremely smooth going down, with a strong compliment of vanilla and honey to follow.

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Thankfully again our friends at Don Papa have predicted us, like many others, would probably like to explore the mixing possibilities of this beautifully blended rum, and so have attached a vintage looking scroll or the “Field Guide” as its titled, 10 deliciously heady cocktails created especially by master mixologists Kathryn Eckstein-Cornista and Matthias Cadeac D’arbaud for Don Papa. Being The Gentleman Select we also took the most fitting one, and it had to be, the Don Papa Old Fashioned. In the words of Matthias Cadeac D’arbaud “The old fashioned is an all time classic cocktail, served in the best bars for over a century. This Don Papa based Old Fashioned is designed to highlight Don Papa’s magnificence”. 

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This is a statement we whole heartedly agree with. That combination of liquid brown sugar, maraschino, grapefruit and orange bitters with a twirled couple of slices of orange rind and that hit of Don Papa delivers an Old Fashioned like no other. Rich and full it says you are coolest person in the room, drinking the coolest drink on offer. You made the right choice. Personally I urge you to go and buy a bottle, try it for yourself and experience “the spirit of Don Papa”.

www.donpaparum.com

TEISSEIRE: ADDING A FRENCH TWIST TO YOUR SUMMER COCKTAILS

Thankfully summer is definitely upon us and with some record temperatures up and down the country, the great British public are descending outdoors to take advantage of the weather while it lasts. Now wether you are enjoying a few drinks with friends in a beer garden, or in your very own garden at home, let us point you in the direction of a delicious little French addition which will give you some exceptional variants of classic cocktails to try.

For those who don’t know, Teisseire has been creating sirups and fruit juices since 1720, well capable of producing a tasty drink I’m sure you’l agree. Here we have selected three of our favourite cocktails we tried and tested in which we suggest that you follow suit, get on the band wagon, and try them yourself this summer!.

Firstly we start with the Gin Blush. 50ML Gin. 100ML Tonic. 15ML Teisseire pink grapefruit and 2 slices of fresh lime. Simply add your selected premium Gin, Teisseire Pink Grapefruit and tonic water to a rock glass, top with ice and garnish with your two slices of lime. What you have as a result is a wonderfully sharp, tart, refreshing drink which you can feel zapping at your cheeks curtesy of the sweet grapefruit undertones delivered by Teisseire.

Our next little charmer to excite your taste buds is the Sparkling Citron. 150ML Sparkling Water. 15ML of Teisseire Lemon. 3 Dashes of Angostura Bitters. 10ML of Lemon Juice. 2 Slices of Lemon. Here we took a highball glass, add your Teisseire Lemon followed by your Angostura Bitters and Lemon Juice into the mix. Top the glass up with your measure of sparkling water and garnish with your lemon slices and a few ice cubes. We loved this cocktail for its sharp zesty zing and found that even with abundance of bitter sources, the finished article was in no way over powering in which there was a lovely freshness to the Teisseire sirup itself, even when we just tried it with sparkling water.

Our last selection is the Fraise De Champagne. 130ML of Champagne. 15ML Teisseire Strawberry. Fresh Strawberry. Simply cut a fair sized strawberry into thin slices, skewer with a toothpick and set this to one side. Pour your measure of Teisseire into a Champagne glass, top up your glass with a selected Champagne and garnish with your skewered strawberry on the rim of the glass. For me this cocktail is wonderfully simplistic yet effective in delivering a punchy hit of fruit in which the Teisseire Strawberry compliments the Champagne so well. Think of the classic strawberry in a glass of fizz however on a larger scale, not to over bearing, dangerously addictive and one all your garden party visitors will love.

We highly recommend you head down to your local supermarket now and grab yourself a variety of Teisseire sirups to try ranging from £2.79 to £3.49.