We have extended our spirits range this year, with a very special, hand-picked, artisan selection from around the world. They all express a sense of place and the passion of their producers. Perfect for Christmas gifting or refreshing your drinks cabinet for the festive period.
Frapin Cigar Blend
History: Twenty Generations of grape growing, still going strong with 240 hectares of entirely Grande Champagne Premier Cru de Cognac, the Frapin family have more experience than most can boast! 100% Single Family Estate, 100% Grande Champagne–Premier Cru de Cognac, 100% Harvested, Distilled and Aged at the Estate. The biggest single Estate of Grande Champagne and the only house in Grande Champagne to have the Château appellation.
Taste: Deeper still in appearance, a more pronounced nose of vanilla and complex walnut. The Palate develops into dried spices of cumin, star anise and bonfire smoke. Leathery undertones give off a cigar box type character too. Tannin is more present on this powerful, smoky sipper.
Darroze Grand Assemblage 12YO Armagnac
History: Darroze Armagnac began in 1974 in the Bas-Armagnac region, with Francis Darroze on a mission to raise awareness about all the area had to offer in terms of Armagnac production. Darroze Armagnacs stood out (and still do) because they were never diluted with water, coming down the bottling strength naturally through ageing, each Armagnac is aged in its own barrel, and barrels are never blended. Needless to say you`ll never find colouring or caramel in these brilliant Armagnacs either!
Taste: After twelve years enshrined in oak barrels, the influence of ageing begins to come into its own. The fruit is still present, but has become spicier; notes of cinnamon, star anise will dominate. Still offering a lingering freshness, this beautiful liquid will increase in complexity after a few minutes in the glass.
Drouin Selection Calvados
History: Calvados starts with apples and the Drouin family only select the fruits from organic orchards. The liquid is produced from 35 different varieties of apples, all harvested from the orchard floor rather than using mechanical pickers. Depending on the harvest and style of the Calvados to be produced the apple juice is naturally fermented for between five weeks and ten months in open wooden tanks before a double distillation in traditional Charentais pot stills takes place.
Taste: While "Calvados Pays d'Auge" needs to undergo lengthy ageing in oak casks to reach full maturity, Calvados from the Domfrontais region, whose range of flavours is dominated by prominent fruit notes, can be enjoyed young. Lovely combination being offered here; real freshness as a result of pears and a crisp backbone from the apples. Gently roasted red apple skin with walnuts, clove, cinnamon and lemon thyme. This leads into a structured palate of brown sugar, preserved lemon and buttered puff pastry.
Waterford Gaia Organic Single Malt Whisky
History: Waterford was set up by Mark Reynier (ex Bruichladdich CEO) in 2015 with the idea of creating a whisky that was driven by the raw ingredient – the barley. Waterford focuses on different types of barley grown in different areas of Ireland and their effect on the flavour of the whisky. All Waterford Whiskies show full transparency and traceability via the innovative ‘Teireoir’ Code. Inspired by Bordeaux’s greatest chateaux, the Cuvée concept means that Irish barley is harvested, distilled and matured farm by farm. These Single Farm Origins express their own distinct terroir.
Taste: Waterford Gaia is the only certified organic Irish whiskey and is made from organic Irish barley grown on six farms. Gaia, the neopagan goddess of ‘Mother Earth’ is a fitting name. Gaia is far more pronounced on the nose and more opulent in general. There is an unmistakable note of warm fig rolls, on the palate which coupled with kaffir lime leaf, pink grapefruit, and morello cherry makes for a very complex, fresh sipper. This is pure power meets elegance.
Elements of Islay Cask Edit
History: Elements of Islay is a range of small batch, independently bottled whiskies, where the elements of flavour collide. Every sip of ‘Elements of Islay’ is a true taste of Islay. This new range has been inspired by the flavour, smell and taste of nature on Islay and all that it bestows. The bottles in the range don’t carry an age or vintage because batches are created solely with flavour in mind, each one expressing the character of each distillery on Islay.
Taste: On the nose, vanilla smoke and wood spice linger with freshly baked butter croissants and hot, milky coffee. Rich, smoky flavours from a single malt from an Islay south-coast distillery marries with a fresher, fruitier style from a north-coast distillery, alongside freshly brewed coffee, sugared almonds and white chocolate. The finish is lightly smoky and sweet.
Black Tot Finest Caribbean Rum
History: Paying tribute to Black Tot Day when the British Navy ended the centuries old practice of the Rum Ration. Multi-Nation blending of the finest rums available to humanity for a sipper or mixer with unbelievable depth. Black Tot embraces the tradition and art of blending rums from distilleries across the Caribbean, a technique pioneered by the Royal Navy.
Taste: Black Tot is a perfectly balanced blend of the finest Caribbean rums. The tropical fruit notes come from Barbados’ rum, the richness and decadence is from Guyanese Demerara rum, whilst the spice and intensity comes from funky Jamaican rum. The resulting spirit is complex with notes of coffee, kaffir lime leaf, burnt caramel, chocolate and banana.
