As far as wine regions go, France’s Beaujolais is one that has, for many years, been a popular choice for those who enjoy light-bodied, fruit-forward reds from Gamay grapes. However, that’s beginning to shift as the popularity of its sibling grape, Chardonnay, grows. To put the region into numbers, of the wines produced in Beaujolais, 4% are whites coming from around 450 producers, equating to…

When Googling armagnac, the headlines read something like ʻBrandy’s best-kept secret’. But this has been the narrative for decades – nothing has ever changed. Armagnac is objectively a quality spirit with a rich history and its approach to vintages gives it a unique selling point that other brandies don’t have. Yet, armagnac’s fortunes have never really changed and, taking a wider look at the category,…

This article first appeared in the Drinks International Rum Supplement which can be read in full here Cuba is synonymous with rum. Several of the industry’s biggest names have historical ties with the Caribbean island and Ron Matusalem’s 150-year-old story began in Santiago de Cuba when Spanish immigrant Pablo Nonell bought his own distillery in 1872. There he developed the Matusalem name and was one of the…

Independent bottlers are the tastemakers of the whisky world. It’s a business model that operates on the strength of a company’s ability to find amazing liquids and know when is the right moment to release them to the public. Companies like Gordon & MacPhail, Adelphi and Claxton’s have built legacy on bottling some of Scotland’s most hard-to-find and prestigious drams for an audience of the…

The narrative of cream liqueurs over the past few decades has been that of a stagnant category dominated by Baileys; a category which is hugely popular during the festive period and winter months and one that’s synonymous with desserts and after-dinner occasions. However, while Baileys remains the dominant force, consumers have evolved significantly in the 21st century in terms of their wellbeing, dietary decisions and…