Rum has rightfully earned its reputation as the party animal of the spirits world. It’s the drink that likes to mix; the ingredient that puts the punch into the punchbowl; the glass of sunshine that evokes the warmth and personality of the countries in which it is produced. But, as the category has matured over the years, so rum has developed…

A woman in China has been jailed for four years and fined £50,000 for selling fake Scotch whisky, the first criminal conviction under the SCOTCH WHISKY collective trade mark. It was reported in the press in January that Chinese authorities prosecuted Li Cuihong, a wholesaler selling a range of fake alcoholic drinks, in Urumqi, in the west of the country for selling un-aged Chinese…

English Wine Producers recently exhibited for the first at the huge German trade show, ProWein. Such an initiative would have been unthinkable not that many years ago. It illustrates the length its wines have come from the early days when bored landowners and keen gardeners rolled up their sleeves and gave tending vines and making wine a ‘jolly good go’. With ever-improving…

Pastis remains a largely French tipple and its anise relatives in other parts of Europe – ouzo from Greece or raki from Turkey for example – don’t seem to travel well either. For anyone who has brought a bottle home from holiday, recreating the vacation experience in your own home is almost always disappointing and drinks rarely taste the same as they did when…

Many bars underperform unnecessarily which can be due to a multitude of factors – location, design, staff training or product offering, however, often this can be addressed through design as it can be the bar itself where problems lie.  The bar is the focus for any venue and should be designed to fulfill its potential – it is the shop window and must have the right tools…

When it comes to diversity, Italian wine probably picks up the trophy. Jancis Robinson MW’s massive tome, Wine Grapes: A Complete Guide to 1,368 Vine Varieties, puts Italy at a staggering 377 varieties of vitis vinifera, the vine that produces grapes for winemaking. Tim Atkin MW, conducting a tutoured tasting recently in London, put it succinctly: “Italy is incredible. Endlessly fascinating. You can throw…

“HERE’S TO THE SMOOTHEST, RICHEST, MOST BEAUTIFUL WHISKY IN THE WORLD,” toasts Colin Scott, standing before a banquet table of Chinese guests at one of his many Chivas Regal-hosted dinners. Eyes fixed to his rangy figure, Scott drinks his dram.  He coughs uncomfortably as it catches on his throat. Splutters, coughs again, regains breath and several seconds later… his composure. “Isn’t it…