Former Drinks International editor Patience Gould looks at the wacky world of flavoured drinks as Baileys nears 40

On Monday night I became a ‘Keeper of the Quaich’. For those of you who do not know what that it is, The Keepers of the Quaich is an “exclusive, international community of people recognised for their outstanding commitment to Scotch whisky”.

Last night (February 13) I sat through another Diageo master class on the art of blending and the importance of blended Scotch Whisky to the overall whisky and spirits market.

I vividly recall a conversation, over lunch, with a one-time publisher, who will remain nameless, and my utter astonishment when he pronounced that, up until said lunch, he had always thought blended whisky was a mix of different malt whiskies...

In the doorway in the soft, Mexican early afternoon, sitting on the floor against the wall is a figure that in most other settings is a pariah. He is a Mexican man with down syndrome. In this place he is accepted, welcome as is everyone. I am again in La Capilla.

India has huge tax tariffs and a labyrinthine bureaucracy. At the moment most Indian whisky drinkers have to raise a second mortgage to get their hands on a decent bottle of scotch...

Going to the airport is a generally depressing experience these days. We only do it because either we have to for work, or we’re off on holiday to somewhere far, far better...

I may be on holiday but that doesn't mean I have stopped sampling and tasting.

At this time of year, the books start thudding in. This week I got the third tome from whisky man, Dominic Roskrow. Boy, has Dom been a busy boy. The latest is ‘The World’s Best Whiskies – 750 Unmissable Drams from Tain to Tokyo’, published by Jacqui Small, price: £20.

I’ve seen the beginning and the end of a lot of eras. That says it all about ‘King Cocktail’, Dale DeGroff. The great man is in London to co-host ‘The World’s 50 Best Bars’ event which was held in London last night (Oct 10) near Trafalgar Square...

Top bartenders, a ticking clock, 80 dubious drinks and the piss-taking Paul Mant. Rematch Beeyatch!!! arrived in Berlin last night in its usual riotous fashion.

Last night Indian whisky producer, John Distilleries, unveiled its first single cask whisky in London recently.

What makes this job interesting is going out, meeting, interviewing people and finding out what makes them tick. That along with visiting vineyards, wineries, distilleries and, to a lesser extent, breweries to find out what they are up to, is what makes the likes of me get out of bed in the morning.

It was a swish affair at the Artesian bar in London’s Langham hotel last night. Drinks International and The World’s 50 Best Bars contributor Tom Sandham, was launching his World’s Best Cocktails book.

You have to hand it to Wines of South Africa. They know how to organise an event. To say Cape 2012 is just another trade show, would be a great injustice and understatement.

Georg Riedel is the Frank Sinatra of the stemware business. Selling glasses should be a fairly mundane business but the 63-year-old Austrian is a showman, more like ‘ol blue eyes’ than possibly he would care to admit.

The Great Sherry Tasting took place yesterday at the Cinnamon Club in London yesterday. I would say that it was one of the best food and wine/spirit/beer matchings I have ever attended.

William Grant is doing a job on Tullamore Dew, the Irish whiskey brand it bought a couple of years ago from C&C, owners of the Magners cider brand.

I think anyone who met Patrick Ricard will be saddened by the news that he has passed away. I can't speak about what he was like to work with but I met him several times and I liked him.  

There’s something quite transfixing – almost hypnotic – when it comes to looking at the latest brand figures for spirits around the world. You cannot stop. More particularly so as there seems to be so much cause for celebration in the 2011 round-up. There’s Johnnie Walker scotch whisky on an incredible 18 million cases; the Irish whiskey Jameson’s posting a 20%-plus increase and now nudging the 4 million case-mark, well I could go on, and on. But one result has really warmed the cockles of my heart – and that’s William Grant’s single malt scotch whisky Glenfiddich.

It’s been something of a month in gin terms. It kicked off with the International Spirits Challenge gin tasting. Chaired by Beefeater master distiller Desmond Payne this was indeed something of a ‘challenge’, with no fewer than 58 gins to slurp, taste and rate...

Saw Snow Patrol last night at the Bushmills distillery on the far north coast of Northern Ireland. There was a delightfully intimate atmosphere in the 'Cooperage' (no coopers present thankfully) with plenty of loyal fans mouthing the lyrics as the band went thru its paces.

One of South Africa’s best and certainly most controversial winemakers, André van Rensburg, was in London yesterday for the unveiling of his new wine, DNA.

It was a glitteirng evening at Jamaica House in the island's capital, Kingston. A balmy evening in a superb setting.  The Jamaican prime minister, Portia Simpson Miller, more than played her part in launching Appleton Estate Jamaican Independence Reserve, which coincides with the island's celebrations to mark ithe anniversary of 50 years of independence.

The Jamaican prime minister will launch Wray & Nephew's 'Jamaica Independence Reserve' at a special unveiling tonight at Jamaica House in the country's capital, Kingston tonight (June 7).

Credit to Pernod. The company has done a fine job this week in extolling the success of scotch whisky around the world and in telling important opinion formers that the company is best placed to capitalise on that thirst and in doing so earn lots of money for the company, its suppliers, customers, not forgetting its investors.

Irish Distillers launched Yellow Spot, ‘son of Green Spot’, last night in London. The great and the good of whisk(e)y’s fourth estate crammed into a bar in the sumptuous Connaught Hotel for the unveiling and tasting.

Hands up who was watching The Apprentice last night on BBC?  The teams had to promote awareness of English sparkling wine.

Former Drinks International editor Patience Gould is puzzled by scotch that’s marketed to women like perfume

Fred Noe is approaching 57 and he’s just had his first tattoo.

Drinks journalists tend to hunt in packs. We might prefer to do our interviews alone but for everything else, we enjoy the company of other drinks journalists. One journalist in particular was always a source of great entertainment. I’m talking of course about Alan Lodge.

It is not every day you get to try a whisky that is going to cost a punter £100,000, plus VAT.  Today I got to try the Diamond Jubliee by John Walker & Sons, which has been produced by Diageo for the 60th anniversary of the Queen ascending the throne.

Last night I went to Boisdale, that well known London haunt for whisky, cigar and red meat lovers, for the launch of The Balvenie Craftsman's Reserve No1, The Cooper...

I am being followed. Right now. By hundreds – well about a hundred – people. I haven’t gone mad, I’ve got a Twitter account...

Never let it be said that Drinks International doesn’t provide its subscribers and readers with a full service as regards the alcoholic drinks industry.

There are three of them are at the bar and they’re drunk. Not just a little tipsy but swaying, shouting, obnoxious and it’s only 2pm. I’m at London’s salubrious Connaught Bar, supposedly to report on Nikka Whisky’s Perfect Serve cocktail competition for Drinks International, but it’s fair to say the scene unfolding around me is not one to which I am accustomed...

We’re all interested in ‘what’s going to be next?’ Well I returned recently from New York where, courtesy of Pernod Ricard/Irish Distillers I witnessed the launch of Jameson Select Reserve Black Barrel. Apparently the brand kicked off in the US in Brooklyn so the new limited edition ‘dialled up’ Jameson was launched there and at the moment it is only available there...

Drinks International is delighted to announce that Patience Gould, its former editor and a well known figure in the drinks industry, is returning to write a regular column.

Just sorted out the December issue.  A 44-pager at the moment: features on Brazil, Japanese whisky, the 'world famous DI Dozen', Vodka in the US, South African wines, Best Bars and then the usual favourites.

We have just finalised the DI Dozen for 2011.  these are the products, companies, categories, sectors that have caught our eye...

I was in a Harrods window yesterday. How did I feel? Yes, you guessed it. A bit like a dummy. Martell Cognac has taken about three windows until October 22. One window has a immense cabinet filled with all sorts of Martell goodies...

I’ve got boobs. Thanks for noticing, drinks industry. I’ve got boobs therefore I need my own special drink. You’re right, drinks-makers, and thanks for the comforting pat on the head. Thank you for recognising that I am always on a diet; and lactose or wheat intolerant, depending on the weather; totally love all things pink – and yes, I am in fact from Venus...

Seventy-five thousand pounds, or US$122,433 or €85,613, for a bottle of wine is mind boggling. OK, it’s Château d’Yquem, but from 1811. It was the year Napoleon II was born. Little did he know his father would abdicate three years later, returning after 11 months to fight and lose the Battle of Waterloo. 

Consider terroir. I have. It’s a rather haughty unit of French vernacular (which is a haughty way of saying ‘word’) that describes the characteristics geography, soil and climate can bestow upon crops – usually vines. Of course, the word has reach and relevance beyond wine... 

Do you meet the Russian Standard? I recently met Russian Standard vodka founder Roustam Tariko’s college roommate. In fact, he works for the firm, too. Igor Galburt is the company’s global brand ambassador (though it also says on his business card executive VP corporate affairs – very American-sounding) and he came to give us a Russian Standard injection. Are you aware of the how the brand got its name, for example? I’ll tell you…

I made my own gin! While it was bubbling away in a tiny Florence Flask (bulb-bottomed glass flask), I was getting excited about a potential second career as a master distiller. I was imagining travelling the world, clinking glasses with bartenders as we enjoy my wonderful creation, then popping to warm Mediterranean countries to source botanicals…

Is it possible that consumers are looking to express their individuality through the medium of drink? Or is the desire for non-conformity, or ‘inconsistency’, born out of endless marketing messages about providence and craftsmanship?......

The word ‘summit’ conjures imagery of political brinkmanship, the thrashing out of peace accords or perhaps poverty-eradicating debt reduction. So when Drinks International was invited to The International Cognac Summit 2011, expectations were giddily grand, albeit in the more sober context of drinks. The Cognac Bureau (BNIC) far from disappointed......

I’m not very good at geography. When I finished the WSET Advanced course in Wines & Spirits I vowed I wasn’t going to do the Diploma. The G word is such a large part of the course and you have to remember where a particular region is, what grows there, what the climate’s like and what the soil type is.......

We’re stepping back in time to Britner’s Beers this month and it’s down the rocky road of beer and food matching we go. It seems just about every brewer – or brewery marketing dept – has had a bash at beer and food matching. Some attempts have been very successful and others have left diners with a nasty taste in their mouths......