Food, Wine and Travel Blog

Burgundy’s legendary blackcurrant liqueur Every gastronome, sybarite, and bon viveur owes Burgundy a monumental debt of gratitude. No other region has given so much in return for so little. No other French wine region takes the art of winemaking and gastronomy more seriously. From Dijon to Chagny, Burgundy is a food and drink paradise, not […]

Best Irish whiskey brands Twenty years ago, proselytizing about Irish whiskey was an endeavor fraught with problems. Any list of top Irish whiskeys would be depressingly easy to compile – until the turn of the Millennium, Ireland’s whiskey industry was severely lacking significant players and new investment. In particular, Irish single-malt whiskey was almost a […]

Difference between Scotch and Irish Whiskey Like a match between two prize-winning boxers, the subject of Irish versus Scotch whiskey arouses and inflames the passions. The quickest way to commit social suicide, would be to enquire in a Scottish bar – “Do you have any Irish spirits for a change? Much better quality, aren’t they.” […]

After a period of bartender and consumer indifference, vermouth is now achingly trendy again. “Me pones un vermut,” or “give me a glass of vermouth” is a phrase you’ll hear constantly in Spain. Indeed, there is nothing more in vogue than sipping vermouth in tapas bars across the Iberian peninsula, while the Italians have long […]

Is there a right way to drink whiskey? At first glance, “how to drink whiskey?” is a topic worthy of ridicule. Open the bottle, pour the liquid into glass and sip – surely that’s all that is required to appreciate this noble brown spirit? Yet while a guide to drinking whiskey might appear akin to […]

Irish whiskey can never be pigeonholed. The variety of styles, malts, blends, and price points ensures that there is an Irish whiskey for every occasion. It lends itself to being served neat, with ice, with a combination of mixers or, most excitingly of all, as the cornerstone of a great whiskey cocktail. For while bartenders […]

The respective merits of Cognac and Armagnac Ask any resident of Gascony which is better: Cognac or Armagnac? “Armagnac, of course,” they will chant. “It slips down just as smoothly as the more heavily produced and marketed Cognac to the north.” That may well be true, however, there are key differences between these two noble […]

Calvados Brandy a Norman Delight! It’s no secret – at least in Normandy – that Calvados is one of the world’s greatest spirits. An apple brandy indigenous to the French region of lower Normandy, Calvados brandy has for centuries been an essential part of the social and gastronomic life in this part of France. Indeed, […]

Grappa is a traditional Italian spirit made from the pressed seeds and skins of grapes (pomace) or “vinaccia” as it’s called in Italian after the must (grape juice) is used in winemaking. Grappa is made all over Italy, from Tuscany to Naples, to the Veneto region. The process is relatively simple: the leftover pomace is […]

Served either as a pre-dinner aperitif or as a post-meal digestive, Italian liquors have a hallowed place in the country’s culture and cuisine. Many liquors are based on age-old recipes that people once made in their homes, using the ingredients on hand. These days, plenty of large firms produce liquors for consumption domestically and abroad, […]

By Martina Hemm French liqueurs have made their mark on history and our palates. An excellent French liqueur is not just an aperitif but also a good conversation starter. From homemade to age-old distilleries, from politically to morally provocative, public opinion on French liqueurs has always been in motion, while their essence remains the same. […]

Limoncello is undoubtedly one of the gorgeous Amalfi Coast’s most celebrated exports. Savvy bartenders love it, locals grow up with it, yet many of us would struggle to explain exactly how or where it is made, despite its instantly recognizable powerful scent and depth of flavor. It is simply the world’s most delicious liqueur, its […]