The Best Whiskies in the World

Words by Colin Hampden-White

As time moves forward, World Whisky Day has greater meaning. Long gone are the days of whisk(e)y being dominated by Scotch and Irish drams. We have whiskies being made in the most unlikely of countries, and being made very well. Along with Scotch and Irish drams, Japanese whisky has held a respected position in the whisky world for over a decade. It is surprising it has taken so long for the whisky world to wake up to Japanese whiskies with it having been produced in Japan for nearly a century with the Yamazaki distillery being built in 1924.

Beyond Japan, there is great whisky being made in Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. With Lark distillery being build in 1992, and Sullivans Cove in 1994, Australian whisky began to be recognised for its quality with Sullivans Cove being awarded the world’s best single malt in 2014. To whisky lovers, these distilleries are well known, but there are also new lesser-known distilleries with fantastic whisky. Cardrona distillery in New Zealand launched their first Single Malt last year with Just Hatched and followed that up with another brilliant release Growing Wings.

Distilling in central Europe is also going from strength to strength. Well known distilleries such as Slyrs in Germany, Lagatun in Switzerland are continuing to keep their quality and consistency. Newer distilleries in central Europe are creating some incredible whisky, Broger and Pfanner in Austria being two favourites of mine. Moving a little further east to the Caspian Sea, I have even found good single malt whisky being made in Azerbaijan on a visit a few years ago. Closer to home for me, the distilleries in England and Wales are going great guns. Aber Falls is about to release their first whiskies this year, Copper Rivet released their first whisky, Masthouse and the Cotwolds distilleries created their sherry cask matured expression which was my favourite English whisky of the last year.

A country well known for its whiskey is the USA, although usually made with different grains and corn, but they are now making some fantastic single malt whiskey. St George in California make a complex and fruity single malt, whilst Balcones in Texas make a big bold powerful single malt which has great complexity with their cold winters and incredibly hot summers making maturation a rapid affair with plenty of interaction between wood and spirit.

With all these world whiskies it would be easy to think that Scotch and Irish are getting left behind, but this is far from the truth. There is a plethora of new distilleries which are now producing whisky. The Glasgow distillery, Ardnamurchan, Daftmill and Arbiki being a few of my favourites. And there are new whiskies on the way with distilleries being built now like Gordon & MacPhail in the Cairngorms and more planned for the future. The green light has also been given for Sukhinder Singh’s distillery on Islay.

From the world of old, three notable closed distilleries are coming back to greet us. Port Ellen is being rebuilt, as is Rosebank, and Brora is opening imminently. Over the last few years, a few existing brands that have been overlooked have had a revamp and are creating some very exciting whisky. My favourite is Fettercairn from Whyte and Mackay, with the 16 year old (made with chocolate malt) being particularly good. Glenturret, having been bought by Lalique has had a serious makeover and the new expressions are seriously good, with a 15 year old at 55% ABV really standing out. Lastly, I enjoyed the new expressions from Bladnoch. A distillery which we have seen little from over the years now has a very smart new bottle and quite a few new expressions. I very much liked the Vinaya which is excellent value and for the 2020 release of Talia, a 26 year old which they matured in American oak red wine casks for all 26 years, and the results were excellent.

With so much choice in the world of whisk(e)y it is hard to know where to start. Might I suggest wherever you might be in the world to start close by, there is bound to be a distillery not too far away, creating whisky, and on this day of all days, let’s celebrate together and keep the food miles down, and support the expansion of whisky throughout the world with a glass of something local.

If you want a more in depth look into Scotch whisky make sure you check out The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky and if you’re thinking of investing in your favourite bottles then have a read of Colin’s Whisky Investment Index.

Meet Glenmorangie’s New, Super Rare Expression

Dr Bill Lumsden has done it again. Known to some as Head of Distilling & Whisky Creation at The Glenmorangie Company and to others as the ‘Willy Wonka of Whisky, Bill has created another fabulous, limited edition whisky finished in Chardonnay casks hailing from renowned wine producer Sonoma-Cutrer in Sonoma Valley, California. 

As a self-confessed wine geek, Dr Bill has always adored Californian Chardonnay and it was during a visit out there fifteen years ago that he managed to persuade Sonoma-Cutrer to sell him a few casks for experimentation. They agreed and Bill filled the casks with fifteen year old whisky - some that was distilled in his first days at the distillery back in February 1995. The casks were then put away to mature and allow the flavours to mingle together beautifully over time. 

Glenmorangie Sonoma-Cutrer Reserve 25 Year Old Single Malt

After numerous tastings since then, Dr Bill has decided the whisky is ready - and ready it most certainly tastes. Bottled at 55.7% ABV, it is deep ochre in colour and with the same characteristic floral aromas and bready notes Glenmorangie is famous for, there is a wide range of citrus fun from grapefruit and fresh orange peel and to marmalade and lemon balm. “Like a honey and lemon hot toddy” is how Dr Bill describes it, as well as marshmallow, smoked pear, earthy biscuits and spicy ginger with a peppery kick on the tongue. All in all, it's super smooth and mellow, with a beautiful, buttery, sunshine finish reminiscent of the fruity, golden Chardonnay the casks once held. 

This Sonoma-Cutrer Reserve whisky was created as part of an experiment, where only 1000 bottles exist, each one hand-signed by Dr Bill Lumsden himself. They have described it as Glenmorangie’s ‘most rare and unique creations’. I was very lucky to taste it. 

The Glenmorangie Sonoma-Cutrer Reserve 25 Year Old Single Malt was created for release exclusively through the Moët Hennessy Private Client team. RRP £1,750 (US$2,442) per 700ml bottle.

Which Whiskies to Invest in - April Whisky Investment Index

By Colin Hampden-White

This month has seen quite a bit of change in the leaders in Scotch whisky and we have added a tenth position as the volume for Macallan has risen recently. Dalmore is still riding high with great values as well as volumes being achieved. Bowmore has had a good month and overtakes Springbank. In the mid field everything is still very tight with only small percentages separating the brands. Notably Macallan has joined the list and not in last place, having had good volumes at auction with older bottles gaining in value.

As always, if I were buying at auction, I would be looking for rare, limited editions and single cask bottlings from good independent bottlers or official bottlings. I would also take a look at some of the brands that have done well historically but might not be on the top list at the moment, like Ardbeg and Mortlach. These might be a good bet for the future.

This page is always a pointer, and in no way should be taken as a proven way to invest in whisky. Like all investments, they can go down as well as up. Please do your own research as well, and if this informs that research, I’m glad we are helping.

When I started collecting, I bought nearly every release from the English Whisky Company, which were around £50 to £200 a bottle. They released quite a few bottles in their first few years. Apparently, the market thought too many, and I would have lost 50% of what I spent had I sold them. Luckily, they tasted great! On the converse side, I bought a bottle of Hanyu Joker from the card series for £215 which is now sold at auction for around £3,000. I have many examples of bad and good investments. The trick, like any investment portfolio, is to be diverse. Have a broad portfolio and hopefully the winners will outweigh the losers.

Dalmore 8%
Bowmore 3%
Rosebank 1.5%
Clynelish 0.5%
Yamazaki 1%
Springbank 1.5%
Karuizawa 2%
Glendronach 1.5%
Macallan 1%
Bunnahabain (base)

Above all, when I invest in whisky, I buy whisky I love. For example, if you don’t like peaty whisky, don’t buy Islay. At the end of the day, if it goes wrong, you can always drink it!

Bottles to Watch

Balvenie Tun 1509 Batch 6

Batch 7 has been released, so Batch 6 will become rarer and rarer and begin to go up in value in both the USA and UK.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 50.4%
Find here: UK £300 // US $599.99

Scapa 16

A discontinued whisky with very few bottles remaining.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £225

Invergordon 50 year old

At 50 years old this is very special and is only cheap because it is grain whisky. I reckon grain whisky is going to become more and more expensive and there were only 328 bottles of this one produced.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 47.5%
Find here: £349.95

Clynelish 23

With only 187 bottles produced from this well respected and well followed distillery. This should be a good bet.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 47.3%

To compare this list to last month’s click here and if you want to find out more about Scotch whisky then don’t forget to watch The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky on Amazon Prime now!

The Power Behind the Crown: The Distilleries Behind Chivas Regal.

Words by Colin Hampden-White

Covid 19 has created some real problems for the world of wines and spirits. With hospitality having been shut down, and with fewer people shopping on the high street, businesses are under a lot of pressure. With the travel ban in the UK only allowing us to travel if we have to, many tourist sites are closed.

The distilleries keep on distilling; however, the distillery shops and visitor centres have been closed. There are some advantages for the whisky lover that this is the case. Distilleries often sell whisky in their distillery shops which cannot be bought anywhere else. This is a sort of reward for those venturing to visit the distillery. These bottles can be very special, ranging from bottles you can fill yourself (hand-fill bottles as they are known) as at Aberfeldy or Glenfiddich, to limited editions such as those created by Lagavulin and Oban. There are also occasionally single cask, cask strength bottles created, and it is a set of those I am particularly excited about.

Every now and again there are single cask, cask strength bottles created by Chivas to show off their single malt distilleries and these are sold in their shop at the Strathilsa distillery. Recently eight bottles have been created and, as we can’t visit the distillery shop to buy them, Chivas have opened their shop to everyone and are selling these unique expressions online.

There are four very different expressions from the Strathisla distillery itself, and four rare expressions from Strathclyde, Braeval, Glenkeith and Longmorn.

Strathisla 13 Year Old 1st Fill Barrel

This is a perfect place to start. Strathisla is at the heart of the Chivas blend, and this cask gives sweet aromas and flavours of honey and vanilla. There are also sweet meadow floral notes and a core of fresh orchard fruits like apple and pear. For a whisky at a high ABV, it is smooth and satisfying and opens up a little with a drop of water. Being non-chill filtered and un-coloured, at £65 this single cask bottle is great value and if you are venturing out into the world of single cask bottles, a great place to start.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 57.1%
Find here: £65

Strathisla 13 Year Old 1st Fill Butt

We then come to another 13 year old Strathisla. This has been matured in a first fill sherry butt which shows perfectly the different flavour a sherry cask gives to spirit in comparison to the ex-bourbon cask and it is only a little higher in ABV at 59%. One can see from the colour alone that this is a very different whisky from the first. This whisky gives up aromas and flavours that are rich and robust with lots of dried fruits like raisins and figs with spices of cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of cardamom giving balance and interest. The spices continue well into the finish which is very long and dry. At £75 this is a great introduction to sherry cask maturation and when tried with the previous whisky, it is a great education into the differences between ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 59%
Find here: £75 

Strathisla 16 Year Old 1st Fill Barrel

With the third offering, we have a little more age added to maturation in a first fill ex-bourbon barrel at 53.5%. This whisky shows the advantages of age, and has even more vanilla smoothness that the 13 year old. There is extra fruitiness too, with not only orchard fruits but tropical fruits coming into the mix. The honey flavours are a little more complex and the vanilla flavours develop into a creamy vanilla toffee fudge which persists right through to the finish. With extra age there are a few more pounds, but still great value at £85.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 53.5%
Find here: £85

Strathisla 16 Year Old 2nd Fill Butt 

The last of the Strathisla whiskies is another 16 year old expression at 62.6%. Using sherry butts which have been used once before, this high strength dram has lots of power but also has great complexity from the sherry cask. The balance created by using a second fill cask is clearly evident and the wood notes don’t overpower the spirit. There are lots of toasted oak flavours and nuts like hazelnut and oily walnuts. The spices are root spices like ginger and there is a touch of pepper in the background too. These strong flavours are all in harmony and although the ABV is very high, the whisky has a gentle laid-back character. With sherry butts costing nearly ten times the price of an ex-bourbon barrel, this is a steal at £90.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 62.6%
Find here: £90

Strathclyde 12 Year Old 1st Fill Barrel

Blends are of course made up from both malt whisky and grain whisky, and it is a grain whisky Chivas have released in their fifth bottle of the collection. It is from the Strathclyde distillery. It is a 12 year old matured in a first fill ex-bourbon barrel and bottled at 62.2%. This whisky has a delicate body and is very smooth for a youngish grain whisky. For such a high ABV this is quite soft and has a creamy mouthfeel. There are floral and citrus aromas and flavours and touches of clear runny honey which persist all the way to the finish. This whisky gives an idea of the character needed to be the backbone of a great blended whisky. It is delicate enough not to overpower the malts and bold enough to allow the malt whisky flavours to shine. This whisky is only £45 and is a great way to experience grain whisky by itself.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 62.2%
Find here: £45

Braeval 17 Year Old 1st Fill Barrel 

We now move onto more unusual whiskies little seen as single malt. To make up a good blend many single malts are used to give great complexity and harmony. This single malt is Braeval (also known as Braes of Glenlivet). It is a seventeen year old whisky matured in a first fill ex-bourbon barrel and bottled at 56.4%. This whisky has the typical Speyside flavours of apples and pears which are joined by toffee and tropical fruits. These flavours are sweet and the dram has a very moreish quality. A great way to explore the single malts of Speyside further and taste a whisky with a slightly different character. With this whisky rarely seen as a single malt, like the whiskies before it represents good value for a rarity at £95.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 56.4%
Find here: £95

Longmourn 20 Year Old 2nd Fill Butt 

The penultimate whisky is one of my favourite distilleries in Speyside. It is a 20 year old Longmorn matured in a second fill sherry cask and bottled at 55.2%. With such a long time in cask, this whisky is complex and luxurious. The spices are subdued with sweeter flavours persisting. Almonds and toffee mix with sweet pear juice and dark chocolate, and there is a little manuka honey in the background. There is also a touch of ginger in the finish which becomes drier and spicier after a while. This is not a cheap whisky, but then it shouldn’t be, at 20 years old it is £175 and worth every penny.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 55.2%
Find here: £175

Glen Keith 22 Year Old First Fill Barrel

Lastly, we come to a distillery that had a change in its history. Glen Keith closed down in 1999 very soon after this whisky was distilled and was not re-opened until 2013 after a huge refurbishment programme. That makes this 22 year old whisky rather rare, and as the old distillery processes no longer exist we will not see the likes of it again. It was matured in a first fill ex-bourbon barrel and bottled at 49.5%. It is a sweet whisky with a zesty side to it. Honey and vanilla creams mix well with fresh orchard fruits and a little tinned peach and dried apricots. It is very smooth and satisfying and one of the best examples of Glen Keith at around this age I have tasted. It is £165 which I think is very good for a single cask, cask strength rare whisky at 22 years old and bottled by the proprietor.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 49.5%
Find here: £165

Although all these whiskies are great to try by themselves, as a collective they show the breadth of flavours that make up the Chivas blend, and the costs have been kept down by creating 50cl bottles rather than 70cl. And if you can’t buy all eight of them, I’d certainly get one ex-bourbon and one ex-sherry to try side by side, especially if you want to understand the role of a blender in Scotch whisky.

For more whisky goodness check out 5 Epic Chocolate and Whisky Pairings or Around the World in Six Whiskies.

Crabbie's Colada

On the Bring a Bottle Podcast this week (episode 40), Aidy mixed up a storm with his Crabbie’s Colada: a twist on a Pina Colada using Crabbie’s Yardhead whisky. Here’s how you can make one yourself for a tropical fiesta in a glass.

Ingredients

40ml Crabbie’s Yardhead
20ml Dead Man’s Fingers Coconut Rum
50ml Coconut Water
50ml Pineapple Juice
25ml Fresh Lime Juice
25ml Agave Syrup
Glassware: Poco Grande Glass

Method
Combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice and give it a good go for a minute or so. Strain and pour over more ice into a Poco Grande Glass or similar large, copa style glass and garnish with as much pizazz as you would like. Umbrellas are a must.

Like this? Try Aidy’s Marmalade Sour recipe, the Fettercairn 1824 Martini or the White Russian

Which Whiskies to Invest in - March Whisky Investment Index

By Colin Hampden-White 

Which whiskies should I invest in?

Once you have decided you would like to invest in whisky, the biggest question is going to be which distillery’s whiskies to invest in. Like the stock market, distilleries’ value and popularity go up and down, and this on-going set of articles aims to make the decision a little easier.

I am not a financial advisor, and I strongly suggest you also do your own research. That research may differ from mine and have a different result. There are also other rankings available and they will use a different formula from mine in determining a ranking.

I sort our ranking by looking at a few of the most popular whisky auction sites in the UK. Most whisky which is invested in is bought at auction and the results of auctions can tell us a great deal about the popularity and desirability of certain whiskies and brands. I look at the volume of whisky being sold from any particular distillery and also the average value from that distillery. Taking both these sets of data into account I then create a ranking which I will update once a month, as whisky auctions are generally held monthly.

For example, the most traded may be Macallan and at the highest prices. However, if the price increase is marginal over time, giving not much rise in price, then it will be lower down the ranking. I am looking for whiskies which are rising in price. It may be that a rarely traded distillery, which has had recent high increases in value, could be at the top of the rankings.

How can I invest in whisky?

In my experience whisky is a great investment and, like any investment portfolio, it should be varied. Rather than investing in one expensive bottle, I would suggest buying a few less expensive bottles from different distilleries and at different ages. This can make the process less daunting and a lot more fun. Some people collect certain vintages, or distilleries or regions, By doing this a portfolio can have a definite direction and hold more meaning.

I am including Japanese whisky in the rankings as the investment value in the right Japanese whiskies has become evident. I am not including bourbon, but lookout for a forthcoming article on bourbon about which are regularly the best to invest in. Bourbon has its own following, especially in America and some bottles rise in price quickly after release.

I think it is not useful to include expressions that are regular bottlings but are being auctioned as part of a collection, house clearance, and generally don’t fetch their retail price as they are very widely available. I understand this is subjective, but with my experience, I decided to cut off at around the £100 mark on most distilleries.

The rates below relate to how much of a percentage higher a distillery has been trading above the next. In the future, as we now have this index base mark, I will track the increase of each distillery over time as well as increase over each other.

Distillery Index

The Dalmore 9%
Rosebank Official Bottlings 4%
Bowmore 1%
Yamazaki 0.5%
Clynelish 5%
Springbank 1%
Karuizawa 1.5%
Bunnahabhain 1.5%
Glendronach (base)

To reiterate I am not a financial advisor, and please do your own research. I cannot be responsible for gains or losses. This is simply a guide that hopefully helps people in their whisky investment journey.

I would advise getting other expert advice and, if you are looking to invest in excess of £2,000, then looking at cask investment may be a good way to invest in whisky, and we suggest Cask Trade Ltd. Cask Trade helped us with sourcing for our 17 year old blended malt, and we know them to be a very professional outfit.

And always remember. At the end of the day, you can always drink it!

Bottles to Watch:

Bowmore Mizunara Cask Finish

Mostly sold out around the world.

Size: 70cl
ABV: 53.9%
Find here: UK £2250

Bowmore 25 year old 1969

Already historic and produced in tiny numbers.

Size: 70cl
ABV: 43%
Find here: UK £2750

Springbank 21

As an annual release, these become historic and collectable.

Size: 70cl
ABV: 46%
Find here: UK £439.99 // US $499.99

Springbank 21 That Boutique-ey Whisky Company

Small batch and from a collectable brand

Size: 50cl
ABV: 47.5%
Find here: UK £339.95

Dalmore 40 year old 2018

Top of the tree, and a vintage 2018

Size: 70cl
ABV: 42%
Find here: £6,736.50

Dalmore 40 year old 2017

From top of the tree Damore as above, but from the sold out 2017 vintage.

Size: 70cl
ABV: 42%
Find here: UK £6750

8 Year old Clynelish from Simply Whisky

If you’d like to invest at a lower level, then good independent bottlings are a good choice.

Size: 70cl
ABV: 51.6%
Find here: UK £58.95

If you want to find out more about Scotch whisky then don’t forget to watch The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky on Amazon Prime now!

Best Scotch Whisky Distillery Tours

We don’t need to tell you we’re big fans of Scotch whisky; chances are you already know thanks to our Amazon Prime series. And while a dram at home always hits the spot, Scotch can taste even more magical when sipped at the source. Whether your thing is Highlands or Lowlands, Islands or Islay – pack those bags for our virtual round-up of Scotland’s best distillery tours. Cheers!

Talisker, Islands

Perched on the shores of jaw-drop-beautiful Skye – full of rolling green hills, misty peaks and fluffy herds of roaming sheep – Talisker’s setting alone is worth the epic journey from the nearest city (Inverness: two and a half hours away). Its sweet, full-bodied malts can be tasted on a Cask Tasting tour, where drams are hand-drawn atmospherically from warehouse casks. Mitigate the long (albeit beautiful) drive with an overnight on this pretty isle; a drive along undulating roads to the north, The Three Chimneys is one of Scotland’s finest restaurants with rooms.

Find more info here

Glenfiddich, Dufftown

If you join just one distillery tour, it might have to be this one. Pedigree aside – world-renowned, family owned Glenfiddich has been distilling in Dufftown since 1887 – this 35-hectare site is one of the most impressive in whiskydom. Rich in detail on the whisky-making process, Glenfiddich’s tours hop between Instagrammable stone-fronted buildings, bottling lines, giant stillhouses and a seriously atmospheric traditional aging warehouse. Guides are lively, answer all your questions, and (obviously) take you through a generous tasting flight of golden Speyside liquor at the end.

Find more info here

Ardbeg, Islay

Seriously smoky, sweet and citric, Ardberg isn’t for the faint-hearted. But fans keen to make the peaty pilgrimage to Islay – a ferry ride or flight from mainland Scotland – can down their fill on a series of daily tours. The 2021 schedule is still being confirmed, but historically a tasting of the core range kicks off at an ambitious 10:30am, then at lunchtime is followed the Committee Bottle Tasting - a set of pours picked by a guide - before peaking in the Old, Mature and Unusual tasting in the afternoon. Book into the distillery’s onsite Seaview Cottage and you can wake up and do the whole thing all over again tomorrow. 

Find more info here

The Dalmore, Alness

One of Scotland’s more accessible distilleries, The Dalmore is stumbling distance from Alness rail station, a hop north of Inverness – so it’s great if you don’t drive (or if, for obvious reasons, you don’t want to). It’s a pretty one too: aged stone buildings, blue shore waters of Cromarty Firth, green fields. Tours are intimate – with a maximum of just about a dozen guests, and often fewer – so there’s plenty of opportunity to ask questions and learn all you’d like about this popular single malt. Videos walk you through proper ‘nosing’ and tasting technique, too, great for whisky beginners.

Find more info here

Glenkinchie, Pencaitland

This Victorian distillery needs to be on your hit-list for two reasons: it’s only a half-hour drive outside of Edinburgh, making it perfect for city-breakers or car-free travellers, and it’s the Lowlands home of Johnny Walker. And in case you need a third – it’s just had a major revamp, with its red-bricked buildings now housing a top-quality multi-levelled visitor experience. A lovely orchard and garden, speckled with blooms in summer, is a great spot to chill and wait out sobriety after a few Highballs in the bar.  

Find more info here

Glenlivet, Speyside

If we could move into a distillery, it might be this one: set above Speyside hills in a remote glen, with floor-to-ceiling windows along the still room that let sunshine spill in, it’s one of the best-looking distilleries out there. And, if you’re serious about your whisky, it’s one of the finest for deep-dive tastings, too. While many distilleries offer just one tour, Glenlivet has a roster that includes sessions aimed at knowledgeable enthusiasts as well as beginners. They’ll be announcing new experiences very soon, so keep eyes on their website for details.

Find more info here

Glenmorangie, Tain

You’ll get a warm Highland welcome at this famed distillery, home to Scotland’s tallest stills – the copper necks are as long as a fully grown giraffe – and some of its most elegant malts. Set on the banks of Dornoch Firth, Glenmorangie runs a series of expert-led tours that illuminate the whisky-making process from grain to glass. Sign up to The Innovator and you’ll get the chance to taste some of the distillery’s most prized expressions.

Find more info here

Fancy a sneaky peek of some of Scotland’s distilleries while you wait for things to open up again? Then, make sure you check out The Three Drinkers do Scotch Whisky on Amazon Prime!

5 Women in Drinks to Toast!

Words by Helena Nicklin

The world of wine and spirits has traditionally been male-dominated through the years, from winemakers and distillers to salespeople and communicators of all kinds. Happily, we’re seeing more women take the lead creating safe, communicative spaces for others and with the rise of digital media, we are seeing a wave of younger women enter the communications space too. This is all having a knock on effect on our opening up drinks to new consumers and is to be celebrated. Here are some ladies in wine and spirits that we would like to applaud. 

Barbe-Nicole Ponsardin: The Original Wine Woman 

Barbe Nicole Ponsardin, known better to most people as the widow, ‘veuve’ Clicquot, smashed the glass ceiling two hundred years ago at the tender age of 27 after her husband died, refusing to sell the family wine business and building it into a world famous Champagne brand. This tenacious, single mother insisted on getting more training in wine making and made several bold choices, inventing techniques along the way that are still used today: riddling, to clarify the wine and stop it being cloudy like everyone else’s and blending. She created the first ever rosé Champagne. It’s thanks in large part to Barbe-Nicole and her technique for making clear, elegant wines that Champagne gained such a strong reputation around the world. 

Try: Veuve Clicquot, La Grande Dame Rosé 2008

92% Pinot Noir, 8% Chardonnay, Veuve Clicquot’s Grande Dame, vintage Champagne was named in homage to Barbe-Nicole herself. Think smoky, ripe, red fruit with aromatics of rose petal and blackcurrant. A powerful yet elegant wine. 

Find here: UK £254 // US $385.58

Nichole Johnson - Rusty Rabbits Drinks Distribution & Champagne Producer

The formidable Nichole Johnson is not only the youngest, but the only African-American, female-owned liquor importer, exporter and distributor in the world. Her business, Rusty Rabbit International, was formed to create and curate premium drinks brands and to promote them globally. It’s a dynamic, adaptable and forward thinking drinks company, founded, as she says, ‘by rebels willing to shake up the norm and take the world by storm.’ Despite the challenges of 2020, Nichole managed to bring eight new brands on board to her business and the international drinks market. Her clients include some of the most exciting, new global drinks products but she herself is a force to be reckoned with in her field, having also just launched her very own Champagne called Lapin Rouillé, after ‘rusty rabbit’. Definitely a woman to watch. 

Try: Lapin Rouillé Champagne

Made unusually from 100% Pinot Meunier, Lapin Rouillé is richly fruited, ripe and aromatic with notes of red berries; a vibrant, easy-drinking Champagne with a cool, mineral core helping to maintain its freshness. With its bright red bottle and rabbit logo, it really stands out on the shelf! Limited to just over 3,000 bottles, you can find Lapin Rouillé on the RRI website, at Harvey Nichols and London retailer Gerry’s.

Find here: UK £42.99

Ellie Webb - Founder of Caleño, Alcohol-Free Spirit

Frustrated by the lack of decent alcohol-free drinks on the market and with a desire to step away from corporate life and create something entirely of her own, Ellie Webb founded a company to produce something special and delicious that was inspired by the colourful culture of her Colombian homeland. Caleño was born; a zesty, tropical and aromatic ‘free spirit’ as she calls it, which did so well that at just three months in, it was launched into 500 Sainbury’s stores. Such was the success of her white ‘free spirit’, Ellie recently developed a sister for it, based on a spin on dark spirit. Caleño now has two official forms: Light & Zesty and Dark & Spicy and they come in various sizes and gift box options. 

Try: Caleño duo bundle (2 x 50cl)

Both the Caleño drinks are deliciously different. The Light & Zesty is based on Juniper with citrus notes and an exotic splash of Inca berry. The Dark & Spicy is warming and, naturally, spicy with moreish notes of kola nut, ginger, vanilla and cardamom.

Find here: UK £32

Robin Christenson, Blinking Owl Distillery

In 2016, entrepreneur Robin Christenson launched the first craft distillery in Orange County since prohibition together with her husband Brian. With Level 3 WSET (Wine and Spirit Education Trust) certification to her name, Robin wanted to approach their spirit production at Blinking Owl with the same attention to terroir as wine and committed herself to working as part of California’s sustainable farming community. She has since been lauded for her distillery's ‘grain-to-glass’ influence. We can expect to see Blinking Owl seriously going places in 2021, especially as it is also part of Rusty Rabbit International’s stable.

Try: Blinking Owl Four Grain Bourbon.

Made with organic California corn, wheat, rye and malted barley, the whiskey is distilled and left to age for two years in New, American charred, white oak casks. It’s sweet and spicy with powerful notes of aromatic vanilla, citrus peel and toast. 

Find here: UK £42.99

Jill Russell - Winemaker at Cambria Estate Winery

Having grown up in Castro Valley, California, Jill worked at a winery while at high school before going on to study wine and viticulture in San Luis Obispo high school. Since then, she’s travelled globally, soaking up as much experience as she can and now with ten years of winemaking under her belt, she has brought her skills and energy to Cambria in Santa Barbara, where her very first vintage of the famed, Cambria Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay was selected as one of Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines of 2019. A new jewel in the renowned Jackson Family Wines crown, Jill is a winemaker to watch, especially where it concerns maintaining the fine traditions of world class, cool-climate wine making.

Try: Cambria Katherine's Vineyard Chardonnay 2018

An elegant blend of ripe peach and crisp, citrus fruit, with a refreshing, cool salinity, this is a sunshine Chardonnay that is anything but blousy. Subtle oak pops through on the palate in the form of cooking spices and a touch of smoke, creating a flavoursome wine in perfect balance. 

Find here: UK £19.99 // US $19.99

Taste This! 

Want to taste whisky, support women and raise some money for charity? 

We wanted to mention this fantastic Women in Whisky box, which is accompanied by a live tasting panel on 10th March. It features miniature whiskies made by six women and is a special charity edition in aid of both a local Bristol women’s charity and the Drinks Trust, timed to coincide with International Women’s Day 2021. The boxes are being sold on a not-for-profit basis by The Dram Team, with proceeds all going to the charities. In the box: Tamnavulin, Double Cask, J.J. Corry, The Hanson, Nc'nean, Organic Single Malt, Compass Box, Hedonism, Penderyn, Celt and Cardrona, Just Hatched.

Find here: £32.99

To find out more about the original wine women herself, click here!