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1 month ago | 
cluboenologique.com | David Kermode |Anne Jones
Everything about Essencia seems otherworldly. So concentrated and rare, it’s like an unguent not meant to be drunk but administered in pagan rites. You might imagine Cleopatra’s mermaid attendants smoothing it on her eyelids as she drifted down the Nile. It’s certainly one of the most expensive wines in the world (in Harrods, a 37.5cl bottle – the only size made – is £995 for the 2016, while the 2003 is more than £1,600).
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2 months ago | 
cluboenologique.com | David Kermode |Anne Jones
Boekenhoutskloof The Journeyman is a rare beast. There are only seven vintages in existence and production is only ever across a few barrels per vintage, ranging from three to a maximum of five (as in 2005 and 2015). This is immediately tantalising for collectors, but a wine needs more than scarcity to be truly compelling and this is where The Journeyman really delivers.
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Dec 11, 2024 | 
cluboenologique.com | Anne Jones
Cognac is a byword for luxury and indulgence. It has a rich history and a general air of sophistication – with a whiff of decadence for good measure. Other grape-based-spirit lovers may disagree but the French spirit confidently wears the crown, with the best Cognac expressions exchanging hands for many thousands of pounds.
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Dec 11, 2024 | 
cluboenologique.com | Anne Jones
Think of spiced rum and a certain popular seafaring figure might spring to mind. But broaden your horizons like a buccaneer to discover a whole world of sophisticated spirits in the canon. Spiced rum is essentially a flavoured rum. It’s distilled in the exact same way as any other molasses-based rum, but following that process and at some point during ageing, spices, aromatics and fruits can be added to impart additional flavours.
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Dec 6, 2024 | 
cluboenologique.com | Anne Jones |Essi Avellan MW
I find that appreciation for rosé Champagne still lags behind that of white Champagne. Yes, I can understand curling one’s lip at some of the more simple non-vintage rosés, where the lure is solely in the pink colour and straight-forward berry flavours. But enter the world of prestige cuvée Champagnes – we’re talking the blue bloods of the Champagne world – and these wines come with an added vinosity from skin contact or a red wine component.
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Dec 4, 2024 | 
cluboenologique.com | Anne Jones |Natasha Hughes MW
The first time I visited the Yarra Valley, which lies just north of Melbourne, I was taken for a flight over its vineyards in a biplane. Flying low over the Valley’s ridges and folds lent real depth to my understanding of how terroir contributes to the character and diversity of Yarra’s wines. All the variations in altitude and exposure I saw allow the region to produce everything from crisp sparkling wines through to boldly flavoured Syrahs and Cabernet Sauvignons.
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Dec 3, 2024 | 
cluboenologique.com | Anne Jones |Essi Avellan MW
The festive season is the perfect occasion to treat yourself and your loved ones to unforgettable Champagne moments. But with so much variety on the market, where should you begin? Fresh and vibrant non-vintage Champagnes make for perfect all-rounders for any social gathering or Christmas party, and I came across plenty of great examples when tasting for The Grande Marque Champagne Report 2024. Aged to toasty delightfulness, Taittinger’s Prélude Grands Crus NV is bound to please all palates.
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Nov 28, 2024 | 
cluboenologique.com | Anne Jones |Richard Woodard
Take the A82 Great Western Road out of Glasgow in the direction of Loch Lomond, and you’ll soon pass the small village of Bowling, home to a riverside wharf, a ScotRail station and the western terminus of the Forth & Clyde Canal. Drive through the village and you could easily miss a rather drab housing development sandwiched between the Dumbarton Road and the railway line. This is Littlemill Place, once the location of one of the most ill-starred distilleries in the long history of Scotch whisky.
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Nov 27, 2024 | 
cluboenologique.com | Anne Jones |David Kermode
Looking for complexity in the glass? Rhum agricole is a great place to start. The style of rum originates from the French West Indies and not only differs in spelling but also stands out thanks to its production method. While rum is most often made using molasses (the byproduct of sugar refinement), rhum agricole comes from the distillation of pressed and fermented sugar cane juice.
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Nov 23, 2024 | 
cluboenologique.com | Anne Jones |David Kermode
The sweet, rich notes you’ll find in the best bourbons, from toffee to cinnamon and vanilla, are the ideal introduction to the world of whiskey. You can also expect to find these signature flavours in the prominent style of the spirit produced in the US. Bourbon originated from farmers on the east coast, when they realised they could turn their excess grains into something special; and when tax increases forced them further south into Tennessee and Kentucky, an industry was born.
