The World’s Best Sipping Tequilas

Words by Aidy Smith

There’s no debate that one of my favourite spirits on this planet is tequila. While some may have ruined it for themselves by being reckless shot-slamming teenagers, it’s become a liquid that I have come to love and appreciate like no other. But what is the trick to crafting such an incredibly good tequila? Purity. There should be no burn, there should be no overpowering ethanol, instead, you should feel like you are tasting the agave nectar itself which each and every sip. 

These beauties are not meant to sit beside a lime and salt, they are meant to be cherished and enjoyed for exactly what they are and by themselves. For that reason, Ladies and Gentlemen, today I give you the World’s Best Sipping Tequilas!

Casa Dragones Blanco

These guys create another one of the ultimate sipping tequilas and arguably one of the ‘purest’ looking bottles I’ve seen too. I love to use these as water bottles once I’ve finished the nectar inside. Small batch, 100% blue agave which has been around for 7-9 years ripened to perfection in the rich lands of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. The water is pretty neat too, beneath the earth’s surface in hundreds of 70-meter natural aquifers straight from the Volcano of Tequila! Perhaps that what gives it such a pure and distinct taste…

ABV: 40%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £88.95 // US $64.99

Patron Burdeos

Created in super limited quantities each year, Burdeos sits atop the perch of Patróns collection of tequilas. Those who read my pieces often will now that reposado is one of my favourite tequilas for making cocktails, but Burdeos is a very different beauty for very different reasons and it all starts with its name. The translation actually means ‘Bordeaux’, given how this tequila is aged for one year in American and French oaks before then being transported to ex-Bordeaux casks given it that robust nose and velvety smooth texture. Once again only 100% Weber Blue agave is used from the heart of Jalisco’s highlands. The result is a divinely rich dark amber tequila with notes of fresh roasted coffee and chocolate. What about the taste? Pure with hints of raisins and vanilla intertwined by a velvety smooth mouthfeel. This one is difficult to share. 

 Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £499.99 // US $499.99

Clase Azul Reposado

Quite possibly one of the most beautiful bottles on the planet which also happens to contain one of the most magnificent tequilas too. You may have heard about this tequila because of it’s fun little bell which goes ‘Ding Ding’, but there’s a lot more to its design than just that. Each bottle is unique and 100% handcrafted by over 100 artists and artisans who dedicate their time to create just one bottle at a time. Produced at one of the highest points in Los Altos (the highlands) in the town have Jesus Maria (Jalisco), legend has it the altitude has a unique effect on the flavour profile of the tequila. Whether that’s true or not, I’m completely in love with what’s in the bottle.

Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £199.99 // US $169.99

Padré Azul

I think I need to sit down for a second. Woah, this is one of the purest tequilas I’ve ever tasted, and it still blows my mind as to how they are able to make it this way. It’s literally like drinking fresh from the agave plant. Undeniably smooth with so much rich plant-nectar flavour, it’s difficult to just keep to one sipping glass of this stuff. On the outside, it can look a little bit gimmicky with its cow-hide bottle cover and skull closure, but don’t let that put you off. The liquid inside is something of true magic and for that reason this tequila is one of the best I’ve ever tasted. Originally intended to be a product imported into Austria, word has since spread and Padré Azul is finding itself into more and more markets within Europe. Still fairly undiscovered and underrated I’d say. 

Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £90.95 // US $109.99

 Casamigos Anejo

If it’s got George Clooney’s face on it, let’s not beat around the agave bush, you want that in your mouth. No but seriously, this is an outstanding tequila. It may be widely available but their master distiller (who’s never actually been named) is working wonders. I have as much confidence in this as I do in Clooney’s acting career. Strong game. They use 100% Blue Weber agave with an age of 7-9 years, slow cooking the piñas for 72 hours in their traditional brick ovens. The 80-hour fermentation process coupled alongside a signature yeast blend give this tequila its refined flavour. The Anejo then sits in American white oak casks for 14 months to elevate its game even further. Pure agave, soft caramel, gentle vanilla and a sweet spiced oak fill your mouth with joy. If only it came with a side of George…

Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: UK £67.45 // US $59.99

Enjoyed this? Then make sure you check out The 6 Tequilas you Need in Your Life Right Now and The Best Tequila for Margaritas!

Best Flavoured Gins For Your Money

Words by Colin Hampden-White

There is a lot of gin on offer at the moment and many of them are flavoured. Like many drinks, however, some feel better in our glass at certain times of the year. We consider Pimm’s to be a summer drink for example, along with rosé wine and elderflower on the non-alcoholic side. In the same way with gin, most people would leave a spiced gin for Christmas time but are more likely to enjoy a flavoured gin in the summer. So without further ado, here are some of our favourite flavoured gins to enjoy this summer.

Gordon's Sicilian Lemon Distilled Gin

Gordons make a classic gin and this gin has all the DNA of its better known brother, but with a twist of lemon. The lemon flavours are lovely and fresh - perfect for a warm summer day. With Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic, this gin is a delight. Rather than a slice of Lemon try using some rosemary as a garnish to give some extra spring in its step, or a sugar rim to add some sweetness.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 37.5%
Find it here: £14 

Beefeater Pink Strawberry Flavoured Gin

Strawberries are one of the first fruits of summer and make us immediately think of warmer weather, Wimbledon and cream tea by the seaside. This gin encapsulates all that in a glass. It goes well with tonic but is also very fresh with some soda water and a few slices of strawberry as a garnish to give it an extra boost.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 37.5%
Find it here: £14.00

Edinburgh Gin Rhubarb and Ginger Gin Liqueur

One would normally associate ginger with autumn, but this little number is all about summer. The ginger is fresh and the rhubarb gives lovely red fruit flavours. At 20% it is a little sweeter than a gin with more alcohol and makes a fabulous long drink with tonic, soda, or even lemonade. It’s a great lower alcohol option for the lengthening days. 

Size: 500ml
ABV: 20%
Find it here: £16.50

Malfy Con Arancia (Blood Orange), Italian Gin

As fruits and flowers continue to ripen over the summer months, the aromas in the air begin to concentrate and this gin is all about concentration. The blood orange flavours are very concentrated, but fresh in flavour not confected. Sip it over ice with soda and a sprig of thyme to be transported to the south coast of Italy where this gin hails from. 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 41%
Find it here: £25

Zymurgorium Turkish Delight Gin

Much like the roses that are now in full bloom, this gin gives a sense of a true British summer. At 18.8% it has a sweet touch just like the sugar dusting on Turkish delight. This gin is an absolute delight mixed with Fentimans tonic and garnished with a slice of grapefruit.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 18.8%
Find it here: £16.89 

Kopparberg Premium Gin Strawberry and Lime

This is the second Strawberry gin on our list, but it has a twist with fresh zesty lime flavours added in. A slice of lime is best to add to this drink. It will be good with most tonics as long as they are not too sweet, but we think Barker and Quin Hibiscus works very well and adds to the complexity in the glass.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 37.5%
Find it here: £16

Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla Distilled Gin

Our favourite gin on this list is this one. The flavours are so fresh one could have imagined the oranges squeezed in and the floral flavours are complex and lively across the palate. We like to keep this bottle in the freezer and sip it slowly neat over ice to while away the warm summer evenings.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 41.3%
Find it here: £17

Miniature Gin Set (Pack of 8)

If you haven’t tried many flavoured gins yet, then this little sample pack may just be the thing for you. Try out eight flavours here and discover which of them you like the most before buying a full bottle. These are lovely with soda, tonic or simply over ice as non of them are particularly strong.

ABV: 23-27%
Size: 400ml
Find it here: £29.95

If you’d like to read more about fancy gins, then head over to Aidy’s article on the most luxurious gins on the planet.

The Best Wine and Spirit Matches with Chocolate

In the lead up to Easter, we’ve been matching some of our favourite drinks with chocolate, where each benefits the other. This is no mean feat. The decision on the type of drink, and which expression of that type, has stimulated much discussion. We eventually came to an agreement and think you’ll find these chocolate and drink matches as delicious as we do.

White Chocolate – Milky bar eggs - Moscato d’Asti 

White chocolate can be stickily sweet and there is only so much one can consume in one sitting. But we have found a way to eat more of it! White wine has great acidity which can cut through the fat and sweetness that’s delicious in white chocolate. Alongside the chocolate, the wine creates lots of fresh flavours like apricots, honey and citrus. With everything in balance, you can chomp your way through a few more bars. 

ABV: 5.5%%
Size: 750ml
Buy the wine now for £8.95 
Buy the chocolate for £6.99

Milky – Maltesers truffles - Old Pulteney 12 year old

Maltesers truffles are a guilty secret for all The Three Drinkers, and so is the whisky which goes with them extremely well. Old Pulteney 12 year old has a salinity that counterbalances all that lovely honeycomb. With lots of complexity, it keeps the palate clean, lively and ready to take on more chocolate!

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy the whisky now for £27.50
Buy the chocolates now for £8.99

 50% Cocoa – Cadbury’s dairy milk egg - Aberfeldy 12 year old

There are so many whiskies that match well with dairy milk chocolate, so we had to think long and hard about which one to suggest. We needed a whisky that wouldn’t take over from the milky chocolate, but would still be characterful enough to keep the Drinkers happy. The whisky that we all agreed did this job the best was Aberfeldy 12 year old; a super-fruity and easy going whisky, it can also be matched with fruit and nut milk chocolate. 

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy the whisky here for £32.90  
Buy the chocolate here for £18.99

 70% Cocoa – Port - Callebaut dark chocolate

With the bitterness of dark chocolate, we feel there needs to be a little sweetness in the drink to best match it, but the drink also needs lots of flavour to balance and acidity to keep the palate fresh. Port did the trick. Select Vintage or Late Bottled Vintage in preference to a tawny port. Our favourite was Warre’s Late Bottled Vintage 2007.

ABV: 20%
Size: 750ml
Buy the port now for £27.95  
Buy the chocolate now for £27.75

 All rounder – Quality Street - Amarone

When The Three Drinkers think of holiday chocolate, Quality Street always comes to mind: a smorgasbord of milk and dark chocolate, nuts, soft fillings and fudge. That’s quite a mix for any drink to contend with! A wine with some sweetness, lots of fruit and acidity would be needed, so look for a ‘ripasso’ style of red wine, with big red/dark fruit balance and plenty of acidity. We particularly like Riondo Amarone della Valpolicella 2015 for a great value Amarone. A treat wine, it punches well above its price tag and certainly deserves the biggest tin of chocolates.

ABV: 15%
Size: 750ml
Buy the wine now for £22.95 
Buy the chocolate now for £17.98

 Mint Chocolate – After Eights – Mezcal

Mint chocolates are more difficult to match with alcohol. However, most smoky spirits do work, like smoky whisky. One drink that works particularly well however, is Mezcal, with its smokiness and fruity agave flavour. Our favourite Mezcal at the moment is San Cosme which pairs well with After Eights.

 ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy the Mezcal now for £39.13
Buy the chocolate now for £4.73

Chocolate Orange - Sauternes

An all-time great chocolate needs an all-time great drink to pair with it. We love sauternes, with its honey, apricot and marmalade flavours that mix well with the orange. It’s a match made in heaven as its acidity cuts through the chocolate. We obviously would love to eat chocolate orange all day whilst quaffing Chateau d’Yquem, but all sauternes goes well and at a more reasonable price, we like Sichel’s version.

ABV: 14%
Size: 750ml
Buy the Sauternes now for £15.39
Buy the chocolate now for £29

100% Cocoa - Cognac

At the top end of fine and healthy chocolate is 100% cocoa. With its refined, bittersweet yet unctuous flavours, you don’t need much of it. The same can be said of cognac. Younger cognac will pair well, but for the full experience, a good, aged cognac like Frapin XO will knock your socks off!

 ABV: 64%
Size: 730ml
Buy the cognac now for £155
Buy the chocolate now for £13.50

One Drink, Three Ways: London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

One Drink, Three Ways is the signature feature by The Three Drinkers. Join The Three Drinkers’ Helena, Aidy and Colin as they take one bottle and create a trio of phenomenal serves which you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. From rums and whiskies to gins and wine styles, the three help you get the most out of your glass. It’s time to get liquid on lips.

April 9th is Gin & Tonic Day for some parts of the world, the US especially, but to us in the UK, it’s another great excuse to bust out some of our favourite gins! With lockdown due to the coronavirus, the drinks cabinet may be either running low or feeling a little samey, so we thought we’d share another One Drink, Three Ways to help you spice up your sipping. In this version, we’re going for a London Dry style of gin and there is no better, classic choice than Tanqueray.

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Helena’s Choice: The Negroni

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The Negroni

Ingredients

Rocks Glass or Tumbler

35ml (.75 oz) London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

35ml (.75 oz) Red Vermouth

35ml (.75 oz) Campari

Ice

Orange wheel or twist garnish

A cheeky Negroni, though so simple to make, feels deliciously indulgent as the sun goes down and the kids pop off to bed. A classic recipe is to use the rule of thirds and take one part gin to one part vermouth and Campari. Simply pour over ice, stir and garnish with your orange wheel or orange twist to taste. Turns the lights low and the music up. Who needs to go out anyway?

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Aidy’s Choice: The Strawberry Sour

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The Strawberry Sour

Ingredients

50ml (1.75ml oz) London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

25ml (0.9 oz) Lemon Juice

15ml (0.5 oz) Strawberry Syrup (we like Monin)

1 Egg white

One of my all time favourite cocktails is a Strawberry Gin Sour. The perfect amount of sweetness and acidity intertwine with this great quality gin and the smoothness from the egg white brings everything together. The best part is, they’re super easy to create but make you look like a total pro (it’s that egg white foam!). I’ll never get bored of these beauties. Whether rain, sun or snow, you can drink one whenever the hell you want! Add everything to shaker with ice, mix vigorously with your shake face, strain out the ice and shake one more time to emulsify. Fine strain into a cocktail glass.

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Colin’s Choice: Raspberry Lemon G&T

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Raspberry Lemon G&T

Ingredients

Copa glass

35ml (1.25 oz) London Dry Gin (Tanqueray)

85ml (3 oz) Mediterranean tonic

Ice

2 Lemon wedges

6 Fresh Raspberries

The whiff of spring we saw recently had many of us reaching for a Gin and Tonic. It’s the ultimate springtime sip and there are so many ways to change it up, often just by adding different garnishes. My current go-to version has a hefty chunk of lemon and a small handful of raspberries. Served in a large copa glass, you can keep the berries on the top, giving the drink an irresistible springtime aroma.

We Ranked Every Ardbeg Day Special Release By Its Smokiness

Every year since Ardbeg’s iconic Alligator was created for Ardbeg Day, there has been an annual release. Mickey Heads, the distillery manager at Ardbeg, has been there for every single one but he has now announced his retirement. He will still be there for this year’s Ardbeg day release and we wait with anticipation to see what it is. In the meantime, we rank all of the non committee releases so far in reverse order with classic smoky Ardbeg in mind, so from subtle to smoke bomb.

Ardbeg is smoky by nature, so on a 1 to 20 scale of smoky whiskies Ardbeg starts at 10.

First of all, here is the list in order of release:

2011 – Alligator
2012 – Day
2013 – Ardbog
2014 – Auriverdes
2015 – Perpetuum
2016 - Dark Cove
2017 – Kelpie
2018 – Grooves
2019 – Drum 

The Ranking

 No.9 Auriverdes

Released in time for the football World Cup in Brazil. Auriverdes means gold and green, which are the colours of the Brazilian flag. Tasting Note: A lighter style of Ardbeg. Easy going sweet vanilla and lemons. There is still smoke, but it is not immediately identifiable as Ardbeg. Muscovado sugar and chocolate appear later in the palate.

ABV: 49.9%
Smoke rating: 10/20 
Buy now for £193

No.8 Drum

In the tradition of Ardbeg being an innovator, this whisky is firstly matured in ex bourbon casks, and extra matured in rum casks. Tasting note: Bonfire wood mixed with lots of ripe bananas and pineapples. Spices on the palate with ginger, liquorice and vanilla.

ABV: 46%
Smoke rating: 12/20
Last auction Price: £70

No.7 Perpetuum

Created for the 200th anniversary of Ardbeg distillery, this whisky is a mixture of many cask types intended to give great complexity and harmony. Fresh citrus, toffee and figs head up a smoky background. There is a creamy mouthfeel and lots of dark chocolate.

ABV: 47.4%
Smoke rating: 13/20
But it now for £143

No.6 Grooves

Grooves is so named as the casks used were very well charred ex red wine casks which resulted in deep groves on the inside of the cask resulting in a greater surface area for the spirit to interact with. Tasting note: lots of American oak flavours of vanilla, toffee and popcorn. Salty savoury bacon with chilli, tempered with toffee apples. Old leather-bound books linger in the background.

ABV: 46%
Smoke rating: 14/20
Buy now for £250

No.5 Day

Using sherry casks in the maturation gives waves of flavour through waves of smoke and peat. Still balanced, this whisky is made for peat heads who also love sherried whisky. Huge mouth feel, big and rich whisky, waves of peat and sherry wash over the palate. This whisky is full, rounded and luscious.

ABV: 56.7%
Smoke rating: 15/20
Buy now for £525

No.4 Kelpie

This whisky is named after the mythical animals of legend around Islay. Kelpies were shape shifting spirits which usually appeared as horses or ponies. But they were maleficent creatures, and although seeming tame, and particulary friendly to children, once mounted the rider would not be able to dismount and would be dragged to the bottom on the ocean or river and eaten.

ABV: 46%
Smoke rating: 16/20
Buy it now for £190

No.3 Ardbog

Matured in Manzanilla sherry casks, this whisky has a big smoky punch, but is sweetened by the extra maturation in sherry casks. Undeniably Ardbeg, big and smoky and very dry. Sweetness coming from raisins and there is an underlying rich nutty flavour.

ABV: 52.1%
Smoke rating: 16.5/20
Buy it now for £315

No.2 Dark Cove

This is the darkest Ardbeg day release and is a bit of a beast. You’ll either love it or hate it as the smoke is full on and the rich oily iodine nature of the whisky is very in your face. Underlying all that power are  lots of dried fruits such as raisins and dates. Smouldering charcoal and spice with beeswax bring you to smoked meats and salty seaweed.

ABV: 46.5%
Smoke rating: 17/20
But now for £262

No.1 Alligator

At first this expression split the whisky community. It has all the hallmarks of a classic Ardbeg but is also much more. The heavy char of the casks brings the peaty smoke right to the fore with the charred nature of the cask adding even more smokiness. But there is huge complexity too with lots of citrus in the form of grapefruit and lemon, with ginger and orange zest backing that up. There is also sweetness with ginger biscuits and icing sugar and cocoa in the background. Intense smoke runs throughout the dram.

ABV: 51.2%
Smoke rating: 18/20
Buy it now for £472

So why didn’t we go up to 20/20 you ask? Because there are even smokier whiskies than Ardbeg for example Octomore from Bruichladdich distillery, which, depending on the batch is more like a 30/20!

Top Picks: Our Favourite Vodkas Under £30

Words by Colin Hamdpen-White

There are many different vodkas and not all vodka is created equal. I judge on the World Vodka Awards and the best vodkas are the purest. The best vodka should have very little flavour, or none at all, but still retain some character. This is a neat trick, and the vodkas below manage to be pure, yet distinctive and interesting.

Black Cow

This was created in the west of England by Jason Barber, a farmer who uses only whole milk to make his vodka. The whey is used to make the vodka and the curds make his award-winning cheese. This vodka is very pure, and has a creamy, beautifully smooth mouthfeel.

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy here: £24.75

Black Death

Tracing its history back to 1906, when it was created by the Sigurdsson family in Iceland, this vodka is now made in England from beets. It became world-known when, in 1992, it was banned for a while in the USA for “promising poison and plague but delivering only vodka”. It is very clean and crisp.

ABV: 37.5%
Size: 700ml
Buy here: £23.90

Aylesbury Duck

Although Aylesbury is in England, this vodka comes from California and uses Canadian soft winter wheat to give a crisp clean vodka with touches of citrus. When they reduce the vodka to bottling strength, they use water from a well in Mendocino county in northern California. Not sure what that does to help, but the vodka certainly tastes great!

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy here: £29.85

Three Sixty

This vodka comes from Germany and is made by the twelfth generation of the Schwarze und Schlitichte family whose business started in 1664. The vodka is exceptionally pure with a creamy, smooth mouthfeel. This is achieved by distilling the spirit four times after which it is filtered in the most decadent manner by passing it though a diamond dust before being bottled. It seems diamonds are a vodka’s best friend.

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy here: £25

Vestal

This vodka is made by an Englishman in Poland. He has very fine single potato variety vodka but he also creates this blend of varieties for under £25 and thankfully is a brilliant vodka. Made from Asterix and Russet Burbank potatoes this vodka has lots of character. It has been created with mixing in mind and makes a fabulous Martini. It is distilled and filtered only once to retain the flavour and character of the potatoes.

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy here: £25.95

4 Stunning Rums From Around The World

Words by Aidy Smith

This article was originally published in Oracle Time Magazine under Aidy’s Drinks Column. You can subscribe to the online magazine here to view online or order the magazine in print format.

I’ve always loved the word ‘rum’. Its three letters have such powerful connotations when you think about the history intertwined within them. From the age of piracy where rum barrels were traded for gold and plunder to the escapades of the British Navy, who upon capturing Jamaica in 1655 were given a daily ration to get by. Few know that in the 1600’s rum production was in fact the most powerful industry in America’s New England and that restrictions on imported molasses in the 1640’s may even have had a significant impact on the American Revolution!

It’s vibrant past has seen it transported around the globe from Colonial Australia and the various British dominated Isles to the shores of the Caribbean where it is more commonly known. But there are other far reaches of the globe where this bountiful spirit also calls home and my purpose today is to unravel a few of my favourite destinations along with my recommended choices, to help you set sail on your own voyage of rum discovery. 

So what exactly has been going on with rum? Despite its creative past, steeped in all forms of history, tales and triumphs, this wondrous drink slowly began to fade from the limelight over time. As other exciting categories made their way into the spotlight at the turn of the century, people began focusing on other categories and rum became more of an ‘exotic’ drink to indulge upon during those sunny getaways. Alas, the tides are once again changing and over the past 10 years rum, only behind gin, has seen the second largest growth in volume within the UK at 17% and between 2017-2018 witnessed a 7.5% increase in value. So with that in mind, let’s delve into a few of what, in my opinion, are some of the best rums from around the planet. 

The Philippines – Don Papa 

Few know that the Philippines is one of the largest sugar producing countries in the world and Don Papa is a prime example of the quality rums being produced here. 

Their molasses comes from ‘The Island of Negros’, also known as ‘Sugarlandia’ and derives from a purple cane known as ‘cara morada’. Attaining one of the highest sucrose and moisture contents in the world, the molasses, known as ‘Black Gold’ is packed full of distinct rich sweetness. Given the incredibly humid nature of the country, the barrels are incredibly important. Don Papa uses uniquely shaved, toasted and roasted American oak barrels, which are seasoned for 24 months before being lightly charred to give them more fruity flavours. The humidity itself is so intense, each barrel witnesses around 8-12% evaporation per year (i.e. it loses over half of the liquid in the barrel after 7 years). The result of which offers a beautifully rich and fruity rum with a dark golden hue. 

I was fortunate enough to visit the island a few years ago and can only describe the journey as one of the most eye-opening experiences I’ve been through. To witness how rum is created in such harsh conditions and to see the quality speak for itself – this is why I chose journalism in this field. I do enjoy drinking the stuff too, I like to call it market research… which moves me on to the rum itself! Aged for 7 years, Don Papa is packed full of exotic apricots, raspberries and marmalade with a soothing burst of vanilla and cinnamon. I always like to think of fruitcake with candied citrus when sipping on Don Papa and boy oh boy does it work nicely in a rum punch and an old fashioned (otherwise known as the Don Fashioned)!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Buy it Now For £32

Venezuela - Santa Teresa 1796

Founded in 1796 and located in the mountainous Aragua Valley, Hacienda Santa Teresa has witnessed wars, revolutions, invasions and dictators. In a country that see’s its fair amount of violence, Santa Teresa is the gleaming gem that showcases the true beauty of what this country has to offer. It was all down to a German man  named Gustav Julius Vollmer, who upon arriving in Venezuela in 1830, fell in love, married and thus began a family that to this day have continued to run the Hacienda, five generations later.  

The wondrous thing about Santa Teresa is its solera method, which I’ll touch upon for a second. A solera system is essentially where barrels are stacked in terms of their age, the oldest on the ground, the youngest at the top. As you draw liquid from the barrels at the bottom, it is replaced by those in the barrels above and over time there is a continuous mix of ages, which intertwine to create a truly personalised flavour to that distillery.  To this day, every Bottle of Santa Teresa 1796 has some of the very first 1796 cask running through it, given how the original cask was never emptied.

The resulting flavour combines hazelnuts, vanilla and cinnamon with dark chocolate, prunes and sticky honey with just a touch of black pepper to round off this incredible creation. I love sipping this rum on the rocks, you can really pick out every little detail of flavour.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Buy It Now £48

The Caribbean – Duppy Share Spiced Rum

I couldn’t write about rum and not pay homage to the Caribbean. After all, those glorious islands have paved way to what rum is today and inspired the image of so many drinks that have dared to enter the market. But when did it all begin on these islands? The first distillation is believed to have taken place on the Island of Nevis in the 1600’s, with a quote in 1651 from a historic document in Barbados stating “The chief fuddling they make in the island is Rumbullion, alias Kill-Divil, and this is made of sugar canes distilled, a hot, hellish, and terrible liquor”. Suffice to say they’ve improved things quite a bit over the past 3 centuries. 

With the Caribbean home to 13 sovereign island nations, 12 dependent territories and over 7,000 individual islands, I couldn’t choose just one.  Instead, my pick from this oasis comes from both Worthy Park distillery in Jamaica and Four Square in Barbados. My tipple of choice here is none other than Duppy Share Spiced Rum, which touched my lips for the first time this morning, having only been released in late-February. 

Spiced rum is a category that excites me for many reasons and while there’s a few on the market only a small handful have managed to conquer great taste without an overbearing sweetness, Duppy Share being one of them. So, what about the name? Duppy Share is another term for ‘Angel’s Share’, the evaporation process that takes place within the rum barrels. Legend dictates that throughout the islands mischievous spirits called Duppies swoop between the distilleries, stealing the best of the rum. Possessed by the Caribbean rhythms, their bodies contort from creature to creature. The Duppy Share Spiced pays tribute to its namesake by centralising a duppy caught mid-metamorphosis. 

The craft rum itself offers a blend of spices brought together by a vibrant pineapple and rich kola nut. There’s caramel, ginger, white chocolate and vanilla with a touch of fresh grapefruit, orange and basil. I also find it rather versatile, meaning it would be the perfect match for mixing, whether it be with ginger ale, cola, or as part of a multitude of cocktails.

The best thing is, nothing is artificial, all flavours are 100% natural – just as the Caribbean intended.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 37.5%
Buy It: £39 from Selfridges

Mauritius – Penny Blue XO

Mauritius journey began in 1638, when Dutch settlers arrived on the islands, planting sugar cane. As crops flourished within the rich volcanic soils it made perfect sense for these to be turned into rum and arak. 

Produced at the oldest distillery on the island, Penny Blue is named after one of the world’s rarest stamps. I’ll admit, I’m really not quite sure how the misprinting of a stamp made its way to being the name of a rum, but at least the liquid inside tastes great!

 With this rum deriving from a single estate, they have a lot more control over every stage of the process. The sugar cane sits at one of the sunniest parts of the island with a lot less rainfall, making it juicer and full of flavour. The tropical ageing, sea breeze influence and their distillation method also have an affect on what ends up in the bottle too. That’s not even taking into account their triple oak ageing methods, as Penny Blue uses ex-cognac, ex-scotch and ex-bourbon casks to really intertwine the best flavours of each!

Only 10,000 bottles of the XO Batch #6 have been created and for those lucky enough to be able to get their hands on one, they can expect rich stewed tropical fruits with treackle, delicate spices and dark burnt toffee. 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 43.3%
Buy It Today For £41

4 Things you need to know about Cognac

In this video, Helena gives us 4 things we need to know about the wonderful spirit that is cognac!