In 1468 the Orkney islands were pawned to the Scottish Crown by Christian I of Denmark as a gift for his daughter’s marriage to James III of Scotland. Until then, Orkney had been part of the Scandinavian kingdom. The Norsemen lived on the islands from the late 8th century, and to this day you can […]
It’s not often these days that you try a new gin and are pleasantly surprised. Therefore, as soon as I took that first sniff and the first mouthful of Oxford Dry Gin, I knew I had to share this unique bottling with you! Don’t miss the competition at the end of this post! What’s so […]
Did you know that gin starts life as vodka? Vodka is the base spirit, but once you add juniper the spirit begins its journey to gin. You can add further botanicals to create different types of gin, but juniper must remain the ever present, key botanical. Over the recent years gin market has become crowded, […]
The Scottish gin category is growing so fast it is hard to keep up! Scotland’s gin-producing areas can be separated into six different regions, and between them they boast over 70 distilleries and hundreds of different gins. It’s impossible to sample them all, so I decided to ask some of my fellow gin enthusiasts for […]
100 Years of Negroni Love Get your party hats on, it’s Negroni’s birthday year! To celebrate 100 years of my favourite cocktail I have gone around Florence in search of the best Negroni in town. (I know, it’s a tough job, but someone’s got to do it!) There is a bit of a squabble around […]
Tuscany is a wine lover’s dream, but these days it will also satisfy many gin enthusiasts. Hidden amongst the rolling hills of Tuscany, just outside Florence, is a small gin distillery with spectacular views. If you are looking for something different to do during your trip to Florence, I recommend hiring a car and heading […]
Did you know that 70% of the gin made in the UK is actually made in Scotland? Scotland’s gin-producing areas can be separated into six different regions, and I thought I’d take a look to see if it is possible to identify what distinguishes each one. Between them they boast over 70 distilleries and hundreds […]
Pink gins have become crazy popular, made with a variety of ingredients from berries to cherry blossom. Pinkster Gin, however, was one of the first pink gins to lead the way. Their premium British pink gin is made with carefully selected juicy raspberries from the outskirts of Cambridge. What is pink gin? Originally, the slight […]
Pink gins have become ever so popular, and they aren’t just for the summer any more, but for all-year-round enjoyment. They are made with a variety of ingredients, from sweeter berries to juicy citrus to delicate florals. Some brands have based their recipe on the traditional pink gin, which was created with angostura bitters. I […]