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SPIRIT OF FRIENDSHIP
Celebrity alcohol brands seem to be two-a-penny,
but this is one we're rmly behind. George Clooney
has launched his Tequila in the UK, with nightclub
impresario Rande Gerber and actor Michael
Meldman - and the products are excellent. Called
Casamigos, which means 'house of friends', the
100% blue agave Tequilas are made in Jalisco.
'We worked on the creation with our master
distiller... for years and
held many blind tastings
until we knew we got
it right,' said Clooney.
There's a Blanco (£62.99),
a Reposado (£69.99) and
an Anejo (£77.99) in the
range, which is available
at Selfridges. T he Blanco is
all sweet agave and grassy
notes, while the Reposado
has a cooked agave
character, with cinnamon,
nutmeg and honey.
Ginning streak
It may have only launched its Signature London Dry Gin last year, but Burleighs has already
released two new products. One is the Export Strength Gin, which is made to the same
recipe as the Signature, but with a higher abv of 47%. The Export Strength has still got
the avours of juniper, eucalyptus and violets that are present in the original, but they're
wrapped up in that punchier higher alcohol level. The second, the Distiller's Cut, is made
with the same 11 botanicals as the original, but with di erent ratios, that gives it a softer,
oral character. As master distiller Jamie Baxter - known for setting up Chase and City of
London Distillery - says, it would make a brilliant Martinez. £33.95, The Whisky Exchange
All white on the night
It's not often new products get
bartenders in a tizz, but Vulson White
Rhino Rye is doing just that. The
French-produced spirit is the result
of a collaboration between Alpsbased
whisky distillery Domaine des
Hautes Glaces and Xavier Padovani,
director of Experimental Cocktail Club
in London. It's made from organic rye
that's grown, malted and distilled on
site, and is rested in stainless-steel
tanks for a year. It's slightly sweet and
citrusy, and unmistakably peppery - a
characteristic of rye - with a chargrilled
note on the finish. Try it with Ting, the
grapefruit soda, to create a 'V&T'.
£46.95, The Whisky Exchange
Cnoc three times
'Old' and 'rare' are two of the qualities
most single malt drinkers are looking
for in their whisky, and anCnoc's latest
release, a 1975 vintage comprising
only 1,590 bottles, ticks both of
those boxes. It's drawn from just
three casks at anCnoc's distillery,
Knockdhu, in Huntly, and has been
released at cask strength, a relatively
restrained 44.2% abv. Get a move on
before it sells out.
£300, specialist retailers
Cnoc three times
'Old' and 'rare' are two of the qualities
most single malt drinkers are looking
To a tea
Loose-leaf tea continues to grow in
popularity, so an infuser is a mustbuy
for any connoisseur. Try this
beautiful conical object, the You
tea infuser, which is the brainchild
of Italian designer Miriam Mirri for
Alessi. Made from stainless
steel, it has a solid tip, to
prevent leaves from
getting stuck in the
bottom. £17.50,