Starry, Starry Night

Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester has held three Michelin stars for a remarkable 15 years. Julian de Féral discovers the decision is entirely justified. Just across the road from the whirling chaos of Winter Wonderland, The Dorchester in all its resplendence remains uncharacteristically quiet for this time of the year. The main entrance is temporarily…
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A Cut Above?

It’s ten years since Ollie Dabbous arrived in London, in a flurry of gushing reviews and rapidly won Michelin stars, and four years since he opened the impressive Hide. Julian de Féral finds out how things are holding up – possibly literally – at Above at Hide. Although having witnessed the delights and deft touch…
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The Missing Linkwood

The past and the future combine in this strictly limited release whisky from Gordon & Macphail Like many spirit aficionados, my daughter and I might heatedly discuss the technicalities of what exactly constitutes as a ‘unicorn’. It is readily acknowledged that it is a rare beast, but rarity does not necessarily begat beauty. About half…
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Rarer Than Rare

Midleton’s Silent Distillery Collection reaches Chapter Three… From Wagyu steak to NFTs, the word rare seems to have gradually lost its tenacity throughout the years. One hundred and fifty years after its opening, the Old Midleton Distillery closed its doors and opened a newer incarnation the very next day, which also formed as a home…
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Method and Madness – Midleton’s New Whiskey Range

As Scotch whisky reinvents itself, Japan struggles to keep up with demand and the American whiskey scene is like a joyous Spaghetti Western–with strangers and unexpected heroes taking pot shots at the Sheriffs, breaking all the rules and generally having a rootin’ tootin’ time–‘whisky vision’ is suddenly less myopic.  Somewhat less restrained than the Scots…
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Whisky Mystery – The Glenlivet Cipher

If you read about whisky anywhere close to half as much as you drink it, you’ll have noticed not one but several brouhahas recently. A notable one is the rise of ‘non-age statement single malts’: i.e. non-blended whiskies that eschew the tradition of specifying a year, instead choosing to name their expressions after monosyllabic natural occurrences, elements…
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Sweet Temptation At The Savoy

The most famous grand hotel ever is probably The Savoy. The most famous chef ever is probably Auguste Escoffier. His most famous dish ever is probably the Peach Melba, created in The Savoy – as it so happens – where it was initially rolled out on a swan made out of ice.   So, for The Savoy’s…
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New Whisky Resolutions

The onset of Winter chill thinly veils an excuse to seek out new whiskies, although in all honesty I’d have to be set on fire before considering turning down a wee dram.   A crisp Winter morning and aboard the 90 year old Thames barge ‘Will’, I eye up the coal fire both warily and…
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Gordon & MacPhail: World’s Most Exclusive Whisky Unveiled

Contrary to popular belief, my lunchtimes rarely involve strings of Martinis punctuated by amuse-bouches, but rather a more conventional sandwich or perhaps an impromptu reformulating of last night’s culinary experiment (dinner).  On Wednesday the 2nd of September however, I had the pleasure of being invited to a somewhat hush-hush unveiling at the Royal Opera House,…
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