Not all blends are created equal and Suntory has always been there to show the world that’s true. Hibiki is what they have been using to show the whisky world how good blends can be. Easily one of the best lines in Suntory’s line up!

Hibiki is Beam Suntory’s premium blend that has been around since 1989 to commemorate Suntory’s 90th anniversary. This highly awarded whisky has come to earn itself a very honoured place in the whisky community. The different bottlings that Hibiki has out are meticulously blended from 3 major distilleries. Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Chita distilleries all contribute an array of both malt and grain whiskies. The different blends use a variety of ages to make up their unrivaled bottlings, ages all the way up to 30 years old. Using a variety of casks and a special bamboo charcoal filtration gives the whisky a very sweet and gentle flavour. Despite Hibiki having a very rich flavour profile and being marketed to the luxury market, it is still a very accessible whisky for any level of drinker.

Currently Hibiki puts out five different bottlings. Harmony, Harmony Master Select, 17 year old, 21 year old, and the illustrious 30 year old. Each of which containing the same delicious base, but all holding their own complex makeup and delectable flavours!

Until we get our shipments of some of the older bottlings back in, grab a bottle of the Hibiki Japanese Harmony and see what a blend can really be! Harmony was aged in 5 different casks and uses many of the same whiskies used to create the original Hibiki! A light honeyed floral blend with flavours of candied citrus and slight oaky spiciness.

Slainte

Anthony

Almost closing out another week in this very interesting world! Been sending out loads of great bottlings to you lovely folks out there. If any of you have received a bottle you have really enjoyed, please send us a little note to let us know! We very much enjoy delivering small packages of happiness when we can. I also hope you have been coming up with some fun uses for your tasty spirits while at home. Maybe some interesting cocktails, or some delicious recipes using your favourite whisky.

A bottling that I have been enjoying lately that I thought I’d share is a delicious rum from Panama. Ron Abuelo XV “Napoleon”. The “Napoleon” is a cognac finished rum that spent the end of its time in maturation in Napoleon Cognac Barrels.

I have definitely been on a rum kick lately, maybe it is just an aid in the dreaming of a tropical vacation! This Panamanian rum has been putting out wonderful bottlings using some of the best sugar cane. You can easily taste the quality ingredients that is the base of Ron Abuelo, but adding in the uniqueness of the cognac finishing makes it that much more distinct. A very lovely dry rum with notes of freshly roasted coffee and stewed fruits. The boldness of the cognac wood won’t go unnoticed, because it adds a wonderful complexity that lingers with some dark chocolate. Although it is a very lovely sipping rum, it does make for some very interesting and delicious cocktails! If this isn’t your cup of tea, any of the Ron Abuelo lines are worth a try!

So, keep on staying healthy and find those little bits of happiness throughout your day!

Slainte

Anthony

Greetings from my very sunny herfing garden which has become my office during the Lockdown and thankfully we have been enjoying some incredible Summer weather in London which seems to be going on for a while longer.

My friendship with Ranald from Boisdale restaurants (and delightful cigar terraces) goes back over 20 years. I have enjoyed countless lunches and dinners at all of the lovely Boisdale locations as well as many that went on so late, I had to leave my car parked outside till the next day.

Our vintage cigar auctions were held on the terrace of Boisdale Belgravia since 2009 and moved to Boisdale Canary Wharf when we outgrew Belgravia. We threw one of the amazing opening parties at Canary Wharf and are co-sponsors of ‘The cigar smoker of the year’ awards event that has become the biggest event on the cigar aficionado calendar every year.

For over 30 years Boisdale has worked closely with small specialist suppliers to bring their customers the very best produce from the British Isles and most delicious wines from our favourite vineyards. Now for the first time ever these exceptional products that were destined for the restaurants can be delivered to your door. Order here. I can vouch for the smoked salmon as well as the cheese. Try out their service, I highly recommend it.

As the effects of Covid 19 continue to be felt in the cigar industry I’m afraid out of stocks are growing every week. At the last count over 30 lines of Havanas and 50 lines of New World cigars were unavailable. Of course, there are always plenty of alternatives from our vast range and we are always happy to advise on which cigars to switch to. We are hoping that the supply situation will ease up by August.

No more stocks of Montecristo Supremos at this time but we are ever hopeful that we will have some more in June and what of the UK regional La Gloria Cubana Britanicas Extra? Well they were almost released just before the Lockdown and then the release was delayed so we hope that they may be on our shelves in June. I can’t wait for this cigar to come out as it was one of the best regionals I have ever tasted at the pre-release cigar specialist sampling.

I’m going through a bit of a robustos phase at this time, herfing my way through copious amounts of the usual D4’s, Epicure 2’s and J. Lo 2’s but I have also rediscovered the Saint Luis Rey Regios . Not a robusto but a hermosos measuring in at 5” length and 48 ring gauge.  I used to smoke a lot of these many years ago in fact it was my favourite brand in the 1990’s. The blending on our current stocks is quite superior.

Booze sales seem to be going rather crazy this Summer and we are now doing a monthly subscription box . Check it out on this link.We are also doing some rather splendid offers on some of my favourite drams :

Tullibardine 15yo at just £39.99

Balvenie 14yo Caribbean Cask at just £41.99

…both perfect with a premium cigar

And of course my very own Gold medal award winning Orchant selection cigar single malt.

Join us for our weekly virtual herfs, great fun, educational and a chance to put faces to names. Details on this link.

Have a smokey week.

Peaceful puffing.

Mitchell

When discussing Irish whiskey, most casual drinkers will go straight to Jameson. While there is nothing wrong with Jameson, there are others I have greater fondness for. Like Teeling! I have many people here and across the pond that have no knowledge of Teeling, and I am always delighted when I can make the introduction.

In 1782 Walter Teeling set up a small craft distillery in the heart of Dublin, which started the love of distilling within the Teeling bloodline. In 2012 Jack and Stephen Teeling were working at the Cooley distillery, but after that was sold to Beam the brothers bought 16,000 casks of aged Cooley to launch their own distillery. It wasn’t until 2015 that the latest of the Teeling family whiskey makers opened the first new distillery in Dublin for over 125 years! Not only that, but it sits in the historic distilling district, just down the street from where the original distillery sat. The phoenix on the logo represents their rebirth well!

The brothers set out to put Teeling at a premium position instead of the mass-produced cheaper end of the market. They pride themselves on doing things in an unconventional way in both marketing and whiskey making. Using a variety style, number of barrels, and time spent in those barrels maturing gives Teeling a uniqueness that they are proud of.

“Our goal is to retain the drinkability of Irish Whiskey while introducing new and interesting flavours to complement the naturally smooth and sweet taste of Irish Whiskey. We aim to encapsulate our passion for quality, authenticity and craft in every bottle of Teeling Whiskey.”

Teeling produces an array of different bottlings, some that are part of their core range and others that are quite limited. The Small Batch is their flagship offering which marries both grain and malt whiskey that have been aged in ex-bourbon casks. After the marriage, the combined spirit sits in Central American rum casks for up to 12 months. Beyond that, they have the Trinity Collection which includes a Single Grain, Single Malt, and Single Pot Still whiskey. Each of which packs their own style and unique profile. Teeling’s Vintage Reserve Collection boasts a collection of hand-selected casks that showcases Ireland’s finest and rarest single malt whiskeys. Finally, you have the Limited Edition bottlings, which are some truly special bottlings. LE bottlings just display the distillery’s dedication to innovation with special cask maturations or collaborations with different partners!

Teeling is a distillery that should always be on your whisk(e)y radar for as long as they are producing!

Slainte,

Anthony

Sometimes you just want something just a little bit more! That is why this week I have been treating myself to the Flor de Caña 25 as my go to rum. I may not be sitting under a palm tree or in the mountains of Nicaragua, but sure can use my imagination! Take some vitamin D in the morning so I can trick my body to think I’ve gotten some tropical sun and relax in the evening with a glass of this fantastic rum.

There are a vast array of great rums out there, but Flor de Caña will always be a favourite. Not only do they put out some delicious liquid, but they are a fantastic company. While they definitely focus on putting out a tremendous product, the company does a great job at investing in the community around them. Still a family run business after 5 generations, they make sure to treat their employees as part of that family. Since 1913 they have provided free schooling for their employee’s children, as well as offering free healthcare at the company hospital since 1958. On top of that they are also a true sustainable distillery using renewable energy for over 10 years and planting tens of thousands of trees each year.

When I hear about a company like that, that goes above and beyond just crafting a great product, I am happy to support them. Also, it’s aged at the base of a Volcano, which makes it that much more interesting!

This 25-year-old is the distillery’s premium offering and the taste easily reflects that! This bottle is a great reminder of how good a rum can be when it comes from a company that really cares about what they put on the shelves!! Super rich in colour and super rich in flavour. Wonderful notes of molasses, caramelised citrus fruit, toasted nuts and vanilla.