Barley water is making a comeback

SCOTTISH drinks maker “You + I”  has expanded into barley water and botanical tea. The Glasgow-based company, known previously as Clever Kombucha, was set up by husband-and-wife team Alan and Kelsey Moore in 2017. Kesley said: “There is a reason your granny used to give you barley water when you were ill – it is…

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12 Wines of Christmas: Chile

Day nine of his “12 Wines of Christmas” series sees Peter Ranscombe taking a look at carmenere from Chile. DIVING into a tin of Christmas chocolates can be a bit like a playing lucky dip at the showies – you’re never quite sure what you’re going to get. Back in 1994, Chilean farmers were faced…

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12 wines of Christmas: California

Peter Ranscombe begins his journey through the 12 wines of Christmas with Marimar Estate in California. HEAR the name “Torres” and its natural to think of the family’s Spanish vineyards. Yet the country’s most famous winemaking dynasty is now arguably equally as famous for its vines in Chile. What’s perhaps less well-known is that the…

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Glasgow rum distillers win business title

TWO Scottish rum makers have been hailed as the “young micro-entrepreneurs of the year”. Zander Macgregor and Allan Nairn won the title at the Citi Microentrepreneurship Awards and were given a £7,500 cash prize. They were nominated for the honour by DSL Business Finance, which lent them £45,000 to grow their company. The friends launched…

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Meet the paper wine bottle coming to Scotland…

Peter Ranscombe ponders a cardboard wine bottle that’s been launched today – and revisits the wine inside. I ALWAYS feel more than a wee bit guilty on recycling day. As the blue box is lugged off the pavement and its contents heaved into the back of the bin lorry, I pause and think about the…

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Mexico’s first whisky reaches Scotland

A NEW whisky will hit Scotland next month – and it comes from Mexico. Abasolo is the first Mexican whisky to go on sale in the UK. It’s made from Mexican corn and was produced in the Central American country’s first purpose-built whisky distillery. Destileria y Bodega Abasolo is one of the highest in the…

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Bank holiday rosé: Provence and beyond

He may not suit a pink shirt, but Peter Ranscombe has some rosé wine suggestions to brighten the weekend. IT’LL be a bank holiday like no other – no lazy picnics in the park, no boozy brunches with friends, and definitely no making a break for that secluded hideaway in the country. It was already…

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This is not just wine… this is a first look at M&S’s £5 range

Peter Ranscombe relives his youth as he dips into Marks & Spencer’s latest releases. DERVLA Kirwan has a lot to answer for. Whether it was putting the “kiss” into Balykissangel on BBC One or making the Noughties truly naughty with her sultry voiceovers for Marks & Spencer, the Irish actress’s dulcet tones enticed a generation.…

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Armchair exploring: Returning to Romania with Cramele Recas

Restrictions on movement present an ideal opportunity for Peter Ranscombe to return to Romania’s native varieties and great-value wines. WHENEVER friends or acquaintances ask about the wine adventures on which I’ve been, one trip more than any other always piques their interest – Romania. So many people still have images of Anneka Rice’s 1990 visit…

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Distillers launch a new drinks apothecary range

The Harris Wild Rose Tincture is the first release from the Isle of Harris Distillery’s new drinks apothecary range. Designed to complement Isle of Harris Gin serves and cocktails, the range is created in collaboration with plantswoman and herbalist Amanda Saurin. It can be added as required to create subtle new variations of the Harris…

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