REVIEW: Lagg Distillery’s maiden single malt

James Robertson reviews the maiden whisky from Lagg Distillery on Arran. LAGG Distillery, the sister distillery owned by Isle of Arran Distillers, has launched its inaugural limited release single malt. A heavily-peated whisky matured in ex bourbon barrels, batch one has been highly anticipated and it does not disappoint. Lagg is located on the southern…

Read More

Going green in the Bordeaux Hot 50

France’s most famous wine region has turned its ‘Everyday Bordeaux’ listing into a ‘Hot 50’. Peter Ranscombe follows his visit to the area in March with a look at the ‘green’ wines on the new list. SOMETIMES it’s hard to know where to begin with Bordeaux. It may be famous for its five “first growth”…

Read More

Only 148 bottles of the Black Series will be released

Award-winning Scotch whisky creator Douglas Laing & Co has announced a brand extension to the Xtra Old Particular Single Cask Scotch Whisky range: XOP The Black Series. The new, luxury packaging employs monochromatic colourways complemented by gold foil detail, said to honour the super-premium Single Casks planned. Each bottle is filled by hand and features…

Read More

Mar de Frades: Doing albarino differently

Innovation is the name of the game for Spanish winemaker Paula Fandino at Mar de Frades, as Peter Ranscombe finds out. FOR a lump of old rock, granite is an incredibly versatile material. It’s been used to make everything from posh kitchen worktops to the carved faces of the American presidents on Mount Rushmore –…

Read More

A weekend of celebrations on Loch Lomond

The UK’s last paddle steamship is celebrating the 65th anniversary of its maiden voyage this weekend. Loch Lomond’s historic Maid of the Loch left its Balloch base at 11.25am on 25 May 1953, a week before the coronation of the Queen. This journey took its 1000 passengers to Balmaha, Rowardennan, Tarbet, Inversnaid and Ardlui. For…

Read More

Big day..

Saturday April 9th … Glorious spring weather today and after arriving back late from Aintree last night it was straight back to work with 30 plus horses fed by 6.30 and lots going on on the all weather and schooling ground throughout the morning.  It’s unfortunate that it looks like we will have to run…

Read More

Grey

 It has been a dull grey sort of a morning here but also a very productive one and two five year old unraced grey mares worked particularly well, Little Glenshee and Playing Footsie are both at that exciting stage in their careers when each piece of work becomes a revelation as the penny slowly drops with…

Read More