Enjoy a restaurant-quality meal from the comfort of home

Sitting down to a three-course meal and a bottle of vino in a restaurant feels like an experience from a long-forgotten time. To help relive those golden days, there are thankfully some eateries coming to the rescue and satisfying the need to make a Saturday night in feel like you’ve ventured out. If you find…

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Makar’s Malt marks International Women’s Day

A collaboration between two of Scotland’s oldest arts – poetry and whisky making – has resulted in the launch of a commemorative charity bottling of Scotch whisky, complete with a specially-written poem, for International Women’s Day. The Makar’s Malt is a limited edition single cask single malt Scotch Whisky marking the end of celebrated Scottish…

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Wine to Dine – April 2021 – Brodie Williams

Scottish Field wine columnist Peter Ranscombe hums Eddie Grant’s classic tune as he matches bottles to Brodie Williams’ brunch dishes. THE first time I got off the tube at Brixton and saw the sign for “Electric Avenue”, a wee lightbulb popped on inside my head. It hadn’t dawned on me that Eddie Grant’s 1983 reggae…

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Tullibardine reveals the Murray Double Wood Edition

Tullibardine is expanding its collection of award-winning whiskies after revealing The Murray Double Wood Edition. The new single malt, available in 70cl, is the eighth edition in the brand’s much-celebrated Marquess Collection and has been expertly crafted at Tullibardine’s Perthshire distillery in the Scottish Highlands. The Murray Double Wood is aged in first-fill Bourbon casks…

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Why does Portuguese wine taste so different?

Peter Ranscombe hits the trail to find out what makes Portugal’s wine so special. IT WASN’T the grapes that first brought Peter Bright to Portugal – it was the surfing. Winemakers seem to have an affinity for the waves, no matter whether they’re from California or South Africa or Australia. Bright’s first visit to Portugal…

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Chardonnay showdown: Australia v New Zealand

Peter Ranscombe had a ring-side seat for this afternoon’s virtual clash between two chardonnay giants. IN THE red corner: all the way from the southern hemisphere, the undefeated heavyweight champion of chardonnay, it’s Australia. And in the blue corner, from the other side of the Tasman Sea, the upstart challenger looking to land a knock-out…

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Find out what Oz Clarke picked as his ‘unexpected’ wines

Louis Latour let Oz Clarke loose in its cellars to select bottles for his ‘Tales of the unexpected’ tasting; Peter Ranscombe reports on the results. THERE’S something a wee bit weird about one wine reviewer writing about another wine reviewer’s choices – but, for Oz Clarke, I’m happy to make an exception. As a child…

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NOTEBOOK – FEBRUARY 2021

Scottish rum, oak-aged gin, and low-alcohol beer are among the latest treats to emerge from Scottish Field drinks blogger Peter Ranscombe‘s notebook. AFTER the Christmas rush of spirits reviews, January offers a bit of welcome relief. Catch your breath, refresh your palate, and give your liver a rest. That break makes February’s new releases all…

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Watch out Talisker – there’s a new kid in town on Skye

Peter Ranscombe takes a sneak peak at Torabhaig distillery’s maiden whisky ahead of its release tomorrow. WHEN it comes to whisky, some locations and some distilleries go together like a horse and carriage – or maybe like a cask and bung. Think Orkney, think Highland Park (sorry Scapa!). Think Campbeltown, think Springbank (sorry again Glen…

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New Zealand syrah: Gimblett Gravels and beyond

After exploring syrah from Gimblett Gravels, Peter Ranscombe casts his net wider to look at other parts of New Zealand. WINES fall into two categories. There are the crowd-pleasing styles that most fans will recognise – Prosecco from Italy, shiraz from Australia, sauvignon blanc from Marlborough. Then there are the niches, the bottles about which…

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