Browsing Posts in: SPIRITS & LIQUEURS

Absinthe is a drink surrounded by stories and misconceptions. From tales of murderous rampages under its influences to decades of being banned across Europe, its reputation is fearsome and almost entirely undeserved. It’s time to…

In the cocktail world, it’s white rum that gets all the love: lightly flavoured and with no colour to muddy the other ingredients, it’s an ideal pick (most of the time). However, if you want…

Valentine’s Day is not far away, and if you haven’t picked a romantic gift yet, don’t worry. Champagne is one of the safest options – I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t appreciate a glass of…

The Whisky Exchange’s head buyer, Dawn Davies MW, spends more time than most seeking out new and exciting drinks. Here are her picks for the top trends of 2018… 2018 is a year for change….

It was a busy year, 2017. Lots of new things to drink, lots of tastings to attend and lots of new posts on the blog. So, before we properly commit to 2018 (it’s only a…

As we head into 2018, it’s time to look back at some of the best bits of the past 12 months. The Whisky Exchange blog team has chosen its favourite moments of 2017, including memorable…

It’s been a busy year at The Whisky Exchange and the blog team is ready to wind down and enjoy the festive season. Here’s what we’ll be drinking this Christmas… Stuart I don’t associate one…

One summer, years ago, in the early days of my obsession with drinks, I went away for a long weekend in Portugal and came back a changed man: a few summery days in Porto are…

‘It’s all about the ‘poof poof‘ of Cognac’ says Patrice Piveteau, and it’s a testament to both his storytelling and infectious enthusiasm that this immediately makes perfect sense. He is talking about the sensory fireworks…

Jared Brown, master distiller at Sipsmith Gin Distillery in London, explains why you should all be drinking sloe gin – and offers some tips on how to make it yourself. Sloe gin is to Britain…

Next week sees the return of London Cocktail Week, the world’s biggest cocktail festival with more than 300 partnering bars opening their doors and offering £6 cocktails to those with a Festival Pass. This year, the festival…

Here at The Whisky Exchange we like to choose special bottles – we have a wide range of exclusive whiskies and other spirits already, and we add more each month. One of the common questions…

We’ve got great weather forecasts here in London, so it feels like time to whip up some drinks with the most tropical of spirits: rum. Here are five of my favourite rum cocktails to keep…

Last week was London Beer City, a week-long celebration of beer in the capital. Purely for research reasons, I threw myself wholeheartedly into the festivities, stopping in at the London Craft Beer Festival for a…

Last month, I finally got the chance to visit the Cognac region in France. My destination? Hine. Although I’d seen pictures of this tiny part of south-west France before, nothing prepared me for the beauty of Jarnac, the…

When it comes to pairing a meal with drinks, wine and beer are still winning. However, one corner of the culinary world has had a long connection with spirits: American barbecue. While the stereotypical image…

Our latest TWE shop tasting featured Irish whiskey producer Teeling, a distiller known for its skill in maturing and ‘finishing’ its whiskey in a variety of casks – some well known, some more obscure. What…

I’m sure you’ve all heard of the big four Cognac houses – Martell, Rémy Martin, Hennessy and Courvoisier – but what about the other 271? With so much diversity on offer, Cognac is the perfect…