So many good moments are shared over drink that for Father’s Day this year, we thought we’d use our sources to find top-class original tipples that we believe would make a great present for any dad. Even more so if he decides to open them and invite you to a glass.
CRISTAL BRUT VINTAGE 2015
Talking about indulgent experiences, what better way to spoil your father than sharing with him one of the best champagnes in the world? Cristal is produced only in certain years when the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes have matured to perfection, and it’s always made using biodynamic methods.
The critics have called Cristal Brut Vintage 2015 “a masterpiece, true to Cristal’s signature style”.
The 2015 vintage contains grapes from 45 Grand Cru plots in Champagne owned and farmed by Louis Roederer. Each was vinified separately, to fully express their soil and microclimate. Between seven and eight years after this, the final wine is ready. This vintage stands out for its crystalline purity and intense concentration of fruit, showing aromas of apricots, mandarin, citrus, hints of roasted nut and acacia flower. Thanks to its gorgeous saline and mineral core – which is drawn from unique chalky soils – and its vibrant freshness, the wine is feather-light on the palate yet beautifully complex, engaging all your senses on its lengthy finish. Available at Berry Bros & Rudd and several other retailers.
HERMITAGE COGNAC CACAO 25
Hermitage cognacs are a collection of very special, single-estate cognacs and brandies from small producers. Cacao 25 is the oldest of the Hermitage trilogy (its younger siblings are Cigar 15 and Café 20) and as its name suggests, the first thing that stands out is its cacao heart, which provides it with a warmth that is further accentuated by notes of dark cherries and honey, and a hint of ginger. The finish feels more like orange marmalade.
Hermitage Cacao 25 is a sophisticated cognac with a complex palate and a great balance of flavours. Ideal as a digestif.
That said, you may find more notes, aromas and flavours, such is the complexity of this cognac. An expert I spoke to mentioned bay leaves and caramel. It is a good idea at any time but as a digestif, Hermitage Cognac Cacao 25 is absolutely perfect. You can buy it HERE and explore the rest of the range.
RENAIS GIN ANNIVERSARY EDITION
Gin keeps being the favourite poison of the British population, and the biggest market in the world for this spirit. The customer is these days spoiled for choice, such as the variety available out there. My latest discovery is Renais gin, inspired by the region of Burgundy and its wines. The spirit is crafted from upcycled grapes, and as such, it is infused with the distinctive flavour of their skins.
The Renais Anniversary edition comes personalised with a numbered sleeve, badge pack and cocktail recipe card.
Added to the base grape spirit we find juniper, grains of paradise, linden flowers and acacia honey. The result is an energetic, vibrant gin that is fragrant on the nose and complex in the mouth. I really enjoyed it just on the rocks, but it also makes a killer G&T.
The special anniversary edition set comes with a 70cl bottle, an individually numbered sleeve, a special badge pack and a cocktail recipe card. Get your dad one HERE.
TEQUILA ENEMIGO EXTRA AÑEJO
Forget all the stereotypes about tequila, especially the salt-licking, lime-sucking ritual that simply does no justice to one of the most sophisticated spirits one can drink. One such is the multi-award-winning Tequila Enemigo Extra Añejo, a great alternative to whisky if you want to be more adventurous in your drinking.
Enemigo Extra Añejo is made with the finest Blue Weber agave and local water filtered through mineral-rich soil from the Tequila volcano in Mexico.
On the nose, Enemigo Extra Añejo presents sweet notes of caramel, honey and stone fruit, with a hint of tobacco and oak that reveal themselves further in the mouth. Smooth and velvety on the palate, this is a tequila that should never be wasted in shots, but, as Enemigo recommends, either in flutes, to appreciate the smoothness and complexity of its flavour or in rock glasses, neat, if enjoyed as a digestif. We got ours from Enemigo but it is available through other retailers.
Words: Julia Pasarón
Opening image: Kelly / Pexels
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