An average of five and a half years old, and a blend of Grande and Petite Champagne, H by Hine is light amber, with a pretty nose of iris and buttered brioche. On the palate, it's light and fresh, offering notes of nougat and candied orange, and some wood on the finish.

88 Bamboo: “Colour: Deep Amber Aroma: Really luscious and expressive, with florals, honey and a clear presence of orchard fruits. It opens up with this crystalline note of honey washing over fresh linen that blends into lifted aromas of jasmine blossoms. As it sits in the glass, there's more layers of freshly sliced peaches, orange supremes, soft dried apricot and some golden raisins, complemented by creamy vanilla pudding. The aroma is rounded and dense, with a clean chalky mineral edge to it that adds some character. Taste: Immediately bright and lively on the palate, a fresh burst of orange oil and citrus peels that gently unfolds with mellow layers of golden raisins, caramelised bread pudding, and smooth, rich toffee. By the mid-palate, it's giving lots of delicate European oak notes that provide structure while staying in the background without overstepping the honeyed fruits. Some subtle herbal candy undertones and light baking spices. Finish: Really long and smooth, carrying through the gentle honey along with an interesting touch of liquorice and Hacks grape candy in all its minty-grapey glory, and then closing with lingering orange peels. My Thoughts: This showcases both exceptional balance and accessibility by all counts, and also a step-up in its depth and fruitiness compared to the VSOP - the heft we were looking for in the VSOP is definitely found here. And that's a great base leapfrog off on, considering we liked the VSOP very much already. It starts off with really expressive and layered fruit aromas, while the palate keeps that same energy with bright citrus and sweet mellow pudding notes. I enjoy its flavourful brightness and vibrant personality, which deftly avoids the pitfalls of becoming overly oaked. The oak is present but mellow and restrained, and yet it still boasts a rather prolonged finish. This expression precisely bridges the gap between youthful brandies and mature Cognacs. It’s an excellent sipping experience richly flavoured but still retaining a really clean, fresh and candy-like lusciousness without leaning too far into too much oak.”  

From Grande Champagne and aged an average of 20 years. Light copper in colour, with a subtle nose redolent of fresh flowers at first, but as it opens there are more expressive notes of fruit pastry, which carry on to the full-bodied palate. Pear tart, hazelnuts and a bit of spice and tobacco on the finish.

The great gin boom of the 21st century shows no sign of slowing as the world remains thirsty for juniper. At the Whisky Exchange, we’ve always prided ourselves on finding the best spirits for our customers, so we’ve assembled a panel of experts to determine the Gin of the Year 2023. This year’s shortlist contains modern interpretations of classic styles and boundary-pushing new innovations. The winner is Stranger & Sons Gin, offering an aromatic and exotic take on the classic spirit, utilising locally-sourced botanicals to create a fragrant Indian gin.

The elegance of angelica root aromas lead onto a warming palate and pleasing mouthfeel. Citrus notes balance well with spices that linger enjoyably. Well balanced, and also a great length to flavours.

The Light Drinker: "Spritz is the way forward. I love Pentire’s botanical spirit substitutes, but there’s something about an orangey, bitter aperitif that really works in a non-alcoholic version. Here,Pentire’s botanicals mix is joined by orange zest which steps up to echo the depth and kick of alcohol while rosemary gives a rounded herbiness. There are a lot of new zero alc aperitifs that use that combination and it’s because it’s a brilliantly balanced one, of strong flavours and zingy contrasts. The extra element here is the addition of oakmoss which offsets the other ingredients with woody, spicy and slightly sweet notes. It’s this ingredient that gives the Coastal Spritz a feel of a slightly bitter Martini Rosso rather than, say, a Campari, and I love it. You can trust Pentire to deliver and they have."

The Light Drinker: Pentire are an impressive performer in the non-alcoholic spirit range. They claim their original drink, Pentire Adrift has the highest rating of any non-alcoholic spirit on the Trustpilot ratings; and they have had some stellar reviews, including from the New York Times. This is their second drink, a zesty, breezy mix of pink grapefruit, sea buckthorn, sea rosemary and woodruff. It’s a grown-up drink: dry, and saliva-inducingly tangy adding layers and depth to a good tonic. Their ads often show people sitting on a headland in Cornwall enjoying the drink round a camp fire. It’s perfectly pitched: the herbal, citrussy flavours speak of short thymy turf and salty breezes. Absolutely delicious with a tonic.  

The Light Drinker: According to the Pentire website, Pentire Adrift has the highest rating of any non-alcoholic spirit on the Trustpilot ratings; they certainly have some very enthusiastic reviews and I agree with all of them.  This is a beautifully crafted drink, no bells or whistles or fancy tricks, just a strongly confident blend of superbly chosen flavours. There’s bright top notes of zesty grapefruit peel balanced by a strongly herbal muskiness of sage which round out the thinness of the citrus,  and the whole is enlivened with the freshness of sea salt and samphire.  It’s fabulous on the nose and, mixed with tonic, is rounded and satisfying, the aromatics performing just as they do in a good gin. There’s a slight sherbetiness in the finish, although there’s no sweetness in the mix, and the whole represents a superb mastery of blending.   If you only have one non-alcohol drink in your cupboard, it might as well be this one.

"Our taste-testers hugely enjoyed the Coastal Spritz, scoring it highly for flavour and fun. They were also impressed with its lack of a synthetic/chemical taste when compared to some other non-alcoholic aperitifs." AlcoholChange.co.uk  

Fruity, fresh, bright. Lots of spritz with red fruits of cherry and some plum, a light salivating quality with a crispness and refreshing palate appeal. Balnaced and well made in a ready to drink expression.

Great Lakes Tequila Club: “The Blanco is packed with fresh agave, is buttery smooth, and has a light touch of white pepper and possibly some mint. It’s light, sweet, smooth, and refreshing.”

Great Lakes Tequila Club: “The Reposado is aged… and pulls in just a touch of oak while retaining the fresh agave. There’s also some almond and cream soda sweetness to balance the oak and agave.”

Great Lakes Tequila Club: “The Anejo is still agave forward, but the aging brings more of the oak to the front, along with a touch of tobacco, vanilla, and almond. It’s a relatively light natural color, and again—very smooth with great viscosity.”