Gin Mourvedre Sherry Scotland Islay

Mourvèdre is a fascinating and ancient grape varietal, thought to have been introduced to Spain by the ancient Phoenicians over two thousand years ago. Since then, it has found a home in many regions of France, and has gone on to be a key grape varietal in the New World, where it is often blended with Grenache and Syrah varietals to make a beautifully rounded and balanced red wine. The Mourvèdre grape itself is renowned for holding a complex set of flavours, which are often described as meaty or gamey, with plenty of bramble fruit notes. As such, they are often served with dark meats, and are enjoyed in many countries across the globe. The grapes are not the easiest to cultivate, as they require plenty of sunshine alongside well irrigated soil. However, their quality and unique attributes mean that wineries all over the globe continue to persevere with this special varietal.

Sherry is made in a unique way using the solera system, which blends fractional shares of young wine from oak barrels with older, more mature wines. Sherry has no vintage date because it is blended from a variety of years. Rare, old sherries can contain wine that dates back 25 to 50 years or more, the date the solera was begun. If a bottle has a date on it, it probably refers to the date the company was founded.

Most sherries begin with the Palomino grape, which enjoys a generally mild climate in and around the triad of towns known as the "Sherry Triangle" and grows in white, limestone and clay soils that look like beach sand. The Pedro Ximenez type of sweet sherry comes from the Pedro Ximenez grape.

Sherry is a "fortified" wine, which means that distilled, neutral spirits are used to fortify the sherry. The added liquor means that the final sherry will be 16 to 20 percent alcohol (higher than table wines) and that it will have a longer shelf life than table wines.

Situated at the southernmost point of the beautiful Scottish Hebridean Islands, Islay is a single malt scotch whisky region of true character, history and distinction. With a history of whisky production which stretches back to the thirteenth century, Islay whiskies today are all about authenticity and expressing the unique character of this stunning, windswept island. While there have been dozens of distilleries on the island throughout the ages, today there are just eight, and each have their own interpretation of the classic Islay style.

This whisky region is one of only five in the British Isles which benefits from legal protection, meaning the distinctive characteristics of Islay single malts can continue to be made in a time honoured fashion for future generations to enjoy. This also means that traditions can be upheld, modern methods and short-cuts are kept at the door. Partly because of this reverence for doing things the old-fashioned way, Islay has become a major port of call in whisky tourism, something which has boosted the fortunes of the island in recent years.

The main feature of Islay single malt whisky is its extraordinary smokiness and peatiness - indeed, the whisky is produced by malting the barley over burning peat, which infuses the whisky with powerful flavors known as phenols. The whiskies of Islay also have a distinctly briney note about them, too, reflecting the island’s close and tempestuous relationship with the stormy North Sea.