Drink
A vintage that tastes of Old Possum
Eliot. After 50 years trying to make sense of his verse, and at the risk of admitting to rampant philistinism,…
Cats and clarets
Call me a sentimental old whatever, but watching a four-year old hearing The Tale of Samuel Whiskers for the first…
Cats and clarets
Call me a sentimental old whatever, but watching a four-year old hearing The Tale of Samuel Whiskers for the first…
Bloody Marys and glorious Jean
To the Western Isles, or at least to its embassy in Belgravia. Boisdale restaurant always claims to be extra-territorial. There…
Bloody Marys and glorious Jean
To the Western Isles, or at least to its embassy in Belgravia. Boisdale restaurant always claims to be extra-territorial. There…
Bloody Marys and glorious Jean
To the Western Isles, or at least to its embassy in Belgravia. Boisdale restaurant always claims to be extra-territorial. There…
Cold War collation
I know an immensely grand aristocratic lady, impeccably mannered, with a regal grace and presence, who cannot be trusted near…
Cold War collation
I know an immensely grand aristocratic lady, impeccably mannered, with a regal grace and presence, who cannot be trusted near…
Sherry to start
Someone came up with a century-old quotation plangent with irony and sadness: ‘The year 1916 was cursed: 1917 will surely…
Sherry to start
Someone came up with a century-old quotation plangent with irony and sadness: ‘The year 1916 was cursed: 1917 will surely…
Harry, Jeffrey and Benoit
I first ate at the London version of Harry’s Bar in the early 1990s. Back then, Jeffrey Archer and I…
Harry, Jeffrey and Benoit
I first ate at the London version of Harry’s Bar in the early 1990s. Back then, Jeffrey Archer and I…
Wines of the times
The other day, I had lunch with the grandest person I know. Forget 1066: Adrian Ziani de Ferranti can trace…
Wines of the times
The other day, I had lunch with the grandest person I know. Forget 1066: Adrian Ziani de Ferranti can trace…
Bottle shots
This is something to be said for starting to celebrate Christmas before the end of the grouse season. It provides…
Bottle shots
This is something to be said for starting to celebrate Christmas before the end of the grouse season. It provides…
Autumn riches
A few days ago, on the Dorset/Somerset marches, autumn was still in orderly retreat. Although a pear tree’s leaves had…
Autumn riches
A few days ago, on the Dorset/Somerset marches, autumn was still in orderly retreat. Although a pear tree’s leaves had…
From Bordeaux to Nato
An aeon ago, when I was first invited to the odd City lunch, there was a standard formula: G&T, white,…
From Bordeaux to Nato
An aeon ago, when I was first invited to the odd City lunch, there was a standard formula: G&T, white,…
The sacred mission to stop real whisky becoming too popular
A long-standing friend of mine is a lucky fellow. He has spent his career doing exactly what he was born…
Whisky galore
A long-standing friend of mine is a lucky fellow. He has spent his career doing exactly what he was born…
Whisky galore
A long-standing friend of mine is a lucky fellow. He has spent his career doing exactly what he was born…
Eat, drink and be worried
We were surpassing Sydney Smith. His idea of heaven was pâté de foie gras to the sound of trumpets. Our…
Eat, drink and be worried
We were surpassing Sydney Smith. His idea of heaven was pâté de foie gras to the sound of trumpets. Our…
