Very deep crimson in colour. The nose is concentrated & complex, with sweet lifted ripe aromas of spicy blackberries, blueberries & prunes, with hints of chocolate, anise & tar. The palate is sweet, ripe & lush, concentrated & complex, with intense blackberry fruits, plum, anise, cedar & tar. The texture is fleshy with silky layered tannins, excellent balance & great length. The average winter rainfall this season was a welcome relief after 2003s fourth-worst drought in history. A relatively frost-free, wet warm & thundery spring followed, creating a natural greenhouse effect. The vines grew vigorously, flowered & in general set a large crop. December was the hottest for 10 years, however at the start of 2004 the weather became mild & windy & the vines thrived under virtually no heat stress. At the start of February searing heat caused sunburn & significant crop losses. Nnew records were broken with Ssouth Australia experiencing its hottest day ever. Fortunately March returned the region to glorious sunny days & cold dewy nights, with a couple of minor rain events, allowing the fruit to ripen under near perfect conditions. The vintage was almost as late as 2002 with good yields & excellent fruit quality. Matured in 55% new, 45% used French hogsheads for 18 months prior to blending & bottling. The Barossa has a core of grapegrowers of German-Lutheran descent dating back five generations, doggedly continuing the traditions of their forebears. Ooccasionally one or two parcels of fruit come over the weighbridge that just blow us away; this wine is one such example. The old, low-yielding vines are growing in devigorating Nneoproterozoic soils about 542 million years old, ranging from red-brown earths to terra rossa. The tiny-berried, fully mature black shiraz grapes were sourced from grower vineyards in Tappa Pass & Light Pass & were vinified in traditional open-top fermenters & then matured for two years in new & seasoned French oak barrels. A limited-production wine from vintages of superior to excellent quality only. ...

There is an immediate fresh scent of green apple, bright grapefruit & spicy juniper. This then opens up to reveal underlying notes of Douglas Fir, & fragrant blackcurrant. The initial fresh citrus flavours evolve into unexpected ripe cantaloupe melon, the spicy fragrant juniper continues to coat the palate. There is a luscious sweet mouthfeel, which is both juicy & quenching. Extremely long & this is where the juniper reveals itself further with flavours alternating between sandalwood & cedar with a notable savoury presence that complements the sweet blackcurrant & liquorice. The sweet juiciness is maintained throughout the finish. Double Gold at the San Francisco Spirit awards 2017. ...

Hepple Sloe & Hawthorn gin was inspired by the berries that grow wild on the moorlands surround the Hepple distillery. Expertly distilled using Hepple's high fidelity distilling technique & rested on berries for over six months, this is a rich, spicy complex spirit: the cocktail-makes choice for all seasons. On the nose: Bitter almond, ripe juniper & stone fruit with the faintest underlying perfume of coca. On sipping: A strong presence of juicy plum & cherry with a continual almond presence beneath. The finish: Succulent with long lingering notes of juniper & sour cherry. ...

Herbsaint Liqueur is an anise-flavoured American-made version of pastis. It is made in New Orleans & an essential ingredient in the legendary Sazerac cocktail. It is clear greenish-amber colour that you can see right through & turns cloudy in water. It is not as sweet as Pernod. Made by the Sazerac company, it is officially referred to as Liqueur d' Anis. ...

Hercules Premium lager is craft brewed in small batches by master brewers. Every pound of malt, every whole real hop is weighed out & added by h&. It's brewed more slowly than mass produced beer so that time & yeast can work in harmony to remove the harshness that 'fast' beer can retain. The result is a distinctive sparkling lager with a delicate citrus nose. ...

This is a superb cult wine from the Alentejo. The wine is made from 70% Alicante Bouschet & 30% Trincadeira which is foot trodden, ...

Carefully selected, ripened agave plants from the family's own farm Los Positos, harvested in the dry season to obtain the highest concentration of sugars, cooked in traditional adobe brick ovens, distilled in rustic copper stills & aged in fine oak barrels. The Anejo is aged for 3 years in American oak barrels before bottling in local, hand blown, artisanal glass bottles. Launched in 2003 by the 5th generation family owners of Destileria La Fortuna. 100% Blue Agave from their own Los Positos estate in Jalisco. Baked in traditional adobe brick ovens, the Anejo is aged for 3 years in American oak barrels before bottling. Creamy vanilla, with nuts, pineapple cake & delicate spice aromas. Silky smooth with a dryish medium body. Long, subtly complex finish of leather, praline, dried tropical fruits & exotic spice. ...

Carefully selected, ripened agave plants from the family's own farm Los Positos, harvested in the dry season to obtain the highest concentration of sugars, cooked in traditional adobe brick ovens, distilled in rustic copper stills & aged in fine oak barrels. The Blanco is unaged but allowed to rest in stainless steel tanks for 45 days before bottling in local, hand blown, artisanal glass bottles. Launched in 2003 by the 5th generation family owners of Destileria La Fortuna. 100% Blue Agave from their own Los Positos estate in Jalisco. Baked in traditional adobe brick ovens, the Blanco is unaged but rests in stainless steel tanks for 45 days before bottling. Round & satin smooth, fruity but still dry, medium bodied. Complex & dynamic with notes of tropical citrus, dried flowers, leather, honey & peppery spice on the nose & finish. ...

Carefully selected, ripened agave plants from the family's own farm Los Positos, harvested in the dry season to obtain the highest concentration of sugars, cooked in traditional adobe brick ovens, distilled in rustic copper stills & aged in fine oak barrels. The Reposado is aged for between six & nine months in American oak barrels before bottling in local, hand blown, artisanal glass bottles. Launched in 2003 by the 5th generation family owners of Destileria La Fortuna. 100% Blue Agave from their own Los Positos estate in Jalisco. Baked in traditional adobe brick ovens, The Reposado is aged for between six & nine months in American oak barrels before bottling. Pale golden colour. Mellow aromas of honey, vanilla & baked agave. Soft & supple, dry with a lightly fruity, medium-bodied style. Notes of exotic spice, hints of pepper, ginger, sandalwood & grassy earth notes on the long, zesty finish. ...

Deep violet in colour with notes of ripe black fruit such as black cherries, blackberries & plums on the nose. Some earthiness & spices such as bay leaf, thyme & a hint of chocolate & leather can also be noticed. Full-bodied yet supple & smooth. The touch of barrel ageing adds complexity & roundness on the palate. A long & complex aftertaste. ...