The Drinking Hour: With David Kermode - FoodFM

In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David reports from Belgrade on the contest to be ‘ASI Best Sommelier in Europe, Africa and the Middle East’ and speaks to the winner, Mick Parre, and also the reigning best sommelier in the world, Raimonds Tomsons, plus, Alex Huskinson, tequila category expert at The Whisky Exchange in on hand for a mini masterclass.

Drinks featured, all gold medal winning agave spirits:

Proximo Spirits 1800 Milenio Extra Añejo Tequila

Gruppo Campari Montelobos Pechuga Artesanal Mezcal

Heaven Hill Brands Lunazul Primero Humoso Blanco Tequila

Meanwhile Drinks Pensador Espadín Artesanal Mezcal

San Cosme Artesano Joven Mezcal

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David travels to the Champagne village of Aÿ to meet Dominique Demarville, general manager and cellar master at Lallier, to toast the launch of two new cuvées and talk about his long career in the region, plus Billy Abbott’s back with Jason Vaswani from The Whisky Exchange, to talk about ‘pre-loved’ whisky.

New Zealand medal winning spirits featured:

Pokeno Whisky Co. Totara Cask Single Malt Whisky (gold)

Strange Nature Distilling Gin (gold)

Astra Premium New Zealand Gin (gold)

Greytown Distilling Company Tweed Premium Gin (gold)

Elemental Distillers Roots Rosso Pinot Noir Gin (gold)

Karori Drinks Company Chemistry Gin (gold and also a design award)

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David’s joined by John Hoskins MW, former chief examiner at the Institute of Masters of Wine and Rebecca Palmer, Associate Director at Corney & Barrow to talk about judging South Africa’s wines, in situ, for the IWSC and Billy Abbott of the Whisky Exchange returns for a mini masterclass on the flavours of world whisky.

Wines featured, all gold medal winners:

Villiera Monro Brut Cap Classique 2017

Capensis Wines Silene Chardonnay 2022

Kershaw Wines Clonal Selection Chardonnay 2020

Peter Falke Wines Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 

Flagstone Winery Writer's Block Pinotage 2021 

Perdeberg Wines Endura Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2022 

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. Author and FT columnist Alice Lascelles is David’s guest to talk about her latest book, The Martini - a paean to the iconic cocktail, tracing its journey from 1880’s New York to the hottest bars of the moment via 60 different recipes. Plus, Billy Abbott of The Whisky Exchange is back to explore the world of Japanese whisky.

Medal winning Japanese whiskies featured:

The Fujisan Whisky (gold)

The Ukiyo Premium Black Label Japanese Blended Rice Whisky (gold)

Komasa Kanosuke Distillery 2023 Limited Edition Single Malt Japanese Whisky (silver)

Nagahama Distillery Amahagan Yamazakura Edition Blended Malt Whisky (silver)

Kirin Brewery Co. Fuji Single Blended Whisky (silver)

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David welcomes one of the most famous names in Champagne, Michel Drappier, whose family first settled in the region more than 200 years ago, with the conversation including organic farming, carbon neutral practises and low dosage.

Wines featured:

Drappier Grande Sendrée Brut 2010 (silver)

Henriot Blanc De Blancs Brut non vintage (gold)

Rare Rosé Brut 2014 (silver)

Co-op Les Pionniers Brut NV (silver)

Ellner Charles Ellner Grande Reserve Brut 2014 (silver)

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David is joined by whisky expert, Kristiane Sherry, to talk about her inaugural ‘Scotch whisky report’ for Club Oenologique, tasting around 120 examples, to produce a snapshot of the category. In a double helping for whisky lovers, Billy Abbott of The Whisky Exchange returns, for an Irish whisky mini masterclass.

IWSC medal winners featured, all gold medal winners:

Irish Distillers Blue Spot 7 YO Cask Strength Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey 

Proximo Spirits Bushmills 30 YO Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Teeling Whiskey Blackpitts Peated Cask Strength Single Malt Irish Whiskey 

Powerscourt Distillery Fercullen 21 YO Single Malt Irish Whiskey

Irish Distillers Green Spot Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David delves in the world of whisky with renowned expert, author and judge, Billy Abbott, of The Whisky Exchange, to explore the complexity and diversity of a dram, with a focus on fruit forward whiskies in the first of a series of ‘mini masterclasses’.

Featuring four IWSC gold medal and trophy winners:  

Tomatin Distillery Legacy Single Malt Scotch Whisky 

East Asia Whisky Company 35 YO Manta Ray Genesis Bunnahabhain Distillery Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Cask 88 Imperial Distillery The Bothy 25 YO Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Loch Lomond Whiskies 12 YO Inchmurrin Single Malt Scotch Whisky

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. From his humble beginnings in hospitality to the bar of Tom Kerridge’s double-starred gastropub, The Hand & Flowers, Anthony Peart achieved his dream of launching his own rum. He joins David to talk about how he made it happen.

Rums featured (all gold medal winners)

Fr’um dark but fr'iendly Pineapple & Smokey Scotch Bonnet Rum

Rones del Caribe Roble Viejo 12 YO Ultra Añejo Rum

Héritiers Madkaud Renaissance Rum 

Four Monkey Cataline

Chapter 7 Whisky Spirit Library 1993 Cuban Rum

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David reflects on the highlights of series 15 featuring Perrier-Jouët cellar master Séverine Frerson, Domaine des Tourelles winemaker Faouzi Issa on making wine in Lebanon, organic pioneer Gérard Bertrand and Voyager Estate’s chief winemaker, Tim Shand, Will Hill on Georgian amber wine and Tom Surgey on his new book.

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In partnership with Club Oenologique - the world through the lens of wine and spirits. David travels to Château L’ Hospitalet in Languedoc-Roussillon to meet Gérard Bertrand, a former rugby star whose passion for his home region has earned it a place on the world’s fine wine map. They talk terroir, biodynamics and a winemaking philosophy that has resulted in a broad range of wines from an innovative orange, to the world’s most expensive rosé.

Wines featured:

Gérard Bertrand Cote Des Roses Grenache-Syrah-Cinsault 2023 (silver)

Gérard Bertrand Héritage Sauvignon Blanc 2023 (silver)

Gérard Bertrand Héritage Adissan 2023 (silver)

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