Under The Ginfluence

What an incredible day yesterday. I was in London to judge vodka for the IWSC and serendipitously it was IWD and so I got to spend it with some wonderful women in the industry (and some great guys too). I always begin these affairs with my sensible head on (must not be home too late) and amongst such good company it almost always descends into glorious mischief. From judging we stopped for a quick pint in @dehems_london to celebrate the birthday of sweetheart and whisky hero @meatrobot. From here we popped along to @swiftbars soho for their Irish coffee and Martinis. Always a pleasure. From there we went to the gorgeous @thecoralroom in the prestigious @hotelbloomsbury to taste through a fantastic new concept cocktail menu inspired by Ireland with a gorgeous menu designed around James Joyce. I'm a big James Joyce fan so it ticked a lot of boxes for me and the cocktails were exquisite. Well worth checking out. Utter decadence. Finally, we couldn't help but stop in @gordonswinebar one of the oldest bars in London, for a cheeseboard and glass of fino. Fabulous times with fabulous people. Despite the 5am start and rolling in close to midnight, here I am set to to it all again today...I mean there is always the chance my sensible head will stay on...but a little something tells me it won't 😉 #IWSC #IWD #Vodka #DeHems #BarSwift #Martini #Cocktail #TheCoralBar #Bloomsbury #JamesJoyce #GordonsWineBar #London https://www.instagram.com/p/CpjwCVxsmFN/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Today is a very special day. This lovely writing bureau was my Grandads. He was very special but sadly died a long time ago. This used to live in his and nans hallway, with frames containing his fountain pen collection...I've got some of those upstairs. I've already got a desk...so I'm hoping he won't mind me repurposing this as a minibar. It's lovely to finally have one in the lounge. I'll be raising a glass to you tonight Cranky Grandanks, and with every glass, I can imagine you sitting there, writing ❤️ #Family #History #Heritage #Writing #Minibar https://www.instagram.com/p/CoFzMCcLOS6/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

It was lovely to return to the judge's table yesterday for the World Gin Awards. Paragraph do a great job with the event every year and this year was no exception. It's always such a pleasure to greet distillers who have submitted products and wonderful to see winners heading up to pick up their awards.Well done to everyone at Paragraph for such a great event and to all the winners! And, the cherry on the cake, I got to catch up with some of my dear friends ❤️ #WorldGinAwards #London #CaledonianClub #BarSwift #Soho https://www.instagram.com/p/CnnAdQxLfIh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

IComing out of hibernation for the World Gin Awards! I'm on my way to London. Trains are all over the show (please can someone just make them a decent offer), so I'm taking a detour and watching the gorgeous scenery. The landscape is changed by frozen lakes, and everything is kissed by diamond dust. These views, once a norm, are now more of a treat, and I relish them. I'm really looking forward to catching up with all the wonderful faces and sniffing out some boozy treasure! Bring on the day! #WorldGinAwards #Gin #SpiritsWriter #SpiritsJudge https://www.instagram.com/p/CnjHUQSLUIh/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

A massive thank you to the little elf that put me on this gifted list 🎁 I was over the moon when the postman came this morning. Bringing a wonderful boozy @drinksbythedram Gin Advent Calendar, the likes of which I haven't seen for a while now! I loved these when they first came out. Then after a few years writing on the contents every day in December I fancied a little break but I did miss it! This turning up today has been a lovely surprise and I cannot wait for it all to begin, because this box is going to be jam packed with all sorts of tasty tipples! It's just a touch too early to start decorating, isn't it? Is it? Isn't it? 🎄 #DrinksByTheDram #AtomBrands #GinAdventCalendar https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck3FDqPsliz/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

What a wonderful month, this October, this ever changing season. I feel like I move on a very different person to how I started. The first week in the new job has been wonderful. The team are just lovely. Friendly, supportive and jolly good fun. Work is built around five core values that I align with. All ideas are worth listening to and as I learn more about the role, I'm beginning to understand the capacity to make a real positive difference to people. My focus was there this week, as well as sone personal matters. Now I have my feet comfortably under the employment table, I will look to bring in my freelance work and balance things. It will take time to align everything, but it will be well worth it to do so much of value with my time. Boozy posts will pick up again soon, thank you for bearing with me. Today is for catching up on house tasks and a little self care to nourish and replenish. Having routine again has been almost immediately beneficial and I am already appreciating down time. Last night I sketched out an idea for a painting that I'm looking to develop. I love that art is coming back to me after so long without it. Thank you to the team for my @iammissmacaroon treat! Delightfully delicious macaroons donating profits to creating employment opportunities for young people. #NewJob #GetMyFirstJob #TheTalentPeople #Employment #Opportunities #Macaroons #Sunday #SelfCare #MissMacaroon #LoveWhatYouDo https://www.instagram.com/p/CkVt5sBMJoG/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

First in class of course! Very excited for the New Make Tasting Session with Millie Millikem and Holyrood Distilleries Marc Strathie. 12 to try and lots to learn at the Craft Distilling Expo 🤓 #distillingexpo https://www.instagram.com/p/CjaQBHEMxFy/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I was planning on a simple Insta post of this bottle, but there is just too much to say. Shed 1 kindly [gifted] me this bottle of their new Ulverston Gin. I sat down to taste, and several tastes later, I'm still finding new things. This gin is a real beauty, the epitome of a local gin, one that is of course made with locally foraged botanicals, but one that is very much a community project. And the flavour? Well it is probably one of my favourite herbaceous gins out there, for the experience of tasting it. Every time I taste it I find something new, I identify more of the blackcurrant leaf, I find a brighter note I hadn't detected before. Tasting this is like a hedgerow walk, like picking botanicals and squishing them in your fingers and essentially, how that sensory experience is ever changing, ever growing like the plants themselves. The gin launched last week with a limited edition run of 300 bottles. I think they're going to go quick and i just hsd to say something. So this post is more a holding message. I'm working on the article, and it will be published soon. Bravo @shed_1_gin Marvellous stuff. #Shed1 #Gin #ForagedBotanicals #Ulverston #Cumbria https://www.instagram.com/p/CjIITfpMBw0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Credit to the new Virgin Hotel Edinburgh, it's a really nice spot. I was booked for a night as part of a press trip and had a wonderful experience. The hotel is new, about 4 months old. The public areas are beautiful, and the design of the rooms clever, with a wooden structure making one space feel like a suite, with lots of room to get ready, walk in shower with luxury toiletries, and a massive, very comfortable bed. The mini bar was top draw. A huge variety of drinks with the philosophy you pay shop prices, so @whiteboxcocktails cans were £5 each, excellent value and I thoroughly enjoyed the Old Fashioned, getting ready. And there were other little touches, a strawberry and chocolate welcome plate with hand written card, and a token for a free drink at the bar. And to top it all of off, the staff were amazing. Bright, friendly, helpful and most importantly, happy. According to one member it is a great place to work and that is something I love to hear. Well done guys! I will certainly be back 😊 @virginhotelsedi @kapranospr #VirginHotel #Hotel #Edinburgh #MiniBar #WhiteboxCocktails https://www.instagram.com/p/CjIG4v0sZNR/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

I'm still processing the incredible day I had on Friday's press trip. Goodwood is stunning and the team there are just wonderful, I can't rate them enough. Rambling and foraging for juniper, a tour of the grounds and house, a visit for the farm shop to try their cheeses and beer, then G&Ts and canopes back at the house before heading over to the Revival. Great people to enjoy it all with. An incredibly special day indeed. The gin is beautiful. It has a real finesse about it, built around the juniper, with all supporting botanivals doing an exquisite job of bringing out the delightful complexities of the feature player. And this makes sense to me. After all, a percentage of the juniper comes from local Levin Down, where the gin gets its name, of course it would be the main event, and of course the gin would have an esteemed elegance about it. An easy G&T, fresh light flavours make it great for a collins...I'd like to try it in a martini with just a touch of Noilly Prat and a lemon twist. Easy. There is so much more to Goodwood than I realised. The history, the race tracks, the farm. It is a fully operational estate, as well as a venue for big events like the Festival of Speed and the Revival. There's lots to squeeze in to the article, which you can expect to see in the coming weeks. #Goodwood #GoodwoodHouse #GoodwoodGin #GoodwoodRevival #Gin #Vintage #VintageFashion https://www.instagram.com/p/CiqANiELJD9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Off to Goodwood Revival today for the launch of Goodwood Gin. Have a wonderful day in store trying the gin with food pairings, foraging for botanicals and enjoying some time pottering around the event. It's the first time I've been to Goodwood, and I wanted to wear something special. This dress is the one. It was given to me by an old friend and was hand made by his late mum, who ran a sewing shop. It's a real privilege to wear it to this event. The skirt is so full, even more so with a petticoat. It's a very special piece indeed. I'm feeling very fancy right now. #Goodwood #GoodwoodRevival #GoodwoodGin #Gin #Vintage #VintageFashion https://www.instagram.com/p/Cij_yMnrPHg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

Had a wonderful time judging the Autumn Tasting for The Spirits Business on Tuesday. The event was hosted at Macellio RC in Soho, who laid on a special 3 course menu for lunch. What an incredible place. Absolutely beautiful inside and the food was exquisite. That tiramisu was divine. There was certainly some treasure to be found anongst the entries. My favourite flight had to be the American Whiskies, some excellent examples of the category. @spiritsbusiness @macellaiorc #SpiritsBusiness #SpirtsMasters #MacellioRC #Soho #London https://www.instagram.com/p/CiPw3r1Mg0G/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

A couple of very busy days under my belt. Would be rude not squeeze in a bubble bath before the other half gets home...complete with book and bottle of house blend Negroni...or infinity bottle to some. Don't worry, I won't drink it all in here. #SelfCare #HumpDay #Bath #BubbleBath #Negroni #BottledNegroni #InfinityBottle #MargarettAttwood #HandmaidsTale #Radox https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch7jnKXsd1l/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

#Gin #PuertoDeIndias # Spain #Seville #StrawberryGin #PinkGin

#Seville #Spain #Travel #Gin #SpanishSpirit #PuertoDeIndias