Hamlet Paredes is one of the planet’s great cigar rollers and a great friend of Ken Gargett’s. Here Ken provides an abbreviated account of the life and times of Hamlet, all wrapped up in tobacco leaves and entertaining dialogue.
Yamazaki 12-Year-Old from Japan is a whisky that Ken Gargett has loved every time he has had the chance to try it. The bottle he sampled for this piece was actually one from the back of his cupboard, which he has been sitting on for far too long. When a mate saw it, he implored him not to open it. But Ken of course did and shares the experience with us here.
Normally Ken Gargett would not highlight a retailer/supplier, but Dekanta offers special limited edition Japanese whiskies as well as many of the harder-to-find bottlings. And he does think this Asaka Aoi Edition Single Cask is a very fine whisky and definitely worth a look.
Cohiba Lancero is arguably the most famous cigar of all. It is, however, a cigar that is talked about far more than it is smoked. Why? With measurements of 7½ inches and a ring gauge of 38 (not to forget the little pigtail at the end), it falls smack in the center of what the old timers call the “long and skinnies.” Ken Gargett explains why it’s worth a puff.
The Louis Roederer NV champagne is to be discontinued and replaced by a new NV dubbed Collection 242. Ken Gargett thinks that this new Roederer is a joy to drink, immaculately balanced, and delightfully fresh. But that’s not all.
Mumm Champagne has wonderful history, but then for a period it seemed to descend into little more than a discount producer. More recently, there appeared to be a serious intent to return to the glory days when this house was seen as one of the greats. Ken Gargett thinks that Mumm’s RSRV R. Lalou 2006 is a revelation. Rich and complex with honeycomb notes and some butterscotch. Great length. Finely balanced.
For many people, anchovies are one of those foods to be avoided like the plague. But for Ken Gargett anchovies are not a love-it-or-hate it food. Rather, they are a love-it-or-you-have-not-discovered-how-good-they-can-be food. A lunch of a freshly baked loaf of hot, crusty bread smothered in good quality anchovies is just magic. Here he takes you on an aquatic journey through the culinary aspects of this small fish.
To’ak makes chocolate, but not as you know it. This is manna from heaven, or perhaps chocolate from angels. Ken Gargett takes a deep dive into what is quite possibly the world’s finest chocolate.
Penfolds has recently launched the annual release of its wines, which the winemaker calls “the Collection,” and a couple of stellar new wines have joined the fold: the Superblends. However, it’s the Grange that everyone wants to try, and Ken Gargett does. Luckily for us he tastes everything else too!
Glenfiddich Grand Cru is a malt that is finely crafted and utterly superb according to Ken Gargett. Whether it offers value for money is up to each individual, but he thinks that there is no question that it’s a really lovely whisky with some unexpected notes.