The last of the 2018 Limited Editions has just crossed Ken Gargett’s path: the Romeo y Julieta Tacos Edición Limitada 2018. And while in recent years there have been overwhelmingly positive reviews for most of the Limited Editions, the Tacos has had a very mixed response. But, most importantly, what does Ken think?
Heidsieck Monopole Gout American 1907 is the world’s most expensive champagne. This is the famous “shipwreck champagne” and it has a truly extraordinary story to tell, much more interesting than simply the prices it has achieved.
Foursquare from Barbados offers a fine range of different rums, including some vintage bottlings that do not hit the shelves until they have had at least a solid decade of aging in barrel. Ken Gargett describes what else this interesting producer with a long history in the Caribbean has to offer.
Anyone who expresses even so much as a fleeting interest in great wine will soon come across Krug, for many the greatest champagne of all. And there are champagne lovers and then there are devotees of Krug: Krugists. Ken Gargett doubts that any other champagne, any wine, has a word to designate their adoring fans. Here he explains why.
When it comes to Partagás Lusitania cigars, Ken Gargett stresses that size matters. As does checking the box before buying. One caveat, however: he warns that if you are not prepared to devote two to two and a half hours to the cigar, read no further. This is a very fine cigar – a double corona – to enjoy over time.
The idea of Last Drop is to source rare and first-class spirits, usually with considerable age. Some of these products – and in the company’s decade of operations, there have only been 13 releases – are extremely limited and seriously expensive. But is it worth it? Ken Gargett reverently sips a dram and shares the results with us here.
For many watch enthusiasts, it is probably not a stretch to say that fine timepieces are often enjoyed with a fine glass of bubbly. And since Quill & Pad acquired an expert writer in this field in 2017 – Ken Gargett from Australia – we can happily recommend some of the best tipples in existence. Here are five very fine champagnes recommended just in time for the new year!
Tenuta San Guido’s 2015 Sassicaia was a warm vintage but an exceptional one, and that is reflected in the wine. It is considered to have similarities with the sensational vintage conditions of 1985, which Ken Gargett has tasted twice and has rated 100 points standing on its head both times. Sassicaia is one of the most famous of all wines of Italy, and often one of the country’s very best.
Flor de Caña is not the only rum producer from Nicaragua but it dominates in a massive way. Ken Gargett rates its 25-year-old, single-estate rum 98/100 and explains why, while providing some interesting history.
The price of $500 for a bottle of Cullen’s Vanya sets a new level for Australia’s Margaret River, but in international terms it is more than reasonable. But is it worth this money? Ken Gargett investigates.