New whisky concept inspired by Sir Kenny Dalglish

Former Liverpool and Scotland striker Kenny Dalglish is the inspiration for a new whisky concept.

Distilllers Gordon & MacPhail have partnered with Sir Kenny for the inaugural release of a a venture called Vintage Moments.

The Elgin-based whisky producer will release the first collection in October 2026, with just 15 of Dalglish’s Vintage Moments by Gordon & MacPhail Whiskies box sets available to purchase.

The new initiative centres on creating bespoke collections of five ultra-rare single malt Scotch whiskies distilled in years that correspond with significant moments in an individual’s life, the drinks business reports.

Gordon & MacPhail said a small number of private clients will be given the opportunity each year to sample single malts and select five whiskies linked to pivotal years in their own personal histories.

Each whisky will hand-drawn from cask and bottled at cask strength, with Gordon & MacPhail describing each bottling as “the only expression of each particular single malt that will ever exist”.

To launch the concept, Gordon & MacPhail worked with Dalglish to curate five rare single malt Scotch whiskies distilled in years linked to landmark moments in his life.

Dalglish, who was born in 1951, is regarded as one of the greatest strikers in post-war British football and remains one of Celtic’s, Liverpool’s and Scotland’s most admired figures.

Image: Sir Kenny Dalglish, Gordon & MacPhail

Pastry party: Sofitel goes even more French

Sofitel hotels always come with a touch of French style and joie de vivre. 

Sofitel has this week announced the launch of its Fruit Kiss offering, the second chapter of its popular La Haute Croissanterie series. 

This year the limited-edition collection of 10 hand-crafted croissants for breakfast will be fruit driven. 

For guests in Australia, New Zealand and Fiji, the collection will be available across 10 Sofitel properties until the end of July.

Each of the 10 creations - among them a Raspberry Kiss with basil-infused jam and Greek yogurt - are created as edible artworks. 

Other flavours will include a Cherry Kiss, and a Fig Kiss finished with mascarpone and gold leaf. 

“Creating the Fruit Kiss collection allowed us to bring a new sense of freshness, lightness and indulgence to the guest experience, by celebrating fruit at its peak," says Anne-Cecile Degenne, corporate executive chef of Sofitel and Sofitel Legend. 

"With this collection, we wanted each croissant to highlight the true taste of fruit, focusing on clean, natural flavours, balanced textures, and a golden, crisp pastry that supports rather than overpowers the product, resulting in a creation that is both precise and true to its ingredients."

The collection will span properties from Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour and Sofitel London St James to Sofitel Dubai The Palm and Sofitel Paris Le Scribe Opéra. 

Australia-Pacific hotels include Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour, Sofitel Sydney Wentworth, Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, Sofitel Brisbane Central, Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach, Sofitel Adelaide, 

Sofitel Auckland Viaduct Harbour, Sofitel Queenstown Hotel and Spa, Sofitel Wellington and Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa. 

* Sofitel is part of Accor with over 5,500 properties throughout more than 110 countries. 

Anyone for a kebab marinated in Guinness?

With an apparent target market of well-off bogans, a Guinness kebab, marinated in the famous Irish black stout, is being launched this week for the start of the Six Nations rugby tournament.

The Guinness kebab will be available for six weeks during the tournament in Box bar locations across the UK, including London, Manchester, Leeds and Nottingham, industry website drinks business reports.

Priced from £12.95 (that's a stonking $25.50 in Aussie money), the beef kofta is marinated in Guinness, "giving the meat the deep, rich flavour," before being wrapped in a hand-made flatbread, drizzled with a sticky homemade Guinness chipotle glaze and topped with fresh mint yoghurt.

The snack is designed to look like a pint of Guinness.

“Our new Guinness kebab is a playful nod to our Irish friends ahead of the Six Nations, whilst also tapping into our favourite night out food as Brits – the kebab," says Tom Mayer-Jones, brand and marketing manager at Box.

"We’ve brought these two things together in a way that feels true to Box - bold, social, and a meal designed to be enjoyed alongside big sporting moments.”

Prices may vary across locations with the kebab being priced at £14.95 in Box Piccadilly.

“We’re inviting everyone down to Box to watch the rugby and enjoy our new menu item,” Mayer-Jones added.

Those indulging in the Guinness kebab are being encouraged to share their pictures, videos and experiences via Instagram and TikTok and tagging in the @theboxbaruk handle.

OK. We get it. It's a publicity stunt. But it has got some traction. 

Would you like your wine in a recyclable aluminium bottle?

Brown Brothers has just unveiled an Australian first - releasing a limited-edition prosecco in a slick-looking aluminium bottle. 

The bottle is being promoted as recyclable and 40% lighter than glass.

"Delivering the same vibrant taste you know and love, this eco-friendly bottle makes it easier than ever to enjoy our prosecco," the promotional material says. 

"Lightweight and portable, it’s perfect for a picnic in the park, a weekend away, or simply embracing the everyday moments worth raising a glass to."

The Brown Brothers team says the new vessel also chills faster. 

The wine is made in Victoria's King Valley and Brown Brothers says it is "a sip in the right direction when it comes from environmental impact – without compromising on flavour or quality".

The RRP for the limited-edition Prosecco Brut NV is $25. 

See https://brownfamilywines.com.au/products/aluminium-premium-prosecco-brut

Check out a new branding from Penfolds

 

Thinking of gifting a bottle of Penfolds wine over the festive season?

Maybe one with a point of difference? 

Penfolds has just unveiled its holiday collection for the 2024 festive season with the release of Holiday Designed by NIGO. 

The collectable series is available for a limited time globally and includes four giftboxes designed by Penfolds Creative Partner NIGO - the renowned Japanese artist.

Penfolds Holiday Collection is inspired by NIGO’s interpretation of the graphic checkered pattern found in traditional Asian textiles. 

A symbol of eternity and prosperity, the two-tone square pattern repeats horizontally and vertically across all Penfolds holiday giftboxes. 

NIGO’s designs are showcased across a collectable suite of festive giftboxes (designed in four colours: red, green, blue and black).

The collection is headlined by Penfolds Bin 389 Cabernet Shiraz ($120) with entry level wines at $30. 

NIGO, who only uses one name (like Bono without the voice) said: “It was very important to me to incorporate my culture into this holiday collection.

“Integrating the checkered design and Furoshiki was a clear way for me to honour that. With this Furoshiki, Ihope collectors can wrap, gift, and share their Penfolds wines this holiday season.”

Penfolds first announced NIGO as its Creative Partner in June 2023, with the global release of One by Penfolds.

For stockist information andmore details visit www.penfolds.com.

Special edition wine casks make an artistic point

First koalas, now bees.

Winesmiths, the bag-in-a-box wine range from the people at Yalumba, have collaborated with Australian artist Billie Justice Thomson, who has turned her focus to Australia’s native flora and the honey bee, with her illustrations printed on limited edition two-litre Winesmiths packs.

The packs are now rolling out into liquor stores, with the entire collection to be available from August to December. Part of the proceeds from sales of the shiraz and pinot grigio will be donated to the Wheen Bee Foundation charity to aid research.



Thomson is known for her nostalgic illustrations and paintings of iconic food and drinks.

The limited edition designs appear on the sauvignon blanc, semillon sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and dry rosé.

The shiraz is excellent - well worth keeping a box on hand - while the pinot grigio is fun and lively. I also enjoyed the semillon sauvignon blanc a lot. 

The artist says her inspiration was drawn from the the vineyard.

“It was such a great process, we looked at the native plants that grow in and around the vineyards,” she said.

“Bees and native plants play an important role in the biodiversity of vineyards and ultimately in the wine itself. I’ve always been attached to natives, they’re so uniquely Australian.

"They’re so rugged and often a little bit strange.”

Winesmiths’ senior brand manager Lisa Antoney says: “The Winesmiths Billie Justice Thomson edition shines a light on the sustainable environment required to make our wines, as well as the sustainability benefits our packaging delivers.

“Just like an artist, our vineyards require as much love and attention to drive a healthy eco-system, delivering beautiful natural flavour and yield. We don’t compromise on quality in any way.”

This is the second iteration of Winesmiths' limited edition casks, with the producer having previously worked with Mulga the Artist to raise money for koalas.

The Winesmiths x Billie Justice Thomson limited edition will have an RRP of $16.

New moscato pushes wine boundaries

I think it would be fair to say that I am not the target market for the latest Australian wine industry wheeze.

Two of Australia’s leading gourmet brands have teamed up to create a limited-edition moscato flavour that has just been released.

Inspired by a Gelato Messina classic, the Brown Brothers Moscato Strawberries & Cream is obviously aimed at a young, sweet-toothed demographic.

It is being billed as "a flavour-filled dream from two strong, family-owned brands that share a love for innovation, taste, and adventure".

The new wine has been infused with natural ingredients to create a strawberry and cream taste profile, that is supposed to be enjoyed well chilled.

It is available at Brown Brothers' Milawa cellar door, online at brownbrothers.com.au, or at Coles Liquorland, First Choice, Vintage Cellars and select independent retailers.

The RRP is $16.50 and the wine comes in at just 8% alcohol. It is made for drinking now.

And no, I have not yet tried it. Nor am I keen to do so. 

# For younger readers, a wheeze is a clever or amusing scheme, idea, or trick

Meet a unique pinot noir from Tasmania

Tasmanian winemaker Max Marriott stole an idea from a Burgundy wine icon to produce a unique limited release.

Marriott, from Anim Wines, is about to release a wine made during Hobart's lockdown in April last year. 

His baby is called Hobart 27; which references the 27 individuals involved in the snipping of the grapes. 

The four-week 2020 lockdown of Hobart coincided with the grape harvest and saw Marriott drop off buckets of grapes to the doorsteps of willing participants, largely from the hospitality industry, who were instructed to snip individual berries of pinot noir off bunches of grapes.

“Lalou Bize-Leroy, from the famed vineyards of Burgundy, one of the most powerful women in wine and a fastidious winegrower, first pioneered this method – at least to my knowledge – and it’s a process I’ve replicated with colleagues when I was working in Oregon,” says Marriott.

“When lockdown occurred, and we were fortunate enough to continue with our harvest and vintage, I began to think of ways we could incorporate the community into wine. I guess it was equal parts reaching out, motivating, keeping busy, empathy, excitement, intrigue and ambition.”

A positive community response saw buckets of grapes left on doorsteps over a series of nights and then saw the buckets of snipped grapes collected: with enough fruit to make one barrel of wine.

“There are various thoughts behind the practice of snipping whole berries with the pedicel (short stems) intact,” explains Marriott. “The promotion of bunch character without the green tannin of the stem, unruptured whole berries undergoing intracellular fermentation, carbonic maceration and unique ferment kinetics, specific extraction of tannin and so forth.”

The front label is watermarked with the Tasmanian waratah, a flower that overlooks Hobart on the slopes of kunanyi/Mount Wellington. A gold flourish references the extremely rare yellow waratah, but also maps the addresses of all who had buckets of grapes delivered to them, with Hobart the centrepoint. 

The wine will be released on July 1 with just 400 bottles available. $270.

See www.animwine.com/shop or call 0400 203 865. 

Calling all beer-loving AFL fans

Carlton Draught is the official beer of the AFL (that is Aussie Rules football for those overseas). 

And now Carlton (the brewer, not the team) has launched a limited-edition 24-pack of Carlton Draught lager in heritage-style cans reflecting each of the 18 AFL club logos. 

Each mixed 24 pack will contain all 18 clubs, with the remaining six cans being a random mix of clubs.

The packs are available at Dan Murphy's stores for $49.90. 

Perfect for toasting a victory, or drowning your sorrows after a loss.