40 SEPTEMBER 2019 WWW.SHOOTINGGAZETTE.CO.UKOriginalSmallBeerLager,a crisp,
citrussylagerwithreasonablebody
at 2.1%ABV(£2.25,35cl),orthe
DarkLagerat 1%ABV(£2.25,
35cl),alsorefreshingandlager-light
butwiththechocolatey,maltynotes
you’dexpectfroma porter.
Forthoseabstainingentirely,
kombuchais a greatalternative
to ‘boring’softdrinkssuchas
lemonade.Madebyfermenting
sugaredtea,it’sfastbecomingthe
darlingof thehealth-foodset,
butdon’tletthatputyouoff–
madewellit reflectstheflavours
of whicheverteais usedandcan
bereminiscentof beer,cideror
sparklingwin,dependingonthe
variety.RealKombucha’sthree
flavoursarea greatplaceto start,
particularlythefruity,champagne-
likeRoyalFlush,made with first
flushDarjeeling.
Therangeof softdrinksthat
mimicalcoholicones,in both
tasteandstyle,is increasingbythe
day.Therevolutionwasstartedby
Seedlip,a rangeof distilleddrinks
designedto bemixedwithtonic
in muchthesamewayas gin.
Seedlip,however,is verymuchthe
Marmiteof thedrinksworldand,
at morethan£20bottle,I’dhighly
recommendyoutrybeforeyoubuy.
Instead,fora properlygrown-
upsoftaperitifI’drecommend
RocktailsCitrusSpritz(£2.25,
25cl). Made with botanicalsrefreshingbutalsolowerin alcohol,
perfectforanyone wanting to take
itslowly.
Forthemainevent,if youwant
somethingunusualthatwillpair
beautifullywithgrouse,trythe
Garajeest’sBruceCabernetFranc
(£30,70cl).Madein SouthAfrica,
it hasvibrantnotesof berries and
asilkymouth-feel.
Forpartridgeandpheasant,
meanwhile,youhavea varietyof
options.Oneis a NewZealand
pinotnoir,whichcanbejustas
sophisticatedas itsOldWorld
cousin– if youfancysplashingout,
lookforversionsfromSeresin,
a wineryfoundedby film-maker
MichaelSeresin.
Theothersuggestionis
a littleharderto findbutjustas
worthwhile.Redwinesfrom
Istria,betheyCroatianwinesusing
thenativeTerangrapeorthe
Slovenianblendswithwhichwe’re
morefamiliar,aremadebysmall,
passionateproducerswhoarejust
startingto geta toeholdin theUK.
Guerila,Simcic,Fakin,Tomazand
Nafaarejusta fewsmallhouses
to lookoutfor,ortryWipach’s
complexorangewineif you’rein
themoodfora moredaringpairing.
Toroundthingsoff,Hattingley
Valley’s 2018 Enticeis justthejob
foranunusualdessertwine,made
in smallbatchesbyfreezingBacchus
grapesbeforepressing,ortrythe
complexandfruityBenNevisBatch
1 10-year-oldsinglemalt that’s
scoopingawards.
If you’reaftersomethingeven
moreunusual,whynottryLondon
rum?ThetinyBimberdistillery
makesexceptionallygoodspirits,
fromtherumto whisky-andbarrel-
agedvodka.Andthere’salways
Marvolio’sNostrumsWhiskoffy,
awhiskyandcoffeeliqueur
that’sgreatchilledas a digestif or
alongsidepudding.
Whateveryouchoose,let’s
drinkto goodshooting and good
health. Cheers!includinggrapefruitpeel,lemon,
basilandjuniper,theflavoursof
whichareextractedbysteam,it
hasallthetasteof anAperolspritz
without any of the alcohol.Gin for grouse
Ifyou’reluckyenoughto beon
theearlygrousetheweathercould
besomewhatMediterranean,even
intheHighlands.A refreshing
G&Tmightbejustthethingafter
thegunsaresafelystowedaway,
andthanksto themind-boggling
proliferationof distilleries you’re
spoiltforchoice.
Fora tasteof contemporary
Scotland,Ncn’eanBotanicalSpirit,
anabbreviationof Neachneohain
(Gallicforqueenof spirits),is
actuallymadefromunagedwhisky
that’sthenredistilledwith 10
foragedginbotanicals.
It’sneitheronethingnorthe
otherbutallthebetterforit, with
notesof citrus,herbsandcreamy
barleythatworkbrilliantlywith
tonicanda dashof angosturabitters.
Forthosewitha sweeterpalate,
givea nodto theheatherymoors
withStrathearnHeatherRosegin,
madeat a tinydistilleryjustoffthe
A9.Lightandfloralwitha twist
of spice,it turnsanappealingpink
colourwhentonicis added.
Alternatively,substitutinga white
portsuchas Graham’sBlendNo.5
for the G in your G&T is not onlyIsthereanythingthatcanbeatthepost-shootmealwhere
the day is discussed over quality food and drink?DUNCAN IRELAND