There are at least three ways to sexy-up a drink. Crude is not one. So forget about drinks like the Orgasm, a cream-and liqueur-based cocktail, which had its time in vogue for its obvious reference and appearance. These...

The nip came before the nation. Whisky distillation came to our soils before we were called Canada. European immigrants brought stills and knowledge of distillation with them in the 1700’s. Though it’s impossible to determine who made the first hooch on our terra...

1. Whisky: The craggy heather-covered highlands of Scotland are the source of much of the world's best whisky. On the well-signposted Speyside whisky trail you'll find more than a dozen distilleries within a 20-kilometre radius, many welcoming you in for a tour...

By Margaret Swaine They call it the angels' share. Every year about three per cent of the liquid gold that slumbers in oak barrels in Cognac evaporates into the air. It's the equivalent I've heard of 23 million bottles of cognac annually. Evidence of the thirst of...

Whiskies Whiskey is distilled from grain and aged in wood. The most complex of all is scotch whisky (spelt without an "e", as is the Canadian version while Irish and bourbon versions are usually spelled "whiskey"). Single malt comes from one distillery and is made...

Vodka Poland was the birthplace of vodka over 600 years ago. On this side of the Atlantic, vodka was virtually unknown until 50 years ago. In crossing the ocean, the distillate traditionally drunk straight up and prized for its distinctive taste in northern Europe...

Tequila Mexico's famed spirit is made from the spiky cactus-like agave plant, which can take up to a decade to mature. By law tequila must be made from at least 51 per cent blue agave. To find the best, look for "100 per cent blue agave" on the label. Aged...

Rum Rum is a distillate of fermented sugarcane mash, or its byproducts (such as molasses or cane sap). Its birthplace is the Caribbean; each island makes its own distinct brands. The three major types of rum are white, golden and dark. With a few exceptions, white...

Gin When it was first produced in Holland in the 1600's, Gin was flavoured only with juniper berries, believed to be good for the bladder and kidneys. Today gins are bolstered by additional botanicals: coriander, aniseed, caraway, ginger, orris root and more....

Brandy Technically a grape based spirit, the term brandy is used more generally to include any fruit distillate. Still the best known come from grapes and are made pretty much wherever vines grow. Cognac is named after the town in southwestern France where the...

The days started overcast and cold, opening up to torrents of rain by afternoon, but spirits were high in Cognac this October. Once the harvest is in, damp coolness is desirable to best keep slumbering spirits mellowing in their oak casks. Less for the angels’...

Kentucky produces two things better than anyone - thoroughbreds and bourbon. While some of their horses go for millions, and even the stud fee for a single penetration can cost tens of thousands, bourbon is much more affordable. Both are quite closely tied however...

Margaret Swaine A Danish colleague of mine, Jorgen, who jaunts about the world covering the likely combo of wine and politics, never leaves home without it. “It” contrary to what you may be thinking has nothing to do with monetary concerns but rather digestive...