As we recently reported, premium Welsh distillery Penderyn – the first new whisky distillery to launch in Wales in 100 years – reached a defining milestone in its 26 year history, with the release of their 25-year-old Welsh single malt, followed by the 12-year-old and the soon-to-be-released, 21-year-old. The initial contact by the distillery’s PR […]
A fruitful endeavour
Craft cider producer, Gravity Theory, whose excellent cider we reviewed early in 2025, recently sent us two new varieties, Hazy Pineapple Cider and Berry Cherry Cider – both in 440ml cans and the same 3.4% ABV. The branding of the new flavours feature pen and ink drawings of the dominant fruit ingredient, which the artist […]
Tumbledown Gin takes silver
A year on from reviewing the gin produced by Tumbledown Distillery, the most southerly distillery on the planet, we’re delighted to announce that they won silver at The Gin Awards 2026. The winner of the prestigious award was Tumbledown Gin, which is produced in micro-batches, using foraged local botanicals, harvested by hand from the wild, […]
New stockist for the world’s healthiest cola?
Launched in 2024 by London-based entrepreneur, Pascal Du Bois, Robot Organic Honey Cola Kombucha, has been positioned as what we would argue is probably the healthiest cola in the world. Since launching, Robot Kombucha – which took Pascal and his team several years to develop and perfect – has won numerous awards and has a […]
Satisfaction Guaranteed
When we received the press information about Crossfire Hurricane, the Jamaican rum brand developed by Kite Drinks, working closely with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, of The Rolling Stones, Universal Music Group and global rum authority, Ian Burrell, we were certainly intrigued. But, there’s no shortage of celebrities that have launched their own drinks range […]
Valentine’s Day all wrapped up
Last year we covered the launch of Conscious Cocktail Co, a start-up company launched by Sally Hawkins, and reviewed her excellent range of nature-inspired, ready-to-drink cocktails. Sales are going well for Conscious Cocktail Co, whose range comprises three varieties: Hedgerow Martini, Wild Spritz and Meadow Mojito. Ahead of Valentine’s Day we were re-sent all […]
Packed full of flavour
At Hand Crafted Drinks Magazine we have been introduced to many founders whose journey into the drinks industry was anything but planned. Some people launched breweries or distilleries to escape the rat race; others reached a point in their life when it was ‘now or never’ or they decided that it was time to stop […]
Just in time for Christmas
Timed perfectly for the festive season comes a new beer from Outland: Choc-Work Orange. At 5% ABV, it combines the chocolatey smoothness and comfort of a stout with citrus zest for a bittersweet finish. Choc-Work Orange is brewed with roasted malts that create a deep cocoa base while Goldings, Challenger and Target hops add zesty […]
Move over Champagne?
For some time, English sparkling wines have been matching, and increasingly, exceeding the quality of many Champagnes, evidenced with the number of awards that many English brands are winning. So, when we were invited to sample a bottle of Roebuck Estates’ recently released Classic Cuvée 2019 – the latest addition to its acclaimed Classic Collection […]
Penderyn toasts Bad Wolf’s success
Award-winning Welsh distillery, Penderyn, has just launched Penderyn Bad Wolf – a 10-year-old whisky fully matured in old Tawny Port pipes – to celebrate the tenth anniversary of independent production company, Bad Wolf. The companies have collaborated to produce a premium whisky, which was personally chosen from the Penderyn warehouse by Bad Wolf’s CEO, Jane […]