HOUSE NOTES
Notes from 105 Piccadilly, Mayfair.
Our editorial wing and candle-lit corner of conversation. This is where the cork comes out and the stories begin to breathe: dispatches from dinner tables, conversations on travel, taste, art, and the odd beautiful mistake along the way. Think of it as the after-hours lounge of House of Decant — and everyone is welcome.
168 articles
- How to Guides
How to Make a Manhattan Worth the Name
Whiskey, sweet vermouth, two dashes of bitters and thirty seconds of stirring. Here is how to make a proper Manhattan, and whether to reach for rye or bourbon.
- Advice
Best Dry White Wine: Crisp, Clean, No Compromise
A buyer's guide to the best dry white wine, from Chablis and Sauvignon Blanc to dry Riesling and Alsace, with in-stock picks.
- Advice
Grower Champagne vs the Big Houses (and When Each Wins)
Every bottle carries two letters that split Champagne in two: the great houses on one side, the grower families on the other. Here is how they differ, and when each is the bottle to buy.
- Advice
Best Sweet Red Wine: Rich, Ripe, and Ready
A guide to sweet and ripe red wine, from true dessert reds like Recioto to fruit-forward southern bottles, with in-stock picks.
- How to Guides
How to Make an Americano (the Drink That Became the Negroni)
The Americano came before the Negroni: Campari, sweet vermouth and soda over ice. Lighter, longer and lower in strength, it is the great autumn aperitivo.
- Advice
Best French Red Wine: Bottles Worth Opening Tonight
A buyer's guide to the best French red wine across Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône and the Loire, with in-stock picks for every budget.
- How to Guides
The Boulevardier: A Negroni for Whiskey Season
Meet the Boulevardier: a Negroni built with bourbon instead of gin. What it is, the one ratio worth knowing, and the whiskey, Campari and vermouth to make it with.
- Advice
Best Italian Red Wine: From Barolo to Etna
A buyer's guide to the best Italian red wine, travelling region by region from Barolo and Barbaresco through Chianti and the Super Tuscans to Etna, with eight in-stock picks.
- Insights
Macallan: The Rolls-Royce of Whisky
A profile of The Macallan: the sherry-oak obsession, Easter Elchies, the collector culture, and the whiskies to begin with.
- Advice
Sherried Whisky: The Dram Autumn Was Made For
Sherry cask whisky is autumn in a glass. A guide to sherried Scotch: what oloroso and Pedro Ximenez actually do, the sherry bombs worth knowing, and where to start.
- Insights
Glenfiddich: How a Speyside Distillery Became the World's Favourite
A profile of Glenfiddich: William Grant's distillery, the bold decision to champion single malt, and a range that runs from the 12 to the rarest bottlings.
- How to Guides
How to Make the Perfect Negroni (Just Three Parts)
Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth in equal measure. The easiest great cocktail to make badly, and the most satisfying to finally make well. Just in time for Negroni Week.