FROM THE BARLIST JOURNAL
Spirits
In the early decades of the nineteenth century, the cost of a glass of spirits in London, Paris, or Warsaw was rarely determined by the distiller. It was determined by the state. A measure of whisky, Cognac, or vodka carried within it a structure of duties, controls, and transport costs that defined not only its […]
April 7, 2026
Community and Lifestyle
Every year on March 27, whisky is observed through a lens that is both personal and global. International Whisky Day is marked annually on this date to honour the life and legacy of Michael Jackson, born in 1942. His work from the 1980s through the early 2000s established a structured way of understanding whisky across regions, […]
March 27, 2026
Region
Low-alcohol beverages have become a major topic of discussion globally, both among consumers seeking moderation and among regulators defining safe limits. While low alcohol may appear straightforward, the term carries different legal meanings in different countries. Understanding these distinctions requires examining production thresholds, labeling rules, and the historical evolution of definitions of low alcohol across […]
March 25, 2026
Community and Lifestyle
Vermouth was never meant to disappear. For much of its history, it occupied a quiet but essential role, bridging wine and spirits through a careful balance of botanicals, fortification, and controlled bitterness. On World Vermouth Day 2026, that role is once again visible. What was once pushed to the margins of cocktail recipes has returned […]
March 21, 2026
Discovery and Education
Grape distillates are frequently grouped as if raw material alone defines identity. The assumption is tidy and misleading. A spirit made from Muscat at 2,000 metres in Bolivia does not share production logic with a Quebranta distillate from Peru’s coastal desert, nor with a double-distilled eau-de-vie aged for years in French oak. Casa Real Singani, […]
March 15, 2026
Spirits
Neutrality in vodka is often misunderstood. It is not emptiness, nor is it the absence of craft. It is the outcome of restraint. In the modern European vodka category, precision has replaced folklore as the defining value. Vodka 57 Pure Glacier Vodka sits firmly within this disciplined framework, where every stage of production exists to […]
March 11, 2026
Community and Lifestyle
Irish whiskey has long balanced tradition with innovation, and International Irish Whiskey Day, observed annually on March 3(3/3), celebrates that heritage. The date, often associated with Ireland’s historic use of triple distillation, provides an opportunity to examine the categories that define the nation’s spirit. From the robust, spice-laden depth of Single Pot Still expressions to […]
March 1, 2026
Spirits
For decades, alcohol free spirits existed as failed substitutes. Non Alcoholic Spirits attempted to replicate the taste of gin, whisky, or rum by removing alcohol and hoping flavour would survive the process. It rarely did. What remained lacked bitterness, weight, and persistence. Bars rejected these products not out of prejudice, but because they collapsed in a […]
February 22, 2026
Distilleries & Producers
Limited edition whisky increasingly exists in two parallel forms. One is liquid, shaped by fermentation, distillation, and time. The other is visual, shaped by materials, typography, and narrative intent. In many contemporary releases, these two forms are only loosely connected. The Kanosuke Hioki Pot Still Edition 2024 challenges this separation by treating design not as […]
February 16, 2026
