Editor’s Picks: Cristal champagne, Turnbull & Asser shirt and Paul Smith x Leica camera
From Omega’s latest collaboration to a Beaufort & Blake rugby shirt perfect for autumn, here’s what we want this week…
Words: Zoe Dickens
They say good things come to those who wait and that couldn’t be truer of this week’s wish list. The idiom is practically a rule to live by if you happen to be in the business of making fine whisky or vintage champagne – and we’ve coveting both from Johnnie Walker and Louis Roederer respectively.
This autumn, however, it also happens to be true of the new collections from some of our favourite menswear brands. With the coronavirus pandemic disrupting supply chains, many are only now releasing collections that would normally have been on shelves weeks ago. But, if Cheaney’s fine suede sneakers and Beaufort & Blake’s weekend-ready rugby shirt are anything to go by, it’s been worth the wait. Scroll on for more of this week’s most coveted new releases…
Popping bottles: Louis Roederer Cristal Vinotheque 1999
20 years might not sound like an unrealistic time to wait for a great Scotch but for champagne? It’s practically unheard of. Which is what makes Louis Roederer’s Cristal Vinotheque vintage champagne so special. Following on from the 1995 and 1996 editions, this month the house releases its Vinotheque 1999, a hugely sophisticated champagne that is the product of three bespoke ageing processes carried out over the last two decades. In fact so precious – and so limited – is this vintage that only a few dozen bottles will be available in the UK. Don’t pass up your chance to own one.
Space age: Omega Speedmaster "Silver Snoopy Award” 50th Anniversary
In 1970 Omega was presented with NASA’s Silver Snoopy Award in recognition of its contributions to space exploration and the crucial part the Speedmaster played in the Apollo 13 rescue mission. 50 years later, the brand is commemorating this achievement with a new special edition featuring everyone’s favourite beagle. Powered by an in-house calibre 3861 movement, its 42mm stainless steel case is inspired by the fourth generation Speedmaster (the first to be worn on the moon) and features a unique caseback featuring moving depictions of the moon, earth and Snoopy in a space rocket.
Good sport: Beaufort & Blake Kelmscott Nehru Rugby Shirt
Even if you’re more side line than second row, no autumn wardrobe is complete without a great rugby shirt. And, if you don’t happen to hold any team allegiances, may we point you in the direction of Beaufort & Blake for this season’s best off-field options. Crafted from a soft peached cotton, its Kelmscott design features a style Nehru collar with a colour block design perfect for pairing with chinos.
Smart casual: Cheaney x Goral Steel Trainer
With everyone ordered back to their home offices, now doesn’t seem like quite the right time to be investing in a fine pair of brogues or Oxfords – but you can’t keep wearing the battered trainers that saw you through lockdown. The answer? A pair of sneakers from two of Britain’s finest shoemakers. The Steel trainer sees Cheaney reimagine Goral’s signature Boulsover design in three limited edition suede colourways; combining one brand’s heritage craftsmanship with the other’s style and modernity.
Gold standard: Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve
Created by Master Blender Jim Beveridge in honour of Johnnie Walker’s 200th anniversary, this award-winning limited edition is the ultimate expression of the house’s famous blended Scotch whisky. Crafted using fruity Highland malts and lighter Speyside whiskies, it is sweet and characterful on the nose with notes of honey and wood, with a vibrant palate of tropical fruit and vanilla that mellows into a long, lingering finish.
Eternal summer: Turnbull & Asser Holiday Fit Shirt
Yes, summer may be over, but with dress codes relaxed as we all work from home, Turnbull & Asser’s supremely comfortable Holiday Fit shirt is ideal for your Zoom meeting wardrobe. Created using Thomas Mason’s versatile, soft and warming cotton and cashmere Balmoral fabric, it’s handmade in England and finished with a one-button cuff and revere collar for an elegant, flattering style that’s utterly timeless.
Luxe layers: Aurélien Merino Polo
The changeable weather of autumn demands you master the art of layering. Our key tip? Invest in pieces that are warm yet lightweight in versatile shades that will go with every jacket and pair of trousers in your wardrobe. Aurélien’s long-sleeved knit polo is a case in point. Woven from extra-fine merino wool, its slim fit shape is ideal for wearing under sweaters and coats without adding bulk, while being luxurious and stylish enough to wear on its own.
Drams in detail: The Impossible Collection of Whiskey coffee table book
Written by Clay Risen, deputy editor at the New York Times and one of the world’s leading experts on the amber spirit, Assouline’s latest tome offers an essential guide to the whiskies every well-rounded drinker should know. Unpacking the history of the spirit through the story of 100 exceptional bottles, Risen takes in famed distilleries and iconic Scotches to innovative new producers and intriguing expressions from whisky’s emerging markets. A real collector’s item, the book is presented in a wooden box inspired by whisky barrels that just begs to be put on display.
Snap happy: Paul Smith x Leica CL Camera
The second collaboration between British designer Paul Smith and German camera maker Leica, the colours on this CL digital camera are taken from Smith’s own custom Land Rover Defender, which blended 27 different hues together in homage to the Defender’s history as a military, agricultural and medical vehicle. Limited to a numbered edition of 900, the camera offers both style and substance with a 24 megapixels sensor, high resolution EyeRes viewfinder and fast autofocus.
Looking for more style advice? These are Paul Smith’s autumn essentials…
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Further reading
Editor’s Picks: Grand Seiko watch, Crockett & Jones shoes, Littlemill whisky and My Style Bags watch case
A bigger splash: The best RIB brands on the market
