Thoroughly modern Madeira (at least in branding) is among this month's eclectic Singapore selection.
October was full of lessons learned. The first one was not to purchase a 257 kg (566 lb) piano immediately after you move into a fourth-storey apartment in a building that doesn't have a lift. The second was that Madeira producers can sell an empty barrel to Scotch-whisky distillers for as much as £10,000 ($13,000, €12,000).
Chris Blandy revealed this fact during his visit to Singapore this month, when he introduced his family's rebranded 10-year-old range. Now bottled in clear glass, they bear a passing resemblance...