The Famous Pheasant

Pleasant Pheasants

An old friend of The Tweed Pig recently got in touch to discuss the autumnal end of the tie spectrum. Any wintry tie collection will tend to include a game bird, being the season. Our friend's collection was no exception:


I have a very similar red pheasant tie in my own collection (seen above with Turnbull & Asser shirt, E. Tautz mac and Alan Paine tweed jacket — all UK made). The tie was made in the US by Brooks Brothers from an imported silk and wool twill, quite possibly from England, or maybe Italy — somewhere they produce good tie cloth anyway. Out it comes for country pubs and farmer's markets and other suitable occasions requiring squire-like drag.

Pheasant 'Flinks

If you are looking for a pheasant-themed accessory, the only reasonable option to a tie would be cufflinks. The Pheasant Head cufflinks below are made in London of hallmarked solid silver by Hersey Silversmiths (1955). The oval backs can be monogrammed.

The Famous Pheasant

Sticking to the pheasant theme, in whisky terms it's fair to say that the bird is not quite as famous as the grouse. But that might be changing. In 2014, the Cotswolds Distillery was established — their logo being a pheasant preparing either for fight or 'treading', by the looks of it, though I'm not wearing my glasses.

American Daniel Szor founded the distillery in order to produce natural spirits — gin and whisky — from the barley growing around him in the Cotswolds. The Cotswolds Single Malt 2013 Harvest is the first ever whisky made in this area of England. Currently ageing in casks, the whisky is available on pre-order for delivery in 2017. If you can't wait to try it, a test batch is available (below) to see how the ageing is coming along, which shows great confidence in the whisky.

If you are feeling particularly thirsty, they can set aside a full barrel for you.

The distillery is worthy of a diversion if you find yourself in the Cotswolds. And they have a very cosy-looking tasting room decorated in English country style that they would have great difficulty evicting me from.