Newsdesk: you'd be amazed at what we can do

When it first came to prominence, whisky was thought to be the water of life. It's been a while since then, but it's still proving to be transformative.

• It can be arty, if you're willing to face a little price rise and a bit of criticism. It can be misspelt and as easily misunderstood. According to some Australians, it can even be hangover-free.
• In binge drinking news, new research suggests that it's a coping mechanism adopted back in Viking times and officially not our fault. Other research estimates 1,500 Scots will gain no comfort from the news, having died from alcohol abuse.
• Time for a success story in tough times: Britain's microbreweries get some love from the Guardian. They're not the only sector in growth, either - there's Hong Kong's roaring wine trade, too.
• If you're anything like me, you'd have spent the Oscars asleep. If you're not, you could have tried Gourmet's themed cocktails, or maybe spent a little more than you'd planned.

On wine

I've been tasked with presenting a wine training course at work in a couple of weeks time. With that in mind, I decided that I should put some effort into discovering more about wine - y'know, expanding my knowledge so that the sessions don't seem like I've copied them from a book. Here's what I've learned so far: Wine fucks you up.