Ape’s Top 10 Of The Month: November 2026
Welcome to Ape to Gentleman’s Top 10 of the Month feature, where we curate the standout trends, insights and recommendations to help you live well and stay ahead of the curve.
In this instalment, we’ve handpicked 10 essential talking points covering everything from new-season menswear and grooming upgrades to exceptional spirits, culture and entertainment releases. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your winter wardrobe, discover something new or simply keep pace with the month’s most interesting launches, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s explore how to make November your most stylish, successful and satisfying month yet.
The Dalmore Cask Curation Series: The Madeira Cask Edition
As the temperature drops, the nights draw in and motivation to leave the house evaporates, the thought of a comfy chair, a good book, a roaring fire and a dram of something expensive is an increasingly tantalising one. The fourth and final release of The Dalmore’s Cask Curation Series is therefore high on our wish list.
Comprising three exceptional single malts aged 30, 34 and 45 years, The Madeira Cask Edition explores the influence of rare Madeira wine casks on The Dalmore’s Highland whiskies. Created in collaboration with Blandy’s Wine Lodge, the historic seventh-generation Madeira producer, each expression has been finished in a different wine cask: Terrantez, Bual and Malvasia respectively. The resulting whiskies offer layers of citrus, dried fruit, spice and rich sweetness, showcasing the remarkable complexity that Madeira maturation can bring.
Limited to just 150 sets worldwide and presented in a bespoke Italian-made leather case, this is firmly collector territory. But what a collection to own.
Wild Horse Nine
Martin McDonagh, director of modern classics In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri and The Banshees of Inisherin, is back at it. This time, he’s bringing his trademark black comedy and razor-sharp dialogue to a political thriller set against the backdrop of Chile’s turbulent political landscape in 1973.
Wild Horse Nine follows two CIA agents, played by John Malkovich and Sam Rockwell, who are dispatched to Easter Island shortly before the military coup that would bring Augusto Pinochet to power. Steve Buscemi, Parker Posey and Tom Waits also feature in a suitably eccentric ensemble cast. Expect dark humour, uncomfortable truths and the sort of brilliantly unpredictable characters that have made McDonagh’s films essential viewing. Another promising addition to what has been one of our favourite directorial runs of the last decade.
In cinemas 4 November
Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts School
Le Cordon Bleu releasing a seven-volume master collection of culinary guidance and technique feels like a big deal. Especially when that collection comes from one of the world’s most prestigious culinary schools, with a history stretching back to Paris in 1895.
Presented in a handsome bespoke slipcase, Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts School brings together more than 770 recipes alongside the crème de la crème of expert instruction, covering everything from preparing an artichoke and boning a fish to perfecting sauces, pastry and the finer points of classical French cooking. There are dedicated volumes on meat, seafood, vegetables, eggs and desserts, plus a comprehensive kitchen handbook covering equipment, techniques and culinary terminology.
Across more than 1,700 pages, it’s effectively a culinary education you can keep on your bookshelf. Rarely does a collection of books offer quite so much opportunity to learn, experiment and improve, not to mention a genuinely worthwhile investment for life. One for the Christmas wish list, perhaps.
Darn Tough Run Micro Crew Cushioned Running Socks
It’s been a dangerously hot summer, which means technically, we should be making up for lost running time now the cooler months are here. We’re always on the lookout for ways to refine our running gear and, while not the most glamorous piece of kit, Darn Tough’s Run Micro Crew Cushioned socks are a welcome addition.
Made in Vermont from a lightweight merino wool blend, they combine natural temperature regulation, moisture management and breathability with just enough cushioning underfoot to take the edge off longer distances. The performance fit prevents slipping and bunching, while seamless toes help minimise friction and the dreaded mid-run blister. Comfortable enough for shorter neighbourhood runs but built to withstand more gruelling mileage, they’re also backed by Darn Tough’s unconditional lifetime guarantee. Not bad for a humble pair of socks.
New Balance Made in USA 990v7
New Balance has made another 990 in the USA and, as expected, the v7 is a handsome addition to the dad-shoe lineage. At first glance, the classic sneaker looks largely unchanged, but closer inspection reveals a streamlined silhouette and premium upper combining pigskin suede, breathable mesh, tumbled leather accents and synthetic suede sway bars. A subtle evolution rather than a complete reinvention, which is exactly what we want from a 990.
Underfoot, things have moved on considerably, with a dual-density FuelCell midsole, ENCAP cushioning and a TPU midfoot shank designed to balance support, stability and comfort. It’s funny to think the original 990 launched back in 1982 as a serious running shoe, following four years of development and with a then-unthinkable $100 price tag. While we wouldn’t necessarily recommend wearing these for your next Parkrun, you could do far worse for a comfortable everyday sneaker. Dad shoes don’t get much better than this.
Available from 6 November
ThruDark x Musto
Perhaps it’s all the end-of-the-world, stock-up-on-tins chat doing the rounds at the moment, but lately, browsing exceptionally rugged adventure gear has become something of a habit. While the ThruDark x Musto collection would probably only make it as far as a night-fishing trip in our hands, that doesn’t make it any less desirable.
Bringing together Musto’s decades of offshore sailing expertise with the military experience of ThruDark’s former Special Boat Service founders, the Nautikos collection is properly serious kit. Tested by British professional offshore sailor Will Harris, the range includes technical jackets, trousers and insulating layers designed to withstand some of the harshest conditions imaginable.
Highlights include GORE-TEX PRO waterproof protection, Dyneema reinforcement in high-wear areas, interchangeable removable pockets, D3O knee protection and photoluminescent reflectors for visibility in low light. All of which is rather excessive for a damp walk to the pub, admittedly, but there’s no denying the appeal of equipment engineered with this much purpose. Particularly when it looks this good in all black.
P. Johnson Campagna Coat
Every now and again, while indulging in the endless menswear daydream scroll, you stumble across a jacket and think, wow, that would change my life. P. Johnson’s Campagna Coat did exactly that to us recently. Even the chiselled face of the lad modelling it seems to be giving a cheeky ‘banger this, eh lad’. And frankly, he’s not wrong.
Crafted from Italian full-grain leather in a rich chocolate brown, the Campagna reimagines the classic field jacket with a longer, more relaxed silhouette. Big bellows pockets, a throat latch, natural horn buttons and a breathable cotton-blend lining give it plenty of practical appeal, while the suede neck detailing and concealed placket keep things suitably refined. There’s even an internal drawcord waist to adjust the shape. It’s a utilitarian take on leather outerwear that feels a little more interesting than the usual bomber or biker jacket. We’ll keep dreaming.
Peggy Guggenheim in London: The Making of a Collector, Royal Academy of Arts
It’s funny to think of Peggy Guggenheim rocking up in 1930s London and shocking the conservative art establishment with collage, abstraction and contemporary sculpture. But that’s exactly what she did, and modern British art is all the richer for it.
Peggy Guggenheim in London: The Making of a Collector revisits this pioneering period, 88 years after she opened her first gallery, Guggenheim Jeune, on Cork Street in Mayfair. Between 1938 and 1939, she staged more than 20 exhibitions, introducing London audiences to groundbreaking Surrealist and abstract art, including the first UK solo exhibition of Vasily Kandinsky.
The Royal Academy brings together works by artists including Eileen Agar, Salvador Dalí, Barbara Hepworth, Rita Kernn-Larsen, Henry Moore, Piet Mondrian and Kandinsky, offering a fascinating look at how one collector helped reshape the cultural landscape. An exhibition well worth making the trip to London for.
21 November 2026 – 14 March 2027
Book tickets at the Royal Academy
Pendleton Wyeth Trail Three-Piece Towel Set
Towels may not be the sexiest or most spectacular of gifts, but sometimes receiving something that injects a little luxury and material quality into everyday life, particularly something you’d never quite justify buying yourself, makes for the ultimate treat. And Pendleton knows a thing or two about making ordinary household objects feel special.
The American heritage brand’s Wyeth Trail three-piece towel set features one bath towel, one hand towel and a washcloth, each decorated with the bold geometric pattern that makes Pendleton textiles so recognisable. Made from 100% cotton, they’re sheared on one side for a soft, velvety finish and looped on the reverse for maximum absorption. They’re also OEKO-TEX Made in Green certified, meaning they’ve been produced in facilities meeting environmental and socially responsible manufacturing standards. A handsome little bathroom upgrade, and a surprisingly good Christmas gift for someone who appreciates the finer things.
Dumber Mini
We’ve been looking at dumb phones again. The irony of scrolling through the various options on our smartphones isn’t lost on us. Everyone has their preferences, but ideally, we’d like something that still allows WhatsApp, maps and the other modern essentials, without the endless distractions that come with having the entire internet in your pocket.
The Dumber Mini looks like a promising solution. Reminiscent of an old Nokia but equipped with a 2.8-inch touchscreen and physical keypad, it combines the simplicity of a traditional mobile with enough modern functionality to make everyday life manageable. WhatsApp, navigation, banking apps, contactless payments and digital tickets are all supported, while the tiny screen makes scrolling through social media deliberately tedious.
It’s a clever middle ground between completely disconnecting and remaining permanently glued to a smartphone. You can still navigate a new city, listen to music and keep in touch with friends, but you’re far less likely to lose half an evening watching videos of strangers renovating their kitchens. Which sounds like progress to us.
