Posts Tagged “spirits”
Mountain Fresh. I am familiar with New Zealand’s fine wines, and I am therefore not surprised that the country also offers a first-class vodka, in the guise of The Reid Single Malt Vodka. The bottle is sleek and as rounded as a drop of alpine water, with great shelf appeal. It holds the promise of…
Perfect Christmas cracker companion. The Lancaster Spirits Company produces some very interesting and inspirational drinks. Firecracker Gin is one of that number and it could make the ideal Christmas gift for any lover of gin or home-shaken cocktails. Firecracker Gin is infused with seventeen botanicals sourced from four continents. The Lancaster Distillery uses its decades…
The Gin that keeps on giving. Bullards distils a great range of spirits, and they are perfect for giving and receiving! It’s time to start thinking about Christmas gifts. Plenty of choice from Bullards if one is meeting the lucky recipient face to face, but that isn’t always possible. But there is a solution –…
Pure Apple Brandy. Avallen is ‘apple tree’ in the ancient and almost forgotten Cornish language. This is a contemporary Calvados, and the only ‘old’ element is that it has been matured for two years in French oak casks. This is an important part of the production of this delicious spirit, giving it a fresh and…
Eccentric Spirit Co Welsh Inspiration. Eccentric Spirits has a range of Welsh gin and spirits with individuality in taste and shelf appeal. The collection celebrates the uniqueness of Wales, from thriving cities to the grandeur of its unspoilt coastline. Known for its gins, the Eccentric Spirit Co. has a new offering. It is called Cardi Bay…
PLUS a summer bundle deal saving you £10 In a nod to exotic travel, Dunnet Bay Distillers has released a new and exotic cocktail recipe: the Thai Gin Fizz. There is also an exciting Summer Bundle offer for Rock Rose Gin Summer Edition. The Thai Gin Fizz Cocktail This is a twist on the traditional gin…
A Spirited Gem. These Diamond Glasses are unique and a perfect gift for Father’s Day or for that special person who enjoys the finer things of life. One buys those special bottles of whisky or brandy, and one looks for an equally classy glass. These might be considered ‘novelty’ glasses but they are actually rather…
The Twelve Days of Christmas with Dunnet Bay Distillers Spirited gifts from Scotland to suit every price range, from £1 – £90 Raise a glass to these gift ideas from Dunnet Bay Distillers, makers of the cool brand Rock Rose Gin – officially chosen earlier this year by CoolBrands. If you are looking for unusual…
This worthy tome isn’t a cocktail recipe book, and I would venture to say The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails is for the serious cocktail drinker. By that I don’t mean those who drink a lot of mixed alcoholic drinks but rather those who want to know and understand every element that helps to…
From Farm to Glass Ramsbury is a farm with a distillery. It lives on 19,000 acres of land on the Ramsbury estate, with the grain-milling shed, a key part of the gin-making process, next door. They even source water from their own well for the distilling. Fallen trees are chopped to heat the bio-mass boiler….
Liberate yourself this Christmas with Liberation Cocktails It’s here again! The Season of Goodwill – but I don’t think word had got around yet! It will soon be Christmas with the threat of all that entertaining. And Liberation Cocktails are here to lighten at least the beverage burden in delicious fashion. Liberation Cocktails’ smart and…
Artful in every way It’s getting on to autumn and we are looking for drinks with pleasing warmth and bold character. Yes, a rum could fit the bill. That would revive memories of sun-kissed beaches, soft Caribbean breezes, the sound of breaking waves – and Manchester rooftops. Perhaps we should do a literary rewind here….
Brockmans Gin in Miniature – the perfect serve Three cheers. Brockmans Gin, famed for its tactile black bottle, is launching a miniature, 5cl bottle for the first time. The bottle is an exact replica of the stylish larger bottle. You’ll find these glorious little bottles of gin at around £4, through retailers and selected online…
Single Malt from the Highlands The AnCnoc (pronounced a-nock) label was born a few years after Inver House Distillers bought the Knockdhu distillery, which had been established in 1894. The first official bottling of AnCnoc was released in 1993, and by 2013 the core range was established. The distillery takes advantage of the historic peatlands…
In 2019 the celebrated Negroni cocktail turned 100 years old. The mixed drink revival has introduced a new audience to this iconic classic. The drink’s proportions consist of equal measures of Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth. It’s not difficult for the home barman/woman to master, him/herself. It has a timeless elegance and wide appeal. The…
Dima’s Vodka is new to me, but this bottle has been a welcome introduction. But what exactly is vodka? It’s a spirit traditionally made in Poland, Russia, Sweden, Ukraine and a few other Eastern European countries. It’s basically a combination of water and ethanol derived from cereal grains that have been fermented, although potatoes are…
Classic Cocktails: The Home Bartender’s Guide to Mixing Spirits, Liqueurs, Wine and Beer 150 Sensational Drink Recipes Classic Cocktails: The Home Bartender’s Guide to Mixing Spirits, Liqueurs, Wine and Beer – 150 Sensational Drink Recipes is a bumper volume and a comprehensive reference for all keen home mixologists. Cocktails and mocktails Stuart Walton has penned…
There are so many gins on the market these days. Spirits are enjoying a classy revival not seen since the ’20s. Justin Birch of Wadhurst, East Sussex has spent a decade perfecting his eponymous Birch Gin. Well, that was 10 years well spent! In 2010 Justin moved from Singapore to be greeted by the UK…
Gin Cocktails by Stuart Walton is perhaps the best quality and best priced gin cocktail book around. It’s from Lorenz Books who have a reputation for publishing good value books which one will actually use. Christmas will soon be with us and it’s probable that we will be staying home in small ‘bubbles’ this year….
A vision of summer sunsets The bottle is eye-catching, with a pink label to enhance the pink libation one will likely soon be enjoying. Greyson’s Premium Pink Gin from ALDI is a vision of summer sunsets, or crushed red fruits swirled through cream. A garden party in a bottle, this is sure to be a…