Posts Tagged “spirits”
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…
It’s new to me, Cap Gin, but this spirit has character and it’s far more than a novelty. Yes, it’s a French gin. Well, we in the UK are making good quality wine, so a French gin should be no surprise. Cap Gin is a new premium spirit from the Côte d’Azur in France, and…
Brockmans Gin is not only a favourite in real life. The super-premium gin is also a fiction favourite. The English gin has been honoured with an appearance in the newly published novel‘Bandwagon’, the showbiz thriller, by Richard Cobourne, just out in digital and paperback formats. The gin is the favourite of one of the book’s…
ALDI Premium White Rum is bound to be popular with all those bar flies who are now confined to home. They will want a spirit that is versatile and perfect for a host of rum-based cocktails. It needs to have a mild flavour, but it equally needs to be full-strength. Keen price is also appealing…
A gift Idea from Brockmans Gin used to be known as ‘mother’s ruin’. We now know that possibly the best way to spoil your mother on Mother’s Day (22 March 2020) is to buy a stylish bottle of gin – or help her shake up a great cocktail. Brockmans is a 40% ABV gin…
How to Drink Gin! That’s a curious name for a book, isn’t it? One would think it’s a simple process. Step 1 – Fill glass with gin. Step 2 – Throw head back and pour aforementioned beverage into open mouth. Step 3 – swallow. But there is much more to enjoying gin than that. How…
The Black Book of Gin Cocktails is by Brockmans who distil, in my opinion, one of the best gins … and there are a lot out there. This slim gift-quality book is black in both name and appearance. The black cover is embossed (or is it etched?) and that dusky theme continues inside with full-page…