Posts Tagged “spirits”
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…
Black Cow Vodka makes some delicious cocktails and here is one that is perfect at any time of year. Black Cow Milk Punch Makes 6 small servings 150ml Black Cow Vodka 200ml delicious fresh whole milk 200ml of finest double cream 30ml honey (more or less to taste) 1/2 a vanilla bean, split & scraped…
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…
The MBG Group has introduced a new Super Premium Vodka brand. It is curiously called 9 MILE VODKA (I note the bold use of capitals), and that name has more to do with the USA than countries more typically associated with this clear spirit. Following the sale of the Three Sixty Vodka brand in 2005,…
Mauritius is a beautiful island but there is still that temptation to stay within the confines of one’s luxury and well-appointed resort. That would be a shame as there is so much to see here. There is history aplenty and also celebrated rhum. No that’s not a spelling mistake but rather an indication that this…
Let’s Get Tropical: Over 60 Cocktail Recipes from Caribbean Classics to Modern Tiki Drinks It will soon be that time of year. Those warm (we hope) summer months when our thoughts turn to al fresco lunches and dinners under the stars. To go with those meals will probably be some exotic drinks, and it’s the…
Many, in the past, viewed Aldi as something of bargain basement supermarket, but that perception is changing. Yes, they sport attractive price tags on their goods but that, at least in my experience of the spirits department, doesn’t indicate a lowering of standards – just the price. Old Hopking Dark Rum is another Aldi gem….
Here we are again! Visiting the spirits department of Aldi. This store has made a name for itself by offering groceries at a lower price than some of their larger competitors. They are now becoming justifiably celebrated for their beverages, and they are not putting a foot wrong – at least from the review samples…
I first met Nordés Atlantic Galician Gin a few years ago. I was dashing through an airport returning from a stay in this unique region of Spain. No, it wasn’t a purchase made after lingering research, but it turned out to be a wonderful choice. It was several weeks before I even opened the bottle,…
Aldi have done it again! Topaz Blue Premium Gin is perhaps one of the best Premium gins around considering its very attractive price point. Its blue-backed bottle has shelf appeal and is rather reminiscent of another gin with a similar azure hue. Aldi say, ‘Topaz small-batch, hand-crafted superior gin is a testament to the passion…