Category Archives: Alcohol Reviews

Wild Christmas Cocktail Recipes by Smokehead Whisky

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If you’ve just had all hopes of some Christmas socialising dashed as more of the country gets plunged into Tier 3, Smokehead Whisky are here to save the day with some creative and festive cocktail recipes to try from the comfort of your own home. 

Because we all know staying in is the new going out, Smokehead Islay Single Malt Whisky has big ambitions. Established in 1933 by Ian Mcleod Distillers, the world’s 10th largest Scotch Whisky Co. Smokehead has a reputation for being labelled ‘the wild one’ of Single Malt Whisky which has been described as “an assault on your senses.” As the name suggests, if you love peat, you’re gonna love this. With that being said, Smokehead have come up with some very wild cocktail recipes to try out over the festive season… (wild-ish). They have experimented with some seasonal favourites to bring you a festive mash-up to go with their unique liquor.

Smokehead Snow Ball:

Ingredients;

25ml Smokehead 

50ml Advocat

12.5ml Gingerbread Syrup

Lemonade

Method;

Add Smokehead, Advocaat and gingerbread syrup to an ice-filled glass. Stir and top up with lemonade. 

Smokehead Grinch:

Ingredients;

25ml Smokehead

50ml Melon Liqueur

25ml Lemon Juice

12.5ml Sugar Syrup

Method;

Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a coup glass.

Smokehead Hot Buttered Rum Rebel:

Ingredients;

25ml Smokehead Rum Rebel 

3 dashes of Mixed Spice

1tbsp Unsalted Butter

Hot Cider

Method;

Add butter mix to the glass, pour over Smokehead and Hot Cider. Stir until butter melts.

Et Voíla 

3 super simple but exceptional recipes by Smokehead…

This year we are being spoiled with an array of fabulous gifts on offer through the Smokehead website, not only do they provide free delivery for orders over £30, they are offering free merch with purchases of their full sized bottles. Whats more, if you’re unsure of what to try and you would like to give the above cocktails a go, we recommend checking out the Smokehead Skull Gift Tin which contains 3 miniature bottles of 3 mighty Smokehead Flavours. 

The original Smokehead which has immense smoke and notes of sea salt and spice. This is the show stopper and signature Smokehead expression.

Rum Rebel which is finished in a sweet Caribbean rum cask. 

High Voltage, the most intense of the three which offers all out smoke to the MAX.

For more info and to purchase, check out their fantastic website 

www.smokehead.com

Mirabeau Launch Belle Année Rosé in a Box 

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2020 may not have been a Belle Année but we have some good news to share with our Rosé fans. Introducing a boxed wine that you can be sure to get some quality content from. Award winning Mirabeau, known for their ‘best rosé in a bottle for under £10’, have recently launched Belle Année bag-in-box wine and we cannot get enough of it! 

In a bid to create a more sustainable option for wine drinkers, they are forging the path to lowering your carbon footprint whilst indulging in their sublime Gold Medal, (Drinks Business Global Masters Rosé) wine. This beautiful pale pink wine is a dry yet aromatic rosé perfect and light enough to pair with food. If you think rosé is only for the Summer, well, this year we throw all the rules out of the window. If you love a decent rosé, you will love this! With a price point as attractive as the wine itself it’s actually much more cost effective to choose the bag-in-box option getting you more bang for your buck. 

As well as fitting onto the door of your fridge, this handy box holds three bottles of wine whilst lasting a whole four weeks after opened. Now if an increased life span for your wine isn’t what you’re after, I don’t know what is!! The fully recyclable cardboard box reduces space and waste with the pouches guaranteed to keep your wine fresher. This is the perfect aperitif whilst being the perfect size to share with your loved ones while we can over the festive period. What’s more, this would make the perfect gift for any wine lover in need of a little TLC this year. 

 Belle Année literally translates as ‘beautiful year’ and with 2020 not being so beautiful, we hope some wishful thinking from our friends at Mirabeau can help you to ring in the New Year with this beautiful wine. 

Belle Année bag-in-box is available to buy at Waitrose stores nationwide.

Waitrose.com and Waitrosecellar.com

RRP: £25.99

Christmas Gift Guide: Wavey Ice introduce their Boozy Winter Hamper

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Who remembers ice pops…? Those icy sticks of goodness after school on a summers day was literally THE ONE.  Hands up if you’ve ever tried a boozy ice pop? YES, they really do exist thanks to Wavey Ice, the original creators of alcoholic ice pops in the UK. 

Wavey Ice known for their cocktail inspired ice pops have been making fresh treats est. summer of 2014. Distributing at various festivals and Notting Hill Carnival, they are now making sure we don’t have to miss out on all of the vibes this year by bringing a selection of icy cocktail gifts and hampers that you can buy for your loved ones this Christmas. Don’t worry about feeling chilly, these treats are designed to warm you up whilst paying homage to the old school London scene. 

So, what’s on offer? Well through the website you can purchase a host of goodies from various Ice Pop flavours, branded merch and of course the hamper. 

The hamper contains;

(RRP: £55) inc delivery

*10 Limited edition Kola & Spiced Rum ice pops.

*One ‘Dutty Wine’ Mulled Wine and White Rum pouch

*One bottle of ‘Kold Sauce’ hot sauce

*One pair of Wavey Ice socks

*Set of fun Christmas stickers to add to your festive decorations.

To get the full experience we recommend gathering your crew, (at a social distance), grab a Wavey Ice Pop, pull up your rave socks and turn Ms Dynamiteeeheee all the way up. Never has a Christmas hamper bought me so much nostalgia and joy and we guarantee anyone who loves UKG, Grime, Rap and just having a good time with your people in general, this will bring a smile to their face. 

The Wavey Ice hamper is curated with heart and soul and it shows. Since this Summer, Wavey Ice has raised over £1500 for the NHS by donating £1 from every purchase made to them. This Winter will be no exception with £1 from every purchase donated to Crisis charity until Dec 20. So support Independent businesses this Winter. Support Wavey Ice. 

…pssst there’s a sale on right now…

www.waveyice.co.uk

Something for The Weekend: Aldi Launches UK’s first Prosecco Rosé

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Aldi aka Drinks Retailer of the Year* has done it again and we have to hand it to them, they continue to impress wine buffs and lovers alike. This time they have become the first UK supermarket to sell Prosecco Rosé DOC and this is just the tonic we need to toast away our lockdown woes. What we do know about Aldi is that they continue to be King in the drinks market because they not only have fantastic quality wines but their prices are pretty attractive too and we all know high quality, low cost is the customers perfect combo. 

So, what makes it different to other sparkling rosé we may already be acquainted with? Quite simply, to become Prosecco, similarly to Champagne, the liquid would have to be produced in the main Prosecco regions in Italy. It must be made with Glera grapes and must be made with at least 85% of these particular grapes to legally be labelled Prosecco. This ensures that the wine is of the utmost quality and is typically labelled with a DOC seal. In fact, Prosecco Rosé DOC was only approved for production in May of this year and now It is finally available for you to try. 

Aldi’s soft pink Prosecco is made with a stunning blend of Glera and Pinot noir grapes producing elegant and soft notes of summer fruits and peach with a gentle citrus twist. But there’s no need to wait until summer to enjoy this delicious treat, Aldi’s Prosecco Rosé is the perfect aperitif and a luxurious start to toast the festive season and toast away 2020… 

Yes it’s available to buy RIGHT NOW! In-store and online and comes in both a full size 75cl (£6.49) and miniature size 25cl (£2.29) with a case of 6 coming in at under £40!!!! 

Whatever you’re celebrating, end of 2020, Christmas, Election results… ahem, look no further than this delicious bubbly Pink Prosecco. Cin Cin!

https://www.aldi.co.uk/c/wines

*Awarded by Retail Industry Awards

Aldi stores continue to open 7 days a week and a currently operating a 30 minute priority window before opening for Elderly and Vulnerable customers Mon-Sat

With a  30 minute priority window for NHS and Social Care workers Mon-Sun.

i heart Halloween Cocktails!

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For our final instalment of our Cocktail Month feature it would be simply foolish of us not to include some Spook-Tacular Halloween Cocktails and this week our drinks are brought to us by…

i heart Wines…

…because you don’t just need ‘spirits’ to create a spooky cocktail… get it?? 

What we heart about i heart Wines is that their approach is simply honest in that they want to bring to you a great tasting wine at a reasonable price. That sounds pretty good to me. What’s more, with such distinct and recognisable branding, you may have seen their products in a fair few supermarkets even extending to vendors around the Globe, impressive. Their range is pretty diverse too and includes select wines from Spain, Italy, Hungary and Argentina. So diverse in fact that i heart Wines also heart gin too with both a traditional gin and a pink gin. Quite simply i heart Wines brings to you all the things that people love from their heart to yours. 

So… if you’re planning on a little Monster Mash, Ghost-busting or Zombie Zoom call we have just the tipples to trick or treat. 

i Heart Pinot Noir Halloween Sangria

Ingredients

·       750ml i heart Pinot Noir

·       1 orange (cut into wedges)

·       1 lemon (cut into wedges)

·       30g sugar

·       500ml ginger ale

·       A handful of gummy worms to garnish

·       Mint to garnish

Method

·       Firstly, pour the red wine into the pitcher

·       Squeeze the juice from the oranges and lemons into the wine then toss the wedges into the punch

·       Add the sugar and stir thoroughly until dissolved

·       Optional: if you’re that bit extra chill over night for flavours to fully develop

·       Just before serving, add the ginger ale and a handful of gummy worms and mint leaves to garnish

 

i Heart Merlot Halloween Punch

Ingredients

·       750ml i heart Merlot

·       750ml Rum

·       150ml lime juice (fresh)

·       150ml triple sec

·       170g simple syrup

·       2 limes (sliced into thin wheels)

·       2 red oranges (sliced into thin wheels)

·       Handful of raspberries and blackberries

Method

 ·       Firstly, gather all the ingredients together

·       In a large punch bowl or pitcher, combine the i heart Merlot, rum, lime juice, triple sec, simple syrup, lime, oranges, raspberries and blackberries

·       Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for two hours before serving (overnight is better)

·       Serve over ice in punch glasses and enjoy!

For an extra spooky punch, why not decorate the punch bowl with fake spiders or cobwebs? Maybe even some floating eyeballs.

The i heart Wine collection is available from various stockists including but not limited to Amazon, Tesco, Ocado, Nisa and Spar. 

To find out more about the brand please visit;

iheartwines.co.uk

International Gin & Tonic Day with Boodles Gin 

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Happy Monday – and Happy International Gin & Tonic Day!!! 

 

Just a reminder that things will get better and if you ever needed an excuse for a Gin & Tonic THIS IS IT.

Not only are we still celebrating London Cocktail Month – albeit in our homes, today is International Gin & Tonic Day and we are celebrating with our quintessentially British Boodles Gin. Our gin edition comes full of gin tips served directly from Mr Boodles the Boodles Gin Butler. So polish your best glassware and get ready for some proper G&T etiquette. 

Did you know…

Due to the Gin Craze of the 18th Century, there were 5 acts passed by parliament designed to control the consumption of Gin during this time.

Gin was drunk as a substitute to French Brandy at a time of conflict between England and France which is ironic because Gin originated as a medicinal liquor made by monks in Southern France. 

Gin is actually a neutral based spirit gaining its unique flavour through distilling botanicals. The most important being Juniper which gives it it’s fresh pine flavour… It simply cannot be Gin without Juniper. Some of the other key ingredients include Coriander seeds, Citrus Peels and Cinnamon to name just a few. However, Boodles Gin contains No citrus because the original distillers naturally expected the drink to be served with a citrus twist! 

Glasses at the ready… 

We know everyone has their own special way of concocting their perfect G&T but Boodles have given us some pointers to best enjoy their Brilliant British Gin. We know it’s Gin&Tonic day but I must comment on how versatile Boodles Gin really is. We already know how much care has gone into making their unique gin and their thought out blend of botanicals is designed to stay subtle and not smack you round the face. Perfect for many a cocktail as well as a G&T straight up! Whats more, Boodles have three stunning gins to suit your mood. Boodles Original London Dry, Boodles Rhubarb and Strawberry and just in time for winter, Boodles Mulberry.

So with that in mind, Mr Boodles requests that you take pleasure in making your G&T and exercise as much labour and patience as is used to craft their Brilliant British Gin. Don’t rush because all good things come to those who wait. 

Mr Boodles suggests quality gin deserves quality tonic; Boodles recommends Fevertree as the most complementary.

Ice First, then gin, then tonic. 

Keep it icy… the Co2 of the tonic is harder to escape if you keep it chilled. 

Pour Slowly… the slower you pour your tonic the more balanced the flavour

Garnish well.

To give you an idea we’ve included some of Boodles signature serves below to whet your whistle

BOODLES ON ICE

Ingredients;

60ml Boodles Gin
120ml Premium Tonic Water
Shaved Ice
Grapefruit wedge

Method;

In a tumbler shave a handful of clear ice. 

Pour one part Boodles Gin and two parts tonic, then stir. 

Add grapefruit wedge to the glass and serve.

And of course…

BOODLES MULBERRY WINTER WARMER

Ingredients;

60ml Boodles Mulberry Gin
120ml Premium Tonic Water
2 large Ice Cubes 
Lemon wheel

Method;

Pour one part Boodles Mulberry Gin and two parts tonic into a highball glass over the ice.

Stir until the colours combine. 

Add lemon wheel and serve. 

(bakewell tart optional)

We hope you enjoyed our Boodles edition this week. This is a gin I would thoroughly recommend over and over again. 

To find out more please visit www.boodlesgin.com

London Cocktail Month ft Lugger Rum 

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Our second instalment of our Cocktail (week) feature, showcases a stunning small-batched spice rum, hand crafted in none other than Devon! The award winning Lugger Rum packs a spicy punch and blends together the rums of Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana bringing you the best of the Caribbean which can certainly be enjoyed throughout the Winter.

Spicy notes of nutmeg, cloves and vanilla which are aged in bourbon oak barrels were designed to warm your cockles and your spirits. The rum is not overly sweet making it a perfect addition to a hot toddy or cocktail recipe, we’ve featured our favourites below. The bottle itself is very stylish and looks sexy on your bar shelf, after all, award winning rum needs to be displayed in a bottle worthy enough of its contents. Lugger Rum has a story to suit its sophistication, named after the Lugger boat which is depicted on the bottle, they were used to smuggle contraband into Lyme Bay. Ohhhh Rum me hearty! We reckon this will be the key to any rum lovers hearty and a great addition to your home bar this winter or perhaps a very nice gift.  But for now, let us toast to Cocktail Month, may we make our cocktails as exciting as our favourite bars. 

Signature serve:

Pour over ice with a twist of Orange

Cocktail Idea:

Caribbean Coffee – Literally the best after dinner treat

Ingredients:

75ml Dark Roast Coffee

25ml 2:1 Demerera Syrup

40ml Lugger Rum

Double Cream

Nutmeg 

Method:

Brew Coffee.

Add sugar to taste… this is to your preference

Add Rum 

Pour a Jigger of cream onto the back of a teaspoon over coffee

Grate Nutmeg

Enjoy.

To find out more or to purchase Lugger Rum please check out lymebaywinery.co.uk

and selected Waitrose stores

London Cocktail Week ft. Amaro Montenegro

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This year has been rocky to say the least. Yet again the hospitality industry has been hit hard despite the optimism of the Eat out to help out scheme. With September coming to an end, those who extended the scheme will also face their footfall dwindling once more. However, we are hoping that with the extension of London Cocktail Week which will now run for the entire MONTH of October, the bars will be luring us back in with some special cocktails which will be on offer and let’s face it, we’ve all exhausted our Gin supply so we will be looking at some unique Gin alternatives to see us through London Cocktail Month that you can make from the comfort of your home. 

This week the spotlight will be on;

Amaro Montenegro

A distinctly Italian Herbal Liqueur, you may recognise Amaro as the dark shot one is offered at the end of some fine Italian fayre, or you may not remember it at all… in my case. But make no mistake Amaro is making a comeback for the right reasons. 

Our focus is on Amaro Montenegro who is one of the most well-establish spirit brands in Italy and now they are paving their way to the UK. Honestly, I thought this was the one and only brand of Amaro, they are THE ORIGINAL since 1885. It’s eye-catching bottle has graced many an Italian Bartenders’ shelf and we think it would be a great addition to your home bar. 

Amaro (Italian for “bitter”) has a bitter- sweet flavour and a slight woodiness, makes sense considering Amaro Montenegro is made from over 40 botanicals. Amaro is usually enjoyed neat but with the dried citrus features, our perfect serve would be over tonic and ice which a slice of orange peel. I particularly enjoyed the warming syrupy feel Amaro has and while it would be a lovely spritz to have before a meal, the spicier notes of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves work perfectly for Winter. 

Monte & Tonic

Ingredients:

Amaro 30ml 

Tonic to the top 

Dried Orange Peel to Garnish 

(I like to add a dash of orange bitters) 

Method:

Build in glass over lots of Ice. Enjoy. 

And in the spirit of London Cocktail Week (Month) our favourite Amaro cocktail is…

Monterita

Ingredients:

50ml Amaro 

25ml Blanco Tequila 

30ml Lime Juice

Method:

Shake with lots of ice and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a lime wheel. 

Now we’ve got you dreaming of Amaro Montenegro to find out more and for more cocktail recipes, visit 

www.amaromontenegro.com

Alternatively, if you would like to support bars during London Cocktail Week who are serving delicious Amaro Montenegro cocktails, check out;

Amatitan Sour served at Disrepute Soho

https://www.disrepute.co.uk

Johnnie Highball served at Dalloway Terrace 

https://dallowayterrace.com

Man about Town served at Donovan Bar @ Browns Hotel