The UK’s Best Adults-Only Soft Play Centres

Most of us have memories of soft play centres from our childhood, whether it was a rainy weekend or a birthday party but save the young parents that might get involved themselves with their own kids, it’s a world we say goodbye to forever as adults. Or is it?

We all like passing the time in restaurants and pubs, but boozy soft play bars like these are bringing back the silliness to adult life. Not only are they nostalgic, with the retro games, ball pits, slides, nets and tunnels we remember, but you also get the grown-up bonus of drinks. Suddenly those climbing walls don’t look as straightforward!

Take a look below to find your nearest adults-only soft play centre – they each offer something different, but they all offer a turn back in time.

Howlers, Newcastle

Image credit: Howlers

Howler’s is Newcastle’s only ball pit bar, but as a £1m project, it’s much more than that. There’s also karaoke, stag and hen events, bottomless brunches, corporate events, and all kinds of parties. It promises the bizarre and bonkers, and whilst we would say it rolls back the years to your childhood, this will likely be very, very different.  And if you’re worried about sharing a ball pit with that many people (many of whom will be tipsy to say the least, let’s face it), then take comfort tin Howlers’ fancy cleaning machine that gobbles up 10,000 balls over the hour and spits them out clean. On top of that, the entire pit is emptied and cleaned ready for the weekend!

Location: 28-32 Collingwood St, Newcastle upon Tyne NE11JF
Entry Fee: The Howlers Bottomless Bonkers Ball (£12+) The ChachaBuchi Bottomless Brunch (£29.99+)
Website: https://howlersnewcastle.com/

Wonderland: Adult Soft Play, London

Image credit: Wonderland: Adult Soft Play

If you’ve seen any adult soft play centres online, it’s most likely to be this TikTok hit. Situated in Palmers Green and open most weekends, it’s a three-storey mystically themed retro style soft play centre with slides, ball pits, swings, tunnels, DJs, boozy slushies as well as a fully-fledged arcade and bar games area. ‘Never Grow Up’ is the motto and the aim of the game here!

Location: 220 Green Lanes, London N13 5UD
Entry Fee: £22
Website: https://www.kbo2.co.uk/adult-events/27

Big Fun, Hull

Image credit: Big Fun, Hull

By day, Big Fun is full of children playing, but on Friday Nights, it’s Adult Night! The Bar is open all evening serving legendary drinks like the Double Vodka Slush, including BOGOF Happy Hour 8pm-9pm. There’s even private rooms for £60 if you don’t fancy waiting for the slide. It’s not a small recreation of a play centre, because it literally is one, so you get the entire colourful labyrinth to crawl, slide and jump through – and all for under a tenner.

Location: 335 National Ave, Hull HU5 4JB
Entry Fee: £8.95
Website: https://www.big-fun-hull.co.uk/adult-nights/

Ocean Adventurers, Bristol

Image credit: Ocean Adventurers

South of Bristol and east of Weston-super-Mare lies Ocean Adventurers Soft Play. This is another genuine children’s soft play that hosts adult only nights called ‘Adventurers After Dark’. Three stories of laser tag, karaoke, interactive games, and full soft-play arena await. And if you’re wondering whether everything will be too small for you, think again, because they’ve installed a giant games area where everything is oversized. There is so much to do here for £10 if you’re fancying something different from a bar or nightclub.

Location: Ocean Adventurers, Unit 11, Cheddar Business Park, Cheddar, Somerset, BS27 3EB
Entry Fee: £9.95
Website: https://bookings.oceanadventurers.com/book/adventurers-after-dark---adult-only-nights/327

Pirates Play, Nottingham

Image credit: Pirates Play

This Nottingham play centre is a slightly different offering. You can pre-book a private adult party with them, where their party hosts lead your group through games across the three stories of soft play. Think tag rugby and shot relay which is perfect for any competitive groups out there. Alternatively, you can be left alone to do as you wish – it’s up to you. You’ll get to blast your own playlists through the speakers too! And get this, you can even bring your own booze, snacks, and nibbles – how good is that?

Location: 41 Rowley Dr, Nottingham NG5 1GD
Entry Fee: £295 for up to 25 people / £10pp thereafter (Laser Tag added for £35)
Website: https://bookings.oceanadventurers.com/book/adventurers-after-dark---adult-only-nights/327

Ballie Ballerson, Edinburgh, London, and Cardiff

Image credit: Ballie Ballerson

With bars in England, Scotland and Wales, you’re never too far away from a chaotic ball pit with Ballie Ballerson. Their giant glowing ball pits are famous with an insane number of balls. Whilst they don’t have the slides and tunnels too, they are very much proper bars in their own right. Cocktails are served by champion bartenders, bottomless brunches, hen dos, and all kinds of entertainment are a constant. If you’re after a classic chaotic bright ‘n’ busy bar experience with a touch of fun and games, this is for you.

Locations:
London - 97-113 Curtain Rd, London EC2A 3BS
Edinburgh - 14 Forrest Rd, Edinburgh EH1 2QN
Cardiff - Unit 6-7 Brewery Quarter, Cardiff CF10 1FG
Entry Fee: £4.50-£12.50 depending on date and location (more for brunch, karaoke etc.)
Website: https://ballieballerson.com/

If you’re looking for more drinks related group events, then a distillery tour is always worth looking into. Here are a few to get you started!

Cheers to Tea Time: 5 Tasty Alcoholic Teas for Your Next Celebration

Having a cup of tea with a meal or a quick snack is one of life's simple pleasures – so much so that it merits its own celebration, such as National Tea Day. Drinking tea is a ritual embedded in many cultures. Tea culture apparently dates back to 2737 BC in China, according to legend, but there are now so many fashionable flavours to be found worldwide such as fruit teas and caffeinated or non-caffeinated tea varieties which go beyond the traditional builders tea or dreaded tasteless milky teas! There is truly a type of tea for everyone these days and that includes cocktail lovers too as there are tea infused cocktails to satisfy most tastes.

Believe it or not, but there are tea cocktails to suit each stage of your dining experience from eating starters right the way through to indulging in desserts! If that piques your interest (and why wouldn’t it), here are five alcoholic teas that will absolutely satisfy both tea drinkers and cocktail lovers alike!

Tios Hard Tea Light & Stormy

Tios hard tea is a sparkling tea infused entry in the RTD (ready to drink) cocktails market and is designed to be drunk on the go! It is made with organic white tea with a twist to provide a variation of your favourite cocktails such as Dark and Stormy. This rum based tea cocktail is a light brown colour which would look familiar to ice tea lovers with an intense ginger flavour profile providing that tangy sensation on the nose and palate. Well blended without being sugary, this is a vegan certified product that will go well by your side at afternoon tea and summer festivals as an aperitif!

Size: 250ml
ABV: 4.4%
Price: £16.99 for 6 cans

Riddles Mango Ice Tea

A sparkling ice tea rum blend that is slightly orange tinged and infused with Nigerian Moringa tea. According to folklore, there are health benefits associated with drinking Moringa tea and this works well with the fruity mango flavour to produce an easy drinking, light cocktail without reducing the flavour! It is so smoothly blended that neither the rum nor the tea dominate, but then again that will make it ideal to pair with the well-seasoned Caribbean Sunday dinner of rice, peas and chicken!

Size: 250ml
ABV: 4%
Price: £2

Masons of Yorkshire, Tea Edition

Tea drinkers and gin lovers will rejoice with this ideal combination of flavours for the Tea Edition of this gin! Mason’s Tea Edition blends dry Yorkshire tea with the botanicals and juniper flavours from the gin profile. It will be an excellent drink for both cosy nights in, as the warmth and alcohol strength will keep the cold weather at bay, and it will be suitable for the spring and summer climates too with its refreshing citrus and slightly sweeter taste. Look no further, If you are seeking that Trou Normand as that palate cleanser between dishes - this Tea Edition would be good for that or you could simply have it as a shot or on the rocks, as we said - it will please many!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 42%
Price: £33.95

Noveltea Whisky & Oolong Tea

Coming on to that after dinner time, when you might still be craving a night cap, this tea liqueur from Noveltea combines whisky with the lighter, fruity oolong tea variety. This is a boozy cocktail which is best served chilled with ice. It is as dark in colour as a traditional Scotch whisky, but without the high alcohol content! Smooth on the mouth, without being overpowering, with a subtle, smoky whisky aroma and a hint of lemon – this digestif combination is a natural partnership that will make you want more as the night draws to a close!

Size: 500ml
ABV: 15%
Price: £27.50

Tipsy Tea Spiced Chai

You might enjoy having a cuppa before bed and this spiced chai liqueur is perfect for those cosy moments to unwind at home. Packed full of spices, this alcoholic tea is designed to be mixed – you can be adventurous and try it hot or cold! Simply add a shot of hot water or sparkling cold water with a slice of lemon and away you go! Its golden colour also provides that sense of warmth in this fruity blend which tastes just like a herbal tea but with that added kick! It’s the perfect drink for catching up with the gossip with friends after that night out or dinner party!

Size: 350ml
ABV: 20%
Price: £15

Even if you may not be a regular tea drinker, these alcoholic teas explore its versatility for all meal times, tastebuds and special occasions. These will definitely satisfy those cocktail lovers searching for a lighter but flavourful alternative to their favourite cocktails and for tea drinkers seeking the tea version of an Irish coffee! The burning question now is – which boozy tea will you try first?

If you want to make some of your own boozy tea combinations, here are some suggestions to get you started.

By Latoya Austin

8 Tannat Wines You Need to Try

Too many people are sleeping on Tannat wine, and we’re on a mission to change that! Don’t worry! Tannat grapes are (literally) thick-skinned and can handle being overlooked, because those that do venture into their world will be greeted with bombastically bold, deep reds ranging right through to surprisingly subtle offerings from this dynamic grape variety. Tannat wine has close to the highest antioxidant count of all red wines which, in our opinion, makes it about as healthy as a wine can be. Don’t know where to start? Take the plunge with these eight amazing Tannat wines: 

Garzón Tannat 2021

Just off the Atlantic coast of Uruguay you’ll find the vineyards of Bodega Garzon. Uruguay is a powerhouse in the Tannat wine world, being their national grape and source of great pride - Garzon Tannat 2021 is a phenomenal example of the nation’s finest wine, resting in French oak barrels for a whole year to produce a full bodied wine full of spiced berry and chocolate notes on the palate. This fantastic example is a great Tannat wine to start your journey with, if you’ve never tried one before. 

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14%
Country: Uruguay
Find here: £21.95

Colomé `Lote Especial` Tannat 2021

This award winning Argentinian wine is literally full of surprises, and requires proper aeration to unlock its full aromatic potential - this isn’t uncommon of Tannat wines, but this wine shines with just how much can be woken in terms of fruit, spice and a luscious mouth feel to boot. With its pitch black colour and decadent palate, this wine is also certified vegan! A fantastic option for those looking for a high quality Tannat wine without completely breaking the bank.  

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14.5%
Country: Argentina 
Find here: £22.50

Domaine Berthoumieu Madiran - “Cuvee Charles de Batz” 2017

As dense in tannins as it is rich forest fruits and raisins, this Tannat wine offering is perfect for lovers of intense, rich purple wines. The nose provides oak notes from the barrel that linger right through to the finish. Looking for a perfect wine for steak night? Look no further than this exceptional bottle. Tannat wines thrive in their village estate in Viella, where wines are known for their incredible character. Cuvee Charles De Batz is a tremendous example among an already fantastic output.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14%
Country: France
Find here: £23.20

Jeandauge Pistache Rouge

Some wines just scream date night and Jeandauge Pistache Rouge is one of those wines! Everything from the beautiful, romantic modern labelling down to the fruity, liquorice notes. This wine is here for a good time! Boasting all the complexities one can expect from the exceptional wines of South West France - this is a wine to impress, but doesn’t skimp on the flavours and dares to be fun! This wine ages for a year in a barrel, and then an extra ten months in concrete - like all good things, a labour of love and patience.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14.3%
Country: France
Find here: £27.45

Bodegas Garzón Single Vineyard 2020 Bottle

The Garzon region of Uruguay is known for its unique terrain that provides almost the perfect conditions with which to grow Tannat grapes, so it is no surprise that many exceptional wines are produced in this region! This single vineyard bottle is brimming with fruit and spices on the nose, and all the rich tannins you’ve come to expect from the best Tannat wines on the palate. This is wine for a special occasion, for sure, but also a wine that the drinking of is, in and of itself, a special occasion. 

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14.5%
Country: Uruguay
Find here: £33.75

Folklore Tinto 2022

A Tannat wine that has been “kissed” with Petit Manseng grapes, creating a unique flavour profile and process of creation. Tannat is a powerful grape with rich flavour, and many distillers look to add complexity to their wines through co-pigmentation. This all sounds scary, but it can be broken down into this wine is super delicious. Attention to detail in the hand picked grapes makes this wine standout with notes of sour cherry and plum, lemon zest and herbs. 

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13%
Country: Uruguay
Find here: £16.50

Madiran Grevieres 2017 (Blend)

Proof that wine doesn’t have to break the bank in order to be delightfully high quality! Tannat is a versatile grape, and the already infinite combinations of flavours are only expanded when we delve into the world of Tannat dominated blends. This is the case of Madiran Grevieres 2017, which is a primarily Tannat wine, blended with Cabernet Sauvignon to give this wine a plump, juicy finish and plenty of spice on the palate. The region of Madiran has a unique terrain that uniquely suits it to produce excellent Tannat wines. If that wasn’t enough, it’s aged for 12 months in new and old oak barrels! A true labour of love and one not to be missed. 

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14%
Country: France
Find here: £15.49

Château de Sabazan 2018 (Blend)

Straight in the heart of the mediaeval village of Sabazan, thousands of winegrowers subscribe to a means of production centred on respect for the terroir and their peers. The vineyard producing this wine sits around a 15th century building, and the unique soil grows an abundance of big bold Tannat grapes with which to produce their world-class wines. This elegant offering is rich, warming and full bodied with a deep structure of tannins. Another fantastic budget example - what are you waiting for?

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14%
Country: France 
Find here: £16.50

The spirits and wines produced by grapes are endless and ongoing, want to learn about something different? How about Pisco? The national spirit of Peru and Chile, boasting a wide berth of grape varietals. 

By Miley Kendrick

What is a Flip Cocktail?

Essentially, a flip is a cocktail that uses egg alongside sugar and a spirit, often finished with a spice garnish like nutmeg. You might be surprised to know that they first popped up in 1695 when playwright William Congreve wrote, ‘Thus we live at sea; eat biscuit, and drink flip…’ so, like many cocktails, it’s the sailors that created this cocktail.

Originally, it involved mixing beer, rum and sugar and heating the liquid with a red-hot iron to create the frothy top, or ‘flip’. Of course, the 17th century is a long time ago and the cocktail evolved, particularly in the US where eggs and sometimes cream were added to sweeten the serve, fortify it, and mask the flavour of dodgy alcohol. This masterstroke added a velvety texture similar to eggnog or custard, but often without any of the dairy.

By the 19th century, it was a beloved and widely varied serve, popping up in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and the legendary Bar-tenders’ Guides of the era. Nowadays, they’re served hot or cold using various ingredients so if you want to embrace this oft-forgotten drink, here are a few suggestions!

But remember, as long as egg, sugar and some kind of liquor are involved, you can riff and experiment with your own creations. Who knows, maybe your flip will be the one to bring back its golden age!

What Flip Cocktails Should I Try?

The Classic Hot Beer Flip

If you want to get close to trying the original recipe, then this is it. Ale was very different back then, and not as bitter as today, so including cream or more sugar is recommended for balance. If you really want to turn back time, you can use a hot poker to caramelise if you wish, but of course be very careful. Alternatively, the stove is fine. The earthy, silky, rich taste is totally unique.

Ingredients
220ml ale (brown or dark)
40ml rum
25ml brown sugar syrup
1 egg
Nutmeg (garnish)

 Method
In a heatproof vessel like a tempered pitcher, whisk rum, syrup, and an egg. In the saucepan, heat the beer until it begins to steam – avoid simmering. Gently pour the hot beer into your mixture, continuously whisking all the time. Now, pour the liquid between the vessel and the saucepan multiple times to froth it up, and serve in a mug or handled glass. Grate some nutmeg to finish and you’ve got a modern version of the 17th century classic.

The Rum Flip

One step away from eggnog, this simple concoction is silky smooth, even for a flip, because it uses heavy cream. The inclusion of cream means this flip isn’t as light as most, but you also get added richness and indulgence in return. We love this as an after-dinner dessert.

Ingredients
50ml dark rum
20ml heavy cream
1 tsp sugar
1 egg
Nutmeg (garnish)

 Method
Dry-shake all ingredients first, before adding ice and repeat until everything is well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass, and a little grated nutmeg is the perfect finish.

The Gaelic Flip

The richness of whisky/whiskey is perfect flip material. There’s a lot of other flavours, so there’s no need to splash out on an expensive Irish whiskey, but a decent, bold whiskey with good soft fruits is perfect. The velvety egg foam, the light whiskey, the tingle of spice and the sweetness of syrup and the vermouth – delightful. You could play around with this too. We’re thinking Guinness, we’re thinking Bailey’s…

Ingredients
50ml Irish whiskey
25ml sweet vermouth
15ml syrup
1tsp allspice liqueur
1 egg
Nutmeg (garnish)

 Method
Dry-shake all ingredients first because this is where you’ll get the gorgeous pillow of foam in the final serve. Add ice and repeating until everything is well-chilled and combined. Strain into a cocktail glass, and again, grate nutmeg on top!

The Boston Flip

Madeira is a great example of what fortified wine can bring to a flip. The sweetness it carries as well as chocolatey, nutty and dried fruit notes intertwines luxuriously with the caramel and vanilla punch of bourbon (you can swap out for rye whiskey for more peppery spice, and this would work too).

Ingredients
60ml bourbon
60ml Madeira wine
10ml syrup
1 egg
Nutmeg (garnish)

Method
Again, it’s a dry shake. Make sure to shake vigorously for at least a minute to get that foam, and then shake again but this time with ice. Strain and you guessed it, grate with nutmeg!

These are some well-known flips to get you started, but these cocktails are tailor made to be personalised and experimented with. Crack an egg into your shaker, add a little syrup and then have a play around with your favourite spirits, liqueurs, fortified wines and alike! Flips are one of many cocktails that can be served hot, so if you want tips on some others, check out The Science, Art and History of Hot Cocktails!

Weird Food and Drinks Pairings That Taste Great

Everyone loves a good drink that pairs perfectly with their meal, whether in a restaurant or at home. The standard choice of familiar wine with a meal is a wise one, as you are presented with complexity and depth in flavour straight from the bottle, however, there is a whole world of more unexpected pairings that are well worth exploring. 

The act of pairing food and drink together is as much a science as it is an art. There are set recipes of which kinds of drinks pair well with which kinds of food. However, there are ways to be creative within these rules! You can follow the route of complimentary flavours, for example, pairing the salty sweetness of oysters with a high salinity single malt whisky such as Talisker 10-Year-Old, or use the method of contrasting flavours, that when paired together give a well-rounded flavour profile hitting all those flavours - salty, sweet, bitter, acidity, umami and spice.

The pairings we will be looking at in this article may be outside your usual recommendations but hopefully expand your horizons of dreamy food and beverage pairings!

SUBCONTINENTAL BARBECUE + BLANC DE BLANC CHAMPAGNE

Going to a subcontinental barbecue restaurant is almost a parallel experience to going out for tapas. With an array of dishes for the table rather than a dish per person, dish-specific pairings become nearly impossible and we must look at a common theme between all the food at the table. In this scenario, the predominant flavours are the spice blends used, the tang of the yoghurt marination, and the smoke from the fire of the barbecue. These flavours hit the mark with salt (seasonings), bitter (charcoal fire cooked), umami (meats and spinach), and obviously, spice from the spices, meaning we are left without sweetness and acidity.

Suggesting champagne to bring sweetness to a pairing might sound bizarre, but the buttery brioche notes of a 100% Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc contrast with the heat and slight bitterness of the fire-cooked spread bringing an implied sweetness that refreshes the palate and tempers the spice, despite the crisp carbonation. The bright fresh orchard fruit flavours of granny smith apples and stone fruits such as peach bring forth another dimension of sweetness while also offering a sharp malic acidity that rounds out a divine pairing that may seem sacrilegious to some.

Nicolas Feuillatte Blanc de Blancs

The next time you fancy going to your local BYOB curry house, we recommend bringing along a bottle of Nicolas Feuillatte Blanc de Blancs for something cheap and cheerful with no compromise on quality.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £36.99

Champagne PIAFF Blanc de Blancs NV

If you are celebrating an occasion and want to have a brilliant bottle of bubbles to match, we recommend Champagne PIAFF Blanc de Blancs NV from Amathus Wines!

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £69.30

NEW YORK CHEESECAKE + A FRENCH 75

You are out for dinner and have enjoyed your meal over a brilliantly paired bottle of wine with company, and your waiter brings over the dessert menu which contains an incredible-sounding New York-style cheesecake. The only problem is, you feel a little wined out and a full glass seems a little bit too much. Look no further than the most famous Champagne cocktail on the planet!

This pairing looks at complimentary flavours of sweet, acid, and salt. A tangy, sweet cheesecake with a salty-sweet biscuit base is elevated by the botanicals of the gin (ideally a citrus-forward London dry-style gin). The lemon juice boosts the presence of the lactic acidity from the cream cheese, and the champagne with notes of citrus, nuts, and fresh fruits such as peaches, apricots, and pears can even be used in place of garnishing the cheesecake with fresh fruits. The buttery, nutty notes of the champagne interact with the biscuit base in a way that simply sets up the pairing for success!

If you happen to have a cheesecake at home with no gin or lemons, or even if you are feeling cocktailed out, high-acid Champagne will even do the trick in a pinch!

CRAB + AMONTILLADO SHERRY

If you, like myself, are a lover of the fruits of the sea, this pairing is not one to miss! The sweet sea-salty flavours of crab find a surprising match with the nutty dryness of Amontillado sherry.

The pairing I experienced was at Hawksmoor’s beautiful Edinburgh location; their Eyemouth crab on toast was paired with the iconic Lustau Bodega’s Amontillado Sherry. The pairing, however, will work in more than this format. This sherry works incredibly well with a spicy crab fried rice or even a crab cake.

The aromatic notes of the sherry, of hazelnuts, and a mix of fresh and dried herbs season the crab as you sip and bite in conjunction, while the whisper of tobacco on the back palette of the sherry works even more wonders if your plate of crab has been cooked on the grill. It’s not just the sherry that elevates the crab either, as the natural salty-sweet profile of the crab acts as a flavour enhancer making all the nutty, raising flavours of the sherry sing even louder. Truly a pairing that reminds me why I love food and drink.

Lustau Amontillado Sherry

Size: 750ml
ABV: 18.5%
Find here: £26.50

GORDAL OLIVES + CREME DE CACAO BLANC

This savoury sweet pairing is light on the booze and the budget, and is perfect for a summertime post-lunch, pre-dinner snack!

Gordal olives have a meaty texture, with a nice crunch. Their sharp acidity and short finish of chilli spice and seaweed brinyness make an incredible pairing when contrasted by the soft, and delicately layered Creme de Cacao White from Gabriel Boudier. The liqueur has a very delicate nose reminiscent of a more “masculine” cologne that has started to fade with notes of sandalwood, white chocolate, cacao, dark roasted coffee beans, and orchard fruits. On the palate, however, you are hit with a wave of rich white and milk chocolates, followed by heavy cream and hints of red fruit such as strawberries and cherries, before a long buttery finish reminiscent of good vanilla ice cream.

Olives are great on their own, but this pairing truly does end up greater than the sum of its parts. As these two potent flavours fight for the spotlight, they end up enhancing each other and result in a pairing that is light on the stomach yet still jam-packed full of flavour!

Gabriel Boudier Creme De Cacao

Size: 500ml
ABV: 15%
Find here: £16.99

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN + LISTAN BLANCO

It’s a difficult thing to not love fried chicken. It’s equally difficult to not love a crisp cold glass of white wine, although usually not in conjunction. This pairing makes the exception to this rule as they contrast against each other beautifully.

Nashville Hot and Listan Blanco are not the most popular forms of their base products, as they each bring a signature flavour characteristic that falls under the love-it-or-hate-it category. Nashville Hot is, well, very hot, as the hot oil used to fry the chicken is then poured over cayenne, chile, black pepper, onion powder, paprika, salt, and sugar to form a chilli oil that the chicken is then drenched in.

On the other side of the coin, Listan Blanco has a very sulfurous quality. With fresh-struck matchstick on the nose, alongside curry powder aromatics and a strong minerality that reminds you of bathing in a mud bath. The palate lends itself to being savoury and mineral-forward, with flavours of fresh citrus zest which allows the floral quality of the chilies in the chili oil. The savoury funk of the wine also tempers the spice of the wine and allows more sweetness to come through.

When paired together, these two somewhat polarising forms of long-standing beloved classics become infinitely more approachable as their unique qualities come together for a bite with tempered spice and a sip with tamed sulphur notes.

If you cannot find Listan Blanco on the shelves of your local supermarket or bottle shop, we commend Borja Perez Viticultor, Listan Blanco, Artifice, 2019 from the Justerini & Brooks portfolio.

Listan Blanco

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12.5%
Find here: £19.40

By Fowwaz Ansari

From Clooney To Crawford, From Casimigos To Casamigas: A New Jalepeño-Infused Tequila

In this new world of celebrity drinks, Casamigos is probably the biggest success story of the lot. Fronted, quite gorgeously, by George Clooney, it proved itself to be way more than just a bottle with a name attached. So much so that drinks giant Diageo acquired the brand for eye watering sums in 2017 making Clooney the highest paid actor that year. Who knows how much involvement he has these days, but that doesn’t stop Casamigos teaming up with another pretty face – legendary supermodel Cindy Crawford.

“As much as I love Casamigos, my go to drink for a fun night is a skinny, spicy margarita,” she said, which explains the switch up with this new tequila. Jalapeño peppers are added to the 100% Blue Weber agave blanco for a tingle of the tongue and naturally spicy flavour, making the increasingly popular Spicy Margarita much easier to make in a hurry.

Cindy’s involvement rings even more changes however, as you can see from the glamorised label. The ‘o’ in Casamigos has been replaced by an ‘a’, turning the word from masculine to feminine. You’ll also find red ink, flames, lips, and Crawford’s signature adorning the design. This collaboration makes all the more sense when you discover that Rande Gerber, who kickstarted Casamigos with Clooney, also happens to be married to Cindy Crawford! It’s a small world (if you’re rich and famous!)

Casamigas Jalapeño Tequila appears to only be available in the US for the time being, priced at $49.99, but we’re sure it’ll be widely available soon if they’re previous releases are anything to go by.

Five English Bacchus to Try This Spring

Image credit: Will Wong

Most wine drinkers know Sauvignon Blanc, but what about Bacchus? He was the Roman god of wine and vegetation, who showed mortals how to cultivate grapevines and make wine. Humanity then took at least three millennia to honour his immortal legacy, by naming a hybrid grape after him.

The modern Bacchus grape was born in 1933 when viticulturists Peter Morio and Bernhard Husfeld crossed the Silvaner-Riesling with Müller-Thurgau grapes at the Geilweilerhof Institute for Grape Breeding (now consolidated into the Julius Kühn-Institut, the German Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants) in The Pfalz. The hybrid infant was christened as “Geilweilerhof (Gf) 32-29-133”. However, it was not until 1972 that the German authorities approved it for general cultivation; with its divine rebirth to becoming Bacchus. 

As an early ripening grape, Bacchus does not always achieve high enough acidity to make a single varietal wine in its native Germany. It is often used for blending into Müller-Thurgau, to give the latter more flavour. 

With the cooler climate in England, Bacchus grapes are able to retain higher acidity with lower yield. These conditions result in higher quality wines in a style somewhere between premium French and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. It is no surprise that Bacchus is increasingly hailed as England’s answer to Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, New Zealand. It is now also the fourth most planted grape in the UK after Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, the grapes used in making traditional method sparkling wines.

How does Bacchus taste?

The Bacchus grape is often associated with key aromas of hedgerow, elderflower and pear. Some believe that the floral characters of the grape could be more akin to that of its parent, Riesling. 

In the last decade, English winemakers have been experimenting and pushing boundaries with varying styles of Bacchus such as the five examples below. They range from light, floral and zesty, to gooseberry and cut-grass flavours and then the lightly oaked-aged Kit’s Coty Bacchus from Chapel Down, the largest wine producer in England.

What Food Goes with Bacchus?

The aromatic delicate notes and high acidity pair well with Thai green curry, and Vietnamese cuisine, as long as there is no fiery chilli to overpower the wine.

A more traditional pairing would be fresh seafood, or spring vegetables such as English asparagus in season now. You could also serve Bacchus as an apéritif (still or sparkling) with accompanying canapés.

With a little bottle age, preferably under three years, it becomes more gastronomic. Try it with smoked trout, aubergine moussaka, or goat’s cheese.

We now take a tour around southeast England where these five Bacchus are produced, from Essex to Kent and Surrey…

What Bacchus Should I Try?

Tuffon Hall Single Estate Bacchus Amelie 2022, North Essex

Image credit: Will Wong

Angus and Pod Crowther have been running their hundred-year old family farm and vineyard since 2014. Indeed, this very wine is named after their first daughter. It recently won the local conservation farm prize and then the equivalent for the whole of Essex, one of England’s biggest counties. Sustainability is at the heart of their business practices. 

If you are new to Bacchus, the Tuffon Hall is an ideal introduction to a grape that is no poor cousin to Sauvignon Blanc. Cut-grass, asparagus and lemon on the nose. On the palate, there is generous lemon rind and grapefruit with crisp acidity. As the temperature of your wine rises in the glass, its flinty minerality begins to shine with a long finish so best served between 12-14ºC, and not straight out of the fridge.

It pairs well with fresh or smoked seafood. Oysters, crab, prawns, scallops and fresh salmon all work. Try spring vegetables such as English asparagus and broad beans as well as creamy goats cheese.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 11.5%
Find here: £15.99

New Hall Wine Estate Single Estate Bacchus 2022, Crouch Valley, Essex

Image credit: Will Wong

In 1969, the first vines were planted at New Hall Farm by Bill and Sheila Greenwood. Two years later in 1971, the first New Hall Vintage was produced from just over 30kg of fruit.  The wine was made and bottled by Mrs Greenwood in her kitchen - a total of 18 bottles.

Today, New Hall is still family-run under the stewardship of Chris Trembath, keeping it within the Greenwood family with Chris’s daughter Becki as General Manager since 2016. She is now the third generation of the family to be working at the vineyard.

Made by the same former head winemaker for the above Tuffon Hall, Steve Gillham created a very different style here. Still very pale and grassy, this Bacchus is more intense with a big personality on the first sip. The grapefruit then comes through with a flinty and steely finish. 

Size: 750ml
ABV: 11.5%
Find here: £16.50

Yotes Court ‘On the Nod’ Bacchus 2021, Mereworth, Kent

Image credit: Will Wong

Yotes Court is much more than just a vineyard. It boasts an English Heritage Grade 1 listed property originally built for James Masters in 1656, nestled in 20 acres of gardens. It fell into disrepair over time and in 2008, the new owner Susannah Ricci poured her heart and soul into restoring the main house to its former glory, and transformed the other buildings on the Estate: The Clockhouse, Granary and Garden Cottage, which are all Grade 2* listed buildings. 

At 140m above sea level, a former apricot orchard has become one of the highest vineyard block in England. In the early years the fruit was grown exclusively for one of the UK’s leading still and sparkling wine producers, Chapel Down, with 60 acres of Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes harvested annually for their Traditional Method sparkling wines. In 2018, Susannah decided to expand the area under vines and planted a further 10 acres with a view to crafting wines under the Yotes Court brand. Their wines are made in collaboration with Defined Wine Ltd outside Canterbury under the guidance of winemaker Nick Lane.

2021 was only the second Bacchus vintage for Yotes Court Vineyard, with 11,000 bottles released. This very vintage was served on board Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class in June 2023, to celebrate English Wine Week. Compared with Tuffon Hall and New Hall above, this has a much more restrained gooseberry nose and on the palate, it’s all Granny Smith apples followed by pink grapefruit once the wine has had a chance to open up in your glass. Zesty with crisp acidity. Balanced and complex. No need to shout.

So again, avoid serving straight out of the fridge. Take the chilled bottle out 20 minutes ahead and you can keep it cool later. It’s perfect with asparagus and it stood up well against mature cheddar which was a surprise. 

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £17

Chapel Down Kit’s Coty Bacchus, Single Vineyard, North Downs, Kent

Image credit: Will Wong

A premium flagship produce from England’s largest wine producer in both sparkling and still wines. Chapel Down is the Official Sparkling Wine of the England & Wales Cricket Board, as well as the Official English Sparkling Wine of Ascot Racecourse and the Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race. They are also Official Supplier to the London Stock Exchange.

The only lightly oaked Bacchus amongst the five, the Kit’s Coty is an understated and refined gem waiting to be discovered. The nose is subtle and restrained. It definitely is not a copycat of Sauvignon. On the palate, crisp acidity is balanced with green apples and elderflower. 

An elegant and delicate gastronomic wine that pairs well with sushi, but go easy on the wasabi in your soy sauce. Lightly dressed salad also works but avoid vinaigrette dressing or lemon juice that could overpower this wine.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £30

Litmus Orange Bacchus 2022, Dorking Surrey

Image credit: Will Wong

Probably the only English Bacchus made from six weeks of skin contact with no added sulphur during fermentation. This historic method of winemaking has become once again en vogue in recent years with the Pét-Nat and natural wine following. 

Despite it being labelled as an orange or amber wine, it is pale lemon in the glass. It has a pronounced herbaceous nose, with a grassy undertone. Bone dry on the palate, with a gripping astringency due to the tannins from prolonged skin contact, it is one of a kind. If you like dry rosé, this could make an interesting alternative.

This orange Bacchus with notes of fennel is a little reminiscent of contemporary Greek retsina. Its bold flavour is able to stand up to oily meat or fish. 

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £20

Why Bacchus?

England made headlines with outstanding sparkling wines that rival some of the best Champagnes. And now with the warmer climate, the quality and quantity of still wines such as Bacchus are on the rise. 

If you are a fan of the steely Pouilly-Fumé or Sancerre from the Loire in France, or the aromatic New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough, it is really worth trying English Bacchus that share some of the citrusy and herbaceous characteristics. It is an understated grape that awaits your discovery and appreciation; with lower carbon footprint too.

If you are based in the UK, why not visit your favourite producers this spring and summer? Many have cellar doors and tasting rooms, with open days and guided tours for you to learn more about the people and places behind their labels. Go explore!

By Will Wong

Which Alcohol Mixes Well With Tea?

We don’t often think of tea and alcohol as having much of an overlap, but maybe we should. Bartenders have been experimenting with tea in cocktails for a while now, embracing the deep and diverse flavours of all kinds of teas, as well as the refreshing qualities, caffeine, and health benefits.

Most spirits have quite intense and distinct flavours, and it’s often the same with teas, so randomly mixing them together is likely to be a waste of good liquid – though you might strike gold, who knows! There are, however, some well known tea and booze marriages that show what a dreamy and complementary pairing the two can be… and these are a few you can easily try!

When mixing tea with alcohol, you can serve it hot as you usually would with tea, or you can infuse it hot and let it cool, or you can cold brew – it’s up to your personal preference and the ingredients you’re using.

You can make tea as you usually would and treat it as another cocktail ingredient, or in its simplest form, just add alcohol to your tea, but at a slightly more advanced level, you can infuse tea into spirits, or syrups or even embrace the cold distillation techniques – all the information on those can be found here.

Black Tea and Dark Rum

Black tea, most famously English breakfast, is a great pairing with rum. The natural caramelly sweetness of the rum pairs well with the earthy, bitter flavour of black tea. It’s such a complimentary pairing that there are already a few established cocktails marrying the two. Fish House Punch, with black tea, Cognac, dark rum, and peach brandy, is a particularly boozy serve. A simpler cocktail is the Planter’s Punch, which often includes black tea instead of water, combined with dark rum and a little lime juice and syrup. There is also Gunfire, a legendary morning cocktail in the British Army of the 1890s that mixes one shot of rum into a regular cuppa. Oh, and a little tip. You might not want the caffeine of black tea in the evening, but rooibos is a very similar, slightly smokier tea that’s caffeine free, so try this!

Green Tea and Whisky

Japanese whisky, Irish whiskey, and American whiskey are all regularly mixed with green tea. Whilst it’s a slight shame to taint the endless health benefits of green tea, the vegetal and grassy flavours really add to many whiskies. The end result is a refreshing, breezier number with increased citrus notes. A simple Green Tea Highball with Japanese whisky, green tea and club soda is a great place to start.

Chamomile Tea and Gin

Flower power. The floral and herbaceous heart of both chamomile and (many) gins is a perfect marriage. You’ll find that the notes in the chamomile enhance the botanical complexity of floral and herbaceous gins, and also soften any sharpness. A really simple pitcher style cocktail you can make is by making some chamomile tea (either with tea bags or through flowers in water), and straining the cool mixture with gin, lemon juice, honey, and ice – how deliciously bright and breezy does that sound?

White Tea and Vodka

White tea is one of the most delicate and refreshing teas. It’s well known for its gentle honey notes and mellow flavours like apricot, peach, oats, hay, and flowers. You could pair this with a very subtle floral gin or perhaps even white rum, but they run the risk of overwhelming it. The neutrality and cleanliness of good vodka can be an interesting match to try, sucking you in with the gentle refreshment of the tea, and whacking you with a hearty hit of vodka. Infusing vodka with white tea would be a good way to go (you can simply leave tea leaves or tea bags with vodka for a few hours then strain). This way, you can make a simple white tea Vodka Martini, perhaps combining with some aromatic ingredients like elderflower liqueur and edible flowers.

The Hot Tea Toddy

The most famous way of combining tea and alcohol is in the form of Hot Toddies. We’ve listed some amazing variations of the Hot Toddy here, and it’s easy to see how tea can be introduced. It’s already a winter warmer, made most classically with whisky, hot water, lemon juice and usually honey and cinnamon too. But, with other ingredients like ginger, cider, gin, rum and apple juice often involved in riffs, there are plentiful opportunities for tea to bring something to the party. Ginger tea, bourbon whiskey, honey and lemon juice is a super warming, spicy, rich favourite. The tea you use will emphasise different elements of the Toddy – the citrus, the honey, the spices, or the spirit itself. At the end of the day, if you think a tea that you love might go well with a spirit, then serve it warm and combine with citrus, honey, spices and see – you might surprise yourself!

Similar but slightly different, you can also make any of your favourite teas into syrups. Syrups are simply water and sugar, and of course you can swap out water for tea. Check out our homemade syrups guide here!