5 Easy Halloween Cocktails

With a good fancy dress costume, some spooky decorations and festive cocktails - a Halloween party is a sure fire success. Make sure your party is the one people keep talking about all year round with our excellent selection of Halloween cocktails that should keep the night rocking all the way into the witching hours!

 Dragon Blood Sangria

The Pinot Noir in this cocktail gives it the deep red colour that makes it just a little bit spooky… A big bowl of anything is a great idea at a Halloween party, as you can make it ahead of time and get it out of the fridge when everyone is ready to drink! It also means you don’t have to spend the whole evening in the kitchen, shaking or stirring away as everyone else does the Monster Mash (spoiler alert: it was a graveyard smash).

This recipe serves 8 but you can double or even triple the recipe for the number of guests you’re having/rounds you’ll be serving!

Ingredients (serves 8)
750ml Pinot Noir
60ml brandy
80ml raspberry liqueur
475ml cranberry juice
2 black plums cut into wedges
1 cup halved black grapes
1 cup blackberries
icing sugar to taste

Method
Add all ingredients into a large jug (or cauldron) and stir well. Taste the sangria, if it’s not sweet enough add 1-2 tablespoons of icing sugar. Let the sangria chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours. When ready to serve, ladle or pour into festive goblets!

Witch’s Brew

Over here at The Three Drinkers, we’re mad about colour changing gin. So mad, in fact, that we wrote a whole article about them! For this reason, and for their magical colour changing properties, we’re honouring them in a ‘Witch’s Brew’.  

However hard it is, don’t let anyone know that the gin is colour-changing beforehand, just say a few pseudo spells when pouring and watch as they are stunned at your mixology magic! The blue Curacao gives a beautiful ombre effect to this cocktail, one that will definitely get on some Instagram stories!

Ingredients
60ml colour changing gin
30ml lemon juice
30ml blue Curacao
raspberry hard seltzer 

Method
Fill a tall glass with crushed ice and add the blue Curacao and lemon juice. Make sure to do this in front of your guests, dramatically pour in the colour changing gin. Answer all the gasps with a knowing smile and top up with raspberry hard seltzer. Good job, you’re now officially the life of the party...

Zombie

The Zombie didn’t originate as a Halloween drink, but with that name and its amazing flavour, you know we couldn’t ignore this cocktail. The Zombie has been around since 1934, and the name supposedly comes from the hungover customer who requested the drink. Ouch! To make it a little more festive, we’ve added in some edible gold lustre dust to give it a beautiful shimmery quality and dazzle your guests.

Ingredients
25ml dark rum
25ml white rum
50ml lime juice
150ml pineapple juice
1tsp grenadine
½ tsp edible gold lustre dust
orange slice/maraschino cherry/sprig of mint garnish

Method
Pour all ingredients but the grenadine into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is icy. Strain into a tall glass with ice and slowly pour over the grenadine. Stir in the gold lustre dust and watch it swirl before garnishing with mint.

Pumpkin Spice Martini

The glory of the PSL (Pumpkin Spiced Latte) is back in town, with the famous syrup hitting every coffee shop on the high street. Bring some of those Autumn vibes inside with this Pumpkin Spice Martini that is perhaps more suited to a ‘chill’ Halloween party. However, don’t let that stop you from serving these any time of year (as long as you invite us)!

Don’t worry if you can’t find pumpkin spice syrup in a supermarket, it’s readily available online and not too expensive either. As it’s not alcoholic, you can also use this syrup in your coffee to make an at home PSL!  

Ingredients
60ml vanilla vodka
15ml cream liqueur
15ml Monin Pumpkin Spice Syrup
grated nutmeg 

Method
Add vodka and cream liqueur into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously until the shaker is icy. Grate nutmeg over the top for garnish and enjoy!

Find Monin Pumpkin Spice Syrup here: £10.25

Death in the Afternoon

The recipe for this bubbly green delight comes directly from Ernest Hemmingway himself. Yes, that’s right, in 1935 Hemmingway created this cocktail for a cocktail book with recipes from famous authors. How’s that for a fun fact! We’ve included his original instructions in our method so you can take it straight from the author!

But, why is this Halloween related…? Once you see this cocktail in action, you’ll know. The champagne bubbles mixing with the absinthe gives a wonderful, almost luminescent appearance to the cocktail that is reminiscent of an evil scientist’s lab! Spooky but also intellectual, ‘three to five’ of these sounds like a party in itself! 

Ingredients
45ml green absinthe
150ml Champagne 

Method
“Pour one jigger absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly.” Grab an Ernest Hemmingway novel (we’re thinking Death in the Afternoon) and enjoy!

Best Halloween Cocktail Garnishes

Don’t fancy any of the above? Did you know you can turn your favourite cocktail into a fun Halloween drink by spooking up the garnish? Here are some ideas to try below…

Pumpkin Garnish
Get an orange and cut a circular slice. Get an apple, cut a slither off it and chop it into a stick shape making sure to have the green bit on top. Insert the apple into the middle of your orange and voila you’ve made yourself a pumpkin garnish!

Skewered Eyeball Garnish
The perfect garnish for a Bloody Mary! Get a radish and cut a hole in the centre of it. Stick a stuffed olive in the radish and then put a skewer through it.

Bloody Eyeball Garnish
A great Halloween garnish for a Martini, take a lychee and cut a hole in it. Then, put a blueberry into the hole you have made in the lychee. Pour cherry juice over the top, pop it in your glass and you have a nice floating bloody eyeball!

If you’re looking for more gruesome articles to read, have a look at Could You Drink Dead People? and Whisky Infused with a Severed Toe, Anyone?

The Bring a Bottle Podcast: Episode 65

Happy Podcast Day! Are you as excited as we are?? This week takes a bit of a Halloween twist as we talk about fun Halloween drinks and surprising Halloween costumes. Read more below and don’t forget to listen in for all the fun…

What’s In Our Glass?

This week we’re sipping on a beautiful dram of Jura Winter Edition. Sherry cask matured, it is soft and gentle with Christmassy cake vibes, tropical notes, butterscotch, and creme caramel. Perfect for an evening with good friends in our opinion!

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £39.95

Drinks News

Did you know you can buy a fully wearable boxed wine costume that also pours wine for Halloween?! Well, now you do! Franzia box wine company has released a 2021 edition of their box wine Halloween costume and we’ve got to say, they’ve gone all out this year by including a wine pouch and glow in the dark features! You can pick one up here for $40!

Halloween Mixology

Ever wondered how to turn a regular cocktail into a Halloween treat? Well, Aidy shares some really simple tips on how to take your mixology skills to a whole new spooktacular level! Be it a Bloody Mary, a Martini or any other cocktail you are wanting to turn into a hauntingly beautiful creation to be quite honest, Aidy has an idea for you!

Mailbag

We tackle the question “I’ve heard wineries play music to their vines/wine barrels because it affects the taste of the wine but does it really change the taste?”

You can listen to all this, new Drinker’s Discoveries, a beautiful Vodka-food pairing, where to drink a stunning 18YO The Dalmore Old Fashioned, and some VERY big news by tuning in now!

Best Whiskies To Invest In - October Whisky Investment Index

Springbank leaps forward.

Last month was all about Springbank. At auction, this distillery has excelled and pushed its way to the top of the board. Macallan is still up their but seems to be slowing down at the moment, Brora is still strong as is Bowmore, and the rest of the table stays pretty much as it was.

Springbank is a relatively small distillery in comparison to many, and really only produces about as much as the Springbank fans can consume. This leaves collectors and speculators picking up Springbank at auction and keeping the prices rising. Releases of Springbank sell out extremely quickly, like the “local barley” expression for example, and are then traded for a lot more than the retail value at auction. Even after they are picked up at auction the prices will still steadily rise.

Springbank 2%
Macallan 1%
Karuizawa 1.0%
Brora 2%
Bowmore 1.5%
The Dalmore 2%
Clynelish 2%
Rosebank Official Bottlings 1%
Ardbeg 1%
Glen Grant

Bottles to Watch

I recently highlighted Springbank bottles, and there are a few more I have found here. But with the rarity of Springbank at retail, it is really about keeping a keen eye on the auction sites and picking up bottles when they seem good value to you.

Springbank 12 Year Old Cask Strength

This expression sells out pretty quickly as Springbank at cask strength is well sought after. A good option for anyone starting out in collecting Springbank

ABV: 53.8%
Size: 750ml 
Find here: $159.99

Springbank 16 Year Old Local Barley

Another cask strength offering and this being the local barley expression, means that this is rare and will do very well in the future. There is very little of this expression produced as there is very little local barely to make the whisky.

ABV: 54.3%
Size: 750ml  

Springbank 19 Year Old Rechar Sherry

Cask strength with an unusual cask make up using casks which have been de-charred and then re-charred giving them one more use and they have a spicier flavour profile. With this expression being a little older, the price is higher, but then so might be the returns.

ABV: 58.6%
Size: 750ml

The next couple of expressions are very rare as they are older expressions from years ago.

Springbank 25 Year Old Millennium Collection

Released some time ago, this expression of Springbank has been steadily rising in value over the years. Hard to find even at auction, these bottles will always be wanted.

ABV: 46%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £3495

Longrow 1973 Natural Strength

Longrow is a peated expression distilled at the Springbank distillery. This one has been bottled by famous Italian independent bottler Samaroli. This bottler holds a great deal of respect, especially with older offerings like this one.

ABV: 53%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £6995

These are a few examples and always everything written in this article is just advice, but overall with Springbank, the annual releases which have an age statement and unusual cask maturation will do well, especially if they are at cask strength. Try and seek them out at retail when they first come on the market, otherwise, happy hunting at auction.

To catch up on the past couple of months of whisky investment advice and to see how it all started click on the following links: September, August, July, the beginning.

The Best Refreshing Mocktail Recipes

Let’s face it - a lot of the mocktail recipes out there are either A) for children, B) boring or c) super sweet and not appetising in the slightest. However, we’re here to save you from the disheartening internet searches by providing you with a list of some classy and refreshing mocktails that will allow you to enjoy your drink in style.

Crossip Pure - Pineapple Spritz

This mocktail highlights the hibiscus flavour of Crossip Pure with the addition of sharp pineapple juice and fragrant kombucha. The naturally sparkling kombucha gives a tangy finish to this mouthwatering mocktail you’ve just GOT to try!

Ingredients
25ml Crossip Pure
25ml pineapple juice
100ml kombucha
pineapple slice for garnish 

Method
Add all ingredients to a highball glass with ice and stir, stir, stir! Once combined, garnish with a slice of pineapple and enjoy!

Find Crossip Pure here: £22

Lyre’s Italian Spritz - Amalfi Spritz

If you’re looking for something refreshing, this is it! It’s citrusy, fun and will bring back fading memories of balmy summer evenings. Lyre’s Italian Spritz is a non-alcoholic alternative to Aperol, so if you drink one of these in the bath it’s basically the same as going to Venice (money saving hack complete). Enjoy!

Ingredients
60ml Lyre's Italian Spritz
60ml premium alcohol free prosecco
30ml soda water 

Method
Add all ingredients to a large wine glass and stir until combined. Add ice, get in the bath and enjoy! 

Find Lyre’s Italian Spritz here: £20.12 

New London Light - Radiance

What really brings this cocktail alive is its freshness, with the natural sweetness of the fresh apple juice and the fiery kick of ginger beer. Not only will you feel refreshed, but raring to go. As it's non-alcoholic, this citrusy and herbaceous cocktail can be drunk at any time of your choosing!

Ingredients
50ml New London Light
25ml fresh apple juice
ginger beer
oregano leaves
lime wheel for garnish 

Method
Add New London Light, fresh apple juice and oregano leaves into a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake until icy cold. Strain into a highball glass, add ice and top up with good quality ginger beer. Carefully garnish with a lime wheel and enjoy!

Find New London Light here: £22.39

Bowser LEAF - Sober Club

This mocktail is a non-alcoholic version of a ‘Clover Club’ cocktail, which is why it’s called ‘Sober Club’. The fresh raspberries make for a bright shock of pink, with the lemon juice giving a tart edge for a fruity but sophisticated mocktail…

P.S: We’re also doing what’s called a ‘reverse dry shake’ with this mocktail - a mixology technique used to create the perfect foam for cocktails with egg white or aquafaba in. First all ingredients minus the egg white are shaken with ice until cold. Then, the ice is taken out using a julep strainer or ice tongs (though you could probably use a spoon as long as you don’t get rid of any liquid). Then, the egg is added and the cocktail is shaken WITHOUT ice. Phew. That was long. It does make a difference, though.

Ingredients

50ml Bowser LEAF
25ml fresh lemon juice
20ml sugar syrup
15ml egg whites (or aquafaba)
6/7 raspberries
raspberry for garnish 

Method
Muddle the raspberries in the bottom of a cocktail shaker and add the Bowser LEAF, lemon juice and sugar syrup. Do not add the egg white yet. Shake with ice until very cold. Using ice tongs, a julep strainer or a very careful spoon, remove the ice cubes from the shaker. Add in the egg white. If you want to make this cocktail vegan, use the juice from a can of chickpeas (otherwise known as aquafaba) in place of the egg white. Shake without ice for 15 seconds and strain into a coupe. Garnish with a raspberry and enjoy! 

Find Bowser LEAF here: £20 

FLUÈRE Smoked Agave - Noches Mexicana

Non alcoholic tequila alternatives don’t come along very often, but Fluère Smoked Agave is trying to be just that! This cocktail is a perfect way to enjoy the agave flavours of tequila along with sharp grapefruit juice and lime without having to drink any alcohol! If you want to be super fancy, you can torch the grapefruit wedge and place it on top of the drink for some smokey citrus aromas…

Ingredients

45ml  FLUÈRE Smoked Agave
50ml fresh grapefruit juice
50ml Soda water
15ml fresh lime juice
15ml Agave Syrup
pinch of salt
grapefruit wedge for garnish 

Method
Add all ingredients except for the soda water to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into a highball glass and add ice. Top up the glass with soda water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge. Enjoy!

Find FLUÈRE Smoked Agave here: £22

Cranberry Mojito

As we reach the halfway point between summer and Christmas, a Cranberry Mojito is the perfect way to bridge the gap between the two. Cranberry syrup is always a great idea, so make up a batch for yourself by using 1 cup of water, 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of cranberries. Simmer these on a medium heat for around 15 mins, let cool and strain into a reusable container. Yum!

Ingredients
30ml fresh orange juice
30ml cranberry syrup
30ml soda water
8 mint leaves
2 lemon wedges
fresh cranberries for garnish 

Method
Smash the mint leaves and lemon wedges in the bottom of a highball glass. Pour in the cranberry syrup and add ice to the glass. Pour over the fresh orange juice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with cranberries and enjoy!

For more No-Lo drinks recommendations, make sure to check out The Top 20 No-Lo Drinks to Try or Delicious No and Low Canned Drinks.

What are the Best Coffee Cocktails?

Alcohol and coffee: a combination that can definitely get divisive at times. Some revel in the flavours, some will remind you that ‘you’ll pay for mixing alcohol and caffeine’. Let’s forget about the sensible tutters for a second and talk about all the good that can come from a perfectly constructed coffee cocktail.

From an Espresso Martini to a simple Irish coffee, there’s a lot to unpack and enjoy in the world of boozy coffee drinks. Here are our favourites and some recipes to go along with them! 

Espresso Martini

Ingredients
60ml Black Cow Pure Milk Vodka
15ml Kahlúa
30ml freshly brewed, cooled espresso
15ml simple syrup
3 coffee beans for garnish

Method
Add vodka, Kahlúa, espresso and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with 3 coffee beans in the centre of the glass (ideally with tweezers or tongs).

Black Cow Pure Milk Vodka: UK £27.05
Kahlúa: UK £18.75 // US $30.99 

Coffee Old Fashioned

Ingredients
60ml Bulleit Bourbon
15ml St. George Nola Coffee Liqueur
7ml simple syrup
2 dash orange bitters
1 dash Angostura bitters
twist of orange for garnish

Method
Pour the bourbon, coffee liqueur, simple syrup and bitters into a mixing glass. Fill the mixing glass three quarters full with ice. Stir for 30 seconds until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube and garnish with a twist of orange.

Bulleit Bourbon: UK £30.90 // US $37.99 
St. George Nola Coffee Liqueur: UK £35.50 // US $34.99

Irish Coffee

Ingredients
¾ mug hot coffee
45ml The Sexton Single Malt Whiskey
5-10ml maple syrup
whipped cream

Method
Pour the whiskey and 1 teaspoon of maple syrup into a heatproof mug or glass and add a splash of the hot coffee. Stir until the maple syrup has dissolved. Pour the rest of the coffee into the mug and taste. Add more maple syrup if you would like a sweeter coffee. Top with whipped cream and enjoy!

The Sexton Single Malt: UK £28.84 // US $23.99

White Russian

Ingredients
60ml shots vodka
30ml Tia Maria
1 splash heavy cream

Method
Add the vodka and Tia Maria to an ice filled rocks glass. Top with the heavy cream and stir until chilled. Enjoy!

Tia Maria: UK £21.05 // US $43.99 

Spanish Coffee

Ingredients
90ml strong freshly brewed, cooled coffee
60ml Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
15ml Cointreau
15ml aged rum
granulated sugar (for the rim)
lemon wedge
whipped cream
grated chocolate
kitchen torch

Method
Brew the coffee and allow it to cool slightly. Use the lemon wedge to wet a ½ inch of the outer rim of the heatproof glass and dip the rim in granulated sugar. Carefully use a kitchen torch to caramelise the sugar and turn it brown. Add the Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur, Cointreau, rum and coffee to the glass and stir once. Add whipped cream and garnish with chocolate shavings.

Mr. Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur: UK £29.95 // US $31.99
Cointreau: UK £25.95 // US $60.99

Amaretto Coffee

Ingredients
100ml strong freshly brewed coffee
50ml Lazzaroni Amaretto
whipped cream
maple syrup

Method
Add the amaretto to the freshly brewed coffee in a heatproof mug or glass. Top with whipped cream and garnish with a drizzle of maple syrup.

Lazzaroni Amaretto: UK £22 // US $34.99

Are you a lover of coffee flavoured drinks? If so, make sure you check out The Best Vodka for an Espresso Martini and STRYKK: Not R*M Espresso Martini!

What is Sloe Gin?

The most quintessentially British liqueur - sloe gin has been made for hundreds of years all across the country. But what is it exactly? Sloe gin is high-proof gin that has been infused with sloe berries and a little sugar to create a rich, warming liqueur perfect for autumn and winter!

The reason this liqueur is so popular in Britain is because, to put it simply, we’ve got a ton of sloe berries around! Very common in hedgerows, the sloe berry is a purplish blue colour and has a sharp and extremely astringent taste. Perhaps this not so tasty flavour is why they started being used in gin rather than in pies! Because they are so common, they’re quite easy to pick yourself to make a lovely home-cooked liqueur! If that sounds up your street, that’s great - we’ve got a recipe for you. If that sounds incredibly scary, however, fear not, we’ve got a list of some of our favourite pre-made sloe gins! 

How Do You Make Sloe Gin?

Ingredients
500g ripe sloe berries
250g golden caster sugar
1l gin
patience 

Method
Rinse the sloes under cold running water and examine them for any mouldy ones. Pat the sloes dry with a dry tea towel and, using a fork, prick the berries*. Tip the berries into a cooled, sterilized 2L jar, or split between two 1L jars. Add the sugar and gin and close the jar. Shake well. Every day for a week, pick up the jar(s) and give a good shake.
Store the jar(s) in a cool, dark place for 2-3 months to infuse. After the months are up (phew), line a plastic sieve with a muslin cloth and place over a bowl. Strain the gin through the cloth and decant into sterilised bottles. Seal and label! 
You can drink this gin right away, though the flavour will improve over time. If you’d like, try leaving the gin bottled for a year!

*Handy tip - if you freeze the berries they will naturally split themselves.

Which Sloe Gin Should I Try?

For those not feeling the foraging vibe, fear not. There are plenty of places where you can pick up a bottle of ready made sloe gin. Here are four of our favourites…

Hayman’s Sloe Gin

Hayman’s is the longest serving gin distilling family in England, starting in 1863. Their sloe gin is made by steeping their original recipe gin with sloe berries and sugar in the traditional way. Hayman’s is a perfectly balanced, smooth sloe gin with a bittersweet plum flavour that tastes great with lemon, a little sugar syrup and tonic.

ABV: 26%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £25.20

Plymouth Sloe Gin

Plymouth Sloe Gin is a version of their original Plymouth gin steeped in sloe berries and blended with Dartmouth water. It’s a wonderfully crisp and fruity sloe gin and has a natural berry flavour. Plymouth is one of the most popular sloe gins out there and a big favourite of bartenders and sloe gin lovers alike.

ABV: 26%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find it here: UK £25.39 // US $54.99

6 O’Clock Sloe Gin

6 O’Clock Sloe Gin doesn’t have to be drunk at 6pm, but it’s quite cool if you do. Using the tried and tested method of a high sloe to gin ratio, 6 O’Clock Sloe Gin has a dry and fruit flavour with warming spice. All the sloe berries are handpicked near the distillery in Gloucester, Bramley and Gage.

ABV: 26%
Size: 700ml
Find it here: £24.66

Gentleman Badger’s Sloe Gin

We LOVE the label on this sloe gin, the badger just looks so sophisticated in his top hat. From Thames Distillers, Gentleman’s Badger Sloe Gin is made with a base of Colonel Fox London Dry Gin. It’s beautifully fruity and jammy without being too sweet!

ABV: 26%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £25.25

If you are looking for more delicious gin recommendations, then take a look at The Best Gins for a G&T, The Best Gins for a Martini or The Best Ready Made Garnishes for a Gin and Tonic.

The Bring a Bottle Podcast: Episode 64

It’s Podcast Day! *insert trumpet/fanfare/horn of anticipation sound effect here* That means you’re one click away from opening the chest full of drinks information and news that Aidy and Helena have prepared for you this week… 

Before you read on, remember there’s so much more to hear in the podcast - so don’t forget to listen! 

What’s In The Glass?

Up for a beautiful dram? That’s a trick question - we already know you are! This week, Aidy and Helena are enjoying Dalmore Cigar Malt Reserve Whisky, an immensely popular whisky winning awards left right and centre! Fun bit of trivia, the original Cigar Malt was discontinued in 2009 but due to the strained cries of its fans - it returned in 2011 with a new bottle and a new gaggle of fans behind it. Why is it called a Cigar Malt, you may ask? It’s not because the whisky is in any way infused with cigars, but because Dalmore have decided it is the quintessential drinks pairing for a cigar...

Now, it’s flavour time… With this whisky you’ll be getting a wonderful mix of dark chocolate, tropical fruits, banana toffee and rich butterscotch. There’s a mouthwatering finish of orange zest that will have you leaning back in your chair feeling like a whisky GOD.

ABV: 44%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £76.80 // US $262.99

Drinks News - Cars Powered by Wine?

This just in on TTDNC (that’s The Three Drinkers News Channel) - Helena’s got some hot drinks news that’s not just interesting but eco-friendly (woo)!

Renewable energy is at the forefront of consumers’ minds at the moment, with everyone anxious to find a way to get power without having to harm the environment. This has sprouted some really ingenious ideas in the past few years, with Glenfiddich using whisky waste to power its trucks, and now French oil company TotalEnergies creating fuel for cars with WINE residue!

All these innovations (especially from oil companies) are looking toward a brighter and more sustainable future for the world in terms of being waste free and powered by renewable energy. TotalEnergies will even be supplying the 2022 Le Mans motorsport event (where the winning car is the one who makes the furthest distance in 24 hours)! 

Aidy’s Advice - How To Have the Best Bath of Your LIFE

It’s no surprise that Aidy is a fan of a relaxing and rejuvenating bath, especially if you follow his Instagram (psst - that’s @sypped if you’re interested), and this week he’s let us in on his secrets for having the best bath EVER. Make sure to stick to these steps to ensure a bath Mr. Aidy ‘Best Bather’ Smith would be proud of… 

Step 1: The Bubbles…

Step one is some aromatherapy bubbles. But, what is an aromatherapy bubble bath? As it turns out, aromatherapy bubbles are a bubble bath liquid that gives off relaxing and soothing scents. Pour it under your tap while it’s running for best results!

Step 2: Really, Really, Nice Candle

Having a candle burning, even when not in the bath, is always a calming experience. Brilliant for meditation, romantic evenings or even just reading a good book. You can choose any candle scent you want, it’s completely up to you! Aidy’s loving a musky smelling candle at the moment, and here’s his current favourite: Feu De Bois Candle.

Find out the next 5 steps by listening in… trust us, you don’t want to miss them!

Drinker’s Discovery: The Doctors’ Rosé Marlborough

Helena’s been loving The Doctors’ Rosé from Marlborough, New Zealand this week! This rosé is brilliant as not only is it delicious, with crisp strawberry and cherry flavours, but it’s got a low alcohol content. At only 9.5%, it’s a brilliant wine for drinking when you’re being mindful of what you’re drinking but still want something tasty.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 9.5%
Find it here: £10.99

Mailbag SNEAK PREVIEW:

Here’s a sneak preview of this week’s mailbag question - but you’ll have to listen to the podcast to find out the answer…

“I recently bought a huge bottle of rosé for my friend’s birthday! Does wine out of a larger bottle taste any different to wine out of a regular bottle?”

Tune in to listen to all this and more and if you missed last weeks episode then fear not, you can listen in here

What is Liqueur?

You’ve definitely seen them around, and you might even have some at home! Liqueurs are everywhere in our modern world, and we can see them being used in multitudes of cocktails, or sometimes even sipped on their own. The number of liqueurs continues to grow, and grow it should, as with every new liqueur comes a new, exciting cocktail.

What Is A Liqueur?

A liqueur is essentially a distilled spirit that has been sweetened with sugar or syrup. It can also be flavoured with ingredients such as herbs, spices, fruit, cream, flowers, nuts and sometimes even vegetables! The higher sugar content means they’re often much sweeter than a typical distilled spirit, however, some liqueurs can be bitter, sharp, tart, herbaceous… the list goes on.

Which Liqueurs Are Best?

Of course, with so much choice comes the inevitable anxiety of which ones to choose and which ones to chuck. To help you out with those difficult decisions, we’ve put together a list of liqueurs we think are definitely worth a place in your bar cart. Whilst they are bold enough to be drunk on their own, they also make a great addition to a cocktail, so, if you like the sound of them, why not try out the cocktails we’ve included below?

Cointreau

Cointreau is a zesty, fresh and fruity orange liqueur, and it’s used in a TON of cocktails. This is a liqueur you definitely need to have on hand, even as an amateur mixologist. One infamously delicious cocktail made with Cointreau is the Margarita, which is actually quite simple to make. Our only condition is that you DO NOT salt the rim of the Margarita glass, why waste the great flavour of tequila and Cointreau?

Ingredients
50ml blanco tequila
25ml freshly squeezed lime juice
25ml Cointreau
lime wedge for garnish 

Method
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Fine strain into a rocks glass with ice with no salt(!) and garnish with a wedge of lime.

ABV: 40%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £25.95 // US $60.99

Kahlúa

Kahlúa is by far the most popular coffee liqueur out there, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to be able to find this at a supermarket. There are other coffee liqueurs out there (very good ones too), but we love a classic, especially when it’s good value for money! It shines brightest in our favourite coffee cocktail, the darling Espresso Martini but tastes equally as good simply mixed with milk!

Ingredients
40ml vodka
25ml Kahlúa coffee liqueur
25ml espresso
½ tbsp simple syrup
three coffee beans, for garnish 

Method
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Fine strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with three coffee beans. Enjoy!

ABV: 16%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £18.75 // US $30.99

Chambord

Chambord is a brilliant french liqueur made with black raspberries, Madagascan vanilla and Moroccan citrus peels steeped in cognac and sweetened with honey. It’ll bring a pre-French Revolution decadence to any cocktail you grace it with, and what better ingredient to serve it with than champagne! This cocktail is fabulous and indulgent, just what the stunning bottle deserves.

Ingredients
30ml Chambord
glass of champagne or sparkling wine
raspberry, for garnish 

Method
This is a SUPER simple cocktail. Add a shot of Chambord to a champagne flute and top up with champagne or sparkling wine (we’re loving English sparkling at the moment)! Garnish with a raspberry for a fruity but classy cocktail.

ABV: 16.5%
Size: UK 700ml // US 375ml
Find here: UK £27.60 // US $27.99

St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur

The taste of elderflower has long been a dear friend of the English palate, with elderflower cordials and syrups popping up all over the place. If you’re looking for something with that same delicate, floral sweetness with a boozy edge - St. Germain is for you. If you’re not convinced by the delicious taste, perhaps the elegant bottle will entice you! The cocktail we’ve chosen is the ‘English Martini’, full of botanicals and florals.

Ingredients
60ml dry gin
25ml St. Germain liqueur
½ fresh rosemary sprig
rosemary sprig for garnish

Method

Take the leaves off the rosemary sprig and muddle them in the bottle of a cocktail shaker. Add the other ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into a coupe chilled coupe and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.

ABV: 20%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £29 // US $50.99

Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur

Irish cream liqueur over ice, what could be more satisfying? Irish cream liqueur is made from a mixture of Irish whiskey, Irish dairy cream, chocolate and vanilla and is used in a variety of creamy cocktails. Bailey’s is the original Irish cream liqueur so deserves to be honoured in this list. They’re now creating many variations of the original liqueur which are worth experimenting with! As the colder months are closing in, spiced cocktails are the perfect evening treat, so we’ve chosen a spiced Irish cream cocktail for you to enjoy!

Ingredients
1½ oz Bailey’s Original
¼ oz spiced rum
grated nutmeg for garnish 

Method
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled rocks glass and carefully grate or shake nutmeg over the top.

ABV: 17%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £15.43 // US $24.99

Créme de Menthe (De Kuyper)

Créme de Menthe is a sweet mint liqueur that tastes fairly close to if the strawberry cream out of Quality Street was a mint cream instead. Or perhaps an After Eight. Either will do, we’re just hungry for Christmas chocolate… With Créme de Menthe, you can either go for a white (colourless) version or a green version. We love a green version, purely for the theatre of it all! To showcase this green lean liqueur machine, we’ve gone for a Grasshopper cocktail (which looks STUNNING).

Ingredients
25ml De Kuyper Creme de Menthe
25ml creme de cacao
25ml single cream
mint sprig for garnish 

Method
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a sprig of mint. Your friends will be green with envy!

ABV: 24%
Size: UK 500ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £14.62 // US $23.99  

Drambuie

If Scotland were a liqueur, it would be Drambuie. Drambuie is a whisky liqueur made with Scotch whisky, heather, herbs and spices. One sip will transport you to the blustery Highlands where you may or may not find yourself unexpectedly wearing a kilt. For Drambuie, we’ve chosen ‘The Lion’s Mouth’ cocktail. It’s bitter but has light, floral notes.

Ingredients
1 oz Drambuie
1 oz bourbon
2 dashes of grapefruit bitters
lemon twist for garnish

 Method
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice and stir until ice cold. Strain over ice into a rocks glass and garnish with a twist of lemon!

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find here: UK £28.60 // US $59.99

The above is by no means exhaustive - there are plenty more liqueurs out there just waiting to be tried so if you find any you think should definitely be on this list, let us know via our social @thethreedrinkers! For now though, why not check out What is Vermouth? or The Best Gin for a G&T.