When Brandy & Coffee Collide

If you’re a fan of darker spirits like whisk(e)y, cognac and brandy and deem coffee an important part of your life, this new release from Bardinet should be on your radar. 

Crafted from Bardinet’s smooth aged brandy from the heart of France and intertwined with fresh Arabica and bitter Robusta coffee beans, the result is rather spectacular. If you’ve been on the espresso martini’s for a while but always wished there could be a darker variation of the cocktail, well, you’ve just found it. 

When the brandy and coffee combine, an explosion of candied fried-fruit jump from the glass with a punch bitter coffee, raisin and treacle. 

You’re probably now thinking, “how do I drink it?!”. Well… allow us to tell you! 

Bardinet Espresso 

• 60ml Bardinet Coffee

• 30ml Espresso Coffee

• 10ml French Vanilla Syrup

• Orange zest twist to garnish

Shake all ingredients with ice, strainin to chilled glass, Garnish with orange zest twist

Coffee Tonic

• 45ml Bardinet Coffee

• Tonic Water

• 2 dahes of lemon juice

Fill a glass with ice, add all of the ingredients and gently stir. Garnish with a slice of lemon. 

Cold B Fashioned

• 30ml Bardinet Coffee

• 30ml Rye Whiskey

• 1 dash of Angostura Orange Bitters

• Orange twist to garnish

Combine all ingredients in an old fashion glass with ice. Gently stir for 30 seconds and then garnish with an orange twist. 

For more information, click here.

The World's Best Ready To Drink Gin Cocktails

RTD (ready to drink) cocktails are everywhere at the minute, and, lucky for us, the number of high-quality RTDs on the market is constantly going up! With such a massive selection to choose from we’ve narrowed this article down to some amazing gin-based ones, all of which have won awards at The Global Spirits Masters… and we have to say, we are not surprised in the slightest as they are outstanding. Read on to find out which RTD cocktails are certified amazing!

Berry Brothers and Rudd No. 3 Vesper Martini

 The big winner at this year’s GSM (Global Spirits Masters) in the RTD category was Berry Brothers and Rudd No. 3 Vesper Martini. This Bond cocktail was worked on with Alessandro Palazzi, the head bartender at London’s famed Dukes Bar. Make sure to stir this with plenty of ice before serving, and add a twist of orange!

Award : Master and Taste Master
ABV: 28.6%
Size: 500ml
Find it here: £29.95

Bombay Sapphire Gin & Tonic

If you love Bombay Sapphire G&Ts but don’t want to have to keep buying both tonic and gin, try these pre-canned G&Ts! They’re great for picnics or adventures as you won’t be laden down by a heavy bottle of gin and heavy bottles of tonic. It’s as simple as cracking open the can and sipping right then and there!

Award: Gold
ABV: 6.5%
Size: 12 x 250ml
Find it here: £26.95

Slingsby Solo Gooseberry Gin & Mediterranean Tonic

Slingsby Gooseberry Gin is already super delicious, which is why it's no surprise that their premixed serve is just as good! Though their Gooseberry Gin is the award-winning can, their Solo range is massive and well worth a look at!

Award: Master
ABV: 6%
Size: 12 x 250ml
Find it here: £30

Comte de Grasse Divine Orange Negroni 

Comte de Grasse is a French brand known for their exceptional craftsmanship and incredible 44°N Gin (you HAVE to see the bottle). With their pre-bottled Divine Orange Negroni, they’ve managed to pack some big flavours into a tiny bottle! 44°N Gin is delicious in any kind of Negroni, but sometimes you just don’t want to get out the shaker!

Award: Master
ABV: 31.7%
Size: 250ml
Find it here: €15.00 (ships to UK)

Portobello Road No. 171 Gin & Natural Indian Tonic Water

Portobello Star Distillery is always offering new and exciting products (check out their non-alcoholic gin!), and their premixed G&T cans are proof of this. The Indian tonic water really complements all the botanicals in Portobello Road No. 171 Gin, so you get the perfect serve every time!

Award: Gold
ABV: 5.5%
Size: 12 x 250ml
Find it here: £27.95 

Manchester Raspberry Gin & Sicilian Lemon Tonic

We love a bit of something sweet, and when that something sweet is raspberry gin - we’re ALL over it! Manchester Gin’s canned G&T makes wonderful use of a Sicilian Lemon Tonic to make a fun and fruity drink you won’t want to share! Pick some up now and serve with raspberries and lemon!

Award: Gold
ABV: 5.5%
Size: 12 x 250ml
Find it here: £28.86

Cotswolds Distillery Pre Mixed Wildflower Spritz

If you haven’t tried Cotswolds Distillery’s Wildflower Gin, you’re seriously missing out… It’s their classic dry gin layered with a blend of cornflowers, lavender and orange, making for a dreamy and very floral spirit. Their pre-mixed spritz is something you’re definitely going to want to try, and not just for the adorable bottles!

Award: Gold
ABV: 8.9%
Size: 275ml
Find it here: £3.95

Horse Guards Negroni Pre-Bottled Cocktail

Another Negroni! It does seem that the Negroni has seen a bit of a boom in popularity recently, and now in pre-bottled form! Horse Guards’ Negroni comes in a large 500ml bottle, meaning you can pour servings of the same cocktail for your whole party without having to pick up a shaker! We do recommend you stir this with ice, however, as you’ll want your Negroni to be SUPER COLD...

Award: Gold
ABV: 21%
Size: 500ml
Find it here: £29.95

Feeling thirsty? Have a read of The Best Gins for a Martini or What Are Colour Changing Gins!

The Best Tequilas for Margaritas

When tequila is mentioned, you probably think of one of two things: shots with salt and lime, and a margarita. The holy grail of tequila cocktails, the blood pumping through the heart of any good party, the flavour combination that does not budge in the public favour. The margarita has been built on many times, in many ways and by many different people and bars but one thing is for certain: it’s damn tasty.

Here are our favourite tequilas for making this delicious, timeless cocktail…

Patrón Silver

Patrón may be the most iconic and recognisable tequila brand in the world with its large bottomed bottles and spherical stopper. Though name dropped once every ten minutes, Patrón is still a solid tequila that is a staple behind the bar. We feel it should be a staple in a home bar too, as its consistency and aromatic flavour are perfect in any and all margaritas.

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find it here: £40.95

1800 Silver Tequila

The oversized stopper and interesting bottle shape are the first thing that’ll catch your eye about this tequila. In fact, the bottle is said to be made in such a way as to resemble Mayan pyramids! Named after the year that tequila was first put into oak casks, 1800 Silver Tequila is delicate while still being fiery, and offers an elegant floral finish. Having this bottle on your shelf means you’ll be getting a great margarita every time.

ABV: 38%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find it here: UK £32.99 // US $41.99

Código 1530 Rosa Tequila

This tequila is particularly interesting and totally different from anything else on this list. The first thing you’ll notice is that it’s not the usual clear colour you’ll get from a young tequila, instead it has a rose tint to it. Aha! That, my friends, is because this tequila is rested for one month in barrels that previously held Napa Cabernet Sauvignon! This unique process gives the tequila some notes of red fruits that you won’t find anywhere else. Put this tequila in a margarita alternative such as a watermelon margarita and you’ve got yourself a winner.

ABV: 35%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find it here: UK £45.75 // US $64.99

Olmeca Altos Plata

If you hear the word ‘plata’ and have no idea what it means, don’t worry. Plata, silver and blanco tequila all mean the same thing: they’re all tequilas that have not been rested for longer than two months. Easy peasy. Olmeca Altos is a great, clean tequila that is perfect for making cocktails such as margaritas. If you want something that’ll serve you well, go for Olmeca Altos.

ABV: 38%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find it here: UK £29.90 // US $26.39

Villa Lobos Blanco

Villa Lobos Blanco is an entry-level tequila from Master Distiller Carlos Camarena, who has worked on some of the finest tequilas on the market. For that reason, he’s kinda a big deal. This blanco is excellently balanced and incredibly smooth, without the aggressive agave bite that can put people off tequila. It’s silky and soft without being too mellow and is perfect in a margarita that will have you and your friends coming back for more...

ABV: 40%
Size: UK 700ml
Find it here: £32.45

Best Tequila for Reposado Margaritas

Reposado tequila is tequila that has been rested from two months up to a year. As it rests in the barrels, the flavour rounds out and loses some of the tang that you might get from a blanco tequila. However, the tequila does gain a lot of complexity as it rests and this can take your margaritas to a completely different space taste-wise. We recommend trying it!

Vivir Tequila Reposado

In Spanish, vivir is the infinitive form of the verb ‘to-live’, and let’s just say you’ll certainly be living after trying Vivir’s Tequila Reposado! This reposado is matured in oak bourbon barrels for at least 6 months before being decanted into the beautiful bottles that Vivir is known for. Notes of butter and caramel don’t overpower the agave present in this tequila, instead complementing each other and making for a smooth and sophisticated drink perfect for a classy margarita.

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find it here: £36.95

Panchos Datos Reposado Tequila

Before being bottled, Panchos Datos Reposado is rested for six months in white oak barrels that were used to mature bourbon whiskey. These barrels give this tequila the tasty vanilla and caramel notes that make it so mouth-wateringly delicious! The rounded flavours make for a smooth margarita, but it’s just as delicious taken neat or over ice.

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find it here: £49.50

Fortaleza Tequila Reposado

If you’re ready to splash a bit of cash for an extremely nice reposado, we recommend you go for Fortaleza Tequila Reposado! While the bottle is beautiful (especially that stopper reminiscent of an agave piña), it’s what’s inside that’s worth shouting about. Along with the classic caramel notes, there’s citrus, wood spice and orchard fruit - not forgetting those rich agave flavours. Maybe this one might be a little too complex for a margarita, but we’re not stopping you!

ABV: 40%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find it here: UK £64.69 // US $69.99

Looking for more tequila content? Make sure you check out The World’s Best Sipping Tequila or The Best Celebrity Owned Tequilas!

One Drink, Three Ways: Belvedere Organic Infusions

One Drink, Three Ways is the signature feature by The Three Drinkers. Join The Three Drinkers’ Helena, Aidy and Colin as they take one bottle and create a trio of phenomenal serves which you can enjoy anytime, anywhere. From rums and whiskies to gins and wine styles, the three help you get the most out of your glass. It’s time to get liquid on lips.

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At 3D Towers, we are huge fans of Belvedere Premium Vodka so were delighted to taste their brand new range: Belvedere Organic Infusions. Welcome to three, super premium, 100% organic-certified vodkas, flavoured with complex, natural combinations of fruit and botanical infusions. With these vodkas, Belvedere continues to adhere to the strict Polska Vodka regulations, where an eclectic mix of flavourings include no artificial additives or synthetic ingredients. More distinct in flavour and layered than their previous Macerations, you can sip these alone or enjoy them in a range of serves. Choose from three stunning combinations: Fresh & Bright - Lemon & Basil with a Touch of Elderflower, Crisp & Zesty - Pear & Ginger with a drop of Linden Honey and Rich & Vibrant - Blackberry & Lemongrass with a hint of Sage. Below are our favourite takes on each Infusion. 

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Helena’s Choice: Belvedere Lemon & Basil Spritz

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I love this spritz for its crisp and refreshing nature. It’s the perfect pick-you-up for a special brunch and the lemon and basil simply scream summer at any time of year. It works as an aperitif, a palate cleanser or even as a great drink for a green salad. Fill a large wine glass with ice and pour all ingredients into it. Stir gently and garnish with basil leaves and a slice of lemon.

Belvedere Lemon & Basil Spritz

Recipe

30ml (1oz) Belvedere Lemon & Basil Vodka

15ml (0.5 oz) Pressed Apple Juice

45ml (1.5 oz) Sparkling Water

30ml (1 oz) Dry, Sparkling White Wine

1 tsp Honey Water ( 1:1)

Lemon and basil to garnish

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Aidy’s Choice: Belvedere Blackberry & Lemongrass Sour

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I challenge anyone to find a cocktail that’s as easy on the eye as this! Tangy, creamy and zingy, this Blackberry & Lemongrass Sour combines rich fruit flavours with savoury, citrusy notes for a charming, complex, creation. Add all ingredients bar the garnish into a shaker without ice and give it all you’ve got for a minute. Next up, add cubed ice and do the same again before straining into a Nick & Nora or coupette glass. Garnish with the blackberries and mint spring. Cheers!

Belvedere Blackberry & Lemongrass Sour

Recipe

45ml (1.5 oz) Belvedere Blackberry & Lemongrass Vodka

25ml (.75 oz) Dry Vermouth

25ml (.75 oz) Egg White

25ml (.75 oz) Honey Water (1:1)

2 Fresh Blackberries & Mint spring to garnish

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Colin’s Choice: Belvedere Pear & Ginger Collins

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I’d quite like to rename this Colin’s Belvedere Pear & Ginger, but there you go! What I love about this fruity, refreshing number is how it combines ripe fruit notes with a kick of ginger and cooling cucumber. It’s quirky but utterly delicious. Pour the vodka, honey water, lemon juice and bitters into a highball glass over ice, then top up slowly with sparkling water and stir very gently to keep the bubbles. Add a cucumber ribbon and a straw and you’re all set. Cin cin!

Belvedere Pear & Ginger Collins

Recipe

40ml (1.25 oz) Belvedere Pear & Ginger Vodka

90ml (3 oz) Sparkling Water

15ml (.5 oz) Honey Water (1:1)

15ml (.5 oz) Fresh Lemon Juice

1 dash orange bitters

Like this? Check our our other One Drink, Three Ways pieces: Noilly Prat Vermouth, Tanqueray Gin and The Macallan 12.

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.

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.

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.

The Best Gin for a G&T

The G&T: a timeless drink that isn’t going out of style anytime soon (if ever)! Though its endless combinations of tonic and garnishes make it brilliant for innovation, a good G&T always comes down to a good gin. Here are some of our favourites:

Sing Gin

As its name suggests, this is a gin guaranteed to make you burst into song when you first get a taste of those distinct florals and tantalising freshness. Distilled in small batches, Sing Gin is crafted to perfection in the Dales village of Kettlesing (which is also where it gets its name from). Spin up a ‘Sing and Tonic’ today with Fever-Tree Mediterranean and a mint or orange garnish!

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find it here: £38.50

Atlas Chai Gin

Created a mere 6 months ago, Atlas already has an award-winning gin under its belt… and we’ve got to say, we’re not surprised at all! Inspired by Masala Chai, this gin has a mix of the ingredients you would expect to find in a traditional recipe including cinnamon, sweet green cardamom and Assam black tea to name a few. The result is a perfectly balanced, warming and spicy gin with a subtle background sweetness. If you are looking to make a standout G&T then this gin is a great one to experiment with - try mixing it with premium Indian tonic and garnishing with an orange slice and slither of ginger to compliment that spicy warmth of the gin. Nom nom!

ABV: 43%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £48

Elephant London Dry Gin

Inspired by South Africa and made in Germany, Elephant London Dry features African botanicals alongside traditional botanicals, giving this gin a fresh and unique flavour. Not only does this gin taste A-MA-ZING, it’s also doing something good for the environment! With each bottle sold, 15% of the profits will go towards elephant conservation charities such as Big Life Foundation. So far, Elephant Gin has raised over €500,000 for these charities. Try this gin with tonic and an apple garnish to elevate the apple flavours throughout!

ABV: 45%
Size: UK 500ml // US 750ml
Find it here: UK £31.80 // US $46.79

Penrhos Limited Edition Hibiscus Gin

Penrhos is already a very well established distillery with beautifully crafted gin, but their Limited Edition Hibiscus for Aldi is a real treat. Penrhos Gin is made by two Herefordshire-based fruit farmers who use unwanted fruit to create the gin, meaning each sip you drink is reducing food waste (we’ll cheers to that)! This Hibiscus Gin has wonderful notes of blueberry, so we recommend garnishing this G&T with a nice helping of blueberries!

ABV: 37.5%
Size: 70cl
Find it here: £17.99

Cantium Gin

From first glance, you might not have realised that Cantium was even a gin! If it looks like it’s masquerading as a flask - that’s because it is! Once finished, the bottle can be used as a reusable flask to keep hot or cold liquids in. A plan is underway for customers who return their flasks to be given a discount on their next purchase, and for these empty flasks to be given to local homelessness charities. Cantium is a bold, citrusy gin underpinned by soft spice, juniper and the feeling that you’ve done a little good in the world… We love this gin with an elderflower tonic and garnish of juniper berries!

ABV: 42%
Size: 500ml
Find it here: £39.95

Ealing Gin

If there’s a theme with many of the gins on this list, it’s a gin that not only tastes great but does some good at the same time. It’s not just the beautiful bottle that Ealing Gin gives to the world, but 20% of Ealing Distillery’s profits go to organisations that help to reduce social isolation (something that is more important now than ever). Ealing Gin has a sophisticated flavour, with a zesty edge mixing with warm spices. We love this gin with a light tonic and a grapefruit and rosemary garnish - YUM!

ABV: 42%
Size: 70cl
Find it here: £44.50

Malfy Gin Rosa

If you’ve missed out on a holiday this year (shakes fist angrily at the sky), just one sip of Malfy Gin Rosa is going to take you on a relaxing European journey that’ll leave you wondering why you’re sitting at home and not on the Amalfi Coast. Malfy Gin Rosa has a beautiful aroma of rhubarb and fresh citrus, with the palate giving rich grapefruit and a long juniper finish. This is served best with Fever Tree Mediterranean Tonic, grapefruit, rosemary and massive sunglasses… 

ABV: 41%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find it here: UK £28.85 // US $27.99

Tanqueray No. Ten Gin

You’ll already know this name, but perhaps not this particular bottle. Tanqueray No. 10 is the brand’s small batch gin, and the only gin to be added to the San Francisco World Spirits Competition Hall of Fame. Keeping the same signature green but perhaps offering a more elegant bottle design, Tanqueray No. 10 is distilled with whole citrus fruits and chamomile flavours to give an extra citrusy but smooth feel to this premium gin. Because of the citrus kicks this gin gives you, we can’t help but add a little wedge of grapefruit to our No. 10 G&T - but feel free to experiment with other citrus fruits!

ABV: 47.3%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find it here: UK £30.60 // US $48.99

Lind and Lime Gin

This is not the first time we’ve told you of our passion for Lind and Lime, and it certainly won’t be the last. If anything, the history of this gin is something to be admired. Lind and Lime is named after James Lind, a Scotsman accredited to performing the world’s first clinical trial when he worked towards the eradication of scurvy in the British Navy. The ‘Lime’ in the name refers to a lime cordial that was created based on his findings which helped nurse the sickly sailors back to health. History aside, this gin both looks and tastes great - with a crisp citrus edge surrounding deep juniper notes. To honour the name and the legacy of Lind, garnish your Lind and Lime G&T with a thick wedge of lime.

ABV: 44%
Size: 70cl
Find it here: £34.95

For more gin-spiration, check out our Best Gins to Try This Year or if you’re in more of a cocktail mood how about having a look at these Negroni Cocktail Recipes?