12 Cream Liqueurs Perfect for Sipping this Winter

It’s that time of year when we start to think of mistletoe, holly and Christmas trees, but what could be more quintessentially thought of as a Christmas drink than cream liqueurs? The shop shelves are awash with Baileys Irish Cream, however, good Baileys is, and it is very good, there are some other alternatives which are just as good if not better.

Cream liqueurs don’t have to be just Irish Cream. They can be made with other spirits than Irish whiskey too. Any whisky, be it Scotch or even English can be used. Rum can also be used. In fact, pretty much any good spirit used delicately can make a cream liqueur and even some that don’t even use dairy! To kick off the Christmas spirit I’ve found a few cream liqueurs which any drinks cupboard would be happy to house, the issue being that most cream liqueurs don’t hang around that long, which begs the question of why we don’t drink them all year round!

Cotswolds Cream Liqueur

Kicking off we have an English Cream Liqueur from one of the best distilleries in the country. This is made from new make from the Cotswolds distillery, which is the same spirit they are using to make their now famous whisky. All made with barley grown in the local area, it has a little fruity edge from the new make and is excellent over ice cream, but like most cream liqueurs is brilliant just by itself.

ABV: 17%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £25.95

Bumbu Cream Liqueur

Bumbu make a fabulous, spiced rum, and they also make this wonderful cream liqueur using rum from the Caribbean, a selection of spices and real dairy cream. It’s great to drink neat or over ice, but it mixes very well in cocktails. I’ve added a touch to an espresso martini to give it a creamy texture and smoothness and it works very well.

ABV: 15%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £29 // US $36.99

Coole Swan

An Irish cream liqueur made from Irish single malt whiskey, fresh Irish cream, and decadent Belgian white chocolate. This is one of the most velvety cream liqueurs I have experienced. It is also one of the sweetest, so if you have a sweet tooth, then this one is for you. It’s not cloying however and has a lovely balance leaving you wanting more. It’s good by itself, but is much better chilled, leaving the flavours to develop as the liquid warms on your palate.

ABV: 15%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £24.94 // US $29.99

Aldi Specially Selected Luxury Edition Irish Cream Liqueur

I recently did a taste test with a few of the biggest brands of Irish Cream, and it was very difficult to separate this one from the very best and well known in terms of quality. It is a little darker than most, but also a touch richer on the chocolate. It makes a nice change if you’re looking to have more than one cream liqueur. One thing which really does separate it from the rest of the pack is the price. It’s an absolute bargain!

ABV: 17%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £7.99

Amarula Cream

This is a very fruity cream liqueur with lots of caramel. It is made from the distilled fruit of the Marula tree in South Africa and it wins awards, with good reason. Beyond the cream liqueur there is the Amarula Trust which raises funds for conservation which protects the wildlife, especially the protection of elephants, and also funds educational projects.

ABV: 17%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £14.36 // US $23.99

Edradour Whisky Cream Liqueur

This is a Scotch whisky cream liqueur made with single malt whisky from the Edradour distillery. One of Scotland's smallest traditional distilleries. It is a cut above the rest of the regular cream liqueurs, yet remains great value for money at well under £20. A great bang for your buck.

ABV: 17%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £17.94

Kyrö Dairy Cream Liqueur

Hailing from Finland, this is made with local milk and cream and uses rye whiskey from the Kyrö distillery. Yet even though it is using local milk and cream it is lactose free! It is vanilla forward in flavour with a little nuttiness in the background and goes extremely well with coffee.

ABV: 16%
Size: 500ml
Find here: £21.95

Five Farms Irish Cream Liqueur

This is an Irish cream liqueur from County Cork made with single batches of fresh cream and blended with triple distilled Irish whiskey all within 48 hours of the ingredients being collected. The name comes from the source of the ingredients which come from five family-owned farms in the area. A brilliant one to sip on its own and if you want to see more about how it is made, why not check out episode 3 of The Three Drinkers in Ireland?

ABV: 17%
Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
Find here: UK £27.09 // US $34.99

Tequila Black 38 Chocolate Cream

This is an exciting cream liqueur made from liqueur from Destilerías Espronceda. There is a freshness which is produced by tequila which balances perfectly with decadent chocolate flavours. If you’d like something a little unusual and you love Tequila, then is a winner for you.

ABV: 17%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £21.95

Original Magnum Cream Liqueur

Created by blending single malt whisky from the BenRiach distillery and Dutch cream, this is a very decadent cream liqueur. It is rich and chocolatey and is very good in coffee, poured over ice or ice-cream! And we’re digging the milk churn bottle shape here at The Three Drinks HQ.

ABV: 17%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £24.95

Baileys in Magnum

One can’t have an article on the best Cream Liqueurs without having Baileys on the list. It’s best-selling for a reason. The original cream liqueur was created by Tom Jago after many trials. The only thing better than a bottle of Bailey’s is a Magnum of Bailey’s!

ABV: 17%
Size: UK 1.5l // US750ml
Find here: UK £32.49 // US $26.99

Adriatico Amaretto Bianco

Lastly, we have an unusual alternative to a cream liqueur. It behaves like a cream liqueur but being made from crushed white almonds, it has a certain creaminess without having any dairy in it at all. With vanilla, cherries and sugared almond flavours, this is great for cocktails. If you have a dairy intolerance, or even if you don’t, this is delicious, and you won’t feel left out of the cream liqueur experience.

ABV: 16%
Size: 700ml
Find here: £28.74

Any of the above are rich and creamy and deserving of any festive celebration. If you’re looking for other Christmas suggestions and excitements why not have a look at The Best Tequila to Gift This Christmas or The Best Boxed Wine for Christmas?

Words by Colin Hampden-White

One Drink, Three Ways: Mount Gay Black Barrel

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 that 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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Mount Gay is the world’s oldest commercial rum distillery, with the oldest surviving deed dating from 1703! Ironically, it was a man called John Sober who originally started the small distillery at the top of Mount Gilboa, Barbados. After a while, Sir John Gay Alleyne, a fourth generation Barbadian was introduced, and the distillery grew from there, hence the company being named after him.

Their Black Barrel blend is distilled in traditional copper pot and column stills, matured for up to 7 years in American whiskey casks, and further aged for 6 months in heavily charred Bourbon casks. Unsurprisingly, that toasted oak comes through, as does gingerbread and the rich vanilla and pineapple you might expect from a golden Bajan rum. 

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Helena’s Choice: Cinnamon Twist

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My Cinnamon Twist is a kind of milky, spiced rum punch, variations of which have been around since the 1600s. The cinnamon syrup sits perfectly beside the deep vanilla and gingery notes and the milky rum behind it is so deliciously creamy, but still allows the toasty elements of the rum to shine. Shake with ice, then strain over a singular hefty ice cube in a chilled rock glass!

Cinnamon Twist

Recipe

60ml/2oz Mount Gay Black Barrel

44ml/1.5oz Whole Milk

22ml/0.75oz Cinnamon Syrup*

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Aidy’s Choice: Good Old Pine

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I’ve gone for pure Caribbean sunshine with Good Old Pine. The pineapple in the Black Barrel is mirrored by the tropical pineapple syrup, and the Angostura bitters keep that sweetness in check while also pairing well with the gentler spices in the rum. This is island refreshment at its best. To make it, add all the ingredients to a glass and stir over a big ice cube. Garnish with lemon peel and/or a pineapple frond if you’re feeling fancy.

Good Old Pine

Recipe

60ml/2oz Mount Gay Black Barrel

7.5ml/0.25 Pineapple Syrup*

2 Dashes of Angostura Bitters

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Colin’s Choice: Bajan Cafe

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The detectable vanilla and gingerbread in the Black Barrel pairs nicely with the coffee and almond flavours for a gently warming experience in this Bajan Café. Combined with the toasted notes, it gives a bakery profile to the cocktail that I absolutely love. Add everything, add ice and shake. Strain over ice and garnish with mint. Voilà – the Bajan Café.

Bajan Cafe

Recipe

60ml/2oz Mount Gay Black Barrel

30ml/1oz Orgeat

30ml/1oz Coffee

* To make your own pineapple syrup, you can just blend simple syrup with pineapple chunks. Keep the skin on for an earthier flavour, and just make sure to strain well before using. Try grilling it for another level of flavour!

For cinnamon syrup, take one part water (try 1 cup) to one part cane sugar and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Add 4 cinnamon sticks and allow to infuse for at least 1.5 hours - or overnight if you want more of a kick!

UK
ABV: 43%
Size: 700ml
Buy it now for £36

For more of our cocktail suggestions (they’re pretty good if we do say so ourselves), try our Samuel Gelston’s Irish Whisky Cream Liqueur concoctions here! The rest of our cocktails are here, where you’ll find wine, whisky, gin and much more.

The Best Tequila To Gift This Christmas

There’s no drink more harmed by its own reputation than tequila. Far too many people have mixed memories of shots, salt, and lime and have simply written it off as a throat burner. Wrong!

Whilst it’s always possible it’s just not to someone’s taste, it’s more likely that a little bit more exploring would go a long way. Tequila is a versatile spirit for all times of the year, and these beauties below shouldn’t be anywhere near shot glasses or salt. No burn, just pure agave nectar!

Whereas tequila may have once brought you and your friends together in the club, let it now become a coming together drink at Christmas time instead... and you can actually cherish it this time. So, whether you want to treat yourself, win over a doubting Thomas, or just impress a sombrero-wearing tequila lover this Christmas, we’ve listed our favourite tequilas of each type below!

The Best Blanco Tequila to Gift

El Espolòn Blanco

Renowned master distiller Cirilo Oropeza is behind this beautiful Blanco, crafting it in the highlands of Jalisco. This 100% blue agave beauty is bottled without aging, so just one smell gives you fresh agave front and centre, with floral notes and sweet flavours after sipping. What a bottle too! Espolòn comes from the spur of the rooster's foot, a bird of great significance in Mexican culture, so of course, there’s a Day of the Dead skeleton riding one on the label, what else?

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £26.49

Próspero Blanco

Celebrities love to dip their toes into the world of tequila and mezcal, and in this case, Rita Ora has joined forces with distilling maestro Stella Anguiano to create Próspero. They have three styles: Blanco, Reposado and Añejo, but the Blanco stands apart from standard, un-aged tequila with a distinctly vibrant bouquet floral aroma followed by true 100% agave character and a slight spice to finish. If you’re looking for a cocktail Tequila, then this will definitely hold its corner, but it’s more than well-rounded enough to enjoy solo. We have to shout out the gorgeously designed bottle again. The Mexicans certainly know how to entice us in that’s for sure! Perfect for Christmas gifting.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £30.49

Tapatio 110 Blanco Tequila

Tapatio Blanco is a tequila that you’ll spot in many bars, but not this special edition. 110 proof, it’s a lip-smacking 55% ABV, so if you know someone that’s a seasoned tequila drinker, they might love this punchy concentrated flavour. There’s a loveable fruitiness from nose to finish, and a pleasant hit of peppery spice on the palate. Maybe not one for a newbie, but if you’re already a convert, this is a must try.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 55%
Find here: £31

Calle 23 Blanco

Another stylish bottle with that all important 100% agave trait you should seek out, this is an extremely pure expression of quality Blanco Tequila. It’s smooth and seductive with cooked agave at the fore. There are hints of citrus and herbaceous notes, but if you’re an agave purist then trust us, you’ll adore this!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £37.99

Casa Noble Blanco

This triple-distilled super smooth Blanco uses 100% Blue Weber agave grown in the rich, volcanic soil of the mountains in western Jalisco. There’s nothing rough around the edges at all, it’s simply pure, well balanced crisp nectar, with flavours of honey, fresh citrus and the agave itself which has an appetising buttery-sweetness to it. No lime or salt anywhere near this please.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £53.44

Maestro Dobel Diamante Tequila

What we’ve got here is possibly the world’s first crystal clear multi-aged tequila. It’s an innovative blend of reposado (partially aged), añejo (aged for over a year) and extra añejo (aged for over three years). Usually, you would expect some colouring but with Dobel it’s filtered out, whilst retaining the beautiful creamy flavour and complexity the aging brings. With stunning layering of maple, nuts, and honey, this is ideal for anyone looking to try something a little different. It’s seriously good.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £47.90 (usually £54.90!)

Fortaleza Blanco

The family run Fortaleza was launched in 2005, after being dismissed decades earlier as inefficient and old fashioned. They’ve since become respected for their influential history and are now bottling some of the finest tequila there is. This is often the place tequila drinkers are trying to ‘get to’, because it represents everything a pristine Blanco should be. 100% stone crushed agave with delightful bursts of olive and butter, it’s earthy, peppery with gentle citrus. Class in a glass, and a bottle worth keeping too!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £56.40

The Best Reposado Tequila to Gift

Cazcabel Reposado

Allow us to introduce you to the Gold Medal winner for Premium Reposado at the 2019 Tequila Masters. American oak aged for 9 months, you’ll find earthy flavours at first, then gorgeous cinnamon, caramel, and dried fruit surfacing. At the heart of this supporting cast though is a particularly vegetal agave, still bold and sweet even after aging. Quality beyond its price point so it’s likely one you’ll want to return to.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 38%
Find here: £25.99

El Rayo Reposado

This is a strikingly contemporary tequila bottle that will really impress as a gift from the moment it’s revealed under the wrapping. El Rayo means, ‘the lightning’, referencing the legend of how lightning struck and cooked a Blue Weber agave plant, creating the first tequila! Cracking it open reveals a full-bodied and layered tequila with golden caramel colouring that’s matured for seven months in ex-whiskey casks, creating a Reposado that’s well worth trying, especially if someone’s never taken to it tequila before.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £36.70

Patrón Reposado

When thinking of a tequila house that consistently delivers excellence across its range, we never stray too far from Patrón. Their Reposado picked up a Masters gong at the Tequila Masters in both 2020 and 2021, and with each bottle hand-filled, signed and uniquely numbered, it’s as close as you can get to a guaranteed hit as a gift. Lightly amber in colour, it’s bright with freshly squeezed citrus and smooth vanilla, all wrapped together by honey and agave. You’ll struggle to find a more suitable star for your margarita than this Reposado.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £47.45

Pancho Datos Reposado

The name Pancho Datos is homage to the great historian and poet of the Mexican Revolution, Ricardo Grijalva de León. Before reaching those ominously gorgeous bottles, Panchos Datos Reposado is at rest for six months in white oak barrels that were once used to mature bourbon whiskey. These barrels more than leave their mark with tasty vanilla and caramel notes that make it utterly delicious. The extremely rounded flavours would make for a characterful and smooth margarita, but you have to try it over just over ice first.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £41.50 (usually £49.50!)

Mijenta Tequila Reposado

Mijenta is sustainability as well as flavour royalty. They’re an artisanal, small batch producer in the Jalisco highlands that work closely with local communities to create a product that delivers not only for the drinker, but for the planet too. Even their label is made from discarded agave waste! The Reposado is aged for half a year in a blend of barrels – American white oak, French oak, and French acacia casks. As a result, it boasts of rich vanilla, nutty wood, and bold vegetal agave, with a velvety feel throughout. Great backstory, fantastic tequila, what more can you ask for?

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £63.95

Clase Azul Reposado

If we’re offering you some of the best options for gifting (or having yourself, let’s be honest) then we just can’t leave this out. We think it’s one of the most beautiful bottles we’ve seen, and we peruse a lot. Beyond the quirky bell that comes with it, each bottle is unique and 100% handcrafted by over 100 artists committed to working on 1 bottle at a time. Produced at one of the highest points in Los Altos, it’s rumoured that the extreme altitude has a unique effect on the flavour. Whether that’s true or not, it may as well be because it’s magnificent. The company’s secret yeast blend ferments the liquid before triple filtration distillation and fine oak aging completes the process. It’s picked up gold medals galore and if you’re fortunate enough to be able to really treat someone this Christmas, this is certainly the way to go! Just make sure no one throws away the bottle!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £209.95

The Best Añejo Tequila to Gift

Rooster Rojo Añejo

It’s our old friend the Mexican rooster again, this time on the front of a rich Añejo made by initially steaming the piña (the centre of the agave after harvesting) for 10 hours. Special yeast is added, before Rooster Rojo undergoes double pot distillation and maturing in ex-bourbon casks. As a result, you get mouth watering aromas of chocolate and coffee, with smoky tobacco and oak. Late come delicious, sweeter notes of caramel, vanilla and roast agave and a final wave of brown sugar on the finish. At this price, it’s absolutely irresistible.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 38%
Find here: £27.44

 1800 Añejo Tequila

There’s lots to catch your eye with this. First, the oversized cap and interesting bottle shape that is paying homage to the Mayan pyramids. Secondly, check out that striking caramel nectar colouring! Thirdly, and most importantly, the taste. There’s a pleasant and very noticeable woody spice, derived from French oak aging for over a year. The agave is less front and centre than most, so try it and see what you make of it!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 38%
Find here: £43.69

Casamigos Añejo Tequila

If George Clooney’s involved, then it’s got to be worth a look. He’s the gorgeous face of Casamigos, so much so that the master distiller behind it has never actually been named! The 100% blue agave piñas are slow cooked for 72 hours in their traditional brick ovens, after which begins the 80-hour fermentation process with a signature yeast blend that gives this tequila its extra refined flavour. It’s then time for American white oak casks for 14 months to smooth out further and the result... there’s a sublime taste of pure roasted agave and it’s brimming with toffee penny, dark chocolate, and sweetly spiced oak notes. Every single sip tastes like Christmas so waste no time in getting it open on the day itself. No George included but you can’t have everything!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £60.99

If you want to mix up belting Margaritas with the above beauties or find other tequila cocktails to try with them, check out our Best Selection here!

Words by Calum Ecroyd

The Best Boozy Christmas Crackers You Need To Try This Christmas

The fortune telling fish, miniature nail files and Dad jokes tumbling out of crackers on Christmas Day are enshrined in festive law and we wouldn’t have it any other way, but that’s not to say we can’t try for something a little more exciting, is it? 

These alcohol-filled crackers are perfect to spice things up a little on the big day, filled with whatever tipple takes your fancy! Whether it’s rum miniatures that pack a punch, create-your-own crackers, or cream liqueurs to get the Baileys open even earlier than usual, we’ve got it all covered and more!  

The Best Gin Christmas Crackers:

Fever-Tree Ultimate Gin & Tonic

If you’re a gin lover and you haven’t heard of Fever-Tree then we don’t know where you’ve been. They are about as reliable as it gets when it comes to premium tonic varieties, and this cracker set matches four of them wonderfully. The Audemus Pink Pepper Gin with Elderflower Tonic in particular is delightful, but there isn’t a bad option in the box!

Find here: £34 Box of 4

Franklin & Sons Gin & Mixers

Founded in Victorian London, Franklin & Sons are pioneers in the soft drinks space, using the best natural ingredients to churn out unique flavours and top-notch classics. Inside this beautiful box are six crackers with the same Christmas tree design, each containing an award-winning combo of gin and mixer. From classics like Rock Rose and Sipsmith Dry to newer innovations from Manchester Gin and Masons, this is a cracker pull you’d definitely want to win. 

Find here: £35 Box of 6

York Gin

York Gin orchestrates its range of stunning gins around the history of the equally beautiful city of York. Their box of six contains one of each flavour, telling the story from the Roman foundations (Roman Fruit) to the Chocolate Orange flavour honouring the iconic Terry’s, whose factory was just a couple of miles from the York Gin distillery. A 100% renewably powered distillery, with a great concept and award-winning gin to back it up – not a bad thing to pull out of a cracker at all!

Find here: £60 Box of 6 (or £10 for 1)

The Best Mixed Spirit Christmas Crackers:

The Lakes Distillery

Each swanky cracker contains one premium 50ml miniature to experience the range of products the Lake District distillery has on offer. There’s a classic Lakes gin that doesn’t shy away from vibrant juniper, and a zesty pink grapefruit version too. As promised, this is a mixed set, but that mix is completely up to you. You can select whichever four from those two gins, or a fruity, gently smoky whisky, as well as a very alluring salted caramel vodka liqueur! Or you can have all four the same, but a surprise element when you’re opening is nice wouldn’t you agree?

Find here: £20 Box of 4

Lakeland Spirits Mix

You get the best of both worlds with these crackers. Not only are there miniatures of the UK’s most popular spirits in Bacardi, Baileys, Smirnoff, and Beefeater, but you also still get the terrible jokes and hats that come with your standard cracker...there’s no escaping them!

Find here: £39.99 Box of 6

The Best Beer Christmas Crackers:

Bier Company

These beefy crackers will need a real tug of war to break them open, and that’s because they contain not one but two premium craft beers each! Also included in these stylishly designed colourful crackers are the usual party hats, riddles and jokes we all know and love.

Find here: £39.95 Box of 5 (£12.95 for 2)

Black Sheep Brewery

This Yorkshire brewery’s crackers are ideal for experimenting with a range of intriguing beers. You simply select how many of each you want from their list of nine. So, you could throw in two reliable Riggwelters, and then add on one Pineapple Milkshake IPA and a Monty Python’s Holy Grail Ale? You’ve got a really inviting selection with plenty of classic and unusual IPAs, Ales and Stouts, so it’s up to you – that’s the beauty of it!

Find here: £5.50 per cracker

The Best Whisky Christmas Crackers:

Drinks by the Dram

This selection of six bowtied crackers arrives in a lovely box, each containing a 30ml wax-sealed mini dram from a curated selection of fine whisky producers. For example, there’s the award winning softly sweet Glengoyne 10-Year-Old, the rich and peaty palate of Smokehead, or the experimental World Whisky Blend, which has combined single malts, single grains, and bourbons of all kinds into one. It’s a nice selection that will please beginners and seasoned dram drinkers all the same!

Find here: £39.95 Box of 6

The Best Cream Liqueur Christmas Crackers:

Hotel Chocolat

Hotel Chocolat has put together 50ml bottles of, ‘Velvetised Creams’, with real chocolate, crisp vodka, and silky cream. These would be perfect to save for a Boxing Day boozy hot choc, or if you can’t wait (we don’t blame you), enjoy them as an after-dinner digestif. You can expect two original chocolates, two salted caramels, one mint, and an Espresso Martini version, all super decadent and definitely worth fighting over... or diplomatically swapping, whatever works. 

Find here: £24.95 Box of 6

Baileys

Well, it’s a Christmas list so it was only a matter of time before Baileys showed up! These four colourful crackers complete the table, with two 50ml Irish Creams, a Coffee Liqueur, and an Orange Truffle flavour too. It’s the only cream liqueur to be awarded a World Spirits Medal every year since 2003 and when it’s so synonymous with Christmas, how can you not want it around? 

Find here: £14.99 Box of 4

Aldi Ballycastle 

The quality that comes with some of Aldi’s own versions of much-loved products is no longer a secret, and in terms of value, these 50ml Ballycastle creams are hard to beat. Inside there’s the classic, Chocolate & Clementine, Espresso, and White Chocolate, which sounds like a gloriously indulgent selection to us, just what every Christmas feast demands. 

Find here: £7.99 Box of 4

The Best Rum Christmas Crackers:

Sly Dog Spiced

Don’t worry rum lovers, because behind those ominous eyes is a Sly Dog miniature, filled with a Jamaican and Dominican rum blend and their secret recipe of spices. This is a sublime spiced rum with perfect balance, picking up Gold at the World Rum Awards in 2022. If you want something to crack open after the cracker itself that really hits the spot, then this is it. 

Find here: £30 Box of 4

The Best Cocktail Christmas Crackers:

Candy Cane Fizz & Berry and Bright Gin

Now this a box that screams luxury. The Cocktail Man in London has pulled together Chase GB Gin with his secret signature Sliqueur giving you everything you need to get started on that Christmas cocktail. You also get garnish, hats, jokes and don’t worry, there are very clear cocktail instructions because the last thing you need is another thing to get sorted on the big day. 

Find here: £59.95 Box of 4

The Best Vodka Christmas Crackers:

J.J Whitley 

J.J Whitley has been making spirits for 260 Christmases now (since 1762 that is by the way, just in case our maths is off), so it’s no wonder that they’re still winning awards on a yearly basis. It’s lovely and fresh on the nose and unravels into a creamy and full-bodied delight... and that’s just their Artisanal original! You’ll also get to try Vanilla, Raspberry, Watermelon & Lime, Blood Orange, and finally Passion Fruit. Serve them as chilled as a Christmas Day and you’ll be sure to have a jolly one!

Find here: £15.99 Box of 6

The Best Wine Christmas Crackers:

Virgin Wines 

You get more booze for your buck with these classy crackers, as each one reveals a 187ml bottle of fabulous wine. There’s Aussie Pinot Grigio, South African Chardonnay Viognier (which would be great with the Christmas dinner itself), Chilean Merlot, French Malbec, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and South African Cinsaut. Something for everyone

Find here: £35.99 Box of 6

Virgin Wines Prosecco

If Prosecco is more your thing, then Virgin still have you covered. Each cracker contains a 200ml Extra Dry Senti, an exquisitely crisp and fruity Prosecco with the perfect amount of fizz. Prosec-ho-ho! (Had to be done.)

Find here: £36.99 Box of 6

Create Your Own Christmas Crackers

Lakeland Fill-Your-Own

Often the most memorable moments around Christmas time involve personalised gifts and decorations, that show you’ve gone the extra mile and thought about the people you’re with. That’s why Lakeland have created these fill-your-own crackers. They arrive with some festive embossing and minor decoration, but it’s down to you to personalise them and fill them with whatever you like! If you know someone loves a particular drink but it can’t be bought in a cracker, then what a pleasant surprise for them to find it!

Find here: £14.99 Box of 6

If you’re now ramping up Christmas preparations, then why not booze-up the advent calendar as well as the crackers? Who says they’re just for kids? We’ve compiled our Favourite Advent Calendars For 2022, each one with a tasty treat behind every door!

Words by Calum Ecroyd

8 CBD Drinks To Relax You Over Winter

Every year, more and more people are becoming familiar with CBD and at The Three Drinkers, we like to keep a particular eye on CBD infused drinks. There can be a lot of misconceptions about CBD so with the dark nights drawing in, what better time for us to give you the lowdown on what CBD is and which drinks you should try!

CBD is short for cannabidiol, a naturally occurring molecule that plants in the cannabis family produce. Now for people not familiar with it, the confusion can arise from the fact that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is also in cannabis plants, and this is what produces the ‘high’ associated with marijuana.

CBD does not come with this ‘high’. Instead, it has shown to be beneficial for deep relaxation and stress relief, hence why you’ve seen it popping up all over the place over the last decade. So, if you want to combine a delicious drink with something to de-stress and pick you up from any winter blues, CBD drinks are well worth trying!

Gin

Cloud Gin

In many ways this is a classic gin, except nestled amongst the familiar juniper, coriander and blueberry botanicals is CBD. Masterminded by two brothers in Yorkshire, they chose to emphasise the similarities of CBD and alcohol in calming anxiety. And so, born in the overlap of that Venn diagram was Cloud Gin. It’s perfect for sipping the evening away after a stressful day and a beautiful bottle that’s worth keeping too!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
CBD: 35mg
Find here: £39.95

Rum

Dead Man’s Fingers Hemp Rum

With their eye for experimentation, it’s no surprise that Dead Man’s Fingers has its own CBD drink – the world’s first CBD hemp rum! It was awarded Gold at the Rum Masters in 2020, with praise for the herbal grassy notes, pine, coffee, and a warming spicy finish. Hemp contains CBD naturally, but this won’t be as strong in that department as some others on the list. Enjoy it with some ginger ale, or in an ‘Ernest Hempingway’ cocktail because why not!

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
CBD: Minimal
Find here: £22

Vodka

Aqua Sativa Hazy Dry

Formerly known as Strangeways Spirits, Aqua Sativa is continuing its aim to become a pioneer of CBD drinks, and with the Best Alcoholic Beverage Award at the World CBD Awards in the bag, their vodka has to be a must try. Hand-crafted, distilled and bottled in Manchester, try it on the rocks with lemon and see what you think!

Size: 500ml
ABV: 40%
CBD: 20mg
Find here: £37.99

Beer/Cider

Cannabrew

Back in 2019, Elliot Horner started exploring CBD to ease his aches and pains from rugby. He ended up merging that with his passion for craft beer and arrived at Cannabrew – one of the UK’s first CBD breweries. The CBD oil used is specifically made to work well with the range of beers and ciders, and what a range! Somerset Cloud cider, clean and crisp Soul lager and a citrusy Session IPA. They actually have even more, but we think these are a great place to start. Cannabrew is completely vegan, plastic free and even has a tree planting scheme, so it won’t just be the CBD giving you a feel good factor!

Size: 330ml
ABV: 4.5% (Cider 4%)
CBD: 15mg
Find here: £19.99 6x330ml

Bitters

OTO

OTO is a reliable and renowned name in the CBD world, with skincare, pure oil, and other products available, but it’s their bitters we’re interested in. It’s a blend of herbaceous botanicals that adds to your drink, from a few drops in your morning coffee, to a dash in a Friday night cocktail. Unlike the other drinks on this list, these are much stronger, so whilst it may be much pricier, only tiny amounts are needed to bring on the calmness.

Size: 75ml
ABV: 0%
CBD: 1350mg
Find here: £51.75

No Alcohol

Goodrays

Goodrays is one of the loudest voices educating people about the often-misunderstood CBD. These seltzer style cans are 100% vegan and sustainable, contain Vitamin D aka the sunshine vitamin (perfect for winter), natural flavouring and also hemp extract, which is shown to help with stress and inflammation. Goodrays has four flavours right now, but our top two are the Blood Orange & Grapefruit with its juicy tartness and their Passionfruit & Pomelo with its tropical sweetness.

Size: 250ml
ABV: 0%
CBD: 30mg
Find here: Blood Orange & Grapefruit: £6 4x250ml
Find here: Passionfruit & Pomelo: £6 4x250ml

Gibson’s Goodology Tea

Gibson’s Goodology cans are luxury CBD Teas, tailormade to help revitalise, refresh and re-balance. There are no artificial flavours or sweeteners, just five ingredients: tea, fruit puree, agave, lemon juice and CBD. If you’re tired of sugary sodas, caffeine crashes and alcoholic cocktails, then this natural tea is the opposite. They have three very inviting options currently; a nutty shisho tea with a sweet blueberry finish, a punchy passionfruit with earthy green tea, and a floral jasmine tea with tart rhubarb. Also, if you are still drinking alcohol, we reckon these would be great as a gin mixer so why not give it a whirl?!

Size: 250ml
ABV: 0%
CBD: 25mg
Find here: £14.99 3x250ml

EDI Spirited Euphoria

The mysteriously named Endorphin Dealer Institute (EDI) has its own alcohol-free hemp spirit called, ‘Spirited Euphoria’, and it’s designed to trigger the enjoyment of alcohol without the downsides. It’s a dry, bittersweet, and subtly aromatic flavour and although it’s a non-specific spirit, it’s incredibly refreshing and enjoyable. There’s hemp, nootropics (cognitive enhancers) and adaptogens (stress reducers) all working together meaning that not only is there no hangover, but you also feel on top of your game. Sounds good to us! It’s perfect over ice with a little orange, or if you want a sweeter flavour pair it with some fruit juice.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 0%
CBD: 420mg
Find here: £40.10

If you’re more of a white than red kind of person, then we’ve got a list of our favourite white wines for under £10 here! And with the sleigh bells of Christmas ringing louder each day, there are some more great value reds perfect for Christmas here too. 

Words by Calum Ecroyd

Tsikoudia: A Cretan Hidden Gem

Here at The Three Drinkers, we get inundated with new products and increasingly these products are very good, which makes it difficult to know when to really shout about something. Occasionally something comes along which is truly outstanding, different and of such excellent quality It needs to be noted. I am partial to a good grappa, a lot of grappa simply tastes of alcohol and not the grapes it’s made from, luckily there are exceptions. The drink I want to talk about is close to the grappa family, although few people will have heard of it. It is like a Raki, but it comes from Crete and is called Tsikoudia, pronounced “tzikoodia”. Within the Tsikoudia family there are also varying qualities of spirit, but there is one which shines above the rest.

What is Tsikoudia and how is it made?

Coming from the famous Manousakis winery in Vatolakkos in Crete, planted in 1993 by Ted Manousakis, are some of the best wines in Greece. The winery produces many different varieties of wine, both white and red, and I’ll write further about them soon. One of the varieties they produce is Roussanne, grown on schist and sandy clay soils which creates a rich, creamy white wine. The marc, or pumice from the grapes (more commonly known as the mash), is placed in large plastic containers for forty days to ferment and the resulting mash is then given a single distillation in copper stills. Like most spirits, the materials used to create it are incredibly important, so the use of high quality Roussanne grapes which have lots of flavour make an excellent spirit.

What does Tsikoudia taste like?

There is a very fine cut so the spirit can be reduced to 37.5% making it a very easy to drink spirit which has lots of fruity esters giving flavours of green apples, touches of lime and of course, lots of rich and intense grape flavours. There is no acetic flavour at all which can be associated with poor grappa. Tsikoudia only needs a single distillation, much like Armagnac as the fermented mash is at a higher percentage alcohol than a spirit like whisky where the wash going into the first distillation is only 8% or 9%.

How do you drink Tsikoudia?

My favourite way of drinking it is at room temperature in sunny weather, but it’s also good over ice or directly from the freezer and it can also be good with bitter lemon for a long drink. Tsikoudia is very flexible as it is both an aperitif and digestif.

Which Tsikoudia should I try?

Manousakis Tsikoudia

Size: 500ml
ABV: 37.5%
Find here: £32

If you enjoyed this, make sure you head over to our spirits page for more delicious recommendations!

Words by Colin Hampden-White

What You Should Be Drinking with Thai Food

Pairing drinks with Thai food is no easy task. With salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavours all working harmoniously, the cuisine’s complexity can result in confusion over what works well, and what clashes. So, without further ado, here is our essential guide to the best drinks to have with Thai food.

Beer

We’ve got some great wines for you below, but spice and wine don’t always get along, which is why beer steps up to the plate as the ultimate thirst quencher. Thai food isn’t as synonymous with hot spice as Indian, but most dishes still have a kick, and some stir fry dishes (Phad Kee Mao, Pad Kra Pao for example) are very spicy. The cooling bubbles instantly refresh, and the alcohol content is relatively low so you can gulp away comfortably. 

Citrusy, spicy beers go best with hot and sour Thai dishes.

Witbier

You might know witbier as wheat beer, or white beer. They’re typically cloudy with a fresh and frothy texture due to a lack of filtering and surprise surprise, high wheat level. The fragrant citrus taste provides a perfect counterbalance to any sourness and spice in your meal, and they also work wonderfully with the lemongrass flavour that crops up again and again in Thai dishes. Hoegaarden (4.9%) is a renowned Belgium witbier dating back 600 years, with a super refreshing soft and light feel that will go very nicely indeed.

Find here: £5 4x330ml 

IPA

If you prefer slightly medium spice Thai dishes that tend to be heavier, sweeter and aromatic then IPA could be the way to go. The citrusy aroma of most IPA’s pairs nicely with Green and Red Curry, and Rendang and Panang too. The right IPA will accentuate the lime and lemongrass often used in these curries, but be careful to pick out a sweeter, sharper ale, not a hop bomb. We’d aim for balanced coconut or fruity/citrus IPAs in particular. Cigar City’s Jai Alai (7.5%) has assertive bitterness that will counteract sweetness in the food, and the bold and citrussy flavour pairs nicely too. Alternatively, renowned Hamburg brewer Kehrwieder have their non-alcoholic üNN IPA range, and Coconut Grove (0.4%) would complement Thai flavours superbly. There’s also tropical fruit and lime and of course, no alcohol to fan the flames!

Find Cigar City’s Jai Alai here: £3.70 Jai Alai
Find Kehrwieder Coconut Grove here: £2.74 Coconut Grove / £27.71 Case of 12

Singha

Most beer from Thailand and the surrounding areas is German influenced lager, and the most popular bottle that you’ll find is Singha. It’s crisp and clean with a mild, light taste that’s perfect for hot Thai food. It’s a very easy drinking lager with strong malty flavour that pairs nicely with something like massaman curry. Also, whilst they tend to avoid alcohol with food in Thailand, it’s still satisfying to enjoy drink and food from the same nation. By the way, it’s pronounced without the a if you want to impress the waiter at the next Thai restaurant you visit!

Find here: £2.20 

Wine

Wine and curry can be a dangerous game in terms of successful combinations. The tannin and heavy alcohol in stronger wines can be a mismatch for spicy foods, but don’t write it off just yet. Off-dry, medium to low strength white wine is the way to go. 

Gewurztraminer

Gewürztraminer is a distinctly aromatic, dryer wine with full body and more often than not, floral and citrus aromas. You’ll often find ginger too which matches nicely with most Thai dishes, and the slight sweetness copes with any mild spice thrown at it. If you’ve ever tried Moscato wine, there’s some overlap. The more fragrant dishes such as the green and red curries, panang, beef satay, pad thai and tom Kha soup all pair well with Gewürztraminer. An off dry Riesling will work similarly well. Also, a much sweeter late harvest bottle mirrors Thai desserts pretty well too, because they can be intensely sweet. This one is Cave Vinicole de Hunawhir’s Cuvée Prestige (14%), an Alsace wine with notes of tropical fruit, apricot, lychee and a touch of ginger. 

Find here: £12.99 (£9.99 Mix Six offer)

Torrontes

Torrontes is an aromatic Argentinian wine that is a versatile dancing partner for Thai cuisine due to the sweet floral aromas, and peachy lemon zest notes. It’s sweet on the nose but dry in style and as long as the dish isn’t overly spicy with extremely intense flavours, it will work a treat. Think coconut curries, peanut dishes, and seafood options. This bottle from renowned winery Catena (13%) uses some of the highest grapes on the planet to create a crisp and zingy wine with particular sweetness that fades out for dryness in vintage Torrontes fashion. 

Find here: £7.50

Alsace Pinot Gris

Pinot Gris has a less fruity flavour than other options on this list, and instead a stronger acidic structure. The sweet muskiness that comes with it goes fantastically well with spicy Thai dishes, and especially so if it’s from Alsace because they often have some ginger and clove spice notes. There’s enough subtle spice here to complement the Thai spice, and acidity to cut through it too. It’s a balanced wine capable of dealing with both sweet and sour – ideal for Thai food. From the same winery as the Gewürztraminer is the Cuvée Prestige Pinos Gris (13.5%), a rich and full white with refreshing acidity and peach and pear notes. 

Find here: £12.99 (£9.99 Mix Six offer)

Spirits

Many might write off spirits with Thai food but with the right mixer and tonnes of ice, there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy one with your food. We’ve gone for a gin because many of the botanicals complement ingredients used in Thai cooking. It’s also very easy to transform into the ultimate refresher.

Gin

Avoiding anything overwhelmingly strong, you can pick out the right gin for whatever dish you’re having. If you’ve gone for sweeter curries, a sour dry gin works well for example. Gin and ginger beer would be fantastic with warming spice and refreshing bubbles working hand-in-hand, or a premium original tonic will do the job. Lime Leaf Gin from Batch Spirits (42%) drew inspiration directly from Thai cuisine, using lime leaf, galangal, and jasmine botanicals. It’s vibrant, citrus-forward, and unsurprisingly, perfect for sipping alongside Thai food. You can even get Thai Basil for the perfect garnish! Word to the wise, be generous with your tonic because whilst 42% isn’t strong, you run the risk of clashing with spicier dishes if it isn’t diluted thoroughly. 

Find it here: £35.95

We know how hard it is to decide what takeaway you want (all be it a nice problem to have!), so if you’re fancying an Indian instead, we’ve got you covered there too! Check out our Best Drinks With Curry guide!

Words by Calum Ecroyd

7 Things Every Rum Lover Needs in Their Home Bar

At The Three Drinkers, we spend so much time thinking about different rums and all the cocktails to make from them, so it’s no surprise that we’ve noticed the same things popping up over and over.

Whether it be barware, garnishes or mixers, if you love rum as much as we do, these 7 things are a must for your home bar. After all, if you’ve always got them in the cupboard then you’re never far away from a drink that really hits the spot!

What Barware do you Need for Rum Cocktails?

Cocktail Set

Some cocktails will just require a light stir, others shaken and strained. If you’re experimenting with rum, then having a cocktail set that can do it all will make everything that bit easier. This kit contains a professional shaker that’s essential to any home set up, strainers to smooth out your mixes and much more. Also, you can stay on top of the notorious ‘home measures’ with the jiggers included ;) All in a fabulous gift box tube too!

Find here: £24.99

Rum Glasses

Traditionally, each cocktail has its own glass to match. The Poco Grande for a piña colada, the Collins for a mojito etc. If you want the ultimate experience, then spoil yourself with a beautiful glass for each of your favourite rum concoctions but to a certain extent (shh don’t tell anyone we said this!), a glass is a glass, right? A sturdy low baller for you drinkers who like your rum neat and a tulip shaped number for your cocktails will more than suit your rum needs.

Find here: £35 for 4 x Lowball / £5.50 for 2 x Hurricane

Which garnishes work well with rum?

Lime - Fruits for Drinks

Daiquiri, Pina Colada, Mai Tai, Mojito, the list goes on. Lime and rum go brilliantly, whether that’s the juice, zest or as a garnish. It’s by far the fruit that you’ll need most for your rum concoctions, so always have some on hand. For your garnishes, Fruits For Drinks’ lime bags are freeze dried and come in a resealable fresh pack that lasts for 9 months once opened, so you don’t need to worry about fresh limes going to waste. Lime = essential.

Find here: £7.99

Which spirits and mixers go well with rum?

Angostura Orange Bitters

Angostura’s orange bitters have become a staple part of many bartender’s inventories across the world, and there’s no reason your home bar should be any different. The rustic bottle contains an intense blend of Caribbean orange peel as well as infused spices like cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. You’ll find it coming into play an awful lot, whether that’s in a Zombie, a Rum Old Fashioned, or pretty much any pineapple rum cocktail or rum punch. It’s also great to liven up a simple rum and coke. They say nothing rhymes with orange, but rum certainly does...taste wise anyway.

ABV: 28%
Size: 10cl
Find it here: £8.50

Bob’s Vanilla Bitters

Another bitter you can rely on is Bob’s Vanilla Bitters. The rich vanilla takes those sweeter rum cocktails to the next level, accompanying the creaminess of a piña colada perfectly. It’s another one that can breathe new life into a simple rum and coke, and you’ll find it blends perfectly with the vanilla notes in many Caribbean rums. Yum!

ABV: 35%
Size: 10cl
Find it here: £12.74

Ginger Beer

Ginger is a magical match for the spicier rums, so a good ginger beer or ginger ale is always useful to have on hand. You’ll be able to knock out Dark ‘n’ Stormies like nobody’s business, as well as Caribbean Mules and all kinds of punches. Fever-tree has pulled together ginger from the Congo, The Ivory Coast and India to give a hot and root-y flavoured ginger beer and Franklin & Sons uses natural root ginger extract and sparkling spring water in their subtle, refreshing ginger ale.

Fever Tree - Size: 200ml // Find it here: 4 x £3.60
Franklin & Sons - Size: 150ml // Find here: 24 for £15

Cointreau

Cointreau is a fresh and fruity orange liqueur that you’ll see on many an ingredients list, and one you should definitely have ready to go. Mai Tai, Long Island iced tea, Rum sidecar, Daiquiri, we could go on. Cointreau and rum make for a pretty formidable duo!

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find it here: £22.99

If you’ve got all of the above then you’re well on the way to an impressive rum armoury, but let’s not forget that the star of the show is of course the rum itself. If you want to stock up on some of our favourite rums for under £30, go here! And to find out how to make all those rum cocktails mentioned above, click here!