In Bring a Bottle Podcast Episode 95, Helena is joined by the fabulous founder of, ‘All Things Drinks’, Dimple Athavia. They chat about grape powered skincare, a liqueur that smells like baked cherry pie, Helena’s new wine slogan t-shirts and how to explore great wines on a budget! There are some really great recommendations in this episode too that you definitely won’t want to miss, so listen now!
OUR GUEST DRINKER
This week we’re joined by the lovely Dimple Athavia, a wine and spirits enthusiast who used her passion to set up ‘All Things Drinks’, an online drinks company specialising in curating a wonderfully varied selection of craft drinks. As the name suggests, they really do sell pretty much everything! They also want to create an inclusive community within the drinking world that goes beyond retail, educating and connecting those with the same passion. Cheers to that! @dimpsflavourgirl
WHAT’S IN OUR GLASS?
Last week we tried the Glen Grant 10-year-old, and this week it’s the older 12-year-old single malt Scotch that’s gracing our glasses. It has gorgeous vanilla aromas on the nose, and a hint of caramel alongside touches of spice to taste. This isn’t a peaty scotch at all, it’s smooth and gentle and a fantastic option for beginners wanting to try a classic Speyside Malt.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 43%
Find here: £39.94
Rob Roy Cocktail
Whisky is all too often buried in cocktails but using this fantastic Scotch in a Rob Roy allows it to be the star of the show. The warm vanilla flavours are very much in the limelight leading to a delicious and surprisingly light, cocktail.
Ingredients
40ml Glen Grant 12YO
20ml sweet white vermouth
A couple of dashes of angostura bitters
Maraschino cherry (garnish)
Method:
Shake everything with plenty of ice because dilution is key here. Finish with a gorgeous Maraschino cherry and voilà!
DRINKS NEWS
Did you know that grapes are used in skincare? Brad Pitt’s new, ‘Le Domaine’ range worked with Mirabeau to use grape skins and seeds in an effort to waste as little of the grape as possible. The science behind it is that the antioxidant high polyphenols in wine are good for the skin, and Le Domaine aren’t the first to cotton on to this. Westwell and Pelegrims also use grape extract, and Caudalie use oil from the seeds in their products.
Helena’s T-Shirts
Helena has been busy making her own wine slogan t-shirts, ‘Mama loves Malbec’ and, ‘Talk Terroir to Me’! All made with the environment in mind, there’s no plastic packaging and they’re fully recyclable! You can literally send them back to be recycled when you’re done with them.
Buy it or Bin it
This week’s, ‘Buy it or Bin it’ is super autumnal. If we say it smells like marzipan and almonds, then you might already be able to guess what kind of drink it is? That’s right, it’s Amaretto...well, almost. It’s actually a slight reimagining of it, and it’s called Adriatico. It’s full of morello cherries so combined with the classic amaretto flavours, it smells like a baked cherry pie once you crack it open. It’s drier on tasting than you might expect, and has a surprising saltiness intertwining with cinnamon, cocoa, and subtle coffee flavours. At 28% it’s fantastic over ice and would also work well in a hot cosy cocktail or coffee.
Size: 700ml
ABV: 28%
Find here: £28.74
Quickfire Questions
What is the best drink for a very hot curry?
What is the best wine restaurant in London?
What is the best winter warmer you’ve ever tried?
Our guest has all the answers, and some must-try recommendations too!
Mailbag
We have one of the most famously contested drinks questions this week and it’s, ‘Do I have to spend a lot of money to find really good wine?’
Listen in to find out what the sweet spot is for finding value in wine, and how you can still try new and exciting wines throughout the year without breaking the bank!