crystal head vodka

Celebrate Pride with these Top LGBTQIA+ drinks

Support LGBTQ drinks brands thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

It’s Pride Month, and we’re celebrating all things LGBTQIA+ not only with a hefty dose of rainbow-themed décor, but by toasting to it in style with tipples that proudly support the LGBTQIA+ community. Whether you’re a community member yourself, or a thirsty ally, here are some must-tries to show your spirit…

Gays Who Wine

Support LGBTQ drinks brands Gays Who Wine Photo Credit Heather Birnie thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

This wine club, founded by Shaun Houcke, is all about giving people the chance to meet up and mingle with great vino – without having to resort to a raucous bar. You can also shop from a gorgeously curated online offering – including a weekly changing mixed case, with the likes of rosé fizzes and juicy reds (from £65). Beer drinker? An edit of top pours includes tempting nibbles such as artisan cheese, smoked almonds and sourdough crisp breads (£45). If you need an extra feel-good reason to buy, know that 10% of profits go to LGBTQIA+ charities.

Find out more here!

Luv Jus

Support LGBTQ drinks brands Luvjus thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Following one helluva time at Tel Aviv Pride in 2016, housemates George and Owen decided to launch Luv Jus – a healthy craft vodka pop that comes in two delicious flavours: pineapple, mint, ginseng and jasmine, or blood orange, pomegranate and ginseng. At just 107kcal per tin, with no added sugar, they’re as gentle on the waistline as they are dangerously sippable, plus have the added bonus of being vegan-friendly and gluten-free. We know what we’ll be drinking come London Pride Week this September… 

ABV: 4.8%
Find here: £14.95 for 6

Stonewall Spirits

A family run brand based in Skegness, Lincolnshire, Stonewall Spirits is committed to supporting and donating to the LGBTQ community all year round. Not only do they do this by re-telling the story of the ‘Stonewall Riots’ throughout their brand, but they also donate £1 to Stonewall UK from every bottle purchased to continue the fight for acceptance and equality in the UK. As if that wasn’t great enough news as it is, they also produce absolutely cracking gins. Mix their Pink Rhubarb gin into a G&T for a beautifully refreshing drink this Summer!

ABV: 40% // 37.5%
Size:
700ml
Find here:
£36.95


Digby Fine English

Support LGBTQ drinks brands Digby Fine English Wine thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

It was during a trip to a Seattle winery that married couple Jason Humphries and Trevor Clough had a lightbulb moment and decided to move back to the UK and go into business together with the aim to bring English sparkling wine to the luxury market. Meet Digby Fine English; the high class sparkling English wine from West Sussex that is outperforming Champagne in blind tastings and winning countless awards. 

Find here: From £32


Proud Beer

Support LGBTQ drinks brands Proud Beer thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

The UK’s first ‘queer beer’ was launch back in 2018 by boyfriends Ethan Spidey and Sören Scharf and as well as a beer, is a platform for all that they do for LGBTQIA+ charities. They worked around their day jobs to create their ‘LGBTQIPA’: a truly inclusive drinks brand with a clear message to the businesses to put their money where their mouth is if they truly want to support the community. Ethan explains: “We got fed up with people slapping a rainbow flag on their brand once a year and pretending they cared. We thought, why don’t we start a beer company that benefits the charities we have worked with for years?” Quite right. Cheers!

Find here: From £2.30 a bottle

Gentleman Farmer 

Support LGBTQ drinks brands Gentleman Farmer Napa thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Next time you’re in the US, look out for Gentleman Farmer wines, produced by vino extraordinaire couple Joe Wolosz and Jeff Durham. This Californian vintner duo specialises in producing powerful Cabernet Sauvignon – all dark fruity and earthy character – as well as elegant Chardonnays. Looking for something summer-fabulous to toast Pride month with? Grab a bottle of their delicate blushing pink rosé, with refreshing watermelon and brioche notes on the palate.

Find here: From $35

Crystal Head Limited Edition Pride Vodka

Support LGBTQ drinks brands Crystal Head Vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

In case the whole bottle-shaped-like-a-skull thing wasn’t already theatrical enough for you, we present Crystal Head Pride edition. Painted in dramatic rainbow tones, this will double as a statement decor piece long after you’ve drained the final drop of vodka (which, by the way, is made using pure Canadian water). It doesn’t just look good though – a percentage of sales goes to the Kaleidoscope Trust, an international LGBTQIA+ human rights charity that works across the Commonwealth, for example by ensuring that trans women in Pakistan have access to safe housing. And if that standard 70cl bottle isn’t quite enough? Plump for the brand new 1.75-litre release, available at Selfridges for a cool £140.

ABV: 40%
Size:
700ml
Find here: UK From £46.48 // US $39.99


Tom Savano Finnish Liberation Cosmopolitan

Support LGBTQ drinks brands Tom Savano Cosmopolitan thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

When you can’t be bothered to mix your own cocktail, Tom Savano comes to the rescue with its premixed pours. And this bottling – comes with a splash of Pride, not only because the Carrie Bradshaw’s drink of choice is said, according to Punch, to have originated in the Cleveland gay scene in the 1980s. It’s also mixed up with Tom of Finland Organic Vodka, named after the gay icon and fetish artist. The vodka’s own association spreads awareness about LGBTQIA+ erotic art, so you can feel extra virtuous with every sip. Chill it right down in the fridge, pour it out in Sex and the City-style cocktail glasses and toast to liberation. 

ABV: 20%
Size: 500ml
Find here: £29

Barefoot Wines

Support LGBTQ drinks brands Barefoot Wine thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Barefoot takes great ‘pride’ in the fact that it’s been an LGBTQIA+ ally for more than 30 years, since 1988 to be exact. Over the decades this Californian wine brand has partnered with dozens of different LGBTQIA+ organisations and popped up at countless Pride festivals, so you know it’s genuinely supporting the community for the long haul. Choose from the range of easy-drinking wines, perfect for celebrations – whether your bag is a fruit-forward Merlot, a crisp Sauvignon Blanc or sweet Moscato, there’s something here to suit. Bottoms up!

Find out more here (UK)! // From $9.99 (US)

The Best Vodka To Buy For Christmas

Best Christmas gift vodka present thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Aval Dor Vodka

The Three Drinkers Best Vodka for Christmas Aval Dor Aidy Smith

Cornwall’s first single estate distillery, Colwith Farm, created its first vodka in 2014 using Colwith Farms' potatoes. Aval Dor being Cornish for ‘potato’ the vodka was then aptly named Aval Dor Vodka. Produced in small batches, the vodka is distilled in a copper batch still and blended with mineral water from an aquifer deep beneath the farm. The use of these local ingredients gives Aval Dor Vodka a real sense of terroir which is something that has only recently been embraced in the world of vodka. An intense, floral and spicy vodka, with silky viscosity and a saline minerality on the finish it is definitely one to try.

But wait. If you’re in the mood for something a little more festive you can check out the Aval Dor Christmas Pudding vodka and the Aval Dor Spiced Christmas Edition gin too!

Size: 700ml
ABV:
40%
Buy now: £40

CRYSTAL HEAD

The Three Drinkers Best Christmas Vodka Crystal Head Vodka thethreedrinkers.com Aidy Smith

Deemed by many as the worlds ‘purest’ vodka, Crystal Head sources it’s water from a natural aquifer hidden on a remote island named St John Newfoundland (basically the most Eastern point in North America). Peaches and cream corn are distilled four times before being filtered seven times and finally triple-filtered through a cone of Herkimer Diamonds. Sounds kind of classy, tastes kind of beautiful.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Buy now: £40 // $50

BELVEDERE HERITAGE 176

Best Christmas gift vodka present Belvedere Heritage thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

A brand we’ve known for a long time and for all of the right reasons, this Polish gem is the newest expression to grace our spirit shelves from Belvedere. Polska Rye and purified water are what go into the bottle; nothing more, nothing less. What’s most intriguing is how they’ve decided to revisit a malting process that is centuries-old to perfect the taste. Allow me to geek out for a second – this is essentially done by steeping the barley, drying it in a kiln so it then becomes malted and thus allowing it to be fermented as the starches are broken down into fermentable sugars. I told you I was going to go a little geeky… The end result? A fabulous malted rye spirit. Full-bodied with so much texture, there are pure notes of honey, almonds, walnuts and distinct baking spice.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Buy now: £36 // $35


BLACK COW

Best Christmas gift vodka present Black Cow Vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

This was created in the west of England by Jason Barber, a farmer who uses only whole milk to make his vodka. The whey is used to make the vodka and the curds make his award-winning cheese. This vodka is very pure, and has a creamy, beautifully smooth mouthfeel.

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy now for £22


THE REID SINGLE MALT

Best Christmas gift vodka present The Reid Vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

In 2011 a talented craftswoman by the name of Desiree Whitaker thought to herself, ‘you know what? I want to own a distillery”. So, doing what any ambitious spirit-lover would do, she went about building. Fast-forward 9 years and she’s got a portfolio of stunning drinks, all of which call New Zealand their home and have travelled internationally to grace our glasses. The subject of today’s conversation, their Reid Single Malt vodka is produced from 100% malted barley, giving a pure, smooth flavour profile. You can expect to find hints if pear drops, biscuits, toffee and a huggingly sensational mouthfeel as the texture wraps itself around your tongue. Not gonna lie, I’m kind of in love with the bottle too. Simple, yet elegant.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 44%
Buy Now £54


VESTAL

Best Christmas gift vodka present Vestal Vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

This vodka is made by an Englishman in Poland. He has very fine single potato variety vodka but he also creates this blend of varieties for under £25 and thankfully is a brilliant vodka. Made from Asterix and Russet Burbank potatoes this vodka has lots of character. It has been created with mixing in mind and makes a fabulous Martini. It is distilled and filtered only once to retain the flavour and character of the potatoes.

ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Buy now for £25.95


ABSOLUT ELYX

Best Christmas gift vodka present Absolut Elyx thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

This bounty is distilled from a single estate in southern Sweden and produced from soft winter wheat that gives the unique and distinct profile on taste. Forget burn, this is smooth as smooth can be, with baked bread, dry spice and an incredible nuttiness showcasing macadamia nuts, walnuts and hazelnuts upon taking a sip. Vibrant, sophisticated and quite frankly, sexy. Drink neat or knock up a martini for a little tipple treat.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 42.3%
Buy Now: £35 // $35

Don’t forget to check out our rum and gin gift guides too!

7 Vodkas to Embrace Lockdown 2.0

delicious vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Ah, Lockdown 2.0. It seems the inevitable is upon us. Alas, all we can do is try and keep our spirits high, drink less but better and crack on with it. One thing I’ve been delving into a lot more recently is vodka! It seems working from home has allowed my mixology skills to flare and having just judged around 200 of these wonders a few months ago, I’ve been inspired to jump back into my vodka discovery days.

With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of 7 extremely versatile vodkas that work perfectly for creating everything from Martinis and Bloody Mary’s to simply drinking them neat. How should you drink your vodka? However you bladdy want to!

 

Ramsbury Vodka

delicious vodka ramsbury vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Tucked away in the fertile lands of Wiltshire, Rambsury vodka is produced from the estates very own Horatio wheat and chalk filtered water – both of which are taken from their own land. Horatio wheat is typically used to bake biscuits, giving it an incredibly smooth profile and complex character. Dried fruits, cocoa and caramel are found on the palate with a creamy texture on the mouthfeel. It’s all a bit oo-la-la if you ask me, in a good way. This in a Bloody Mary… woah! 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 43%
Buy for £35

Belvedere Heritage 176

delicious vodka Belvedere Heritage vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

A brand we’ve known for a long time and for all of the right reasons, this Polish gem is the newest expression to grace our spirit shelves from Belvedere. Polska Rye and purified water are what go into the bottle; nothing more, nothing less. What’s most intriguing is how they’ve decided to revisit a malting process that is centuries-old to perfect the taste. Allow me to geek out for a second – this is essentially done by steeping the barley, drying it in a kiln so it then becomes malted and thus allowing it to be fermented as the starches are broken down into fermentable sugars. I told you I was going to go a little geeky… The end result? A fabulous malted rye spirit. Full-bodied with so much texture, there are pure notes of honey, almonds, walnuts and distinct baking spice.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Buy Now £42

 

The Reid Single Malt

delicious vodka reid vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

In 2011 a talented craftswoman by the name of Desiree Whitaker thought to herself, ‘you know what? I want to own a distillery”. So, doing what any ambitious spirit-lover would do, she went about building. Fast-forward 9 years and she’s got a portfolio of stunning drinks, all of which call New Zealand their home and have travelled internationally to grace our glasses. The subject of today’s conversation, their Reid Single Malt vodka is produced from 100% malted barley, giving a pure, smooth flavour profile. You can expect to find hints if pear drops, biscuits, toffee and a huggingly sensational mouthfeel as the texture wraps itself around your tongue. Not gonna lie, I’m kind of in love with the bottle too. Simple, yet elegant.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 44%
Buy Now £54

Absolut Elyx

delicious vodka Absolute Elyx thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

 This bounty is distilled from a single estate in southern Sweden and produced from soft winter wheat that gives the unique and distinct profile on taste. Forget burn, this is smooth as smooth can be, with baked bread, dry spice and an incredible nuttiness showcasing macadamia nuts, walnuts and hazelnuts upon taking a sip. Vibrant, sophisticated and quite frankly, sexy. Drink neat or knock up a martini for a little tipple treat.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 42.3%
Buy Now £35


Crystal Head

delicious vodka crystal head thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Deemed by many as the worlds ‘purest’ vodka, Crystal Head sources it’s water from a natural aquifer hidden on a remote island named St John Newfoundland (basically the most Eastern point in North America). Peaches and cream corn are distilled four times before being filtered seven times and finally triple-filtered through a cone of Herkimer Diamonds. Sounds kind of classy, tastes kind of beautiful.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Buy Now £40

Grey Goose

delicious vodka grey goose vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Arguably one of the most famous vodkas in the world and for good reason. Grey Goose couldn’t be any ‘Frenchier’ (not quite sure if that’s a word but hey, we’re going with it).

Firstly, they use soft winter wheat grown on the doorstep of their distillery. This is then distilled in Picardy before being sent to Cognac for filtration. But wait, there’s more. The water they use to make this beauty is filtered through limestone from the Champagne region, you know, just if you had any final doubts of its authenticity.  

A chap called François Thibault is the cellar master, and given he’s been doing this for as long as he has, you can trust you’re in safe hands. De-mineralisation of the water, 5 column stills for distillation and a bunch of other purification and rectification methods are all part of the process. To top things off, the inside of every bottle is washed once with Grey Goose alongside every cork being macerated in the vodka too.

The result? Delicate floral aromas on the nose with a sweet, creamy toffee and brioche flavour. Throughout my journey, I have never been let down by this vodka. Long may that continue! 

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Buy Now £35

Chase Vodka

delicious vodka chase vodka thethreedrinkers.com the three drinkers

Here’s a vodka from England and it’s the only one to be produced from 100 per cent estate-grown potatoes. Celebrating their 10-year anniversary this year, they’ve perfected the vodka craft. Forget mashed, roasted or baked – this is the kind of potato creation you want to be sipping on. Creamy black pepper, macadamia nuts with a light earthy potato from start to finish, this vodka works perfectly with a little elderflower liqueur

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Buy Now £32

Enjoyed this? Check out our favourite vodka’s for under £30!