What Should I Drink With Christmas Cake, Pudding and Mince Pies?

If you’re not gorging on at least one of these this December, then are you even doing Christmas? Of course, mince pies, Christmas cake, and Christmas pudding have their differences, but they’re all based around rich fruits, usually dried, or candied, as well as nuts and spices. Because of this, the same kind of drinks tend to work with them, and work they certainly do – these pairings are mouth-watering, and exactly what Christmas indulgence is about.

Sherry

Sweet, luxurious sherry is such a perfect match. Stick to Pedro Ximenez or Oloroso styles, and the dried fruits, nuts, and silky, rich chocolatey notes will pair up like a match made in taste heaven. It’s a traditional pairing too, so fully embraces the season. We’ve just uploaded our sherry guide for Christmas too, which details recommendations and information about all the styles.

Size: 375ml (half bottle)
ABV: 17%
Find here: £13.65

Port

Tawny Port in particular is a great way to go, brimming with red and black fruits, and if it’s got decent aging, nutty undertones too. The tawny is slightly less sweet than ruby ports, so the richer, nuttier, treacley flavours work well, especially if you’re using brandy butter. This Kopke Tawny is lovely and rich, with a velvety mouthfeel complimenting any cream.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 19.5%
Find here: £14.99

Madeira

Part of Madeira wine’s fundamental manufacturing is heat, giving tonnes of stewed fruits and burnt sugar notes, as well as delicious nutty flavours. I mean, the nose often smells of Christmas cake even! They also keep their acidity nicely, which helps to avoid everything becoming a bit weighed down and cloying. It isn’t as traditional as a glass of sherry but works just as well.  This Blandy’s number is full-on and fruity, but most decent sweet Maderia wines will do the job.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 19%
Find here: £12.99 (usually more!)

Muscat

Dessert wines with carrying hints of apricot or orange work nicely, playing into the festive fruits nicely. Spanish Moscatel de Valencia is a good option – it’s a honeyed wine that’s also fresh and fruity, with lofty florality. It also provides a bit of refreshment and tang if the richness is getting a bit much,

Size: 750ml
ABV: 15%
Find here: £7.99

These Christmas sweet treats are all similar in profile, but the same cannot be said for other desserts, where they may be sharp citrus, custard or other difficult to match flavours and textures. Luckily, we have a whole guide on what to drink with Classic British Puddings here!

The Best Sherry to Sip on this Christmas

Far, far too many drinkers are disregarding Sherry as an overly sweet, fortified wine that only your Nan drinks and missing out on a really varied and delicious world.

With Christmas coming up, there is no better time to give it another go, because between the tangy crispness of the paler expressions, and the richer complexity of the darker liquids, you’re bound to find one you fall in love with.

We’ll touch on the styles as we go, but for a more detailed breakdown, check out our handy ABC Guide to Sherry Styles.

Fino

Tio Pepe Fino

When it comes to Sherry, Fino is the epitome of bone-dry crispness. Palomino fino grapes (hence the name) are what’s used, and this Tio Pepe Fino is so dry, with no sweetness. Instead, it cuts through with salted almonds and umami touches, and makes an incredible dance partner with salty snacks. It won’t be for everyone, but those that love it really love it.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 15%
Find here: £13 Sainsbury’s (£10 Nectar price)

Manzanilla

M. Antonio de la Riva Manzanilla Fina Miraflores Baja N.V.

Manzanilla styles like this take on the salts in the soil and the air from being made in the port of Sanlúcar, as well as humidity meaning more yeast (flor), and therefore more protection against oxygen… meaning supreme lightness and freshness. This is a particularly complex Manzanilla, with nutty, olive-y lightness and salinity right through to the finish.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 15%
Find here: £24.50

Amontillado

Gonzalez Byass Vina AB Amontillado

Amontillado Sherry takes up a similar position to Fino, but with more exposure to oxygen in the oak barrels (butts) and longer ageing, there’s a noticeably darker colouring and complexity, with richer, nutty flavours. This Gonzales Byass is a fantastic representative of the style, bringing super smooth, intense, almonds and raisins. The nose is sweeter than the palate, which is wonderfully dry, with a savoury umami profile.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 16.5%
Find here: £16.50

Palo Cortado

Very Rare Palo Cortado

This style falls somewhere between Amontillado and Oloroso, delivering freshness from the former, and complex body from the latter. It’s the trendiest style of Sherry if you want to look like you know what you’re talking about, and this bottle is delivers dry intensity with citrus tang, as well as plummy almond notes.

Size: 375ml
ABV: 19%
Find here: £8.50

Pedro Ximenez

San Emilio Pedro Ximenez Solera Reserva Emilio Lustau - HALF BOTTLE

PX is where you go for your sweetness, named after the grape, that makes it, and therefore standing out from the other styles. Semi-dried grapes give all that natural sweetness, the texture is far treaclier, and the colour is an extremely dark red. The prestigious Lustau are behind this indulgent Sherry, filled out with lush chocolatey raisins, dried figs and toffee.

Size: 375ml
ABV: 17%
Find here: £13.65

Oloroso

Sandeman Armada Superior Cream Oloroso Sherry

One of the most famous styles, Olorosos like this develop because of a lack of yeast (flor), so you get a deliciously dark, rich, and complex expression like this mahogany gem, with notes like cocoa and fig popping up and a velvety lingering aftertaste.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 17.5%
Find here: £11

If you’re after more recommendations for drinkers to stock up on this Christmas, or perfect gifts,  then we’ve got tonnes of guides up on the site now, like Rum, Gin and Champagne.

Your ABC guide to Sherry Styles

It’s Sherry week, so what better time to get to know this misunderstood and underated tipple? Sherry lovers around the world have been banging the drum for these unique, moreishly saline, food friendly sippers for years and finally, the message is getting through: Sherry ‘proper’ is not sweet! Read that again. Here’s why it’s time to reacquaint ourselves with this liquid treasure from the sun-soaked vineyards of southern Spain. 

Wine? Spirit? Liqueur? What exactly is Sherry?

In recent years, Sherry has experienced a renaissance, with younger generations discovering its charms and Sherry bars popping up in trendy neighbourhoods worldwide and restaurant lists boasting numerous offerings. But what is it exactly? In a nutshell, Sherry is a fortified wine that hails from a triangle of villages in Spain’s Andalusia and more often than not, it is bone dry. Yes, there are two types of sweet Sherry - naturally so or not so naturally so - but when wine lovers talk about authentic Sherry, it’s the dry stuff they mean.

It all starts with Palomino Fino grapes, which are grown around the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia. Being an ‘Old World’ (European, essentially) wine style, it takes its name from the place rather than the grapes and ‘Sherry’ is just a poor (in my opinion) English translation of ‘Jerez’. Wine is made by grapes here in the normal way, but just before fermentation ends, a splash of grape spirit is added to stop the process and fortify the wine. The historical reasons for doing this were many, but the key reason was to raise the wine’s alcohol content to make it less susceptible to spoilage, especially during transportation. After all, the Andalusian climate is warm and humid, so normal wine would go off very quickly in the days before air conditioning. 

What makes the dry styles of Sherry unique?

It’s what happens once the wine is fortified and put into wooden barrels that the Sherry magic happens: A small amount of space is left as the liquid ages and the region’s humidity causes a thin layer of yeast called ‘flor’ to develop on the top of the wine, which helps protect it from being completely oxidised. Whether this flor layer remains intact or not and how long it remains then defines the final style of the Sherry inside the barrel. Here’s a rundown of the five, stunningly dry Sherry styles and a cheeky, naturally sweet one to try:

Manzanilla (15-17% abv typically)

Manzanilla is the seaside cousin of the famous Fino and has an unmistakable maritime vibe. It can only be made in the town of Sanlúcar de Barrameda and has a characteristic chamomile note (manzanilla is Spanish for chamomile). It also tends to be a touch lighter and more saline than Fino. Picture sipping the sea breeze captured in a bottle with a delightful, fresh bread yeastiness. Great with savoury snacks and salty cheeses. 

Try: La Gitana Manzanilla, £9.75 from Tesco 

Fino (15-17% abv typically)

Fino is a similarly pale and bone-dry style that's as crisp as a newly ironed shirt. Unlike Manzanilla, it can be produced in any of the three towns within the Sherry Triangle and has more of a roasted, salted almond note with hints of crunchy apple. A great aperitif that also loves salty snacks and can cut through fried food like a blade. It’s also awesome with tonic. Incidentally, the famously sweet ‘cream’ sherries that Granny loves are often Finos with added concentrated grape must or grape syrup. 

Try: Tio Pepe Fino, £13 from Sainsbury’s, Morrisons 

Amontillado (17-22% ABV typically)

While both Manzanilla and Fino are made with wines where the flor layer has stayed intact, Amontillado is what you get when flor is removed. Starting life as a Fino, it spends  time ageing in barrels before having a slosh of brandy for fortification. This spirited wine then moves to a new barrel, where it begins its journey into oxidative ageing, resulting in a darker, amber colour with notes of roasted nuts, tobacco, spice and dried fruit, all the while keeping  a tangy saltiness. Amontillado can also have a bit of PX (see below) added for sweetness.

Try: Gonzalez Byass Vina AB Amontillado £16.50 from Ocado 

Oloroso (16-20% ABV typically)

Made deliberately without any flor from the start and subjected to extensive ageing, Oloroso is the darkest dry Sherry style and is full-bodied, concentrated and complex. Silky smooth and intensely nutty in character, it has wonderfully Christmassy notes of dried raisins, figs and salted caramel. Stunning alone but it also loves mature cheeses and can handle game too. 

Try: No.1 Emilio Lustau Dry Oloroso, £13.49 from Waitrose 

Palo Cortado (17-22% ABV typically)

Palo Cortado is the style to ask for in a bar if you want to show off your Sherry skills. Made often unintentionally when the flor layer naturally dies away on wines destined to be Fino or Amontillado, PC combines the dryness of Amontillado with the nuttiness and body of Oloroso. Think tangy, salted almonds, hazelnuts, dried fruits, toffee, and vanilla oak. It’s what the Sherry hipsters are drinking!

Try: Very Rare Palo Cortado, £8.49 for 37.5cl from M&S and Ocado 

Something different:

Pedro Ximenez (PX)

PX, as it is affectionately known, is a sweet style of Sherry made with very ripe, white, Pedro Ximenez grapes, which are air dried on mats to concentrate sugars and flavours before being gently pressed. The lusciously sweet juice is then aged in barrels for a long time - sometimes decades, to achieve a thick, dark, treacley consistency and flavours of dried fig and baking spice. Stuff the chocolate sauce, pour this over your ice cream! Note: This is not the sweet ‘cream’ sherry beloved by elderly parents at Christmastime. 

Try: The Best Pedro Ximenez, £7 for 37.5cl from Morrisons 

Ultimately, there’s nothing at all wrong with these stalwart cream styles, especially the top names like Croft Original - and they still sell by the truck load during the festive season. It’s just not what the Sherry revolution is about. So, why do we all assume Sherry is always sweet? I blame onomatopoeia. And 1980’s trifle.

Where to taste Sherry this Sherry Week?

Check out www.sherryweek.wine to see all activities for Sherry Week 6th -12th Nov 2023

UK specific events here!

21 Great Spots to Drink Sherry in the UK

Where to drink Sherry in the UK for International Sherry Week and all year round…

Now in its 9th year, International Sherry Week is the world’s largest celebration of Sherry wines from Southern Spain. This year, it runs from Monday 7th - Sunday 13th November 2022. 

Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Cream Sherry… Lovers of this fabulous, fortified wine from Jerez, Spain, know that it’s not all about the sweet stuff Grandma drinks at Christmas but instead, is about enjoying a savoury and saline, food friendly drink in all its wonderfully complex, fudge, salted almond and citrus peel glory.

You can watch a short film and read about what Sherry actually is this bite-size guide but if you just want to get out there and do some tasting, perhaps with a masterclass or with some tapas thrown in, then here’s your ultimate guide to some great venues around the UK for discovering the delights of Sherry for Sherry Week and beyond. 

Sherry Week Events (7th-13th November)

All the locations below are fantastic destinations to try Sherry all year round, but first, here are some specific events to check out during International Sherry Week this November:

Helena with José Pizzaro at José in Bermondsey Street, London.

José Pizarro’s restaurants and tapas bars (London)

‘Get lost in our huge Spanish wine list and sherries and cocktails’ they say. We say, ‘yes please!’ A celebration of all things Spanish awaits you all year round at José Pizarro’s venues but for Sherry week, they are offering the perfect way to kick start your dinner: try three sherries beautifully complemented by Jamón Ibérico Cinco Jotas. £18.50 per head from 7th-13th November.

Pizarro
194 Bermondsey St, 
London,
SE1 3TQ.

José Tapas Bar
104 Bermondsey Street,
London,
SE13UB.

José Pizarro Broadgate Circle
36 Broadgate Circle,
London,
EC2M 2QS.
josepizarro.com

At José on Bermondsey Street, London

Fourth And Church (Hove)

This restaurant and wine bar has quickly earned a reputation as a great foodie destination in Hove, offering tastings and events all year round. Join their expert Paul for a relaxed afternoon during Sherry Week, exploring six wines from Jerez, all perfectly paired with a six course menu.

When: November 13, 2022, 1-4pm
84 Church Rd, 
Hove,
BN3 2EB
www.fourthandchurch.co.uk

Ambiente Tapas (Hull, Leeds & York)

Ambiente Tapas is a welcoming group of restaurants dotted around the country, each celebrating the world of Spanish food and wine - especially Sherry. To celebrate International Sherry Week, Ambiente is hosting exclusive, five course, sherry paired dinners featuring wines from Gonzalez Byass sherries across its various locations:

When: 9th November - Bodega Lustau  - Hull. 
When: 10th November - Bodegas Gonzalez Byass - Leeds.
When: 11th November - Bodegas Barbadillo - Tabanco By Ambiente Restaurant, York
ambiente-tapas.co.uk

The Reliance (Leeds)

This pretty bar and dining room has the gorgeously relaxed feel of an old school classroom with its wooden floors and mismatched chairs and tables. For Sherry Week, join the team on the 9th November for a menu of seasonal small plates paired with eight delicious Sherries.

When: 9th November
76-78 North Street,
Leeds,
LS2 7PN.
The-reliance.co.uk

The Wine Rooms (Cambridge)

A destination fine wine bar and shop bringing the world of wine to life through their extensive list of over 500 bottles and a large list of wines by the glass. During Sherry week, Spanish Sommelier Gonzalo will lead a masterclass through all the styles of Sherry. Come here any time of year though to taste with seasonal plates and regular events. 

When: 10th November
57 Hills Road,
Cambridge,
CB2 1NT
thewineroomscambridge.com

Lo Rapitenc Spanish Deli (Frome)

For something a little different, hold onto your hats and head to Lo Rapitenc in Frome! Join Antonio Morenés, co-founder of Diatomists and leader of the so-called ‘Sherry Revolution’ for an overview of the region and tasting of each wine. Described as ‘a guerrilla wine night, which promises to be intoxicating, festive and a delight to the senses,’ the evening will conclude with after dinner drinks and live music by a Latin music duo. Bring your dancing shoes!

When: 12th November
21 Cheap St, 
Frome,
BA11 1NN
Lorapitencspanishfood.com

Lunyalita (Liverpool)

Ok, so not officially set in Sherry week, but just afterwards, Luyalita will be hosting a Sherry tasting of six wines with matching tapitas, hosted by their resident expert, Ian Jackson. Part of the Lunya family, Lunyalita is set over two floors overlooking Liverpool’s gorgeous Albert Dock. The menu offers a  wide range of classic and modern tapas at lunch and breakfast, with tapas, deli platters and paella served throughout the rest of the day.

When: 24th November
Britannia Pavilion, 
Royal Albert Dock, 
Liverpool, 
L3 4AD.
lunya.co.uk/events

The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (Edinburgh)

The brilliant Rose Murray Brown MW will be hosting a 12 wine tasting including Fino, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso & PX from leading bodegas, all served with Spanish charcuterie. Personalised gift vouchers are also available on request. No prior knowledge required!

When: 9th November
The Vaults, 
87 Giles St, 
Leith, 
Edinburgh,
EH6 6BZ.
Rosemurraybrown.com

Lind and Lime Gin Distillery (Leith)

Lind & Lime Gin Distillery has got together with Slonk for a fantastic Sherry experience. On arrival, you'll be treated to a Sherry Cocktail, followed by a five Sherry masterclass served with a delicious Spanish Tapas feast by Pablo Sensat of Manda Huevos fame.

When: 13th November
24 Coburg Street,
Leith,
Edinburgh,
EH6 6HB.
Tickets here

Oxford Wine Café (Oxford)

This cosy café style wine bar is a vino lover's dream, boasting a huge list of wines from all over the world, made by smaller, ultra-passionate, boutique-style producers that you will not find in supermarkets and big chains. During Sherry week, they will be showcasing an extensive sherry menu paired with a number of delicious tapas dishes and are holding a big tasting on the Thursday night.

When: 11th November
32 Little Clarendon Street,
Jericho,
Oxford,
OX1 2HU.
oxfordwinecafe.co.uk

Other great locations to taste Sherry all year round

BRISTOL

Adelina Yard

Adelina Yard is found nestled in Bristol’s Welsh Back district and serves fine, seasonal, modern European dishes in a relaxed, informal, yet highly instagrammable atmosphere.

Adelina Yard, 
Queen Quay, 
Welsh Back, 
Bristol,
BS1 4SL.
adelinayard.com

BIRMINGHAM

Loki Wine

Loki Wine has risen to fame these past few years and is the most awarded wine merchant in Birmingham. This fabulous, wine merchant-cum-wine bar offers a huge range of Sherry and other wines to purchase as well as taste by the glass. This is also the place for various fun, wine and tasting courses and events. Choose from any of their three locations:

Loki Wine Edgbaston, 10 Greenfield Crescent, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 3AU
Loki Wine Birmingham City Centre (GWA), 36 Great Western Arcade, Birmingham, B2 5HU
Loki Wine Knowle, 20-22 Station Road, Knowle, Solihull, B93 0HT
Lokiwine.co.uk

FROME

The High Pavement 

This cosy, Moorish jewel of a restaurant is set above the picturesque cobbled streets of Frome’s St Catherine’s quarter and offers a delicious, ever changing menu of Moorish Tapas inspired by the flavours of Spain, North Africa and the Middle East. The wine list boasts an excellent selection of bottles from small, independent growers as well as an extensive sherry list.

8, Palmer St, 
Frome,
BA11 1DS.
thehighpavement.co.uk

LEEDS

Iberica (Leeds)

The stunning Hepper Building in Leeds is a location to behold with its high ceilings and chandeliers. It’s like stepping back in time! Iberica is a place to celebrate all Spanish food and drink with an extensive wine list including many types of Sherry. Check out their events too and you can opt for private dining and even a Spanish afternoon tea. 

Hepper House, 
17a East Parade, 
LS1 2BH, 
Leeds.
Ibericarestaurants.com

LONDON

Gordon’s Wine Bar

Gordon’s wine bar is a London institution. The city’s oldest bar is set in a fabulous, candlelit, 19th Century vaulted cellar that has maintained its original Dickensian décor, it boasts a fabulous range of wines including an impressive array of Sherries. Come here to plot a revolution and have a great glass of vino.

47 Villiers Street,
London,
WC2N 6NE.
Gordonswinebar.com

The Opera Tavern

Part of the Salt Yard group, the famous Opera Tavern is a classic, Covent Garden pub and is ideal for a quick bite of jamon Iberico and a slurp of Palo Cortado before catching a show at the theatre or opera. 

23 Catherine St, 
London,
WC2B 5JS.
saltyardgroup.co.uk

Bar Pepito

Cosy and romantic with bottles everywhere, Bar Pepito combines a warm, Andalusian atmosphere with an extensive range of speciality Jerez sherries and a fantastic tapas menu served with a twist. It’s a must at any time of year!

3 Varnishers Yard,
The Regent Quarter,
Kings Cross,
N1 9FD.
camino.uk.com

Andanza

Down the road from Pizarro in Bermondsey is a tiny little, rustic, Spanish foodie gem in the form of Andanza. Come here for authentic Spanish meats and cheeses with a great range of wines and Sherries. You’ll want to photograph everything too!

66 Weston St,
London,
SE1 3QJ
andanza.co.uk

MANCHESTER

Flok

Flok is a cosy, yet vibrant,  vintage feel bar and kitchen offering Mediterranean-inspired small plates as well as wines, craft beers, cocktails and spirits. This place has a reputation for its Sherry list too, which you can taste by the glass. Highly recommended. 

5 Stevenson Square, 
Manchester,
M1 1DN
flokmcr.co.uk

CARDIFF

Curado Bar & Vermut

Curado Bar Jamon & Pintxos in Cardiff and its snug little wine bar Vermut next door, offer a piece of authentic Spain right in the heart of the city. Vermut has Spanish wines on tap and specialises in three styles of wines: Sherry, Vermouth and Montilla-Moriles. 

2 Guildhall Place, 
Westgate Street, 
Cardiff, 
CF10 1EB.
curadobar.com

BATH

Pintxo Bath

Tucked away in Barton Street, Pintxo de Bath is a cosy, wood-clad, authentically Basque-style tapas and sherry bar in the heart of Bath’s theatre district. Inspired by the famous Pintxo bars of San Sebastián, they also serve a large range of Sherries all year round and even have a secluded, dedicated Sherry garden! 

31 Barton Street, 
Bath, 
Somerset,
BA1 1HG.
pintxobath.co.uk

Heading to these? Tag us on Instagram @TheThreeDrinkers using #SherryWeek. Want more sherry info? Here’s Helena’s wine basics video guide.

Thursday Club with talk RADIO: Classic Iberian Wines

This week on talkRADIO, we are continuing the Iberian theme for the summer as most of us can’t get out to Spain or Portugal. I’ve gone for three wines in very different styles that you may have heard of, but not be sure what they are. We have a white, a red and a dry sherry. Yes! It’s time to taste that again.

ILUSIONISTA, Verdejo, Rueda, Spain. 

Rueda is another Spanish wine region that favours white wine, and these whites are made with a grape called Verdejo. If you like a more tropical style of Sauvignon Blanc, you will love this. It’s aromatic, zesty and limey with notes of smoky passion fruit and guava. There’s a creaminess here too that makes it a great food pairing wine and as you’d expect, it loves Spanish cuisine. Try it with seafood, white meat, carpaccios, sushi and semi-cured cheeses.

Find it for £11.15 from Vinissimus here.

Tio Pepe Fino Sherry, Jerez, Spain.

Don’t run away! This is not the sweet stuff your nan drinks. Sherry is one of the most misunderstood wines in the whole world. I think it’s because the word itself sounds sweet! The truth is, classic, ‘proper’ sherry is dry. Bone dry. If you’re into salted almonds, twiglets and salty umami goodness, then you should give it a try, chilled in a small glass. It’s incredibly moreish and fantastic with salty snacks. Fino is made with a grape called Palomino fino, hence the name. It’s made as normal dry white wine, then fortified with grape spirit to around 15% and aged in barrels under a type of yeast bloom called ‘flor’. You could also switch thing up and try it in a ‘Tiojito’ instead of rum. So refreshing! Here’s more on Fino and the other style of Sherry here.

Find it for £10 from Sainsbury’s here and many other stores

Extra Special Douro Red, Portugal.

In the past when we thought about red wine from Portugal, it was all about Port: a fortified red. Nowadays however, Portugal is producing some fantastic DRY red wines that are totally unique to the country and provide fantastic value for money as they are less famous than others. The main red wine grape used to make quality red Port is Touriga Nacional and the Douro wine region is king for this. It often forms the backbone of the red wine blends (they’re usually always blended), with the rest being made up by several local red wine grapes. Always big and bold, think blackberry, prune, blackcurrant and cinnamon spice. Open it up early to give it some air and it would love some grilled meat or even dark chocolate.

Find it on offer for £4.88 (down from £6.50) at Asda here.

Caorunn Negroni Christmas Pudding Recipe

Here at 3DHQ, we are firm believers that Christmas is not Christmas without the following two things: brussel sprouts (don’t shoot us!) and a yummy Christmas Pudding. So naturally, when we heard that our good friend and winner of MasterChef the professionals Sven Hanson Britt had partnered with Caorunn to bring to us a stunning Negroni Christmas Pudding recipe, we had to share it with you!

There’s still time before Christmas to get your pudding made, so if you are still looking for a recipe to try out, we can highly recommend this one!

Caorunn Negroni Christmas Pudding Recipe

Ingredients:

 The dried fruit to be soaked

· 90g sultanas
· 90g currants
· 90g raisins
· 18g chopped glace cherries
· 18g mixed peel
· 22.5g prunes

The soaking syrup

· 25ml Black tea syrup infused with heather, apple and juniper
· 18ml Guinness
· 40ml Caorunn Negroni
· 15ml sherry
· 15ml dark rum
· 7.5ml cognac

The fresh ingredients

· 1 cooking apple – grated 
· 20g carrot - grated
· 1 small orange, zest and juice
· 1 lemon, zest only
· 1 small egg
· 10ml milk (of your choice)

The dry ingredients

· 37.5g plain flour
· 16g ground almonds
· 50g dried breadcrumbs
· 37.5g dark brown sugar
· 5g sea salt
· 55g suet, veggie

The spices

· ½ teaspoon mixed spice
· ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
· ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
· 2g crystalised ginger, chopped finely
· ½ teaspoon juniper, powdered or crushed finely

Have ready:

· Baking parchment
· Tin foil
· String

Method:

1. First, 2 days before you want to make the pudding, make the soaking syrup by creating an infusion of strong black tea, a little heather, juniper berries and apple skin. 

2. Make a classic negroni mix with the Caorunn Gin, Campari and Vermouth Rosso. Mix this with the black tea syrup and the other alcohols and pour it over the dried fruit. Leave this covered in the fridge to soak for 2 days, stirring occasionally. Stirring it whenever you open the fridge to get milk for your cup of tea is about the correct frequency. 

3. When you’re ready to make the pudding mix, place all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and add in the spices. Then add the fresh ingredients. The milk you choose to use is completely up to your preference.

4. Remove the soaked fruits from the liquid and add to the mix – retaining whatever juice and soaking syrup remains – you’ll need this later.

5. Mix everything very well with your hands for a few minutes and pack it into a pudding basin, ensuring the top is flat and there aren’t any air bubbles inside.

6. Cover the top with a perfectly cut ‘cartouche’ of greaseproof paper and then wrap the top with a tight fitting lid of tin foil.

7. Let this sit in the fridge for 24 hours before cooking. Once ready to cook, prepare a pan suitable for your bain marie, place a small side plate into the base of the pan and half fill it with water. Place the pudding basin into the pan and make sure it sits well on the plate. Bring this water to a boil and drop it down to a simmer and simmer it for 5 hours, checking and replenishing the water when necessary. This stage can also be done really efficiently in a steam oven. 

8. Once the cooking is finished, allow it to cool in the pan before removing and storing in a cool and dark place. 

9. 24 hours after cooking, comes the time to make use of that excess soaking syrup. Remove the tin foil and greaseproof cartouche and pour the syrup over your pudding and allow all of that deliciousness to soak in. Replace the cartouche, discard the tinfoil, and then cling film the pudding and keep it somewhere cool until Christmas. This stage can be repeated as little or as often as you like. Every time you make a Caorunn Negroni, make a small one for your pudding and pour it over. It’ll lead to a very jolly Christmas!

10. On Christmas day, heat your pudding in exactly the same way as you cooked it, but this time leave it simmering for 1 hour and it will be hot in the middle. Pour over another glug of Caorunn gin before serving it at the table – becoming the coolest person in the whole house at that precise moment. Serve with loads of cold brandy butter and hot cognac and juniper crème anglaise.

To get your hands on a bottle of Caorunn click here and you can find out more about Sven and his latest food adventures here.

Spot on! New Blue Spot Irish Whiskey

Words by Colin Hampden-White

Those that love Irish whisky will have a particular fondness for the Spot family of whiskies. In the early 1900’s wine and spirits merchants, Mitchell & Son started to mature spirit from the Jameson distillery on Bow Street with the intention of bottling whiskey. The casks used for maturing the whiskey had a system of coloured spots on them to indicate how long the whiskey had been maturing in each cask. A blue spot indicated 7 years, a green spot 10, a yellow spot 12 and a red spot 15 years and it was with this system of spots they named their whiskies in correspondence with the age of the whisky in each bottle.

The Spot family of whiskies is now managed by Pernod Ricard in conjunction with the Mitchell family. The Green Spot has been on the market for some time, with the Yellow Spot returning in 2012, the Red Spot making a new appearance in 2018 has been off the market since the 1960s, and now having not been seen since 1964, the Blue Spot has finally completed the family.

The men and women recreating Blue Spot have never tasted an old bottle such is its rarity. They have notes and records and with them, they have created a re-imagined Blue Spot. It has been designed with how it would have tasted in the past very much in mind. Using a base of ex-Bourbon and ex-Sherry casks they also used whiskey aged in ex-Madeira casks. This was inspired by the historical stock held by Mitchell & Son and the flavours were very typical of the Spot whiskey style.

These Madeira casks have been maturing and conditioning over 20 years. Coopered in northern Portugal they were then shipped to Madeira for seasoning and once seasoned, they were transported to Midleton, filled with pot still spirit, and left to mature. These casks gave lovely flavours of stewed orchard fruits, nuts and sweet spices.

“It is with absolute pleasure that we reintroduce Blue Spot and bring a piece of Dublin’s rich whiskey history back to life,” said Kevin O’Gorman, Master Distiller at Irish Distillers. “Over the years I have had the honour of collaborating with the Mitchell family, who for generations have celebrated the influence of fine wines on Irish whiskey, as we have reintroduced expressions to the beloved Spot range.”

“I am incredibly proud to celebrate with Jonathan and Robert Mitchell on this historic day as Blue Spot takes its place alongside Green, Yellow and Red Spot, reuniting the whole family once again.”

“It’s been a privilege to shed light on the history of whiskey bonding in Ireland and the role our family had to play in it as we relaunch Blue Spot,” added Jonathan Mitchell, Managing Director at Mitchell & Son. “The inclusion of whiskey aged in Madeira casks adds flavours that would have been originally introduced into Irish whiskey by the Mitchell family. As the full Spot range comes back to life, we find ourselves bursting with pride for the role our family played in the creation of this treasured range of whiskeys.”

Blue Spot will be a batched product, non-chill filtered and cask strength which will vary annually with each release.

You can get your hands on a bottle here for those based in the UK and for those in the USA Blue Spot will be available from February 2021.

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