Step Into The Curious Cocktail Cabinet of Hendrick’s Gin

Gin lovers out there will certainly be familiar with Hendrick’s, and possibly even their very own Gin Palace on the southwest coast of Scotland, but if that’s a little inaccessible for you then how about stepping inside the enchanting world of Hendrick’s Gin through, ‘The Curious Cocktail Cabinet’.

This is not your run-of-the-mill cocktail book; it's a guided tour led by none other than Ally Martin, the Hendrick's Gin Global Ambassador, and a maestro of mixology. His concoctions and creations have earned him accolades, and now he's sharing his expertise with you. With Hendrick's Gin at the helm, this book is a treasure trove of liquid delights, perfect for both novices and seasoned sippers.

Get ready to explore the secret garden of Hendrick's, where all eleven key botanicals are paired with an inventive cocktail to celebrate it. Discover the secret stories behind the legendary Hendrick's cocktails, straight from the imaginative minds of expert bartenders worldwide.

From iconic classics like the G&T, Martinis, Gimlets and Negronis to more complex and unusual serves, as you flip through the pages, you'll journey through seasons and continents. Summer stunners, winter warmers, and an array of peculiar ingredients will unveil the versatility of Hendrick's gins and truly elevate your cocktail game. Brewberry Yum, Mint 500, Hot Spiced Apple and plenty more intriguing concoctions await.

It really is a joy to shake, stir, and sip your way through this book, and because of the beautifully charming design, it makes such a lovely gift for any gin drinkers too. If you think it’s for you or someone you know then it’s available to pre-order now from Penguin and Amazon for £20 ahead of a September 7th release date!

The Complete Guide to Prosecco Styles

Prosecco has taken a bit of a bashing over the last decade, and we think it’s unjust, so today we’re flying the flag for it. If you’ve had your Prosecco bubble burst or just never clicked with it, then it really is worth giving another go because it’s one of the most misunderstood sparklers out there.

Yes, it’s not usually going to come with the luxurious complexity of an aged Champagne, but that isn’t what Prosecco is about – it’s about fresh fruit, early-drinking and exceptional value and we salute that.

What is Prosecco?

Prosecco is a sparkling wine originating from the Veneto region of Northern Italy, made using predominantly Glera grapes. It’s known for its easy drinking nature, affordability, fruity freshness, and plenty of bubbles.

There styles and sweetness within Prosecco are more varied than you might think though, so let’s dive a little deeper into the spectrum…

Is all Prosecco bubbly?

In short, no but almost always yes.

The most common style you’ll find in shops is Spumante (fully sparkling), which really hold their bubbles. The other style knocking around is Frizzante (semi-sparkling) which doesn’t keep its fizz as well as Spumante but perhaps that’s what you want?

If you’re interested in still Prosecco then it does exist and it’s called Tranquilo, but you won’t usually see this on supermarket shelves!

What do the letters on Prosecco mean?

There are two different acronyms you may have seen on Prosecco bottles, and they are D.O.C and D.O.C.G. These both represent a seal of approval to signify that the wines have met the standards required for them to be included.

D.O.C stands for Denominazione d’Origine Controllata and you’ll find this a lot more than D.O.C.G. Plenty of rules and regs needs to be followed to achieve this status, but not quite as many as D.O.C.G or Denominazione d’Origine Controllata e Garantita. There are only a few provinces like Valdobbiadene and Conegliano producing it and within this label, there are actually sub-categories.

Generally, the ranking goes Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG, up to Conegliano Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore Rive DOCG, then the ‘Grand Cru of Prosecco’ - Superiore di Cartizze DOCG. Just 107 hectares produce this and the complexity and viscosity is unlike anything else in Prosecco.

Which Prosecco is sweet?

This is where it gets a bit more confusing but go with it.

In the UK, Brut and Extra Dry are the styles we see most of. Now, believe it or not, Brut is actually dryer than Extra Dry and therefore not sweet.

To make it simpler, here are the style names from dry to sweet, some of which are harder to find than others:

Brut Nature: (0 – 3 g/l residual sugar) This may also be referred to as Ultra Brut, Brut Zero, Pas Dosé and Dosage Zéro and is completely bone dry, steely, and fresh.
Extra Brut: (0-6g/l residual sugar) This is very dry with just a touch of sweetness, and a more accessible easy to find option for those who don’t like sweet Prosecco).
Brut: (0-12g/l residual sugar): Generally dry but the fruit will feel ripe.
Extra Dry: (12-17 g/l residual sugar) Medium dry with more of a hint of sweetness. Also known as Extra Sec in French and Extra Seco in Italian.
Dry: (17-32 g/l residual sugar) Also known as Sec or Secco, this really is hitting with the sweetness. By no means is it dessert wine but it’s getting thee.
Demi-Sec: (32-50 g/l residual sugar) This is very difficult to find, particularly in the UK but is thoroughly a dessert wine with tonnes of fruity sweetness.

Which Prosecco should I try?

Co-op Irresistible Prosecco D.O.C ‘Special Cuvée’ Brut

One of the classiest easy to find bottles around, this dry (as in genuinely dry, not label dry – confusing I know!) with noticeably less ripe fruits and a more restrained mousse. The reason it’s won awards is for the honeyed florality and cooling citrus that makes it so elegant.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 11%
Find here: £9.50

Maschio Prosecco DOC Extra Dry

As you can see, this Prosecco has the DOC stamp of approval and is Extra Dry so comes through with a decent thwack of fruity sweetness. This particular bottle also brings a surprising complexity with florality backing up the fruits.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 11%
Find here: £8 (usually more!)

Prosecco Superiore di Cartizze DOCG Le Colture NV - Dry

Helena’s favourite, this has that Cartizze label we mentioned earlier and shows it with incredible harmony – aromatic flowers, juicy pears with sweet ripeness, a cool salinity, and just enough biting acidity. Benchmark premium Prosecco.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 11.5%
Find here: £25.70

Giol Prosecco Frizzante, Organic

Here is an example of the Frizzante with that immediately quaffable semi-sparkling gentle fizz. Super fresh, citrus and bear burst through and it’s also organic too!

Size: 750ml
ABV: 11%
Find here: £12.95

Try all the different styles and we guarantee you’ll fall in love with one. Now you’ve got your Prosecco, about some refreshing easy-to-make Prosecco Cocktails to Make at Home!?

The Best Easy-to-Make Prosecco Cocktails

When you’re in the mood, you cannot beat adding some fizzing bubbles to a cocktail and being so fresh, versatile, and affordable, Prosecco is the perfect cocktail partner.

Let’s jump into a few of the super simple to make cocktails with Prosecco at the heart of them, featuring the classics you know and love and a few you might not have heard of...

Bellini

Step into the Italian sun with the Bellini, a timeless concoction born at Harry's Bar in Venice. This elegant but famously simple to make cocktail blends velvety peach puree with the bubbles of Prosecco, creating a sweet and sparkling symphony. A summer sunset in a glass.

Ingredients
60ml peach purée
160ml Prosecco
Peach slice (garnish)

 Method
Unless you’re a Belliniphile, you probably won’t have peach purée laying around so buy some or make your own (peel peaches, refrigerate and blend). Strain into a flute, top up with that Prosecco and gently stir to retain the fizz. If you’ve got a peach left, of course a slice as garnish tops it all off nicely.

Negroni Sbagliato

When a bartender mistakenly used Prosecco instead of gin in a Negroni, the Negroni Sbagliato was born – and thank goodness for that mix-up! This playful twist swaps the traditional bitterness for a touch of bubbly joy and makes for a lighter mix.

Ingredients
25ml Prosecco (use extra dry for sweetness)
25ml Campari
25ml sweet vermouth
orange slice (to garnish)

Method
Pour the Campari and vermouth into a rocks glass and fill it with ice. Top up with Prosecco. Stir gently to chill and garnish with the orange slice. Voilà!

Hugo Spritz

The first rival to truly challenge the Aperol Spritz when it comes to summer spritz sensation, the Hugo Spritz has spread across Europe from Northern Italy and with the power of TikTok, become more popular than ever. Aromatic, effervescent and invigorating with fragrant fruits and the perfect balance of sweetness and crispness – you’ve got to see what all the hype is about.

Ingredients
40ml elderflower liqueur (like St Germain)
20ml soda water
Sprigs of fresh mint
Dash of lime or lemon juice
Prosecco to top up

Lime/lemon wedge (garnish)

Method
Take a large wine or Highball glass and add some mint (muddle for extra flavour or leave for subtle soothing). Pour in your elderflower liqueur or if you want a less boozy version, elderflower cordial works well too. Fill the glass with ice, add a splash of soda, some lemon or lime juice (both work), and top up with that gorgeous fizzy Prosecco!

Kir Royale

Take your Prosecco to regal heights with the Kir Royale. Some use Champagne for this, which works great but the fruity profile of Prosecco works a treat. Use a rich and sweet blackcurrant liqueur (crème de cassis for syrupy sweetness, Chambord for more depth). So, so delicious.

Ingredients
1 tbsp blackcurrant liqueur (crème de cassis or Chambord)
Prosecco
Blackberry/Raspberry (optional garnish)

Method
Ridiculously simple, add your liqueur into a flute and top her up with Prosecco. Raspberries or blackberries for the garnish and away you go!

Pink 75

A beautiful pink 75 fit for Barbie, this twist on the French 75 boasts so much flavour and charm behind that rosy hue. Zesty grapefruit adds some tang to the sweet ripe fruits of the gin botanicals, all pulled together by Prosecco’s gorgeous fizz and refreshment. Include the garnishes and this is a real showstopper when popped in front of your guests.

 Ingredients
50ml pink gin (any decent berry flavour or rhubarb)
10ml pink grapefruit juice
Prosecco to top up
Raspberries (garnish)
Edible flower petals (optional garnish)

Method
Shakers out for this – add everything with ice until your hands are cold, and strain into the flute before yet again, topping up with Prosecco. If you’re feeling extra, then edible petals really give this cocktail that special touch... which is what they’re all about right?

Poinsettia

Quaffable to the max, this is a fantastic all year-round cocktail that refreshes but also has that something special. Not only beautiful to look at, but it also tastes delicious too with tart cranberry playing off light Prosecco so well. Some use triple sec in the recipe, but we want to go for Grand Marnier for extra indulgence and depth. Perfect for celebrations but also a reason to celebrate in itself!

 Ingredients
25ml Grand Marnier
50ml cranberry juice
Prosecco to top up
Fresh bay leaf (garnish)

Method
Simple again, just pour everything with the Prosecco last and give it a nice stir. If everything’s nicely chilled beforehand, then that’s it! Oh, and a fresh bay leaf for traditional garnish. Voila!

Sgroppino

One of the OG Prosecco cocktails, Venetians were drinking this in between courses all the way back to the 1400s. Essentially, it’s vodka and Prosecco blended with lemon sorbet – nom. It’s got a boozy hit, sweet citrus and is perfect on a hot day or as an alcoholic dessert substitute at your next dinner party.

 Ingredients
30ml vodka
50ml Prosecco
1 scoop lemon sorbet

Method
The key here is to make sure everything is chilled and then simply blend them together before serving in a small, chilled glass! Make sure you like the lemon sorbet before adding because you don’t want to spoil the vodka or Prosecco!

If you’re looking for the perfect Prosecco for these moreish mixes, then there are tonnes of great recommendations across our site including in our Prosecco Styles Guide!

5 Inspirational South African Women Winemakers

Breaking barriers in what, for a long time, was a male-dominated industry, these South African trailblazers are shaking up the wine world with their innovative and exceptional creations.

There is probably nowhere else on earth with so many fantastic women winemakers in one place, each overcoming obstacles, making their mark on the industry and inspiring the next generation. There really are so many that it’s difficult to choose, but here are five standouts moulding a brighter and more inclusive wine future. Cheers to that!

Amandla - Praisy Dlamini

The beautiful vineyards of the Western Cape are home to Amandla, an all-female all black endeavour at every level of production. Heading it up is a shining star of South African wine, Praisy Dlamini who after completing a degree in Agriculture, studying Afrikaans, completing a 3-year internship at the Cape Winemakers Guild and becoming the first woman CWG Protégée, rose up the ranks of Distell and Anchor Yeast. Then came Amandla, which means power, a vibrant producer that you can now find on UK supermarket shelves.

Amandla Shiraz Zinfandel

A juicy and jammy blend without being overbearingly sweet, this is a fantastic creation. Plum, blackberries, and all with underlying spice fill the silky-smooth mouthfeel and on top of that, it’s also food friendly – particularly with BBQ.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14%
Find here: £7.49 (usually more!)

Aslina Wines – Ntsiki Biyela

Ntsiki Biyela's remarkable journey began as South Africa's first black woman winemaker in 2004, taking on a role at Stellekaya Wines. Just five years later, she earned the prestigious title of 2009's Woman Winemaker of the Year – incredible. From humble beginnings, Ntsiki's life took a transformative turn when she received a winemaking scholarship from South African Airways in 1999. Her passion flourished while working with Californian winemaker Helen Kiplinger through the Wine for the World initiative, igniting her ambition to establish her own winery and in 2007, that dream came true when Aslina Wines was born, named after her grandmother, showcasing her talent and fostering transformation and diversity within the South African wine industry.

Aslina Umsasane

A seriously well-structured Bordeaux-style red made to be the centre of attention. Full-bodied dark depths are plush with rich blackberry and plum, and woody spice before a satisfying long finish – the complete package.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14.5%
Find here: £19

Lelie Van Saron - Natasha Williams

Meet Natasha Williams, the talented winemaker behind Lelie Van Saron, her own label nestled within Bosman Family Vineyards as of 2014. From her early days, a perceptive school counsellor saw her winemaking potential, and after completing studies in Oenology at Stellenbosch University, she learnt even more in California and France before venturing out on her own adventure. Natasha's philosophy revolves around a minimal approach, crafting her Chardonnay and Syrah wines with purity, harmony, and balance. Cheers to her delightful and terroir-driven creations!

Lelie van Saron Chardonnay 2020

Vibrant cool climate single vineyard sustainably farmed Chardonnay, with an inviting citrus nose hinting opening up to fresh minerality on the palate, and the perfect touch of toasted oak.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13%
Find here: £31

VineVenom - Samantha Suddons

Introducing Samantha Suddons, the fearless winemaker behind the boldly named VineVenom! Her journey in winemaking started at just 21 when she moved to South Africa. After mastering her craft with the Cape Wine Academy and Wine and Spirits Education Trust, Samantha honed her skills at renowned wineries like Mullineux and Reyneke, the latter of which made a lasting impression on her as she became inspired by low-intervention, biodynamic, and organic practices.

Shining Rosé

Carignan which spent 7 months under flor yeast and Touriga Nacional contribute equal parts to this extremely complex Rose, showing instant saline notes swept away by a bouqet of rose petals, red apples, cherries, strawberries and gentle herbs. Such a fresh and vibrant feel with way more going on than just red fruits.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12.5%
Find here: R180 (Only in South Africa but it’s around £8)

Carmen Stevens Wines- Carmen Stevens

Meet Carmen Stevens, the unstoppable force behind Carmen Stevens Wines – South Africa's first 100% black-owned winery! In the apartheid-era, she roared to be heard, fighting prejudice to pursue her winemaking dream. Medals came thick and fast for her wines, but despite this she wasn’t able to get a bank overdraft to launch her own business. After blazing a trail as head winemaker at Amani Vineyards, Carmen finally fulfilled her dream by starting her own venture in 2011. With sheer passion and determination, she's won countless awards, including being voted Winemaker of the Decade! Her wines are a true reflection of her commitment to quality and detail, with hand-picked grapes and individual attention to each vineyard block. She even does incredible charity work on the side – what an inspiration.

Catoria Shiraz

This is a Shiraz that stands out from traditional styles, showing off Durbanville and Stellenbosch terroir simultaneously. Jammy fruits galore, wafts of smoke and hints of peppery spice make every sip intriguing and all in all, it’s a characterful full on Shiraz that’s easy to love.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 14.5%
Find here: £13.99

Of course, it’s not just South Africa producing the inspirational women of wine, so have a read through others from across the world here.

Best Sparkling Wine for Afternoon Tea

There's a reason why bubbly wine is the perfect match for afternoon tea, and it’s not just adding that extra touch of excitement with every popping cork. Sparkling wines offer the best of all worlds - the crisp sweetness that pairs exquisitely with pastries and treats, the savoury charm that complements the sandwiches, and of course, effervescence to lighten up the whole affair.

They’re so good as afternoon tea companions in fact that the marriage has its own name, ‘The Sparkling Afternoon Tea’. Bearing that in mind, let’s take a look at the Best Sparkling Wine pairings for afternoon tea!

Prosecco

Maschio Prosecco DOC Extra Dry

Prosecco's light and fruity character makes it a charming companion for afternoon tea, as long as you find one with decent flavour complexity so the food doesn’t overwhelm the wine. Prosecco particularly shines with the sweet dishes, having the fruitiness and touch of sweetness required to avoid becoming overly bitter and acidic.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 11%
Find here: £8 (usually more!)

Champagne

Mercier Brut Champagne

When forced to pick only one, Champagne is probably the ultimate afternoon tea companion, or indeed ‘Royal Afternoon Tea’ as it becomes. A beautifully produced Brut Champagne like this serves as a fantastic all-rounder, with that yeasty, nutty, creamy and brioche profile complementing well. There is also enough acidity to cut through fatty, oily foods like savoury salmon, buttery pastry, and clotted cream.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £35.94

Moscato d’Asti

Moscato d’Asti DOCG Bersano

Moscato d’Asti has a similar relationship with afternoon tea as Prosecco, and if you’re looking for something to do the job whatever level of the afternoon tea you’re on, this probably isn’t it. However, when it comes to the cakes, sponges and in particular the citrus sweets, it’s fantastic. Subtle, refreshing, delicate bubbles, low alcohol and with more sweetness than Champagne but a hit of acidity too – give it a go!

Size: 750ml
ABV: 5.3%
Find here: £8.99

Blanc de Blancs

Gusbourne Blanc De Blancs 2018

There has never been a better time to pair up English wine with afternoon tea, with more and more delicious wine in production. Blanc de Blancs brings a touch of simplicity and purity to your teatime affair. Made exclusively from Chardonnay grapes, this wine offers crisp, refreshing notes that gracefully enhance buttery scones and clotted cream. For anything rich, look to fresh and lively Blanc de Blancs to lighten the experience. Gusbourne’s flagship bottle costs a bit more than most, but there’s a reason it’s one of England’s best-known wines.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £63.75

Blanc de Noirs

Rathfinny Estate Blanc de Noirs 2018

Staying with the blooming world of British fizz, this is a white sparkler made from 100% black grapes – Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier in this case. It offers more structure and something with richer fruits (cherry and baked apple) and leans more towards florality, minerality and earthiness. It’s bold and loveable and can hold its own against more intense meaty flavours, as well as sweeter red fruits. Savoury and sweet, Blanc de Noirs won’t let you down.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £38.50

The flourishing English Fizz market has tonnes of good options to pair magically with afternoon tea, so try these incredible English Sparkling Wines leading the way!

One Drink, Three Ways: Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora

One Drink, Three Ways is the signature feature by The Three Drinkers. Join us as we 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.

Sweet wines are back in vogue as people realise that there is so much fun to be had with them! From swapping out simple syrups for them in cocktails to drinkable puddings, sipping neat or in highballs, sweeter sips are the drinks trend of this summer and beyond. 

One must-try sweet wine that does everything is Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora. Hailing from Victoria, Australia, this rich, golden sipper is made with the lesser known Orange Muscat grape blended with some rare Flora, all harvested late to concentrate the sugars. The result is a sweet, viscous white wine with fresh, orange blossom aromatics and notes of candied lemon peel and marmalade. At just 10% ABV, it’s incredibly versatile; you can have this alone as a drinky dessert, pair it with salty blue cheese (yum!) and even mix it into elegant cocktails. Here are three, fun ways to try the Brown Brothers Orange Muscat & Flora.

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Helena’s Choice: Orange Sunset

Think of this as a much lighter, more elegant and summery version of an old fashioned with a delightfully floral kick. This works as an aperitif as well a digestif depending on the mood and is a great all rounder cocktail for everyone at your gathering. Simply build the drink in a tumbler glass by combining the whiskey with the wine, adding the bitters and ice cube, then stirring. Garnish with an orange wheel or orange peel.

Orange Sunset

50ml Orange Muscat & Flora

25ml Rye Whiskey

2 Dashes Orange bitters

Orange peel zest

Large ice - ideally with flower frozen into it

Glass: Small wine glass

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Aidy’s Choice: Spiked Orange Bellini

Here’s another super simple recipe - a Bellini with a twist! Switch out your fresh pear juice for some Orange Muscat & Flora wine in a flute and top up with Extra Brut Prosecco to give your fizz a golden hue and stunningly different aroma and flavour. It’s a really beautiful, yet simple change form a classic recipe and is guaranteed to get people talking. Garnish with an orange ribbon if you’re feeling fancy.

Spiked Orange Bellini

50ml Orange Muscat & Flora

Top up with Extra Brut Prosecco

Orange and or lemon garnish

Glass: Flute

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Colin’s Choice: Mango Flora Frosé

Mango Flora Frosé

300g Frozen mango slices

150ml Orange Muscat & Flora

Edible flowers to garnish

Glass: Large, round wine glass

This frozen treat can be a light pudding in itself or it makes a great palate cleanser before or after cheese. It takes some thinking ahead though as you need to pour the wine into a freezer bag and leave it overnight, before adding it to a blender with the mango and giving it a good blitz! Serve in a coup glass or large wine glass and garnish with edible flowers of your choice to pretty it all up.

Like this? Check our our other One Drink, Three Ways pieces: Belvedere Organic Infusions, Tanqueray Gin and The Macallan 12.

What Should I Drink With Oysters?

Oysters are a true oceanic delicacy, loved for their delicate texture, rich and briny flavour, and high vitamin/low calorie combination, but such a strong and distinct profile requires thought when it comes to finding the perfect drinking accompaniment.

Fear not, because although these little molluscs seem intimidating, there are plenty of delightful pairings to elevate your oyster experience to new heights.

SPARKLING WINE

Champagne

When in doubt, reach for the bubbles! Champagne's effervescence and crispness complement oysters like a match made in seafood heaven. The light acidity and mineral notes of a quality Champagne cleanse the palate between each oyster, enhancing the taste and leaving you wanting more. The typical yeasty, bready profile adds suitable savoury depth, and the bubbles also provide a balance with the smooth fleshy texture of the oyster.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £22.25

WHITE WINE

Sauvignon Blanc

East and West Coast oysters have different profiles, but with West Coast oysters (Olympias for example), you want a heavier white wine. Unoaked Chardonnay would work, but we like Sauvignon Blanc's vibrant acidity and citrusy notes to provide a refreshing contrast to the briny richness of this kind of oysters. Crispness cuts through the creaminess, creating harmonious balance and refreshment.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £7.49

Chablis

The briny toughness of East Coast oysters like Bluepoints are known to pair well with bright, lighter whites that come with racy acidity such as Riesling (always reliable as a food-friendly option) and Chablis. Get yourself a steely, dry, and particularly acidic Chablis like this, and the fresh minerality will bond with the oysters making dining dreams come true.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12.5%
Find here: £19.99

COCKTAILS

Martini

Gin and Tonic works too, but the Martini and oysters marriage is iconic for a reason. The juniper and other botanicals usually compliment the oyster (providing you don’t opt for anything too intense), but the Martini also retains that clean and crisp nature to let the salty umami oysters shine. Every sip enhances the fresh, marine flavour, especially If you go for a subtle herbal savoury gin using seaweed, cucumber etc.

Find our recipes here

BEER

Saison

The pillowy mouthfeel of a stout is a favourite with oysters, as is the minerality of a Czech pilsner, but a traditional saison is our pick. Bright effervescence, fruit and peppery spice, tight carbonation, and a light body, it’s a super accessible option to provide a more balanced flavour on both ends.  

Size: 330ml
ABV: 6.5%
Find here: £3.15

Explore our other guides including Indian, Thai and Sushi!

Brew-tiful Blends: Elevating Cocktails with the Power of Tea

Cuppas and cocktails, is there anything we like more? Well, how about them together? We’ve been exploring tea-infused cocktails and boy can they elevate a creation to that next level. From floral refreshment to soothing spice, these are some of our favourite tea cocktails, hot and cold, that you should definitely experiment with if you haven’t already! Let’s get the kettle on...

Jasmine Fizz

The Jasmine Fizz just gets more and more delicious with each ingredient. Delightfully refreshing, it combines the floral notes of jasmine tea with the effervescence of sparkling wine. Elderflower continues this natural and aromatic profile, with fresh lemon to cut through and add some zip. One of those cocktails that you feel invigorated drinking.

Ingredients

60ml jasmine tea-infused gin
30ml elderflower liqueur
15ml fresh lemon juice
15ml simple syrup/honey
60ml sparkling wine
Lemon twist (garnish)

 Method
Okay, so the gin. We recommend testing on a smaller amount first, but you’ll need to sit the jasmine teabags in the gin for at least 1 hour. After this, just shake everything with ice and strain into a chilled glass. Lemon or beautiful jasmine flowers for garnish and voila, a cocktail that will really impress.

Aperol Tea Spritz

Sparkling teas like these stunners work wonderfully well in place of sparkling wine in cocktails, and this Aperol Tea Spritz is a perfect example. LYSERØD is one of the driest sparkling teas out there, and those Rosé notes and smooth White Tea pair nicely with the Aperol. There are so many combinations you could try, so experiment with sparkling teas in your favourite Spritzers.

Ingredients
100ml Aperol
150ml sparkling tea (something like LYSERØD by Copenhagen)

Method
Pour both over ice – there really is nothing else to it. Relax and enjoy.

G&Tea

Adding teabags to Gin and Tonics has been a bit of a thing in Scandinavia for a while, but adding an elegant sparkling tea instead of the tonic and teabag separately makes a hell of a lot more sense if you ask us. This is a really fresh way to mix up the usual G&T for something just as clean and pure, but with more botanical depth. Just pick a tea with mild flavour and mix with your favourite gin.

Ingredients
50ml gin
100ml sparkling tea (something like Jing Jasmine Pearls)
Angostura bitters (optional)
Honey (optional)

Method
Make it as you would a regular G&T, simply combining the two. Obviously tonic is more neutral than tea, so if you want some bitterness add Angostura drops, or if you want a dash more sweetness go for a touch of honey.

Hot Chai Toddy

The addition of spiced black chai to the winter warmer that is the Hot Toddy adds deliciously comforting warmth and deep spice, complementing the whisky well. With the earthy tea, fresh lemon and touch of honey, there is an almost medicinal quality to this cocktail that harks back to the Hot Toddy’s roots.

Ingredients
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
100ml-150ml hot water
1 black chai teabag
35ml whisky
1 clove (optional)
1 cinnamon stick (optional)
Lemon wheel (garnish)

Method
Grab your favourite mug or handled glass and pour the hot water over the tea. Mix in the honey, whisky, and lemon until everything has merged. Chuck in the clove and the cinnamon for even more warmth. Cup in your hands and let it soothe your soul!

Birds and Bees

From Juan Coronado of The Bazaar comes this delicious cocktail using a chamomile-honey syrup to mellow the fresh lemon juice and complement a good quality gin. It’s another tea cocktail that feels clean and delicate, but with punchy gin at the heart of it. Tasty.

 Ingredients
50ml gin
30ml chamomile-honey syrup
25ml fresh lemon juice
10ml lime juice
For the syrup: 1 chamomile teabag and 15ml honey (you might want to make a bigger batch though)

Method
All the effort here is in that syrup, which is actually very simple to make. Make chamomile tea as usual and dissolve honey into it, before cooling at room temp. Then, combine everything in a shaker with ice, strain, and sip! Nom.

Green, Ginger, and Gold

Cognac is a surprisingly tasty pairing with green tea, and of course ginger so this is a gorgeously fresh and alive cocktail merging them. With fresh mint too, there is a refreshing and soothing quality, as well as rich warmth and spice and earthiness. You could try this warm or chilled, it’s up to you but we’re going for chilled this time.

 Ingredients
3 pieces fresh ginger
2 mint leaves
15ml syrup
30ml cognac (VS or VSOP)
60ml chilled green tea

Method
Muddle syrup, mint leaves and ginger with cognac and fresh, chilled green tea. Once the flavours are infused, strain into a glass filled with fresh ice and garnish with a mint leaf for that final touch.

There are so many cocktails you could make with sparkling teas in particular, so check out these! If any cocktail recipes use sparkling wines like Rosé or Prosecco, then give these a go instead.