12 Brilliant Boozy Presents For Your Secret Santa 2023

The eagerly anticipated, or in some cases dreaded secret santa is here, and whether you’re out of ideas for someone you know, or completely at a loss because you’ve barely said hello to them, we might have the answer below.

If you know what drinks they like, then we’ve scouted the internet for specific gifts that are surefire hits. If you’re not so sure, then check out the drinks related gifts that have broader appeal at the end – there’ll be something, we promise!

The Best Secret Santa Presents for Gin Lovers

Franklin & Sons Ltd Spirit & Mixer Gin Perfect Serve Hamper

Franklin & Sons have been at the forefront of tonics and mixers since the Victorian era, when Christmas became the Christmas we know and love today. They have a famously eclectic and expansive range, and they’ve included some of their classics here, along with the perfect gins for them and two Copa glasses. With pairings like Tanqueray and Elderflower & Cucumber Tonic, this hamper emphatically shows what the perfect tonic can do.

Find here: £19 (usually more!)

100 Gins Scratch Poster

Forcing ourselves to try new drinks can be easier said than done, but one way of keeping to it is by scratching them off. So, if you’ve got a gin lover for secret santa, then this lovely A3 poster with 100 gins from around the world is a good way to start exploring. If you’re feeling generous, you could throw in a gin to get them started too.

Find here: £12.99

The Best Secret Santa Presents for Whisky Lovers

Christmas Whisky Tasting Set

Whisky has a reputation as a drink that takes some getting into, so if your secret santa has mentioned wanting to get into it, then a tasting set is the best way to start. This set contains five wax-sealed drams curated for festive sipping, including GlenAllachie 12YO, Teeling Small Batch and Four Roses Bourbon to experience a variety of whisky profiles.

Find here: £25

Glencairn Glass with Pipette

Glencairn Crystal is the go-to glass for whisky connoisseurs, and this beauty comes with a glass pipette to add controlled amounts of water to premium expressions. As any whisky lover will appreciate, water droplets can really change the liquid and evoke different notes, so this is a classy and useful present for them.

Find here: £17

The Best Secret Santa Present for Rum Lovers

Spiced Rum Gift Set

This is a really nicely put together rum set, featuring 50ml bottles of The Kraken, Dead Mans Fingers, Admirals Old J Cherry and Bacardi, offering spice across the spectrum. But that’s not all. Franklin & Sons premium mixers are included too, giving the rum drinker everything they need for their perfect Crimbo tipple.

Find here: £24.99

The Best Secret Santa Present for Wine Lovers

Wine Escape Room Game

Escape Rooms have been massive for a few years now, and this one brings the challenge into the home. Sadly, the wine is behind bars, and it can’t be opened until four stages of puzzles are completed and the combination padlock is opened. Oh, and before someone gets the hammer to attempt a desperate jail break, the solution is included in the pack. You’ll have to get your own wine, so you can actually get anything that fits the metal cage.

Find here: £24.99

Montidori Sangiovese

At the end of the day, the best thing you can get a wine lover for secret santa is… wine. We’ve picked out this bottle for its extraordinary value. Some of the grapes have been dried, so it comes through with mouthwatering richness and bold flavours, with so much soft spice intensity. If your secret santa is capped at a tenner, then this will really seem like you’ve gone over budget.

Find here: £8.99 (usually more!)

Fun Alcohol Related Secret Santa Presents

Prisoner Drinking Game

In this game, if you do the crime, you do the time. The dice is rolled, and the lowest number is placed in actual handcuffs. The ‘criminal’ then has to navigate their way through various challenges as the ‘jury’ guesses whether they will be able to do it or not. Keep guessing wrong, and it will be a long and very drunk night indeed.

Find here: £19.99

Top Spoons

If you’ve got someone that loves the pub for secret santa this year, then this pub crawl card game will be right up their street. This pub crawl takes the player through the best and worst Wetherspoons boozers, as they attempt to outscore their opponents to own every establishment going.

Find here: £9.99

The Ladybird Book of the Hangover

Perfect timing for Christmas, this is one of the funniest Ladybird books with perfect, old illustrations pairing up with perfectly observed hangover ‘guidance’. ‘Look out of the window. Can you recognise simple shapes or colours? Is there a moon or a sun in the sky? What sort of a name might you have? Where might there be bacon?'’ It’s not a scientific book by any means, but it is a comfort.

Find here: £7.99

Upside Down Wine Glass

This boozy illusion will cause a few double-takes, that’s for sure. It holds half a bottle of wine, and you drink from the bottom instead, through the hollow stem. Simple but effective.

Find here: £12.99

Festive Boozeballs

How about making the Christmas tree a bar? These baubles can be filled with anything and are absolutely perfect for a more decadent ‘interactive’ tree, as well as drinking games. Just make sure they’re hung on the higher branches if there’s kids or pets around!

Find here: £13.99

We have tonnes of drinks guides on our website, so if you want to pick up a bottle of something, whether that’s a reliable classic or an unusual eyebrow raiser, have a browse. How about gifting someone ‘Irish Moonshine’ AKA Poitín? Or perhaps a Sloe Gin if they’ve only tried regular gin before?

Luxury Whiskey Gifts and the Perfect Dessert and Cocktail Pairing from Bushmills

From luxury whiskey gifts to the perfect dessert and cocktail pairing, Bushmills has plenty to offer this Christmas. Irish whiskey fans now have the chance to experience some of its oldest and most treasured liquids with the recent launch of the 25 and 30 year old expressions.

These two luxurious spirits are the perfect Christmas gift for that special loved one who appreciates the whiskeys’ intensely complex flavours. The two expressions are triple distilled in wine-seasoned oak barrels all of which have been meticulously selected by Bushmills’ Master Blender, Alex Thomas.

The 25-Year-Old is matured between four to six years in ex-sherry and Bourbon casks, and then has spent up to 21 years in Ruby Port casks, resulting in layers of intense, dark fruit flavours, luxurious honey sweetness and gently toasted wood. Meanwhile, the 30-Year-Old was matured for 14 years in ex-sherry and Bourbon casks and finished in Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for 16 years, creating a sublime whiskey characterised by deep, signature sherry aromas and enticing fig, raisin and praline richness.

Both expressions are available at The Whisky Shop and House Of Spirits.

For those seeking something a little more adventurous than tea and cake this Christmas, Bushmills Irish Whiskey and Sager + Wilde have put their heads together to develop an exquisite new whiskey cocktail and cake pairing that explores the warm, rich, earthy flavours of the season.

The new cocktail – crafted using Bushmills 10-Year-Old Single Malt Irish Whiskey, Amontillado sherry, Angostura bitters and porcini maple syrup – was designed to perfectly set off an indulgent Spiced Pear and Walnut Cake served with Bushmills Butterscotch. The delicious pairing celebrates the smooth, honeyed flavours and chocolate and vanilla characteristics that make the 10-Year-Old so enjoyable when sipped neat – due to influences of  an extended sherry/bourbon cask maturation - with a sweet treat.

Available from now until Christmas at Sager + Wilde’s atmospheric Paradise Row restaurant, which is set in a beautiful old railway arch, it is a must taste for all whiskey lovers, flavour obsessives and seekers of exciting seasonal pairing experiences. 

Address: Sager + Wilde, 250 Paradise Row, London E2 9LE
Website
Price: £21 for dessert + cocktail
Dates: Available from now until Christmas

The Best Christmas Markets Near You in 2023

Chalets are being put up all over the UK right now, as once again, the beautiful, glittering Christmas Markets appear. It’s time to wrap up warm, cup a mulled wine, and savour a German hotdog whilst exploring the eclectic stalls.

If there’s a city you’ve been meaning to visit, then what better time to do just that than the most magical time of the year? We’ve listed some of the best Christmas Markets from across the UK below!

Hyde Park, Winter Wonderland, London

For the scale alone, we have to include Winter Wonderland. The Bavarian-style Christmas market is only part of the Wonderland, and makes up one of four gates (the Green), the other being for Cirque Berserk, the famous Ice Rink, and Santaland. Ice sculpture, ice slides, rides, a huge Disney wheel, a grotto, live music… you do need to pay an entrance fee (£5-£7.50) just to enter the market, this is London after all – but if you want loads to do, this is the place. The festive lights of Regent and Oxford Street are nearby too, as well as the best window displays in the city.

Dates: November 17, 2023 - January 1, 2024
Nearest station: Victoria and Paddington
Nearest tube: Hyde Park Corner and Marble Arch
Nearest car park: Q-Park
Website

South Bank, London

The South Bank Winter Festival, right by the London Eye, offers something a little different. There are tonnes of international dishes on offer at the stalls, the Rekorderlig Cider Lodge, and of course, that beautiful twinkling river view. Also though, there is an eclectic programme of festive shows and events in and around the area you can time your visit with.

Dates: November 17, 2023 - January 1, 2024
Nearest station: Waterloo and Southwark
Nearest tube: Waterloo, Southwark and Embankment
Nearest car park: APCOA South Bank
Website

Edinburgh Christmas Market, Edinburgh

The city of festivals hosts an iconic Christmas market, which this year has expanded from Princes Street Gardens to The Mound and a few Royal Mile spots also. With the beautiful architecture and Castle as a backdrop, this market had a huge head start already. 60,000 lights mesmerise visitors of The Street of Light, lights and laser trails decorate the Royal Botanic Gardens, lose yourself in Santa Land’s Christmas Tree maze, glide (or just remain upright) across the ice rink, and overlooking it all, the glorious big wheel. Hot Toddies await.

Dates: November 24, 2023 - January 3, 2024
Nearest station: Edinburgh Waverley
Nearest car park: Castle Terrace
Website

Winter Wonderland, Nottingham

The enchanting Christmas market, aglow with twinkling lights, stands beneath a towering Christmas tree and stunning decorations, just one facet of the grand Winter Wonderland in Old Market Square. 70 Bavarian-style market stalls offer traditional handcrafted gifts, decorations, and delectable treats, so it's the perfect place for some last-minute Christmas shopping. It’s the biggest East Midlands market, so expect a grotto, an ice rink, observation wheel, festive fairground rides, live music, and the Ice Bar. Cosy cafes and old pubs are all around the market too, so there’s no lacking in choices of where to go.

Dates: November 7, 2023 – December 31, 2023
Nearest station: Nottingham
Nearest car park: Lace Market, Trinity Square and Broad Marsh
Website

Manchester Christmas Market, Manchester

Created in 1999, Manchester has one of the most varied markets in the UK, with over 300 stalls aligning across the walkable city centre. You could start in the grand Albert Square, moving across to King Street, the Exchange Square stalls, and Cathedral Gardens before the Winter Garden at Piccadilly Gardens. In fact, there are 9 festive zones in total! Everything you can imagine is on sale, from alpaca wool slippers to Tibetan bowls. One tip, many stalls are cash only and the ATM queues get long so get cash out before!

Dates: November 11, 2023 – December 22, 2023
Nearest station: Victoria, Piccadilly, or Oxford Road Station
Nearest car park: King Street West and China Town (parking in Ancoats is quieter and cheaper, and still within walking distance)
Website

Bath Christmas Market, Bath

One thing you can’t accuse Bath Christmas Market of is being just another template market, because the 160 chalets sit between the charming Georgian streets that look like nowhere else. In the shade of the magnificent Abbey, 70% of stallholders are local, and 60% of goods are handmade in the UK, and the calibre of stalls is renowned. The whole city is a World Heritage site, so take a step back in time and explore.

Dates: November 23, 2023 – December 10, 2023
Nearest station: Bath Spa (it’s also not far from London)
Nearest car park: Manvers Street, Avon Street and Kingsmead Square
Website

Cardiff Christmas Market, Cardiff

The Times’ Number One market in the UK, it’s been running for nearly 30 years so they’re well in the swing of things by now. The focus here is on handmade craftmanship, produced mostly by local businesses – be that jewellery, exquisite glass work or ceramics. Also, artists and crafters can sell for 5- or 10-day stints, so expect new faces and gems each week. Hayes, Trinity Street, St John and Working Street – these pedestrianised areas will all be blessed with the wafts of seasonal cooking and the glint of handmade treasures.

Dates: November 9, 2023 – December 23, 2023
Nearest station: Cardiff Central and Queen Street
Nearest car park: NCP Westgate Street, NCP Cardiff Rappots
Website

Winchester Cathedral, Winchester

Winchester Cathedral’s glimmering setup is one of few UK markets to make a dent into European Top Ten lists and was also voted the 2nd best Christmas market in the UK in 2018. 100 carefully selected chalets bring this ancient Cathedral to life, offering mouth-watering food and one-of-a-kind gifts. The Cathedral Choir add to the enchantment no end too!

Dates: November 17, 2023 – December 21, 2023
Nearest station: Winchester (near Southampton, and 1hr from London)
Nearest car park: Barfied P&R and St. Catherines P&R
Website

St Nicholas Fair, York

Steeped in history and stunning buildings everywhere you look, it’s no wonder York has aced its Christmas Market. As you stroll along, you'll encounter alpine-style chalets brimming with locally made crafts, art, and delightful treats. The grand Christmas tree is one of the best, buskers fill the air, and shimmering illuminations really create a mood. York isn’t that big, so you can explore the historic centre on foot, venturing into The Shambles Market for more medieval charm. Award-winning for a reason.

Dates: November 16, 2023 – December 23, 2023
Nearest station: York
Nearest car park: Coppergate or Q-Park, but York Park & Ride is free, with £3.60 buses every 12mins.
Website

Of course, there are more Christmas markets and let’s face it, there’s rarely a bad one, but we think these stand out. Enjoy!

What is Poitín and What Should I Try?

What is Poitín?

Poitín, pronounced puh-cheen, and derived from, ‘little pot’ (referring to the pot still distillation technique), is an unaged spirit from Ireland, usually made from potatoes or barley… and its history is fascinating.

The history of Poitín

Known as Irish Moonshine, Poitín is the precursor to whiskey, being used as currency, medicine and of course, as a spirit since at least the 6th century. It’s hugely varied, but has always been a farm spirit, made in a single pot still using whatever starch is around the person making it. That now has to be potato, cereals, grain, whey, sugar beet or molasses, but historically it’s been milk and even bark!

It was outlawed in 1661 after a Irish spirits tax, and not overturned until, staggeringly, 1987, so it was completely unregulated and therefore massively versatile for centuries. It’s a huge part of Irish identity and history, and these days Poitín is brewed all over Ireland, as we found out when we went there for The Three Drinkers in Ireland.

Mixologists and adventurous drinkers are beginning to experiment with Poitín as it pops up on more and more bar menus, but there are still misconceptions and unknowns about it, especially outside of Ireland. Some people still think it’s illegal, some people think it’s only made from potatoes, and perhaps most damaging of all, it is seen by some as being poorly distilled. Of course, in the past, being illegal and made in many cases by amateurs, this was often the case. Nowadays though, it is going the way of mezcal, being expertly made and experiencing a resurgence, and all whilst celebrating its deep historical roots.

Which Poitín should I try?

Micil Irish Poitín

This takes is a complex Poitín with a herbal feel, as the botanicals are pot distilled – bog myrtyle, hawberry, heather and locally-picked Connemara bogbean are all included for intriguing kicks of florality and spice.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 44%
Find here: £33.94

Killowen Poitin

A far cry from a farmyard botch job, this recipe has been refined for generations using malted grain smoked on site by local turf fires in the handmade kiln of the Mourne family, and blended with unmalted too. It’s earthy, fresh and hits with aniseed, clove, and cinnamon spice. Tonnes of depth without wood maturation.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 48%
Find here: £33.99

Teeling Spirit of Dublin Poitin

A 50/50 split of unmalted and malted barley, this picked up Gold at the Irish Whiskey Masters two years running. The baking notes are sweet, and one sip coats the mouth with a wonderful creamy texture.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 52.5%
Find here: £34.95

Mad March Hare Poitin

Using locally grown barley, Mad March Hare uses a historical recipe, bringing through lemon and lime to show off the diverse range of the spirit. Smooth and malty, this is a curious try indeed.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £35.25

Ban Poitin

Forget ‘Ban Poy-tin’, this is pronounced ‘Bawn Putch-een’. Potatoes, malted barley, and sugar beet go into this traditional spirit with a moreish oily texture, and buckets of sweet spice. The subtle mocha notes are a nice touch too.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 48%
Find here: £41.50

Ballykeefe Poitín

Hailing from County Kilkenny, this eco-friendly Poitín innovatively reuses the heat from its cooling systems across its visitor centre and farm. Most importantly though, it tastes great, with an earthy quality, as well as clean smoothness.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 40%
Find here: £44.95

If you’re always up for exploring drinks you might have heard about but never tried, check out our other guides, like Mead and Pisco.

8 Delicious Winter Mocktails

It’s no secret that some mocktails can be a little underwhelming, but these 8 winter recipes are not about compromise – they’re bold, delicious, and completely comforting on a cold winter’s night.

Forget any hangover or sluggish feeling, because these seasonal mocktails get you in the festive spirit and leave you rejuvenated. They’re pretty simple to make, wonderfully refreshing and crucially, they leave you with that special feeling a cocktail should always come with.

We keep up to date with the latest and greatest in the world of No-Low drinks, and whilst there are recipes below that don’t use alternatives, some do, so if you haven’t found your No-Lo go-to just yet, check here and here!

Hot Spiced Apple and Ginger Ale

Get that hob on for this soul-soothing mix of zest, warmth, sweet apple, and winter spices. The juice to cider ratio is down to personal preference and the sweetness of your cider, but using both does round the mix off nicely.

Ingredients (for a jug)
250ml apple juice
150ml no-lo apple cider
1 large cinnamon stick
3 cloves
2 star anise
400ml ginger ale
Apple wedges rolled in sugar (optional garnish)

Method
As with any hot cocktail, it’s about heating gradually and stirring constantly. Slowly add everything except the ginger ale, and heat until just before a simmer. Turn the heat down just a smidge for 5 minutes, and then off all together. Let everything infuse and add your ginger ale, before serving up.

Cranberry Mojito

A festive makeover for a cocktail classic, the sweetness comes from a beautifully seasonal cranberry syrup (1:1:1 ratio of water, sugar, and cranberries, heated and strained). It’s as fresh as a winter walk and as vibrant as a crackling fire. Using a sugar cane based no-lo really makes this mix, but most no-lo gins would also work, and even just sticking with soda water is refreshing, but you may want to include orange juice then!

Ingredients
60ml white rum alternative (like Lyre’s White Cane Spirit)
25ml cranberry syrup
Soda water to top up
Juice of 1 lime
Small handful of muddled mint
Mint leaves and fresh cranberries (optional garnish)

Method
Muddle the mint with the lime juice and pour over cranberry syrup and your white rum alternative. Strain, and top up with soda water before making it pretty with a sprig of mint and a few fresh berries.

Cranberry and Pomegranate Punch

This punch walks the tightrope between tart and sweet perfectly, brimming with fruity goodness.  For extra sweetness, whip yourself up a cranberry syrup (recipe above). The sparkling water gives it a lovely, light fizz, and if you’ve got a no-lo vodka you like, add that in. So reinvigorating.

Ingredients (for a jug)
350ml pomegranate juice
70ml cranberry syrup
300ml cranberry juice
400ml sparkling water
2tbsp grenadine
10 mint leaves
4 lime wedges
100ml no-lo vodka (optional)
fresh cranberries and lime (garnish)

Method
For stronger mint taste, muddle at the bottom of the jug first. With generous helpings of ice, stir everything, except the sparkling water, together in a punch bowl or jug. Top your mix up with that, before scattering some cranberries and lime wedges to finish.

Non-Alcoholic Eggnog

It doesn’t get much more wintery than eggnog, and the great thing about is that so many spirits work in it. Some people use brandy, others bourbon, rum, Cognac... it goes on, and the same therefore goes for no-lows! It’s silky smooth, decadent, and gorgeously rich, especially once you’ve added your chosen spirit - think dark, rich fruits, and warming spices.

Ingredients (for 4)
120ml no-low spirit (like Lyre’s American Malt, Crossip ‘Dandy Smoke, or Fluére Spiced Cane)
whipped cream (optional garnish)
grated nutmeg (optional garnish)
Eggnog:
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 eggs
120ml double cream
100ml whole milk
100ml condensed milk
50g caster sugar

Method
For the eggnog, whisk your eggs with vanilla essence and caster sugar until it goes creamy. Slowly whisk in the milk, in 25ml intervals, and repeat with condensed milk. Repeat with the cream. Cover and refrigerate for over 2 hours. If you find that the mixture is too thick after cooling, add milk and blend. When ready, pour into your glasses or mugs and slowly stir in your spirit. Finish with grated nutmeg, perhaps cinnamon, and whipped cream if you want to go all out. What a treat.

Minty White Russian

This winter-filled peppermint White Russian works so well, bringing that indulgent coffee cream up front, and the refreshing herbaceous minty taste behind. The coffee hits you with that energy boost we all need now and again, but there’s a lot in here so a little relaxing CBD balances the effect out nicely, creating more of the drinking experience you get from alcohol.

Ingredients
30ml chilled coffee
30ml non-alcoholic coffee liqueur (like Lyre’s Coffee Originale)
50ml heavy cream
30ml milk
15ml peppermint syrup
dash of CBD bitters (optional) (like OTO)

Method
Peppermint syrup is super easy to make. You can use essence, or leaves, but the easiest way is to mix peppermint tea with sugar syrup (water and sugar) in a 1:1 to split on the hob. Then shake everything with ice until it’s chilled, and strain over fresh ice.  

Apple Pie Sangria Mocktail

Sangria ain’t just for summer, not with a few adaptations anyway. Simpler than it first appears, this a really nicely balanced mocktail that builds and builds on a white wine spritzer. Sweet apple and sour lemon play off your No-Lo wine, all underlined with vanilla syrup as well as honey and cinnamon on the rim is so tasty.

Ingredients (for jug)
40ml wine alternative (preferably white, like Chardonnay)
40ml apple juice
20ml lemon juice
handful of cranberries
dash of vanilla syrup
honey and cinnamon sugar (for rim)
apple slice (garnish)

Method
A simple syrup is always heating equal parts sugar and water, and simply adding vanilla pods here is enough to make your vanilla syrup with great natural flavour (you could use vanilla essence if you really want). Shake ice, the juices, the No-Lo wine, and this syrup until thoroughly cold and mixed. Roll the rim of your glass in honey and then cinnamon sugar so it’s evenly distributed all the way round. Strain carefully, especially with fresh juice, and pour, finishing with an apple slice.

Thyme Clementine

This is one normally mixed with vodka and by all means, you can use a No Lo vodka but it’s just as enjoyable without. Sweet and herby, you’re getting antimicrobial benefits from the fresh thyme and buckets of vitamin C from the clementines. It feels festive, light and refreshing, and makes you feel great too! Win win.

Ingredients
1tbsp of chopped fresh tyme
80ml boiling water
3 juiced clementines
thyme sprigs and clementine-peel (garnish) 

Method
Pour boiling water of thyme and let it steep for 20 minutes. Then strain and refrigerate. In the meantime, get juicing those clementines and straining into a glorious juice. Don’t forget the seeds! Lastly, combine the two by pouring int chilled glasses.

Tom Collins Mocktail

With their diverse botanicals, gins are some of the best and most popular non-alcoholic spirits. A lot of cocktails and mocktails drown them out, but something as simple and clean as the Tom Collins lets them shine. Lemon juice adds the zip, a simple dash of syrup sweetens proceedings, and the star of the show is your No-Lo gin.

Ingredients
60ml gin alternative (like Sea Arch or New London Light)
20ml simple syrup
25ml lemon juice (ideally fresh)
top up with soda water
lemon slice (optional garnish)

Method
Shakers at the ready. Throw everything in except the soda then pour the mixture over a tall glass with ice. Top up with soda water to your hearts content and voila.

If you need ideas for specific, No-Lo drinks then check the links in the introduction! Also, non-alcoholic creations are absolutely flourishing right now, so a lot of them are very much their own thing and not looking to duplicate any boozy version – so if the profile sounds and tastes right, experiment with it in mocktails!

What Should I Drink With Classic British Puddings?

The perfect tipple with your favourite dessert – is there anything that hits the spot more? There are plenty of differing textures, flavours and of course, a lot of sweetness at play with British puddings and desserts, so a sip of the wrong drink can easily clash.

Of course, the right drink and every part of the experience can be enhanced. We’ve listed some of the drinks that work best with classic British puddings below, and as a general rule, you want your drink to be sweeter than the other dishes – especially when it comes to wine.

There are lots of other factors at play though, so scan for your favourite dessert in bold below and see what takes it to that next level.

White Wine

Riesling

We’re looking for two things – sweetness, and acidity, so that the wine doesn’t taste bitter, and so that there’s no overbearing cloying sweetness. Riesling is the most versatile food-friendly wine, and for any plain cheesecakes, it’s spot on. Also, lemon drizzle is a tough one to match with the central flavour being so bold, but a sweet Riesling works well. Lastly, if it’s a dryer Riesling with lots of citrus and green apple notes, then it will be able to slice into the sweetness of an apple crumble without clashing. This Dr. Loosen Riesling is from the Mosel Valley, which produce sweeter expressions. It also has pronounced fruits so it’s ideal.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 8.5%
Find here: £8.20

DESSERT WINE

Muscat

Muscats provided a lovely golden sweetness, slight florality and spice, as well as a lot of fruits. If you’ve got a sweet tooth, then you get sip on Muscat with chocolate cake and other sweet chocolate puddings. The same goes for Bakewell tart and bread and butter pudding, which, if you’re a fan of the sweetness, you can pair with Muscat – though this might be a little too much for some. This Italian sweety is a good place to start.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 13.5%
Find here: £10

Fortified Wine

Madeira

During its production process, Maderia wine is heated so there’s plenty of stewed fruits and burnt sugar notes, as well as nutty flavours. In fact, the nose often smells of fruit cake, so they make a heavenly couple. It’s also usually highly acidic. Madeira generally works well with chocolate cheesecake, and particularly if there are any nuts involved too. It’ll also take on the intense rich sweetness of sticky toffee pudding for a dreamy marriage of indulgence. This one from Blandy’s is full-on and fruity.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 19%
Find here: £14.99

Port

Tawny Port in particular is a great way to go, full to the brim with red and black fruits and like Maderia, those nutty flavours. It’s not as acidic as Madeira, but there’s still enough to cut through. Tawny Port provides a somewhat drier option for luxurious dark chocolate desserts, toffee/caramel cheesecakes, and sticky toffee pudding. Tawny Ports over 20 years old are also known to be complimentary with coffee cake, when the nutty nuances have really developed. This Kopke Tawny is lovely and rich, with velvety smoothness enriching any creaminess.

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

SPARKLING WINE

Moscato d’Asti

Sparkling Moscato tend to be low in alcohol and higher in sweeter than Prosecco, so pair well with a few desserts. Most trifles in the classic format will go nicely, with the bubbles breaking up any heavy custard and cream. Moscato d’Asti is also a good choice for lighter, spongier cakes without loads of intense flavours – so almond cakes, pound cakes and Victoria sponge.

Size: 750ml
ABV: 12%
Find here: £8.99

Cocktails

Kir Royale

A nice strawberry or raspberry liqueur topped up with Champagne works a treat for berry and meringue desserts – think Eton mess and pavlova. The cassis is an obvious dream pairing for the berries, complementing the flavour and sweetness, and the Champagne provides a pleasant acidic crunch, with those bubbles refreshing the palate.

Beer & Cider

Fruit Flavoured Beers like Belgian Fruli, Kriek, and Frambozen

Raspberry or cherry beers are plentiful in the Belgian style, and pair nicely with any berry cheesecakes. Also, if you’re enjoying a chocolate pudding on the lighter side, these kinds of beers go surprisingly well, particularly if those fruits are in it of course. You could also look to these beers for Bakewell tart and cherry trifles because they have a refreshing tartness that both matches and offsets the sweetness simultaneously.

Size: 250ml
ABV: 3.5%
Find here: £2.05

Apple Cider

You can probably tell where this is going. Part of the cider resurgence has been down to their sweetness, which makes them perfect for apple desserts – especially traditional apple pies and apple crumbles. Make sure it’s a bubbly cider, and the fizz and crispness marry the warm richness of the crumble deliciously.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 6.8%
Find here: £2.50

We’ve got a few pairings guides up on the site now, so for more sweet options specific to pancakes go here!

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!

The Best Boozy Advent Calendars of 2023

It’s November which means that Christmas items have been slowly but surely popping up everywhere we look, and whilst the build up to Christmas can be stressful, there’s no reason it shouldn’t just be the kids that get all the excitement.

This year’s boozy advent calendars are being released, and aside from being a great surprise each day, they’re actually a brilliant way to explore a drink you’ve been meaning to try, with 24 miniatures giving you a taste of what’s on offer.

We’ve got something for everyone with our handy guide below identifying the best advent calendar for gin, rum, tequila, vodka, whisky, wine, cognac, and beer. Treat yourself!

Oh, and wine drinkers in particular, if you want to save yourself a bit of money then how about making your own DIY Advent with beautiful, canned wines? Take a look here!

The Best Gin Advent Calendar

Craft Gin Club Advent Calendar

The biggest gin subscription club in the UK is offering a 50ml bottle of craft gin behind each door, finishing on a special G&T on the big day itself. There’s a brand-new selection of gins picked out over the year, including seven exclusives like Tarquin’s Mince Pie Gin that you can’t get anywhere else. You also get expert suggestions for mixers and garnishes for every bottle, which you can buy as a separate bundle if you wish. We’ve had a sneak peek and we don’t want to give too much more away but gin lovers, you will not be left disappointed!

Find here: £94.95

The Best Rum Advent Calendar

The Whisky Exchange 24 Days of Rum Advent Calendar

Rum isn’t the most popular spirit for calendars, and we’re not sure why. It’s more popular for cocktails, but sipping rums are an exciting world once you find your favourite, and trying 24 different miniatures is the perfect way to do that. Not only does this calendar opens doors to every type of rum from all over – with Caribbean classics and lesser known gems from Scotland and Australia, but you also get full tasting notes to light the way and two glasses.

Find here: £84.95

The Best Tequila & Mezcal Advent Calendar

The Spirit Co Tequila & Mezcal Advent Calendar

Because of its association with shots, tequila is far from the first spirit people think of when it comes to boozy advent calendars, but despite the 30ml minis included, this is about exploring the diverse world of fresh, fruity tequila and floral, smoky mezcal. Blancos, Reposados, Añejos and Mezcals await behind each door of this lovely looking calendar, for you to truly explore a spirit dating back to the Aztecs.

Find here: £131.99

The Best Vodka Advent Calendar

Drinks by the Dram – Vodka Advent Calendar

Here’s 24 wonderfully varied 30ml vodkas to put a kick into your Christmas build up, focusing on unique blends from all four corners of the planet. Vodka is another spirit that some drinkers only have bad experiences with after trying a throat burner, so these tasters are a great introduction to what the spirit can be. Reputable brands like Chase and Cîroc are includes, as well Jaffa Cake Vodka, Brecon Five and an intriguing Chardonnay Vodka.

Find here: £89.95

The Best Whisky Advent Calendar

Master of Malt Whisky Advent Calendars

Master of Malt have a stunning selection of 14 different whisky advents, for newbies looking to get into it, seasoned dram drainers, and everything in between. The Whisky Explorer’s Edition is a great for adventures, That Boutique-y Company is for unusual independent releases, and there’s the Japanese Whisky Advent Calendar featuring some of the country’s best producers. If you’ve got the money, then there’s even the Old and Rare selection for £999, and for a Christmas you’ll never forget, there’s the Very Old and Rare calendar priced at £9,999!

Find here: £99.55-£9999.95

The Best Wine Advent Calendar

Virgin Wines Advent Calendar

One of the original players in the world of wine advents, Virgin Wines are one of the UK’s largest suppliers and this year they have premium boxes of 24 mini wines (mixed, red, or white) from across the world, with an extra special treat behind door 25 to wash down the Christmas dinner. Click the link, pick your box and you can see exactly what bottles are included.

Find here: £89.99

John Lewis Fizz

It’s not just their Christmas ad that’s the best because this bubbly bonanza is probably the best sparkling wine selection out there, with champagne, prosecco and six variations of Bottega wines. There’s a couple of Freixenet bottles and a Charles de Mignon champagne as the highlight. Christmas is all about the bubbles, and this makes every day in the run up a joy.

Find here: £140

The Best Cognac Advent Calendar

The Spirit Co Cognac Advent Calendar

After falling in love with Cognac and the release of The Three Drinkers in Cognac, we have to include this gem. Celebrating the Charente vineyards, every day brings you a touch of rich, velvety French luxury of various ages. They’re perfect for whipping up Cognac Cocktails, or sipping to find your favourite.

Find here: £200.39

The Best Beer Advent Calendar

John Lewis Beer & Snacks Advent Calendar

Christmas is the season for snacks, so why not combine them with beer in this festive box, with 14 glass bottles and 10 accompanying snacks. Lager, craft lager, pale ales and iconic pub snacks are all thrown in to bring all the pub vibes to your celebrations.

Find here: £80

If you want to save yourself a bit of money and make your own calendar, then we’ve given you 12 Canned Wines to get you on your way!