Recently, I have been sampling many no- and low-ABV spirits to try to find refreshing and satisfying alternatives to full-strength Spritzes and other hot-weather cocktails. One of my go-tos has been MARY, a botanical blend that is (very) low in alcohol, 6% ABV, and therefore also low in calories – only 9 calories in 25ml. […]
Pinkster Gin is one of the few pink gins that I enjoy on a regular basis, especially in the spring and summer months. Their perfect G&T serve with mint and raspberries is refreshing and ideal for the season. I thought it would be a nice idea to put together a blog post with some of […]
What is Mezcal? Mezcal is a spirit from Mexico made from the heart (piña) of an agave plant. It takes from six to 35 years for an agave plant to grow. No other raw materials used to make a spirit take as long to mature. Mexicans consider mezcal to be part of their cultural heritage […]
The spirits industry has been male-dominant for quite some time, yet it was women who used to do the hard yards of distilling and distribution in the pre-industrial era. Back in the day, it was common practice to make spirits from the comfort of your home using the ingredients at hand, and the work was […]
Spiced gins are very popular, and no wonder as the spices work beautifully in many cocktails, including our favourite Negroni. Spiced gin is often created with the ancient spice routes in mind. Ships sailed through various countries on their way to the UK to meet the high demand for a wide array of spices from […]
The growth of the no- and low-alcohol category has been steady for some time now, but it seems like it has really taken off in the last year during the pandemic. Now you can easily find a range of products including non-alcoholic vermouths, bitters and various botanical blends as well as the existing range of […]
Every year leading up to Valentine’s Day we team up with Pinkster Gin to give away some of their delicious pink gin and other goodies. I’m so pleased we can do this again this year as I’ve been a fan of Pinkster Gin from the first sip and it has remained one of the very […]
I haven’t written about grappa for a while, and my previous articles focus a lot on specific distilleries. I thought it might be helpful just to offer an all-rounder on the category, a beginner’s guide to grappa, if you wish. Let’s start with the basics. What is grappa? Grappa is a spirit made using what […]
When you are new to whisky, it can be a minefield to choose ones suitable for a beginner’s palate. There’s always the fear of not liking something and ruining the whole experience at the first few yards. You want something easy sipping, nothing overly complex, but with still enough oomph to make you want to […]