Our Iconic Gifts Spring Drinks Guide 2016
Spring is here and it’s time to dust off the best glasses, get outside and enjoy a fantastic drink or two. Whether you are a fan of gin, fizz, beer or wine, we have some great suggestions for the season.
Brockmans Gin (£31.99)
O gin, how we love gin! Brockman’s gin has the tag line “A gin like no other” – quite a bold claim. However, certainly from an aesthetic point of view, the bottle is most definitely an eye grabbing and wonderful piece of design.
The bottle is dark, sophisticated and classy. This very much sets the tone for the contents and ultimately the star of the show, the gin. Brockmans uses a distinctive blend of botanicals to create a fantastic depth of flavour, but then on top of this there is the addition of Bulgarian coriander and ginger orange. The coriander in particular giving this gin a distinctive and unique aroma. To supplement the aroma, the addition of Valencia oranges gives this gin yet another differentiator. If you are looking for a super smooth and unique gin for the Spring, then we would highly recommend taking on this seductive and modern offering. Brockmans is available at specialist retailers, Oddbins, Wine Rack and through online retailers priced at around £31.99
Why not try this Brockmans Sour Bee Fizz – we loved it!!
- 50ml Brockmans Gin
- 15ml Lime juice
- 15ml Lemon juice
- 25ml Honey syrup
- 1 egg white
Recipe: Add the juice of the two limes and lemons, followed by Honey syrup, an egg white and Brockmans Gin. Then shake vigorously over ice and single strain into a margarita-style glass. Add a twist of lemon to garnish / or crimp a lemon peel twist and place on the glass.
Veuve Monsigny Pink Champagne Brut Rose (£13.99 from Aldi)
Aldi is one of our must visit places for great value and great quality fizz. Once againt they have managed to pull of a fantastic champagne with this Veuve Monsigny Brut Rose. This champagne has been created in association with Champagne Philizot. This fantastic producer is run by husband and wife duo Stéphane and Virginie Philizot. The result is a gorgeous rose and a delicious red berry fruitiness. A really elegant and vibrant champagne, for under £14 this is an absolute steal.
Veuve Monsigny Blan de Blanc Champagne (£14.99 from Aldi)
For a champagne with a little more refinement and craft, we would certainly suggest this 100% chardonnay vintage. An extremely drinkable and well balanced champagne, there is a creaminess and citrus feel to the wine. This is ideal for a special occasion or drinking out in the sun, just because. For under £15 this champagne really competes with champagnes in the £20-£25 bracket from other shops. A great buy!
Perfect Drink App Controlled Smart Cocktails & Bartending (£49.99)
Create the ‘perfect’ cocktail and other fascinating beverages using simple to follow app-powered instructions. Use your smartphone or tablet to view hundreds of recipes and features a smart scale, steel shaker and device stand. Grab it here.
- Fun and easy drink creation with no more measuring
- Tasty recipes every single time
- Digital smart scale, stainless steel shaker and device stand
- Serving size options and timer
- Hundreds of recipes by professionals
- Create your own recipes
- Free companion app
Cider & Crackling Crate of Awesomeness (£29.99)
I am sure your dad is the same as mine – he absolutely loves crackling, pork scratching’s and all things pork! We were lucky enough to receive a jar of the Snaffling Pig habanero flavoured pork crackling snacks. Snaffling Pig really has created the real pinnacle of this classic pub snack and the habanero spice gives them a gorgeous heat too.
Pork and apple always goes down a treat, so this “crate of awesomeness” is sure to hit the spot. This Gift Pack pairs a flavoured Gift Jar of your choice with a selection of four suitably named Orchard Pig and Hogs Back Brewery cider bottles. What better way to make Dad smile? We can’t think of one! From http://www.snafflingpig.co.uk/.
Goose Island IPA and Honkers Ale (£1.75 each)
Goose Island is a fantastic brewing company located just across the pond and boy do they know how to do great beer. This Father’s Day, we have two recommendations from their catalogue the Goose Island IPA and the Goose Island Honkers Ale. The IPA is hoppy and yet deliciously citrusy too.
A dry malt middle gives way to a long hop finish. A very enjoyable and tasty IPA for sure. Goose Island Honkers Ale is apparently inspired by English country pubs and therefore should be a hit with your Father for sure. This one has a fruity aroma and rich malt middle. Be careful, this one is very quaffable and you may want to buy a few bottles of this to keep thirst at bay!
Blason De Bourgogne Chablis 75cl
Chablis is one of our favourites and we think this £10 bottle gives great value for money this Spring. Ideal with shellfish or chicken, this Chablis is fruity and not overly dry. A touch on the acidic side some may suggest, but it has great hints of lime and a highly refreshing finish. This is best served chilled at 10 to 11°C and it is our white wine pick of the season. Fun, drinkable and easy going.
