Well here we are at the end of a year that feels strangely like the last with all the Covid Christmas cancellations. If there’s one thing we can all get behind, however, it is to make sure we drink damn well as we raise a glass or two to the New Year. Find out who’s made the cut in our final drinks editorial of the year – What To Drink This New Year’s Eve.
1. CUCIELO Rosso You’ll need good vermouth to knock out some seriously special Negronis on the last night of the year! CUCIELO is a range of sustainably created vermouths, packaged in an art deco style. Hailing from Italy’s Piedmont region, CUCIELO Rosso is a rich, intricate Italian vermouth with added warming winter spices featuring caramelised orange and rhubarb aromatics. Serve it on its own on the rocks, or add to your classic Negroni or Manhattan. RRP £25.00 https://cucielo.com/
2. English Heritage Organic Dry Gin If you’re wondering which gin to choose for your NYE Negroni, or simply want a top-notch G&T, we say keep it UK. The British Honey Company has unveiled its brand-new English Heritage Organic Dry Gin, just in time for party season! Inspired by the beautiful gardens of English Heritage houses and landscapes, this gin is copper pot distilled in small batches. It’s a pine and juniper scented spirit with floral notes of rosemary and angelica seeds, then cardamon and citrus to finish. RRP £39 https://britishhoney.co.uk/
3. Snow Globe Orange & Gingerbread Gin Liqueur – EDITOR’S PICK Looking for something to add a little sparkle to your NYE? We LOVE this orange & gingerbread Snow Globe Gin Liqueur. An LED light switches on to reveal a cosy winter fireplace scene in the bottle, illustrated by artist Edwina Buckley. Give it a shake to wake the real 23 karat edible gold leaf flakes. Inside, the orange and gingerbread gin has been made with Seville oranges, cinnamon, cloves and warming spices. Try it with Prosecco or tonic. RRP £26 https://www.harveynichols.com
4. Parafante Fig Leaf Liqueur This beautifully bottled Parafante Fig Leaf Liqueur is made from fig leaves which have been harvested and dried in Calabria, Southern Italy. They are then shipped to the craft factory in London to be macerated, blended and rested before adding to the drink. The result is a rich, sweet, leafy and fruity liqueur all in equal measure. The men behind the independent brand are Graziano Madeo (Manager at Annabel’s) and Matthias Ingelmann (Head Bartender at KOL - Mezcaleria). This is the first in the range which will continue to focus on ingredients from Calabria. They’re currently experimenting with new flavours including chilli and bergamot so keep an eye out for the next expression coming soon. £22 www.parafante.com
5. The Bottled Cocktail Company Got better things to do than create all your drinks from scratch? Then try this heavenly range of pre-mixed cocktails from the Bottle Cocktail Company. Keivan Nemati is a former bartender and perfumier and has combined his expertise in both fields to create bar-worthy cocktails to pour at home. Each of the range is bottled at sipping strength and designed to enjoyed straight up, or from the freezer. We sampled the Dry Gin Martini. Simply pop into the fridge to chill a couple of hours before you want to serve, add a twist of lemon peel and serve on ice.
RRP £36 https://sipandshare.co.uk/
6. UP | Ultimate Provence If you’re looking for a classy, high-end rosé to bring out for guests, here’s a beautiful Provence rosé (Ultimate Provence) and we love the art deco bottle. Sustainably made with unique grape growing conditions, UP rosé is a blend of Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache and Rolle, with classic Provence rosé notes of red berries in addition to fresh citrus and herbaceous pine.
RRP Currently £17.99 on offer at Waitrose https://www.ultimateprovence.com
7. Sparkling Harlot And now for some choice bubbles: Sparking Harlot is a new Charmat method English sparkling wine made in Kent. Bright, blingy, sustainably made and affordably priced, choose from their Sparkling Harlot Brut with notes of pear, apricot and English elderberry and Sparkling Harlot Rosé featuring fruity notes of apple and strawberries. RRP £15-£16 https://thewinecaverns.com/products/harlot-brut
8. Haig Whiskey Mediterranean Orange Finally it wouldn’t be right not to mention a whisky for those wanting a wee dram or two to toast the chimes. This limited edition Haig Whiskey grain Scotch whisky has natural orange flavours so offers something a little different for your whisky collection and also brings an added dimension to cocktails. Made in Scotland’s most sustainable distillery Cameronbridge,
in collaboration with David Beckham, you’ll find citrusy orange and orange blossom notes together with a sweeter marmalade element. RRP Currently £16 on offer at Waitrose https://www.waitrosecellar.com
[Items in this article may have been gifted to Chatting Food. No financial payment has been made to feature in this article, and entries to the feature are made independently by members of the Editorial Team. This page contains affiliate links and we may receive a small commission for purchases]
Chatting Food Features Editor Jo Aspin
Half American / half (born and bred) Londoner, Jo Aspin is a food writer and established freelance food, drink and lifestyle PR. When she’s not eating her way around London, she’s planning her next trip abroad.
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