The Cocktail Lovers

In this episode we're taking our tastebuds on a journey that goes from London via Latin America, Kentucky to England and various stops in between.  We start with Never Say Die, a whiskey distilled in Kentucky, then shipped to England for its final maturation. We then head to Sweden for a taste of Bex Almqvist's fresh take in a traditional Nordic spirit, Rejmyre Akvavit. This week’s read is a...

It wasn't planned, but Martinis pop up a few times in this episode. Not in our product reviews, which feature Planteray Cut and Dry Coconut Rum and Tito's Handmade Vodka (although, come to think of it, the latter would make a fab base if vodka-based Martinis are your thing). As the title suggests, they're front of centre of our featured book ' The Martini – The Ultimate Guide to a Cocktail Icon' b...

Appearance, aroma, flavour – the enjoyment of great drinks works on many levels – driven by aesthetics or emotions. Behind them, though, is often a great deal of deep and demanding thinking. This episode celebrates this thinking. We have two products which take on the difficult task of creating delicious non-alcoholic drinks: the complex Crossip Blazing Pineapple and, the delicious ready-to- drink...

In this episode we look back at some of our favourite moments of 2024 and look forward to 2025. Top of our list is a visit to Mexico for the two venues from this week's guests: Maura and Alex Lawrence Milia. For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com What we're mixing: Imperial Cocktail 45ml London Dry Gin 45ml dry vermouth 2.5ml Maraschino Liqueur 2 dashes Angostura aromatic b...

We're less than a week away from Christmas Day and we don't know about you but we're definitely in the festive mood. While this episode won’t see us going into full eggnog and sleigh-bell sound effects mode, we're certainly offering a nod in the Christmas direction. Our book choice is one that we always rely on for the season – it’s How To Drink At Christma s from Victoria Moore. As for our produc...

De Kuyper is an icon in the drinks world. It’s been producing spirits for over 300 years, and the liqueurs, for which is rightly famous, for more than a century. So in this special episode we’re thrilled to be joined by De Kuyper Master Distiller Myriam Hendrickx, and De Kuyper Global Brand Ambassador Max de Smit to find out more, including what makes De Kuyper so special, insights into some of th...

Twenty years ago today Jason Kosmas, Dushan Zaríc, Igor Hadzismajlovic, Henry LaFargue and Bill Gilroy opened Employees Only NYC and we're thrilled that Jason and Dushan are joining us to talk all things EO today. But before we get to hear their thoughts on everything from the art of free pouring to how they build and retain their teams, we check out some new products and a recently opened bar. In...

We love Christmas as much as the next person but at this time of year comes the dreaded question of what to gift family and friends. That’s where this special podcast episode comes in. We’ve teamed up with our friends at Cider Mill Press to delve through their extensive catalogue of cocktail books and suggest Christmas gifts that are as useful as they are beautiful.   Whether cocktail aficion...

Boy oh boy, have we got a packed episode for you and the key words are: Luxury, Limited-edition, Sensualism and Secret Hideaway… The luxury comes in the form of our first product, Komos Anejo Cristalino tequila while the limited-edition is Le Clos Series, Batch #5 from our friends at Takamaka rum in the Seychelles. Sensualism is courtesy of our book choice, The Maison Premier Almanac: Cocktails, O...

It's been a while but we're back and we're super excited to be focusing on one of our favourite cocktail cities, New Orleans. Both of our products are deeply rooted in New Orleans and the official cocktail of the city, the Sazerac. First up, we have Sazerac Straight Rye Whiskey, followed by Sazerac De Forge Cognac, produced in small batches and made in the same way it was 200 years ago. In our fir...

Since its launch in 2020, The House of Suntory has become renowned by bartenders, owners and managers for its exclusive DOJO programme. More than just another advocacy initiative, The House of Suntory DOJO has been curated with one aim: personal progression. Which it does to great effect by imparting the knowledge, wisdom and expertise behind the art of Japanese bartending through the core princip...

We’re just back from Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans where we're absolutely thrilled to have been awarded 'Best Cocktail & Spirits Publication' at the Spirited Awards. Whoop!! While it was very hot there, it’s been pretty damned steamy back home in the UK too. So, like most, we're looking at ways to enjoy the rays whilst keeping cool. Which is where this episode comes in… Starting with ou...

We've always been about the amazing creativity that runs throughout this industry – that goes for the people and products and of course, the drinks. We’re ticking all of those boxes in this episode, starting with our products, both of which show off their creativity by breaking convention in where they are made: the first is Outelier rum from the Isle of Man the other is Sogood sake made in Califo...

In keeping with the theme of the summer issue of The Cocktail Lovers magazine, we're dedicating this episode to some of the many amazing people of colour in the world of drinks. Our first product is a rum, but this one is different. It's Matugga Rum – rooted in Jamaica, with East African flavours but blended in, wait for it – Scotland! We then crack open another bottle with an equally surprising s...

We have a glorious mish-mash of tastes and experiences in this episode and we've loved every one of them. Starting with our two featured products, the omnipresent Mr Black Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur and the small batch Baba au Rum Special Edition Guyana Single Cask Rum. Our book choice sees us going back in time, to 1948 in fact. This is when David A. Embury first published The Fine Art of Mixing Dr...

It's World Gin Day on 8th June, so what better reason to crack open not one, but two bottles of tasty gins? Our first is Citadelle Rouge from France, the other is Garden Swift, a deliciously crafted gin lovingly made in the Cotswolds. Jim Meehan is no slouch when it comes to writing ace cocktail books and in his latest The Bartender's Pantry – A Beverage Handbook for the Universal Bar , he's partn...

Before we get started, please accept our apologies: there are some shocking pronunciations coming up. But what we lack in Mexican fluency, we certainly make up for in passion for the spirits the country produces. In this episode we open two bottles of tequila, Avíon Silver and Patrón Extra Añejo; get all scholarly delving into The Essential Tequila & Mezcal Companion – How to select, collect &...

Foodies have Michelin stars, and now, thanks to Hannah Sharman-Cox, Siobhan Payne and Dan Dove, the drinks world has an equivalent with the long-awaited launch of The Pinnacle Guide. But before we catch up with the terrific trio we have some business to tend to, in the form of our usual reviews. On the agenda, our pick of products… The first is Ramsbury Raspberry and Wildflower Honey Gin, a delici...

Every day’s a school day here at cocktail towers – and, as ever, we’ve enjoyed our lessons on the people, places and products featured in this episode. We’ve learned about The Heart Cut, the single cask, small batch spirits company founded by Georgie Bell and her partner Fabio; been tutored on armagnac courtesy of Marquis de Montesquieu armagnac and genned up on sharpening our tastebuds by studyin...

We’re on an international journey in this episode. First, we head to warming climes for the new, limited-edition Equiano Ominira – a special blend of rums from the Caribbean and Africa. Then from one of Japan’s coldest regions, we’re tasting the delicious Toku Saké. As for our book, we’re opening up 101 Cocktails to try before you die from Belgium born, Madrid based, Francois Monti Back in Lo...

Our inaugural episode of the season is pretty damned special, it's the first one where you can watch as well as llisten in to our featured interviewee. And it's a good one, where award-winning film director Paul Feig tells us about making movies, how and why he created a gin and how to make the perfect Martini. But before the chat, we review two products from Scotland: the brand new, super-stylish...

It's the last episode of season six and have we got a great interview for you! We head over to New York to catch up with one of our absolute favourite bartenders/owners/humans, the one, the only Steve Schneider, talking about his latest venture, Sip & Guzzle. But before we hear from Steve, we're doing the usual: opening up bottles, dipping into a book and heading off to a cocktail bar to sampl...

It's our first episode of 2024, so we're giving a respectful nod to those going dry as well as those who are resolving to continue drinking alcohol – only better. Our two product reviews are a case in point: First we go all regal and head over to Highclerc Castle where they make a gin based around 10 botanicals found in the castle's Victorian orangery and monk's garden, then we pop the cork and bu...

We're taking a trip down memory lane in this episode, looking back at some of our favourite bottles and bars that we've been fortunate enough to experience in the past year. But first, we add two new products to our list: Belle De Brillet, a delicious pear and cognac liqueur and Stonewashed Cosmo, one of a limited-edition, ready-to-pour range from Mr Lyan x Whitebox cocktails. What we're tasting:...

Sponsored episode In this special episode we're joined by Victoria Symington, Brand Marketing Manager, Graham's and Alina Bazen, Graham's Blend Series Global Cocktail Competition 2023 winner. Victoria talks about working in the family business, the nuances of the two Graham's Blends Series ports and why the Graham's Blend Series Global Cocktail Competition was conceived, while, Alina shares her ex...