The Cocktail Lovers

Innovative and inspirational are the words that spring to mind when we think about the contents of this week’s episode. Here’s why… Our products are Savoia Orancio, a delicious, new aperitivo and the first to be made with an orange wine base. While beautifully reimagining what a premium pink gin can be is Shivering Mountain. The book we’re championing is Welcome Home from the bright minds at Death...

We've packed a lot into this week's episode, so sorry not sorry that it's a little longer than most… We start with a tasting of Aber Falls Single Malt Whisky from Wales and continue with Brugal 1888 Double Aged Rum from the Dominican Republic, while our pick of the week on the book front is 'Signature Cocktails' by Amanda Schuster. Instead of one bar review, we have seven from a recent visit to Ve...

We're focusing on flavour in this episode, starting with apples which get a look in with our two featured products: Showerings, a 100% apple-tastic Dry Vintage Cider hailing from Somerset and Le Morton Calvados Domfrontais, comprising 70% pears, 30% apples, hailing from Normandy. Olly Smith takes us on a journey of flavours in his World Cocktail Atlas , and we check in to Sweeties at the Standard...

We're born and bred Londoners so we make no apology for saying that London Cocktail Week is one of our favourite times of the year. To set the mood, we're opening two products raised in the capital: Jensen's Old Tom Gin and The London Essence Co, a range of premium mixers. Our bar review sees us going back to one of the original good-times spots– a bar that started life as the Covent Garden Cockta...

Today is the day that Himkok in Oslo unleash their most ambitious project yet – a catwalk collection inspired by the 13 cocktails on their new menu. But before we hear from head of research and development at Himkok, Paul Voza about that, we have this week's bottles, bar and book recommendations Our drinks reviews take in two products of the agave variety: the first is Patrón El Alto Tequila; the...

We've been saving opening our new stash of bottles for this season, so expect plenty of exciting tastings coming your way in the next few months. Starting with our two featured products in this week's episode: Hayman's Exotic Citrus Gin from London and the very recently released Vapoura Spiced Rum, made in the heart of England. Over to Paris for the day and to The Cambridge Public House, a trés ch...

The first episode of season six sees us focusing on all things new (or newish). Our pick of the new crop of products takes in Pod Pea Vodka from Manchester, and Ardray, a new whisky, blending the artistry of Japan with the traditions of Scotland. It’s over to the historic American Bar to check out the first menu by its newest head bartender, Chelsie Bailey, and our book choice is relatively new –...

Our last episode in this current season sees us taking a vacay through the world of drinks. We start with Drumshanbo Gunpowder Irish Gin with Californian Orange Citrus, before getting a taste of Mexico with Nocheluna Sotol. Italy is our destination of choice as we head to Palermo and to Villa Igiea for Salvatore Calabrese's O nce Upon A Time cocktail menu at Igiea Terrazza Bar. When it comes to ou...

June 19th, or Juneteenth as it's known, is a recognised holiday in the US, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. With that in mind, we're focusing on some of the many talented Black voices and stories in the drinks world – past and present, home and away – that we feel people need to know more about. Such as our two chosen products: Uncle Nearest and its 1884 Small Batch Wh...

It's the first day of June, so naturally we're thinking easy sipping – whether we're heading out to bars or keeping things simple but stylish at the requisite picnics, barbecues and festivals. With that in mind, our first product review is the super tangy pre-mixed, non-alcoholic Sakura Paloma from Everleaf, followed by one of the most successful bottled cocktails in the past few years, the award-...

Yes, it's World Whisky Day on 20th May but this episode isn't completely whisk(e)y flavoured. We're sampling a new non-alc botanical spirit! A brand new gin! A fabulous new bar in Hackney! And a few more bits besides. We kick things off by mixing up a Black Manhattan. No, we hadn't heard of it either but now that we've tried the delicious rye and amaro based cocktail, we're definitely keeping it i...

To tie-in with the latest issue of our magazine, this episode sees us going unapologetically geeky on numbers. We start with our two products: Dewar's Double Double 21-Year-Old anda series of three gorgeous artisanal products from The London Vermouth Company. The five-star Atrium Bar at the Four Seasons hotel in Florence gets our thumbs up – not just because it fits the theme but because it's bloo...

There’s something different and altogether rather special about this episode’s theme. It’s all about PATRÓN Tequila and more specifically about PATRÓN Perfectionists. As the name suggests it’s a celebration of the very best in tequila, education and cocktail creation. Once again the global final took place at the home of Patrón, the stunning Hacienda PATRÓN in Jalisco, Mexico. And we were fortunat...

There’s no particular rhyme or reason for what’s on our agenda this week, save for the fact that each item has either piqued our interest or seriously rocked our boat. Product-wise we’re championing Sake Sling, a new ready-to-drink sake-based cocktail developed by the late Wayne Collins. But if you’re in the mood for something stronger, London Rye from the East London Liquor Co should definit...

We start this week’s episode with a classic cocktail recipe and end it with a modern classic - a woman who is destined to be written about in cocktail history books… But first, our products, both a little bit different… We start with Tia Maria, not the coffee version but the more recent Matcha Liqueur, then move on to Charmed Circle Strong Waters from those clever folk at the Holyrood Distillery....

We’ve gone unashamedly female-focused in this episode. Why? Because there are amazing women doing great things every single day in the world of hospitality (and also, yesterday was International Women’s Day). Our first product is Appleton Estate 8-Year-Old Reserve Rum created by the legend that is Master Blender Joy Spence. That’s followed by Bombay Sapphire Premier Cru Murcian Lemon Gin, conceive...

What better time to kick off the brand new season of The Cocktail Lovers podcast than the eve of World Bartender Day? To celebrate, we're focusing on bartender-owned treats, starting with our choice of cocktail to kick off proceedings: the totally tropical, crowd-pleasing Porn Star Martini created in London by the late, very great Douglas Ankrah. Then it's on to our two product choices – a non-alc...

Are you doing 'Dry' this January? If so, we've got your back. In our last episode in this season we're putting the growing non-alcoholic category very much in focus and trust us, we were very impressed. We start by tasting two new products, High Point Ruby Aperitif made in Cornwall and Savyll, a range of ready-to-drink cocktails from London. Lyaness is our bar of choice. Why? Because we love the w...

Our penultimate episode sees us looking back on some of our favourite people, places and products from the past 12 months including: Places Amaro Common Decency Himkok Line Seed Library Velvet Products Beefeater Crown Jewel Capreolus Distillery Fords Sloe Gin Nixta Corn Liqueur Woven Whisky People Simone Caporale & Marc Alvarez Drew Fleming Giacomo Gianotti Dan & Joe Schofield What we're m...

Hands up if you've still got the Christmas shopping to do? Yup, us too… Don't worry, there's still time to get your Santa on (Royal Mail permitting) and to help you, we've picked out a list of gifts for the cocktail lovers in your life – from £10 and under to blow the budget. see thecocktaillovers.com for gift ideas and website details What we're mixing: Julie's Sherry Cobbler ( 1 large or 2 small...

Martini anyone? Whether you're a gin or vodka fan, we've got a winning base for you. In the vodka corner we have Elit, smooth-as-you-like thanks to its signature freeze-filteration process, and representing gin we have the re-released Beefeater Crown Jewel, weighing in at a hefty 50% ABV. Martinis feature in our book choice, 'Cocktails, A Still Life', written by Christine Sismondo and James Waller...

It's getting chilly here in Cocktail Towers so we're gravitating towards the rum corner of our cocktail cabinet. Our first review sees us warming up with Rum Union, a new product from the Holyrood Distillery in Scotland (!), before we succumb to the tropical heat found in La Hechicera Rum, hailing from sunny Colombia. We've always liked the look and feel of velvet as a fabric but the new bar at th...

What do we do when there's a nip in the air? We warm up with some gorgeous drinks. First out of the drinks cabinet is Stauning Smoke Whisky – our pick for Bonfire Night, or any autumn/winter night for that matter. We follow that with an indulgent but dairy-free treat, Black Lines Oatnog. Sterling in Manchester ticks all of the boxes that we look for in a bar that we want to hunker down in all wint...

As born and bred Londoners, we're always chuffed when we have any opportunity to shine a light on all that's great about our beloved capital. We start with our two products: East London Liquor Company Kew Gin made in, you guessed it, East London, then take our tastebuds West to Chiswick to sample Sipsmith Cacao & Orange Gin. Our book is 'The Cocktail Cabinet – The art, science and pleasure of...

Want to know which bar has been voted the best in the world? Of course you so but you'll have to wait until the end of this episode… Before that we have our two product reviews: Abasolo El Whisky de Mexico which takes us to the cornfields of sunny Mexico, followed by The Fords Gin Co Sloe gin which blends sloes from the UK and France. We're in Venice for this week's chosen venue – the Art's Bar at...