The Cocktail Lovers

Boy, do we have some good stuff for you. In this episode we bring you two delicious products: an Eau de Vie from Capreolus Distillery in the Cotswolds and Old Duff Genever, from an Irishman based in New York. Our library pick is a must-read for hosts at every level – André Darlington's fabulous 'Bar Menu – 100+ drinking food recipes for cocktail hours at home', a brand new book which does exactly...

We're back and while we've been away, we're thrilled to say that The Cocktail Lovers podcast picked up Best Broadcast, Podcast or Online Video Series at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards in New Orleans – whoop-la! So what are we coming back with? Only the good stuff… Our drinks reviews take in Beesou, a honey-based aperitif from Britain and Ki No Bi, a big-hitting gin from Japan. Our libra...

In the last episode in this current season, it's all about the summery feels… Our product reviews takes our tastebuds to sunny Mexico as we sample Nixta De Elote, an intriguing corn liqueur, and Vida De Muertos, a new expression from Del Maguey Mezcal. Bar-wise, we keep things a little closer to home as we head up to the terrace at The Nest at The Treehouse Hotel to soak up the sublime views and t...

With World Martini Day on 18th June and World Music Day on 21st June, we have Martinis, we have music and a whole lot more… We start with our two product reviews: Gin D'Azur from sunny Provence and Birch Botanical Spirit from bonny Scotland, before heading over to London's longest serving bar, the American Bar at the Savoy to check out its brand new menu. Then it's music, first in our featured boo...

Bunting at the ready people, this week's episode is a right royal celebration of Her Majesty The Queen. We taste two drinks created specially for the Platinum Jubilee. For £20, we have Foxdenton Jubilee Summer Pudding Gin Liqueur; add a few more noughts and you can buy the second product that we're tasting, the exceedingly regal Royal Salute Platinum Jubilee Edition, a snip at $20,000. Having crea...

May 21st is World Whisky Day, so taking as our inspiration, we're keeping things suitably dark and tasty. We kick things off with our two product reviews: the first, The Wiseman Bourbon – new to the UK; the other, one of our favourites, Takamaka Rum, bringing its St. André Series all the way from the Seychelles. Shochu Lounge in Fitzrovia keeps the dark and sexy vibe going strong and as for (mostl...

There’s no particular theme to this week’s episode, just plenty of the good stuff we think you should have on your radar. Starting with our two featured products: Acqua Bianca Liqueur from the Maestro Salvatore Calabrese and the nifty, very natty Crafty Little Rye from The Oxford Artisan Distillery – both great tipples to keep in mind for the warmer days ahead. Rather than a standard bar review, w...

Today is National Tea Day, so naturally we're brewing up something special in that department. But rather than mixing things up for ourselves, we're featuring two canned cocktails: one, Empirical Can O1 with milky oolong tea, the other, Riddles Ice Tea starring tequila. The tea theme continues in this week's library pick, the mouthwatering, truly amazing 'Time For Tea' by Tom Parker-Bowles. With t...

We're calling this the Big G episode. Why? Because it's where we mix up grape, grain and gin. We look ahead to National Gin and Tonic Day as we sample two gins: one from India, the other from Cornwall and we get our grape fix from this weeks’ library pick – not a recipe book but a memoir called 'Wine Girl', by Victoria James. We have an interview with the OG of British motor racing, the one, the o...

We start by mixing a special cocktail with Dima's, a proudly Ukranian Vodka. The rest of the show takes in two wee bottles with big ideas. There's Beeble, a honey-infused whisky and Smål, a diminutive gin bursting with flavour and attitude. Our library pick makes no apology for its heftiness – each of the 900+ pages in 'The Oxford Companion To Spirits & Cocktails' is there for a reason. And on...

Keeping the International Women’s Day thanks and praise going, this week’s episode shines a light on just a few of the many (many) phenomenal women and womxn working in the drinks industry. We sample two drinks: an Irish Whiskey created by Ireland's first modern whiskey bonder, Louise McGuane, and a craft IPA from Master Brewer Jaega Wise over at Wild Card Brewery. Mezcal is on the menu at Doña, t...

What better way to kick off season three than raising our glasses in honour of World Bartender Day? And who better to share the occasion with than the legendary Peter Dorelli? As former head bartender at the American Bar at the Savoy, winner of mucho accolades including countless Lifetime Achievement and Outstanding Contribution Awards and a driving force in the drinks industry for coming up to 60...

What tipples will you be serving on Valentine's Day? We say, forget the wine and Champagne, February 14th is about sharing the cocktail love. In this bonus episode, we ask five drinks industry couples to tell us what they'll be making for each other on Valentine's Day. And for the ultimate food and drinks pairing ideas we go straight to the top, seeking expert advice from chef Adam Handling. Liste...

In this, our last episode in the current season, we're focusing on the wonderful world of whisky. Talk about a diverse category – if you still think that it's all about old men sitting by the fire with a glass of single malt in hand, (a) shame on you and (b) prepare to be amazed. Starting with the myriad cool new products… We had a difficult time narrowing it down to just two super-cool modern whi...

As far as we're concerned, the question isn't whether you've decided to go Dry or not this January, it's about your relationship with alcohol going forward. Obviously, as Cocktail Lovers, we'll be drinking cocktails, at home and in the bar, but the key word for us in 2022 is 'balance'. We start with our two product reviews which take in a non-alcoholic and an alcoholic drink, both packed with flav...

What and how will we be drinking next year? We won't pretend that we have a definitive answer to that but we do have an idea, and it revolves around one word: better. As in a better appreciation of our bars and bartenders, a better understanding of the history behind our drinks and of course, better quality spirits and ingredients. With this in mind we're focusing on a few things that we will be m...

It's almost Christmas so we’re doing our bit to help stressed out shoppers with some last-minute gift ideas (of the cocktail loving kind, natch…) Plus, we’re throwing in suggestions for places to go to celebrate the festive season in style – not just in London but also a few of our faves around the world including Athens, Barcelona, New York and Shanghai. To assist on the drinks side of things, we...

The World's 50 Best Bars awards were presented at the Roundhouse in London on 7th December 2021 and naturally, we made it our business to be on the guest list. In this bonus episode we speak to the winners, the ace team from the Connaught Bar in London and catch up with a few of the teams who picked up special awards on the evening (apologies in advance for the sound quality!) Featured: Lynnette M...

With only a few weeks to go to Christmas, we're thinking parties: that means what to serve if you're throwing a soiree at home and where to go if you want to leave the entertainment to the professionals. We kick off by mixing a Classic Champagne Cocktail, then open up a tasty low abv Winter Sparkling Tea from Fortnum & Mason, followed by the Christmas-pudding-in-a-glass Black Cow Christmas Spi...

Boy, oh boy do we have a bumper episode lined up this week and it’s all about the ‘L’ word, luxury. After mixing ourselves a cocktail (a cognac based Sidecar, seeing as you’re asking), we pick out two luxe products. The first is Seventy One Gin, a super tasting, super looking, super model of a gin, the other is Grand Marnier Cuvée du Centenaire. Our book review sees us celebrating the words, wisdo...

We love this time of year. Not only do we get to layer up in our favourite winter clobber (huzzah), it gives us the chance to highlight some of our favourite warming spirits. Like The Busker, a delightful new range of Irish whiskies and Ron Santiago De Cuba Ron Extra Añejo 11 Years Old, a deliciously smooth, agreeably sweet rum all the way from sunny Cuba. Our bar review takes us to the Highlands,...

Another fortnight, another cocktail-tastic episode… This week, we're taking inspiration from the big screen with 'Shaken: Drinking With James Bond & Ian Fleming'. Written by Edmund Weil, who just happens to be a distant relative of Fleming's, it's the official 007 cocktail book and as it's packed with fabulous recipes by Bobby Hiddleston and Mia Johannsen from Swift, we're sure even Daniel Cra...

Cocktail lovers take note, 11th-17th October is all about one spirit: rum. To celebrate, we chat to the Global Rum Ambassador Ian Burrell about the category in general as well as how to choose a rum to suit your palate and what's in store at the upcoming RumFest on 16th October. But before we get to the interview, there are the reviews… In this episode we share our thoughts on Dima's Vodka from Uk...

Welcome back! London Cocktail Week kicks off on 1st October, running to 31st October (hurrah!) and to celebrate, we begin our second season by catching up with its founders, Hannah Sharman-Cox and Siobhan Payne to talk why it runs for 31 days, what's on the agenda and what they're looking forward to on the LCW calendar. We keep the London theme going by reviewing two product ranges created by Lond...

Question: How do we round up our very first (mini) season? Answer: With some incredibly tasty treats to keep your palates primed for what's coming next, that's how! We've got gin – not just any old gin but the gorgeous, bursting with herbaceous goodness Savoury Gin from those clever chaps at Portobello Road Distillery, and we sample the creamy but light and quite frankly, luscious Disaronno Velvet...