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 taste the delicious seasonal cocktails. Then on to our book choice, which is all about the man who br...
Jun 30, 2022•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 10
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 book, Booze and Vinyl – A spirited guide to great music and mixed drink by André and Tenaya Darlington,...
Jun 16, 2022•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 9
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 created cocktails for Her Majesty The Queen during his tenure at the American Bar at the Savoy, we thoug...
Jun 02, 2022•55 min•Season 3Ep. 8
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 (mostly) dark, contemplative – read 'classic' drinks to make at home, we're picking out 'Old Man Drinks' b...
May 19, 2022•1 hr 16 min•Season 3Ep. 7
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, we’ve gone large, talking about the cool experiences and fab drinks offering at Edinburgh’s latest vi...
May 05, 2022•1 hr•Season 3Ep. 6
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 tea taken care of, we head to Canary Wharf to sample the cocktail delights at The Lowback, the fab ne...
Apr 21, 2022•53 min•Season 3Ep. 5
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 only Jenson Button who talks about his latest project, which blends two of his newfound passions: coa...
Apr 07, 2022•53 min•Season 3Ep. 4
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 to our featured bar, Seed Library. With its delicious drinks, groovy 70s-esque living room vibe and...
Mar 24, 2022•42 min•Season 3Ep. 3
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, the fabulous bar and entertainment space created by Thea Cumming and Lucia Massey, while Alice Lascel...
Mar 10, 2022•58 min•Season 3Ep. 2
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 years, he has plenty to talk about. Tune in to hear why he served chipolatas to surprised guests at...
Feb 24, 2022•1 hr 9 min•Season 3Ep. 1
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. Listen and learn about everything from how to cook the perfect steak, his favourite cocktail to pair with...
Feb 12, 2022•40 min•Season 2Ep. 11
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 whiskies to highlight in this episode but in the end we've picked out the gorgeous Red, Red Rye from Th...
Jan 27, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Season 2Ep. 10
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 flavour and their own distinct style. The first is Sprigster, a complex and tasty n/a shrub infusion, th...
Jan 13, 2022•1 hr 21 min•Season 2Ep. 9
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 making a big impression with us in the coming year. All with the 'better' philosophy in mind, of cour...
Dec 30, 2021•1 hr 6 min•Season 2Ep. 8
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’ve called in an expert: the fabulous Allen Daly, general manager of the iconic Gerry’s Wines & ...
Dec 16, 2021•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 7
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 Marrero from Llama Inn, New York , winner of the Altos Bartender's Bartender Award Walter Meyenberg, ...
Dec 15, 2021•32 min
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 Spirit. Next we put on our party gear and head out to QT at The Green Room. With live music from top mu...
Dec 02, 2021•54 min•Season 2Ep. 6
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, wisdom and recipes from one of our favourite bars, Claridge’s, and our featured bar takes us to the best ...
Nov 18, 2021•1 hr 20 min•Season 2Ep. 5
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, courtesy of The Macallan Manor House at Rosewood London while our library pick celebrates the many ...
Nov 04, 2021•43 min•Season 2Ep. 4
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 Craig would approve. From the drinks cabinet, we've gone for products with serious credentials although...
Oct 21, 2021•58 min•Season 2Ep. 3
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 Ukraine, Amaro Santoni from Italy and the flavours of Japan to be found at Sachi and Sakaya, two bars ...
Oct 06, 2021•1 hr 4 min•Season 2Ep. 2
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 London bartenders. The first is EasyMixt, the ultimate hack for mixing up simple and delicious cocktails...
Sep 23, 2021•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 1
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 Liqueur. For the last bar review of our first season, we had to go pretty spesh, so we headed back ...
Aug 26, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 10
This week we're flying the flag for Britain. Not in a jingoistic way, far from it. We're merely celebrating a few of the many fab people, places and products that are currently on our radar. It just so happens that they are made or conceived in GB. Like Filey Bay Single Malt Whisky, the first (and only?) whisky made, matured, bottled and batched in good old Yorkshire and The Cocktail Society, a drinks subscription service based in Oxford. As far as reading material goes, we pick out the 15th edi...
Aug 19, 2021•55 min•Season 1Ep. 9
We continue the summer drinking vibes with some fab products to have on your radar. Such as Sipsmith Chilli & Lime Gin from their limited-edition Sipping Series, and Equiano Light, a new white(ish) rum dedicated to one of the most fascinating men in history, Odulah Equiano. From our groaning cocktail library we pick out 'The New Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need To Know To Think Like A Master Mixologist', a fabulous guide packed with top tips and 500 recipes from King Cocktail, Dale...
Aug 05, 2021•57 min•Season 1Ep. 8
The sun may not have its hat on but according to our calendar, it's summer so we're choosing our drinks accordingly. Our product review sees us sipping the latest sunshine-centric can from the clever chaps at Empirical Spirits in Copenhagen and for when evenings draw in, we open a tip-top bottled Old Fashioned from the team at Hawksmoor London. We go in full summer mode with this week's book recommendation, the fabulously retro, unashamedly kitsch 'Trader Vic's Tiki Party', however, our bar revi...
Jul 29, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 7
This episode is packed with all kinds of cocktail-loving goodness – from how to be the perfect host at home to where to go for first-class hosting skills at one of our favourite London hotels. Our drinks cabinet reveals two products from Discarded Spirits Co – a vodka and a rum, both cleverly made with products that would have otherwise gone to waste and we try a bottled cocktail fit for a world famous spy, courtesy of the suppliers to Her Majesty The Queen. The wonderfully witty, packed full of...
Jul 22, 2021•56 min•Season 1Ep. 6
Just because you're not partaking in full-strength cocktails doesn't mean that you have to miss out on complex, well crafted drinks. In this episode we shine a light on the people and products making no and low abv beverages clever, classy and cool. We review Æcorn Aromatic, a non-alcoholic aperitif that packs a flavoursome punch, and try Crossip, a new range of alcohol-free spirits created by a fitness fanatic bartender Carl Anthony Brown. From our cocktail library it's the aptly titled, bursti...
Jul 15, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 5
We've packed all kinds of cocktail-loving goodness into this issue. We start with a review two of fruity (ish) cocktails: one, Apples, a refreshing, super delightful cocktail in cans from the clever team at Coupette in East London; the other, the unmistakable taste of Jaffa Cakes, distilled into a trio of spirits. Bear with us here, we are very much aware that it sounds like a gimmick but we were pleasantly surprised by the taste. Our books review takes in Beautiful Booze by Natalie Migliarini a...
Jul 08, 2021•59 min•Season 1Ep. 4
We made it our business to be amongst the first in the queue to check out the two bars at the gorgeous new NoMad London, and as we imagined, they didn't disappoint. There's Side Hustle upstairs and Atrium downstairs – if you're cocktail lovers like us, we suggest you make it your business to visit both Keeping our review hats on we try a new spirit drink called Aloha65, discover Baldoria vermouths and extol the virtues of 'Schofield's Fine and Classic Cocktails – Celebrated Libations and Other F...
Jul 01, 2021•44 min•Season 1Ep. 3
