Terlingham Vineyard Blanc de Blancs, 2017, 11.5% ABV

Kent-based Terlingham Vineyard is a family-run business, a departure for the family who moved from South Africa to the UK back in 2007, near where their grandparents had emigrated to South Africa decades previously. They bought the new vineyard despite having no background in viticulture and viniculture or the wine trade generally and learnt the trade as they built up the vineyard whose grapes had only been planted in 2006. Graham went to the renowned Plumpton Agricultural College which has an impressive winemaking course with some very successful alumni in all aspects of the wine business, including winemakers, sommeliers and buyers.

Lorna had run a landscaping business in South Africa so loved working with the land and knew how to nurture plants – she now has 5,500 vines to tend – by hand. And all three daughters, Ashleigh, Caroline and Jackie are involved in the business and, amongst other things, run the wine tastings, including Christmas wine tastings on 9th and 15th December which, as well as sampling their top wines of the year, are also accompanied by mince pies, a cheeseboard, cake and tea or coffee, making it a very festive event and a chance to try their wines across the board, in time to choose bottles for Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. 

It was incredibly brave of the family to make that leap, not just into an unknown and non-established business but a new country and a new continent but Kent has fantastic growing conditions. Situated on the Kent North Downs, their south-facing slopes have chalky soil and sea breezes, ideal growing conditions for the grapes. They also decided to move away from how the vineyard had been started, choosing sustainable farming -– no artificial pesticides, fertilisers or herbicides. It’s a butterfly haven and they have been accredited by Sustainable Wines of Great Britain.

As well as their superb Dry Gin made using the last of their 2020 Bacchus (https://quaffed.wordpress.com/2023/12/07/terlingham-vineyard-dry-gin-40-abv/), they have a selection of wines, including sparkling. I’m discussing the award-winning Terlingham Vineyard Blanc de Blancs 2017 and also mixing it with cocktails for my New Year’s Cocktail Hour radio show.

Made with 100% Chardonnay grapes, this award-winning English sparkling wine has small, fast-flowing bubbles and is fabulously crisp.

Colour: Pale straw

Nose: Clementines, gooseberry, elderflower, Victoria plum, hay, lemon drizzle cake, almonds and rosewater

Palate: So lemony! Light fizz and beautifully crisp, there’s elderflower, gooseberries, honeydew melon, stewed pears and hay, and lemons galore, including lemon drizzle cake and lemon meringue pie

Conclusion: A crisp and lemony sparkling wine, ideal for brunch with friends or with desserts, just add lemon drizzle cake

COCKTAILS

Sparkling Garden of England
Cocktails are like jigsaws, every ingredient must fit together and the secret to this one is the bitters. I tried five different ones – Angostura Orange, Bob’s Bitters Vanilla and three by Bitter Truth – Creole, Aromatic and Jerry Thomas. The Vanilla and Aromatic cut through the citrus of Terlingham Vineyard’s Blanc de Blancs and their Dry Gin, and leant into the juice. The Aromatic was the winner but it also works very well with Bob’s Bitters Vanilla. 

As for the juice, soursop (available from Amazon) is amazing but supermarket-friendly lychee, guava and passion fruit will also be fantastic – but don’t use orange juice, too much citrus will clash

20ml Terlingham Vineyard Dry Gin
50ml Soursop juice (or use lychee, guava or passion fruit juice)
100ml Terlingham Vineyard Blanc de Blancs 2017
3 dashes of Bitter Truth Aromatic bitters
Sprig of mint, to garnish

Pour the liquids into a Champagne flute, stir gently and garnish with a sprig of mint

Whisky Fizz
I loved the Aberfeldy 12 year old which I received from Whisky Me and which I discussed on my show, all those spice notes worked beautifully with the lemony Terlingham Vineyard Blanc de Blancs 2017. I’ve added 5ml of lime juice but you can pour up to 15ml, to taste. Be warned, it’s a very more-ish cocktail

5ml lime juice
15ml agave syrup
30ml Aberfeldy 12 year old whisky
100ml Terlingham Vineyard Blanc de Blancs 2017
Lime wheel, to garnish

Pour the liquids into a Champagne flute, stir gently and garnish with the lime wheel

Hedonistic Hawkinge
We need to mix whisky and sparkling wine together more often and Terlingham Vineyard Blanc de Blancs’ lemony notes will work perfectly with whiskies with the same lemon flavour profile, including Linkwood or a spiced whisky such as Aberfeldy 12 year old or Compass Box Spice Tree but I chose the wonderfully creamy and spicy Noble Rebel Hazelnut Harmony from a recent Tweet Tastings on Twitter. It’s a very more-ish variation on a Kir Royale

30ml Chambord
30ml Noble Rebel Hazelnut Harmony
60ml Terlingham Vineyard Blanc de Blancs 2017
Large dash of Bob’s Bitters Vanilla
3 raspberries, to garnish

Pour the liquids into a Champagne flute, stir gently and add the garnish on a cocktail stick

Black Velvet
I can never resist a classic Black Velvet but the Terlingham Vineyard Blanc de Blancs 2017 with its crisp lemon notes will cut through the heavy stout notes. You can always use a Guinness or choose one of the fantastic local porters or stouts available, including Harvey’s Imperial Porter, but I opted for the Gun Brewery Parabellum Milk Stour the next county along from Terlingham Vineyard

75-100ml Terlingham Vineyard Blanc de Blancs 2017
75-100ml Gun Brewery Parabellum Milk Stout

Pour equal measures of the liquids into a large Champagne flute at the same time or pour the sparkling wine first to fill half the glass and float the stout on top over the back of a spoon or over a layerer

To buy a bottle (£39.50) or case (£213.30) of Terlingham Vineyard Blanc de Blancs, go to https://terlinghamvineyard.co.uk/wines/ where their Dry Gin is also available. There’s free delivery over £75

To take part in a Christmas or later wine tasting or to buy a voucher as a gift, go to https://terlinghamvineyard.co.uk/wine-tasting/

To join Whisky Me subscription service or to find out more, go to https://whisky-me.com

I was sent a free bottle of Terlingham Vineyard Blanc de Blancs 2017 for my Christmas Cocktail Hour radio show, as well as a bottle of their Dry Gin to mix in a cocktail with the sparking wine for my New Year’s episode. This review is unbiased and I’m grateful to Chapman Poole PR for their help and also for sending me the Whisky Me pouch of Aberfeldy 12 year old which I’ll be reviewing here shortly

Let’s Get Fizz-ical

31st December, 2020, the last day of a truly awful year and a day before hope begins again. Or, to put it another way, New Year’s Eve when drinkers plan what they want to drink.

I was going to drink Champagne, Lanson to be precise, and then I thought about what this year has been – 2020 The Age of Lockdown. I went to my other wine rack (don’t judge me, I have several) and debated between two Sussex fizzes, both in Tier 4 but not my Tier 4 – Wiston or Carr Taylor. The latter won because I’ve spoken to them a few times over the phone this year and placed orders when their wine was on offer – instead of buying bottles from them in-person at the county shows. Both have good wines, both are Sussex-based, both deserve our support. I’ll drink Wiston tomorrow. Well, if it’s good enough for the Queen…

Today, I have a lot to do. I did the ‘I don’t want to start the New Year doing that’ conversation with myself as I waited for my coffee to pour – Breville Hot Cup, I can’t recommend it highly enough. Press a button and it pours the exact amount of water you set into your cup. But I also decided what I actually wanted to do today, and that’s drink fizz. Not just when the clock strikes midnight because I rather hope that I’ll be asleep by then, but throughout the day.

Not just fizz but fizz cocktails – all of which work whether you’re drinking Champagne, Prosecco, Cava or English sparkling wine. Carr Taylor Demi-Sec in my case, although I’m tempted to swap it out for their pink fizz, although that might interfere with colourful cocktails.

There’s no pressure to do anything or drink anything today. I will be pouring a dram later, just have to take photos first on a rare dry and sunny day here. Normally, I spend NYE with regrets as I think about what I just didn’t get round to doing, resolutions broken or just that there weren’t enough hours in the day. This year, I’m just grateful to say goodbye to 2020. Like everyone else, all of my plans since March were cancelled and so I curled up on the sofa and embraced virtual life with whisky tastings and festivals and the incredibly active and supportive whisky community. My year finished with a high thanks to winning a bottle of Man in the Hat Tomintoul 21 at the Southport Winter Whisky Festival and listening to Matt McKay talk Bimber – rum casks coming in 3 years.

So, let’s get drinking. I prefer to use a Champagne flute instead of a coupe as I think the bubble last longer. The urban legend that the coupe was modelled on Marie Antoinette’s breast isn’t true but is often written as fact but her cup didn’t runneth over. My Champagne coupes are by Urban Bar and an object of beauty (https://www.urbanbar.com/products/crystal-retro-coupe-glass-1910-21cl?_pos=1&_sid=37afd268c&_ss=r&variant=37090844115104) but I have some lovely Champagne flutes which someone once told me they intended to inherit from me – we didn’t even have that sort of relationship which was a little worrying – but changed their minds when I told them to buy their own from M&S for just £5 each. Lovely, chunky glasses. Possibly the handblown glass ones from John Lewis. Or I might use my beautiful Royal Selangor pewter ones which don’t affect the flavour. So many choices! The thing about fizz is that it should always be a celebration, even if just toasting that there’s a Y in the day. Like drinking a pot of tea, not just a mug, there’s a ritual to it. What glass reflects my mood? Or, more likely, am I feeling particularly clumsy today? If so, nothing delicate! 

Fizz
Chill the Champagne or other fizz, tilt the glass to pour and set it down to let the bubbles rest a little – helps you avoid sneezing when the bubble tickle your nose, otherwise! Okay, just pour and drink but make sure it’s properly chilled.

Black Velvet
I mentioned this in my last blog post and it’s one of my favourite ways to drink Champagne/fizz. Measurements depend on the size of your Champagne flute, don’t use a coupe for this classic cocktail – which is also a great hangover cure. Apparently…

75ml Fizz
75ml Guinness

Pour Champagne into a tilted Champagne flute to the halfway point. Sit the glass down and open a can of Guinness, using a layerer or the back or a spoon, gently pour the stout on top of the Champagne, it should sit on top and will mix when you tilt it to drink. be warned, this combo can be stronger than expected

Chambord Royale
Turn your fizz pink and fruity with this irresistible combination, a favourite of mine and a variation on a Kir Royale which uses blackcurrant liqueur

30ml Chambord
100ml Fizz

Pour the Chambord into a Champagne flute, top up with fizz and stir. You can even garnish it with two raspberries, if desired

Fizzy Martini
This was inspired by the Chambord Royale and combines a traditional gin Martini, using a very special berry botanicals gin, with fizz

40ml Brockman’s Gin
20ml Belsazar Sweet Vermouth (or other red vermouth)
60ml Fizz, ideally pink fizz

Pour the gin and vermouth into a Champagne coupe and top with fizz, stir gently and garnish with blueberries

Porn Star Martini aka Passionfruit Martini
Don’t let the name put you off, this is a great way to drink fizz and there are two ways to do so – either drink the Champagne out of a shot glass before, during or after you enjoy the passionfruit Martini or drink some of the Martini, a sip or two of the fizz, then combine them – that’s what I do

25ml Fizz
40ml Absolut Vanilla Vodka
25ml Passionfruit Liqueur, I use Aldi’s
30ml Passionfruit juice

Pour the shot of fizz into a shot glass and set aside. Pour the vanilla vodka, passionfruit liqueur and passionfruit juice into a cocktail shaker full of ice, shake and strain into a Martini glass, garnishing with half a passionfruit. Drink a little of both separately, then pour the remaining fizz into the Martini, stir and enjoy!

Bellini
My favourite breakfast cocktail, this was always the first cocktail I ordered when I used to go to Vegas

25ml Peach Schnappes
100ml Fizz

Pour the peach schnappes into a Champagne flute, top with Champagne and stir. You can also add peach juice if you don’t want pure alcohol, especially in the morning

French 75
This classic Champagne cocktail reminds me of watching Hamlet at the Barbican a few years ago when I ordered this, sat outside and watched the world go by. You can use a sugar cube but the sugar syrup is so much easier

30ml Conker Spirits Dorset Dry Gin
25ml Lemon juice
15ml Monin’s Sugar Syrup
60ml Fizz

Pour the ingredients into a Champagne flute and stir gently

And Finally

But, if I’m awake, at the stroke of midnight, I’ll be raising a glass of fizz, just pure fizz, to you all to thank you for keeping me company this year and celebrating that we got through it.

Here’s to 2021, may it bring you health, happiness and some fizz-tastic drinks!

Happy New Year!

Cocktails for 2021

Well, that sounds a very grand title. I’m not saying these are the cocktails everyone must be drinking in 2021, I’m not trying to be a trendsetter or even be really clever, although I’d like to think that I can when I want to be. I should explain that I’m typing this in a power cut, the lantern on my left keeping me from screaming into the darkness as, yet, again, we’re without power here, and no power means no light, no heat and no water as I live up a hill and the water’s pumped uphill with electricity. What I wouldn’t give for a wishing well right now…. But I digress.

I was planning my week beginning 9th January, 2021 Cocktail Hour radio show when the latest tiers were announced, plunging me into stay-on-the-sofa Tier 4 from Boxing Day. Everyone was upset because of how badly this had been done, everyone was talking about what we couldn’t do – Waitrose, I’ll miss you – but no one was saying what we could do and that’s what the show will be about. Things to do in lockdown now many of us finally have the time for all of those plans we moaned about not being able to do before because we just didn’t have the time. I will, of course, also acknowledge that some people were still able to go out to work but I’m actually excited about the potential of being able to do something creative again as I was too ill during the first lockdown. My focus was on catching the next breath, not making sour dough.

And what do I want to do? Make cocktails. I love cocktails, my show’s the Cocktail Hour, although the usual format has been put to one side because of lockdown – I just didn’t have enough breath for it. Literally. More tracks, less talk, fewer cocktails. But I feel human again, I still turn the colour of blue Curaçao but not as often and I want to use this time for something positive. I make cocktails a lot but what I want to do is make or create a new cocktail every weekend during lockdown – those are my cocktails for 2021. Here’s the kicker, using only ingredients I have at home, although I will add a little disclaimer on air so I can cheat a little and I will admit that my cocktail shelf is more equipped than the average drink-lover’s.

I used to make mocktails as a child, fascinated with what worked and what didn’t. Uni was about the dreaded WooWoos (before Cosmos, there were WooWoos – pour 50ml Ciroc vodka, 15ml peach Schnappes, 125ml cranberry juice and the juice of half a lime into a cocktail shaker full of ice, strain into a highball glass and garnish with a lime wheel. Then repeat), then there were Black Velvets after seeing them mentioned on a film and those lethal equal parts mix of Champagne and Guinness (pour the fizz into the Champagne flute first, layer the Guinness over the top using a layerer or gently pouring it over the back of a spoon) led to my Morris Dancing with two half bottles of something or other up the middle of the high street in Lymington. I was doing my teacher training at the time so was rather grateful that no one witnessed the fact that I just can’t Morris dance!

But my moment of glory came when I was invited to appear on the celebrity edition of Ready Steady Cook. I was editing an antiques magazine at the time and thought they were ringing up for recommendations or contact details for one of my writers. No,  they assured me, they wanted me. But I’m not a celebrity, I foolishly chirped, before realising I was talking myself out of, not just those glorious moments in front of a camera – and a live TV audience – but free food. I wisely shut up and let them assure me that I was, indeed a celebrity. Is there a setting beyond Z-list? I was that level but charming and aware of my lack of fame outside the antiques trade and those who loved watching the various antiques shows on which I appeared both in front of and behind the cameras. My scripts were quite something, one involved… Let’s say, just as well only the director realised what I’d tried to get away with – and let me because the presenter wasn’t always popular with the crew. Or their fellow presenter. Or the public… I still shouldn’t have been able to get away with that, though!

So, there I was, on the set of Ready Steady Cook with the absolutely wonderful Ross Burden. I immediately opened the bottle of red wine at the back of the kitchen set because no one ever did and I’d wondered for years if it were any good. It was a very full-bodied and fruity South African Shiraz. Wonderful. Ross turned my ‘what on earth do I do with this’ ingredient into a Pomegranate Granita (juice a pomegranate and half a lime, pour over shaved ice in a Martini glass, add 15ml of sugar syrup – Monin’s sell a pre-mixed version – 30ml of tequila and stir. You can garnish it with pomegranate seeds and mint, if preferred) and I was hooked. I wanted to be more adventurous with my cocktails after that. Ross and I went out for drinks, he’d have seven for every one of mine and I was still more tiddled than him by the end of the night. He was just fantastic and took great delight in pointing out all the prostitutes in the upmarket London hotels and bars we visited. I just thought they wore too much fur and had great shoes. He taught me a lot!

That appearance on a food show led to me becoming the editor of a new national glossy food magazine and I had my own cocktail column in it. I also gave Ross some work, he was just so intelligent and that came across in his writing. I wish he were still around to meet for drinks. I must find some of my old copies and recreate those cocktails, I did something quite adventurous with Dubonnet, that classic 1970s drink, from what I remember. And now I want to drink one of my childhood cocktails, Dubonnet and bitter lemon. In the dark.

I used to have  bad stammer and speech defect so would try not to talk much, it made me very self-aware and shy – except when I was working, that was fine, I was confident in my own abilities and I wrote a book. That’s actually how I got TV work in the first place but, firstly, there was radio and I loved it. I was on a press trip for the food magazine in Spain and had a call from BBC Radio 5, could I be on air in X minutes, Fine, no problem. When you’re about to appear on air down the phone, you hear the show just before you go on and they were talking food. I was meant to be talking about a big antiques news story but ended up throwing in a load of recipes, too. I can’t remember if cocktails were involved or not but I loved creating all sorts of recipes and that’s what I’m going to do in lockdown. It’s matchmaking for alcohol.

We all have cocktails that we make but there’s a bad habit of sticking to the ones we love because we love them. I want to do more than that and I’ll share them with you every week, as well as my listeners on the show. I want to be more adventurous again, to open up my cocktail cabinet, look at ingredients and think, will that work and, if not, what do I need to do to create magic?

I’ll add in some mocktails, too, because I have friends who don’t drink for whatever reason, whether that’s because they have to work or just don’t drink alcohol and I don’t want them to miss out. I love my drink but I don’t need it, not even in power cuts where I yearn for the unachievable comfort of a hot drink, not a whisky) and that’s where mocktails come in handy. All the flavour, none of the kick.

And I’m going to finish this with a party favourite which is not for the faint-hearted. I make this by the litre for parties and it’s guaranteed to make you smile. Disclaimer, you also won’t make much sense after drinking more than a glass but isn’t it pretty? It’s a Tokyo Tea but a friend renamed it Toxic Tea because it’s a brilliant green. Think of a toxic frog

Tokyo Tea
Note, the American version uses a sweet-and-sour mix and/or a soda and it just doesn’t compare but is probably a better option if drinking at the beginning of a night on the town – when we get back to that state, that is

2 parts Midori
1 part gin, white rum, tequila, triple sec and vodka

Yes, that’s 7 parts pure alcohol. Pour into a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake, strain into a Martini glass and be prepared to smile for hours. With that level of alcohol, use mid-range spirits (eg Tanqueray 10 gin, Ciroc vodka, Matusalem Platino rum).

And, for a gentler, everyday green favourite, it’s got to be a Gimlet

Gimlet
The recipe usually calls for equal parts but that isn’t the right balance for me, especially for this citrus-led gin. Parts are all very well but there are times when it’s better just to use straightforward measurements to make life easier. Cordial is much better to use than actual limes which can provide too much bite. This was a sailor’s favourite, a great way to avoid scurvy and have a drink – perfect for lockdown when people can’t get out and fruit and veg deliveries/shopping aren’t always possible

40ml Tanqueray Rangpur Gin
30ml Rose’s Lime Cordial

Pour into an old-fashioned glass (or tumblers as I used to call them) full of ice, stir and enjoy. The perfect cocktail for the end of the week and I really want to make this now but with whisky. Just have to decide which one won’t be rocked by the lime…

Southwaves Radio Drink Advent Calendar

Southwaves Radio Drink Advent Calendar 2015

 Last year, I created a whisky Advent calendar (https://quaffed.wordpress.com/2014/12/04/whisky-advent-calendar-2014/) which I wrote live every day after my dram. It was huge fun and a great way for us all to discover new whisky – and share old favourites.

But I accept that, shockingly, not everyone loves whisky. I have over 100 different varieties at home from all over the world, not just Scotch whisky and not just single malts. There were also some glorious blendeds in the Advent calendar last year but, this year, I wanted to be more inclusive and so I created a Drink Advent Calendar which was on Southwaves Radio three times a day.

I was meant to write it up daily but life doesn’t always run smoothly and that’s why you’re getting it all here in one go – so much easier to read…

So, 25 days, 25+ drinks and a fabulous way to celebrate the festive season. The best part? You don’t need it to be Christmas to enjoy them.

Join me for the Cocktail Hour on www.southwavesradio.co.uk every Thursday at 9pm, repeated Sundays at 8pm for great music – and fabulous drinks!

Happy New Year!

1^st December – WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey

I started with a classic, a Manhattan, and the quality ingredients have made this a favourite of mine. Sadly, Santa didn’t hear my plea for another bottle of WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey but I really want more. It’s got creamy vanilla with butterscotch, crème brûlée, oak, peat and a warming hint of orange. It’s a fantastic American whiskey.

A great Manhattan needs a quality vermouth and there was only one choice for me – Belsazar Red Vermouth whose fruit brandies add extra depth. There’s plum, passion fruit, cherry, orange and brandy. It’s the perfect marriage with WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey.

This marvellous Manhattan is warming, and tastes of the smell of Yule log, there’s plum, cloves and Port, it’s fruity and jazzy. You can just imagine drinking this in a shadowy New Orleans bar, listening to jazz – and it tastes of Christmas. The perfect start to the Southwaves Radio Drink Advent Calendar.

Manhattan
25ml WhistlePig Straight Rye Whiskey
25ml Belsazar Red Vermouth
Large dash of Angostura Bitters

Pour into a tumbler, swirl – and enjoy.

2^nd December – Tanqueray London Dry Gin

The drink of the day? Tanqueray London Dry Gin. I love G&T but there are times when I want a change and my special Gintly Does It cocktail is incredible and so refreshing. Perfect for lunch or parties.

Tanqueray London Dry Gin is a great cocktail gin. It’s a big gin so stands up to other drinks but also offers a sublime G&T with its juniper and lemon taste and is very smooth. It’s my main go-to gin for parties as it offers something for everyone. Try it in Gintly Does It which I created especially for the Advent calendar and have enjoyed drinking ever since.

I love Qcumber which combines cucumber with sparkling water – perfect on its own or with gin. It’s a great addition to any cocktail cabinet or for designated drivers/non-drinkers. So refreshing.

Gintly Does It
25ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin
15ml Rose’s Lime Cordial
250ml Qcumber
Dash of Jerry Thomas’ Own Decanter Bitters

Pour into a cocktail shaker containing ice, stir, drain into a tumbler and enjoy.

Two musts for any cocktail cabinet (or shelf) – Rose’s Lime Cordial (fresh limes are often too harsh for cocktails) and The Bitter Truth Cocktail Bitters Traveler’s Set (sic) which includes Jerry Thomas’ Own Decanter Bitters, Creole Bitters, Orange Bitters, Original Celery Bitters and Old Time Aromatic Bitters. Keep an eye on Amazon’s Lightning Deals where they often appear at a discounted price.

3^rd December – This is Not a Luxury Whisky (Compass Box)

I love whisky and I love this whisky in particular. It’s by Compass Box and the name is a pun based on a painting of a pipe entitled This is Not a Pipe by René Magritte. It’s a blended whisky and is fantastic quality and so smooth.

On the nose, there’s lavender, buttery fudge, oak and chocolate. When you taste it, there’s cherry, Christmas cake, burnt sugar and mocha. This gives way to smoke and it is superb. It’s butch and stands up well to meat – it’s crying out for being enjoyed with slightly charred barbecue sausages or just enjoyed neat.

4^th December – New Amsterdam Vodka

Parties need food and this is one of my favourite party foods – which involves drink. New Amsterdam Vodka’s a great choice for making Bloody Mary Tomatoes. It tastes of rye and lemon. It’s a crisp, smooth vodka with no bite so an ideal cocktail vodka. You’ll see it used on another day.

Bloody Mary Tomatoes
Punnet of cherry tomatoes (or more depending on the size of your party)
2 chillies, if using fresh, deseed them
50ml sweet sherry (I use Harvey’s Bristol Cream)
½ a lemon, sliced
5 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
2 dashes of Tabasco (no more unless you want it very spicy as there’s already chilli in this party food)
2 dashes of Bitter Truths lemon bitters
Top with New Amsterdam Vodka

Make this in a jar with a lid the day before a party. Pierce every tomato three times with a cocktail stick. Don’t use a fork as you don’t get the same depth and they won’t absorb the alcohol as well. Put them in a jar and add the rest of the ingredients, top with the vodka so every tomato is covered. Cover with the lid. Stir every few hours and top with more vodka if the levels go down so the tomatoes are always covered.

On the day of the party, remove the chillies and discard them. Transfer remaining ingredients into a bowl with a spoon for serving. Save any liquid left to turn into Bloody Marys. Expect your guests to want to take any remaining Bloody Mary Tomatoes home!

And, to make Bloody Mary:
25ml Bloody Mary vodka mix from above
200ml tomato juice
Celery stick, to stir
Olives or capers, to garnish

Pour the liquids into a tumbler, stir and add the capers or olives, if desired.

And what a great way to take your vitamin C and part of your five-a-day (NB medical advice from non-medical personnel like me is best enjoyed for what it is!).

5^th December – Trenet Absinthe

Oh, this cocktail needs to come with a health warning. It’s so potent – but so good! Death in the Afternoon was meant to be a drink-album match with Benjamin Clementine’s At Least for Now. This is my favourite part of my Cocktail Hour Show on Southwaves Radio (www.southwavesradio.co.uk), every Thursday at 9pm and repeated on Sundays at 8pm. I match a drink to an album where the drink complements every song and adds to the enjoyment of listening to it. Every song has to work or I have to start all over again – Death in the Afternoon jarred with a couple of the songs but was too good not to share elsewhere and it became an Advent calendar drink.

It’s a classic and credited to Ernest Hemingway whose 1935 advice is best not followed in its entirety, ‘Pour one jigger Absinthe into a Champagne glass. Add iced Champagne until it attains the proper opalescent milkiness. Drink three to five of these slowly.’ Three to five? You’ll fall off your chair. This stuff is strong!

Absinthe was blamed for driving people insane and banned. When the green fairy, as it’s popularly known (think Kylie Minogue in Moulin Rouge if you must) was allowed to be sold again, people got excited, bought it… then had no idea what to do with it because, well, it’s a strange drink. You can just pour it on a sugar cube and enjoy it that way. I don’t recommend drinking it neat because I had a single sip – and my tongue went numb. For hours!

But Death in the Afternoon is a great cocktail. It’s strong but fun and a real talking point. Just don’t do a Hemingway and drink five of them!

Death in the Afternoon
25ml Trenet Absinthe
125ml Lanson Champagne

Pour the Absinthe into a Champagne flute, top with Champagne (you can also use pink cava for a pearly pink finish). Wait for the cocktail to become cloudy before drinking it.

6^th December – Highland Park Cocktail Kit

I love cocktail and I love whisky – combine the two to make an Old Fashioned Cocktail using Highland Park Dark Origins. Highland Park have created a fun cocktail kit in a tin which makes two Old Fashioneds and was designed to be used when travelling. It contains a small bottle of aromatic bitters, two packets of cane sugar (like takeaway sugar packets), a dinky spoon with a muddler bar on the end for crushing the sugar and a linen coaster (and why not!). Perfect for serving with a 50ml miniature of Highland Park Dark Origins to make two Old Fashioneds. On the plane or train. Just fabulous!

Why Highland Park Dark Origins? Because it makes a Smoky Old Fashioned. It’s 46.8% and, on the nose, it’s got butterscotch, peat, seaweed and grass. This is one of the few whiskies I drink with a few drops of water because you get heather and lavender notes in addition to the complexity of the dram – peat, bonfire, bacon, hay and pepper. This gives way to chocolate, sherry and spices. It’s a wonderful whisky and perfect in an Old Fashioned.

It’s smooth, chocolaty, rich, warm and there’s coffee, Black Forest Gateau and extra cherry. Despite the sugar, it’s not sweet but gently fizzes on the tongue for a few minutes. It’s glorious! Some mixologists delight in using smoke effects, I just love being Old Fashioned.

Smoky Old Fashioned
1 packet/1 tsp cane sugar
½ tiny bottle/3 dashes of Aromatic bitters
25ml Highland Park Dark Origins Whisky

Pour the sugar into a tumbler or Old Fashioned glass (as a short tumbler or rocks glass is also known), add the bitters and crush with the bar of the muddler spoon, add the Highland Park Dark Origins Whisky and stir with a spoon – use the linen coaster for added finesse!

7^th December – Fireball

This is one of my favourite cocktails and I created it just for you. I blame my Vegas friends who keep talking about dancing on tables after drinking Fireball. It made it sound so much fun and rather dangerous. An irresistible combination when sitting on the sofa, watching it rain in soggy Sussex but I didn’t just want to serve Fireballs neat, I wanted to create some magic and that’s just what I did.

Fireball’s £13 from Tesco and Sainsbury’s – a rare occasion when the Amazon Lightning Deal was actually more expensive than buying it in the supermarket. It’s a blended whiskey and cinnamon liqueur and, at 33%, it’s a heady mix but tastes of innocence – with a bite. Think cinnamon sweets and bubblegum, it’s the taste of childhood but with added alcohol.

Briottet make some of the best liqueurs around. I love their fruit liqueurs, especially their Crème de Pêche for Bellinis but their Salted Caramel Liqueur (Liqueur de Caramel à la Fleur de Sel) is fabulous!

This drink is heavenly but with a snap from the Fireball. It’s a Fallen Angel – smooth but watch that bite!

Fallen Angel
25ml Fireball
25ml Briottet Liqueur de Caramel à la Fleur de Sel or use Bailey’s if you can’t get any

Pour into a tumbler, stir and feel all your troubles just float away for a while. It’s innocent wickedness in a glass. Sublime!

8^th December – Laphroaig Select

I love peaty whisky and Laphroaig is one of my favourites but this is something else – it’s Laphroaig Select and, oh, so soft. There’s peat and bonfire on the nose and the mouth is full of leather, bacon, very smoky peat and more smoke. It’s just so sexy!

It’s distilled in different casks – sherry, oak and bourbon which are absorbed and add flavour. Perfect for lovers of peaty whisky.

9^th December – Brockmans Gin

One of my absolute favourite gins, Brockmans Gin comes in a sexy black bottle which is just designed to be stroked. It’s so tactile and as for the gin itself… it’s the only gin I drink neat and is full of berries. It’s perfect in cocktails and you’ll see it again in the Advent calendar. Perfect for parties – I’ve had to buy another bottle because it’s just fantastic! Everyone needs Brockmans Gin in their life, even people who might not normally drink gin or only drink sloe gin. It’s berryful of flavour with strawberry on the nose and tastes of raspberry, strawberry and blueberry.

At this time of year, we all seem to buy or be given Port, often from M&S. Don’t just drink it neat, add it to cocktails. It’s got blackberry on the nose, is smooth and tastes of blackberry wine as it crawls up the glass beautifully. It’s a great, quaffable Port and also ideal mixed with brandy if you have a cold.

Or add it to Brockmans Gin and my favourite make of Vermouth, Belsazar Red Vermouth, to make a fabulous Ruby Cooler which is full of berries, melon and so very refreshing.

Ruby Cooler
40ml Brockmans Gin
20ml Belsazar Red Vermouth
20ml Marks & Spencer Ruby Port
Large dash of Fee Brothers Cranberry Bitters
Top with dry ginger ale

Use a Martini glass, pour the ingredients into the glass and top with ginger ale for a wonderfully flavoursome Ruby Cooler.

10^th December – Flaming Heart Whisky (Compass Box)

I love the label of this blended whisky. For anyone refusing to contemplate any whisky that isn’t a single malt, you’re missing out. Compass Box do a great range of blended whisky and Flaming Heart (ABV 48.9%) is their 15^th anniversary edition, created to celebrate 15 years of Compass Box whisky.

It’s such a moreish whisky – light on the nose with vanilla, peat and almond with a wonderfully warming taste of cinnamon, peat, coffee, oak and marzipan. It lingers with an aftertaste of crème brûlée and jam.

11^th December – St Germain Elderflower Liqueur

This is a party favourite which I make by the jug-load. I also make a mocktail version of it for those who can’t or don’t drink.

I love the Art Nouveau-style of St Germain Elderflower Liqueur’s bottle. You can just mix it with white wine or Champagne but I love turning it into a gintastic cocktail. If drinking on my own, I use Hendrick’s Gin which is a beautiful gin with rose and cucumber botanicals and its floral mix works so well with the elderflower liqueur but, if making for mixed company, I always use Tanqueray London Dry Gin which is fuller and deeper.

Radio Gingin
15ml St Germain Elderflower Liqueur
25ml Hendrick’s or Tanqueray London Dry Gin
200ml dry ginger ale
Large dash of Rose’s Lime Cordial
3 dashes of Angostura Bitters

Pour the ingredients into a tumbler with ice in it, stir and enjoy.

Radio No Gin (mocktail)
1 tsp Rose’s Lime Cordial
250ml dry ginger ale
3 dashes of Angostura Bitters (NB contains alcohol so don’t use if someone is strictly non-alcoholic)

Pour the ingredients into a tumbler with ice in it, stir and enjoy.

12^th December – Blackdown Artisan Spirits Christmas Pudding Vodka

Blackdown Artisan Spirits are a Sussex-based company and use ingredients grown in the South Downs National Park. Their Christmas Pudding Vodka (ABV 29.9%) is crying out to be made into a Christmas Pudding Martini, especially using the fruit bandy-based Belsazar Red Vermouth. It’s the colour of tea and is very smooth. On the nose, there’s cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and fruitcake. It smells of Christmas.

The taste is also all things Christmas with brandy, cherry, nutmeg and Christmas cake. It isn’t obviously a vodka (added in case people say they don’t like vodka) as it’s very smooth and there’s so much going on and it’s wonderful – thick, warming and like a liquid and very alcoholic dessert. Don’t just save it for Christmas!

And it deserves more than one cocktail today – or you could just drink it neat.

Christmas Pudding Martini
25ml Blackdown Artisan Spirits Christmas Pudding Vodka
10ml Belsazar Red Vermouth

Santa Special
But don’t just stop there if you want to celebrate in style. Use the above as a base, then, for pure Christmas magic, add:

10ml Tamova Salted Caramel Vodka Liqueur from Aldi

13^th December – Hoxton Gin

This is an incredible gin, I love it! The bottle states, ‘Warning! Grapefruit and Coconut’ because Hoxton Gin is like no other gin, it contains exotic botanicals which will appeal to non-gin fans but even gin purists should give this a go as it’s an exceptional gin and far more complex than it sounds. You won’t be bopped on the nose with grapefruit which is what had made me hesitate to try this gin before.

There’s heavy juniper on the nose, that classic gin ingredient, then the coconut comes through and, yes, it bops you on the nose but it sings of paradise.

I don’t drink this gin neat, unlike Brockmans, but turn it into a classic G&T and the ginger and grapefruit harmonises with a gentled coconut adding an exotic feel. The rich scent of coconut lulls you and there’s still the comforting taste of juniper in the background.

Hoxton’s Gin & Tonic
25ml Hoxton Gin
200ml Fever-Tree Tonic Water
Strictly no lemon slices

Add ice to a collins glass, pour in the gin, then the tonic water but don’t even be tempted to throw the balance by adding a slice of lemon. You won’t need it, just soak in the taste of a sun-stroked beach and enjoy!

14^th December – Midori

Midori is an emerald green liquid and one of those strange bottles that you see on the shelf and wonder what on earth you do with it. Well, you could simply add it to Champagne or do what I do and make a Tokyo Tea – also called a Toxic Tea because of the vibrant green colour. Think Ghostbusters slime colour. Pretty? No but a great party favourite and I often take a 1l bottle of it with me to parties where it’s always enjoyed.

WARNING: This is the most alcoholic cocktail I make. Unlike a bar I went to at the MGM in Vegas, I make mine the traditional way, not with sugar syrup and that means 7 parts of alcohol and no dilution. Yes, 7 parts but it’s guaranteed to make you smile for hours. Just ensure that you have a designated driver or handy taxi.

Tokyo Tea
2 parts Midori
1 part Tanqueray London Dry Gin
1 part New Amsterdam Vodka
1 part Matusalem Platino Rum
1 part Bols Triple Sec
1 part tequila

 15^th December – Beinn Dubh Whisky

Possibly the sexiest whisky ever! Beinn Dubh (pronounced, badly, Bee-in Doo) means Black Mountain and this is a black whisky. Finished in charred Port casks, it’s a single malt (ABV 43%) from the mountains of Cairngorm and comes from Speyside Distillery. It’s the colour of espresso with toffee on the nose.

The taste is beautiful and incredibly deep – sultanas, peat, seaweed, chocolate, toffee, Port, Black Forest gateau and even Christmas cake. The long finish is of Christmas cake and it’s a fantastic dram. I want more!

 16^th December – Bitter Truths Violet Liqueur

Another one of those strange bottles you see on the shelf or in the Amazon Lightning Deal. I also use Lejay-Lagoute Parfait Amour Liqueur which has violet and orange. Both are great for mixing with Champagne or gins like Hendrick’s – or, as here, Brockmans, for an exceptional Violet Martini.

The Belsazar Dry Vermouth is an exceptional vermouth and its fruit brandies give it an additional depth and flavour. It turns Martinis into something more magical with more complexity – definitely a cocktail cabinet essential.

The Violet Martini is bursting with flavour, it’s so full of berries which complement the violet liqueur. The latter can be overwhelming and topple the balance so start off with 5ml and build up if necessary. Perfect for anyone who, like me, loves Parma Violets. This is one of my favourite Martinis as its bursting with flavour and so, so moreish.

Violet Martini
25ml Brockmans Gin
25ml Belsazar Dry Vermouth
5-10ml Bitter Truths Violet Liqueur, to taste

Mix the ingredients in a Martini glass and swirl. Start with 5ml (1 tsp) of Bitter Truths Violet Liqueur, then add more if needed. I don’t use cocktail shakers and ice for this particular Martini.

17^th December – Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon, 2013

What a revelation. This Californian wine has to be one of the best red wines I’ve ever had and I also love their very buttery, elegant Chardonnay.

It’s a great label with a stylish font and I love the fact that the horse logo is even on the cork – a great gift for horse lovers.

There’s chocolate on the nose with lawnmower (grass and petrol) in the background. It has the typical Cabernet Sauvignon notes of blackberry and Black Forest gateau but with so much more than that and all perfectly balanced – walnut, oak, high notes of pine, mace, bergamot and even pipe tobacco and violet but all rolled into the most glorious, smooth mix. It is an incredible wine and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon is glorious!

It’s not heavy so not like the big butch Australian reds but it is rather sexy and very, very elegant. Perfect for dinner parties or just on its own when relaxing. I want some more!

18^th December – Sputnik Rose Vodka

A beautifully smooth vodka which tastes of rose. You can drink it neat or, do what I do and make a Rose and Lychee Martini. If you can’t find the fabulous Sputnik Rose Vodka (available on Amazon), use New Amsterdam Vodka and add more rose syrup or, for a subtler taste, rose water which is sold in the cookery aisles of supermarkets or in health food shops.

Buy pink rosebuds from Chinese supermarkets or pick them from your garden – just wash them carefully first. I get the tightly curled dried buds from Chinese supermarkets which I also add to jasmine dragon pearls for a fabulously elegant and flavoursome tea.

This is one of my favourite Martinis and another great drink for parties. Use less lychee juice if you want a stronger drink.

Rose and Lychee Martini
30ml Sputnik Rose Vodka
20ml Belsazar Dry Vermouth
5ml rose water or, for a sweeter mix, Monin’s Rose Syrup
80-100ml lychee juice
3 rosebuds, to garnish (if desired)

Pour into a cocktail shaker which is full of ice, drain into a Martini glass and top with 3 rosebuds if you want to make it look all glam. That’s how I first encountered it at Ping Pong Dim Sum in London – and I’ve loved it ever since. Small confession, I never use the rosebuds when making it for myself at home but add it to the drinks at parties as people love that magic touch.

 19^th December – The Ardmore Legacy Whisky

You’ve probably realised by now that I like my whiskies big and butch (like good rock music) – okay, with some more delicate, fruity ones thrown in for balance but, given the choice, give me peat. Please!

The Ardmore Legacy Whisky (ABV 40%) is a beautiful dram with a surprisingly delicate nose of hazelnut and honey but don’t be fooled, this is a big and beautifully butch whisky. Just the way I love them.

It’s so smooth with peat and bonfire, oak, heather and cinnamon. This gives way to honey and lavender. Don’t add water as it harshens it. There’s so much going on, you’ll probably want more than one dram just to appreciate it. That’s my excuse, anyway.

It’s a velvet kiss – smooth and embracing. Absolutely delicious and, at around £30, surprisingly affordable for that much complexity and pure genius.

 20^th December – Lost Blend Whisky (Compass Box)

One of the first whiskies I reviewed over a decade ago was Compass Box and they have a great range of blended whisky. I’m a huge fan.

The Lost Blend has a story. Its name is based on the 1907 short story by O. Henry and there are three different labels, showing commonly lost items such as shoes and keys. I’d lost my shoes (again) when I recorded this segment for Southwaves Radio and did it barefoot. I needed that label to help me find them!

It represents a lost blend by Compass Box, Eleuthra and blends three different whiskies, two unpeated Highland whiskies (Clynelish and Alt-a-Bhainne) and one of my favourite Islay single malts, Caol Ila.

There’s orange on the nose, surprisingly so as you’d expect that more from a Speyside dram. But it’s the taste that won me – peat, coffee, seaweed, almond, oak and vanilla. This is a whisky which benefits from a few drops of water which softens it and adds heather to the mix.

A most alluring whisky.

21^st December – Macallan Gold

I’ve been a huge fan of Macallan ever since they sponsored the Dagger awards many years ago when I worked for a crime-writing magazine and we were given free drams. Whisky and books? Yes, please!

The Macallan Gold (ABV 40%) is a quaffable whisky and perfect in whisky cocktails. There’s orange, vanilla and honey on the nose and the taste is creamy with orange, honey, cinnamon, oak and apple.

One of the ultimate comfort drinks for me is Drambuie. I had some in Vegas years ago when a drain cover hadn’t been screwed down so jumped up and attacked me in the street outside a casino. Shaken, I staggered inside and ordered a Drambuie and the lovely barman at Bill’s bar in Harrah’s poured me a Drambuie, expressing surprise that a woman would actually order any type of whisky (albeit a whisky liqueur) and drink it neat. I still get people expressing surprise when I order whisky which is a shame as, like great rock music, drinks shouldn’t be segregated by gender.

Drambuie’s been going since 1745 but always makes me think of the 1970s which is when I first drank it. I was precocious like that! There’s honey, heather and orange on the nose with liquorice, mead, orange and cinnamon on the tongue – it’s warming and tastes like a big hug. Just be careful about cleaning the neck when drinking it as the sugar content means the lid can get stuck down if not cleaned properly. Incidentally, just use hot water to open it if that ever happens to you.

Anyway, when you combine Macallan Gold and Drambuie, you get the classic Rusty Nail cocktail. The balance of the two drinks works perfectly, especially when you use orange bitters. It’s smooth and warming with chocolate, orange, honey, floral notes and mace. A great winter cocktail.

Rusty Nail
25ml Macallan Gold
25ml Drambuie
2 drops of Fee Brothers Orange Bitters

Combine the ingredients in a tumbler and swirl – or use a cocktail shaker with ice, then drain if you prefer your whisky on the rocks. I don’t but you can always add whisky stones straight from the freezer if you don’t want to use or don’t have a cocktail shaker. Great way of cooling whisky without diluting it if that’s how you want to serve it. I opt for rock-free every time.

22^nd December – Absolut Mango Vodka

This is another of my party regulars in Mango Martini form and it’s full of vitamin C so it must be good for you… Okay, so that’s my version of science but it tastes great and is very easy to make. I make 1l of it for every party and there’s never any left. In fact, I often have to make more because this is a very refreshing, moreish cocktail.

Shop around for Absolut Mango Vodka, it’s often on special offer in supermarkets and is a regular on the Christmas gift scene in miniature form if you want to try it before committing to the regular sized bottle.

Mango Martini
40ml Absolut Mango Vodka
25ml Belsazar Dry Vermouth
80-100ml mango juice

Pour the ingredients in a cocktail shaker full of ice, shake and drain into a Martini glass. For a stronger version, use 80ml mango juice.

Or, for a Raspberry Martini, replace Absolut Mango Vodka with Absolut Raspberry Vodka and mango juice with raspberry juice drink. Incidentally, their Citron Vodka is fantastic in a lemony Bloody Mary.

23^rd December – Tanqueray Rangpur Gin

As you can tell, I drink medicinally. Peaty whisky for pain, gin for arthritis and brandy mixed with Port to fight colds. And this is historic, it’s not just me who does it. One of my favourite cocktails is a Gimlet, a classic drink invented by a surgeon to ensure that sailors took lime juice so they didn’t get rickets. Yes, British sailors had to drink alcohol to stay healthy. Where can I sign up?!

I love Tanqueray Rangpur Gin in a Gimlet. The extra citrus flavour comes from the gin itself through the botanicals of Rangpur lime leaves – not an actual lime but a lemon-mandarin orange mix. It’s also known as the Canton lemon or mandarin-lime, just to confuse everyone even more. This is a great alternative to G&T and a great short gin cocktail.

Always use Rose’s Lime Cordial instead of fresh limes as the balance is gentler. Fresh limes can be too acidic and harshen the cocktail. Incidentally, the classic balance is equal parts but I find 3/2 works better, especially when using a citrus-based gin like this.

Gimlet
30ml Tanqueray Rangpur Gin
20ml Rose’s Lime Cordial

Add ice to a tumbler, pour in the ingredients, stir, enjoy and, if you’re anything like me, repeat!

24^th December – Lanson Champagne

It’s Christmas Eve and you must drink Champagne to celebrate. They’re the rules! You can drink it neat or turn it into a classic cocktail. Black Velvets are one of my naughty cocktails and they need to come with a health warning after I found myself Morris dancing with two half-bottles of wine up Lymington High Street after having more than two. Stick to just two Black Velvets – or avoid Morris dancing.

I first saw this cocktail in a black and white film. The heroine had seasickness and, as she leant perilously over the cruise liner’s railing, was told that a classic cure for that malady is a Black Velvet. Yes, she fell for it.

I use Lanson Champagne – a beautifully dry Champagne with gooseberry, lemon and hay. It’s my go-to Champagne. Just as well as I always have a bottle or two in my fridge…

The other ingredient? Guinness. Full of iron and vitamin Bs, this used to be given to pregnant women in hospital and I often take it as a tonic when I’m run down and have low iron levels. I know, great excuse!

It’s a heady mix and works so well. Slightly too well in my case but what a great way to celebrate, well, anything, really. Merry Christmas Eve, it’s about to get merrier.

Black Velvet
1 part Lanson Champagne
1 part Guinness

Pour the Lanson Champagne into a Champagne flute to the halfway level. Pour the Guinness on top over an inverted spoon or a turtle if you have one – a drink-divider used for layering and sold in cookshops. That way, the Guinness floats on the Champagne.

Except, that’s a bit of a faff, just pour both drinks in the Champagne flute at the same time and at the same rate. Perfect way to mix them, too.

 25^th December – Sparkling Gold Cuvée

Happy Christmas! You deserve two drinks because it’s Christmas and the first one is wonderfully gimmicky but surprisingly good.

It’s a Sparkling Gold Cuvée which has 23 carat gold flakes floating in a sparkling wine which is slightly sweet (think cava as opposed to Champagne) with gooseberry, lemon and honey.

I bought it for my mum as a treat after tasting it at Ardingly’s Spring Fair and it comes in a great gold ingot-style cardboard presentation box. Great to see the gold floating in the sparkling wine and it’s lovely neat or as a cocktail, just make sure not to mix anything too dark with it or you’ll lose sight of the gold flakes – so not a good choice for a Black Velvet. But a great gift for any celebration.

And now for something else… Blue Christmas Cocktail

Inspired by Elvis’ Blue Christmas, this is a colourful cocktail and so tasty. Fentiman’s have a great range of drinks and I love their Wild English Elderflower which is just crying out to be mixed with Hendrick’s Gin with its rose and cucumber botanicals. It’s a floral delight and just needs one extra flower – violet. That’s where the blue comes in and the flavours blend perfectly for a very elegant, refreshing and blue cocktail. Merry Christmas!

Blue Christmas
275ml Fentiman’s Wild English Elderflower
25ml Hendrick’s Gin
Dash of Bitter Truths Violet Liqueur

Pour the ingredients into a Champagne flute, stir gently and enjoy!

And that’s it, 25 days of the Drink Advent Calendar for Southwaves Radio – and you! And, if you’re still thirsty, join me for music, views reviews and mixing on the Cocktail Hour at 9pm Thursdays, 8pm Sundays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No alcohol, please

I swear off alcohol for a week or two throughout the year. It’s to show myself that I can do it, to reassure those who (wrongly) think that I drink too much (4-5 units a week, most weeks – a week, not a day!) that I don’t have a problem and to help me appreciate drink even more. I always give up alcohol for Lent but usually have a give-out clause of whisky or Cognac for pain. But not this fortnight. For two weeks, I’m going dry.

Slight problem, it was meant to be three weeks but I’m meeting a friend for cocktails in a couple of weeks… But the lesson is there. A reminder that I don’t need to drink and it’s timely. It’s been a very stressful week and my first thought was that I needed a drink to get me through it. I’ve reassured myself that I don’t.

But that doesn’t mean I don’t think about it – from a desperately needed painkilling whisky last night to a craving for Curious Brew, that wonderful, wine-beer from Chapel Down, made with Champagne yeast. Big thanks to Waitrose for stocking it. I really want to try their Curious Porter but it’s not stocked locally, as far as I know. I want to try the different whiskies Santa bought me or Amazon’s Lightning Deal tempted me to buy – Nikka White, Black and Red Labels taunt me en route to the kettle.

The reality is that I don’t need alcohol but I do want it. Not unhealthily but from sheer pleasure. I love wine, whisky and song. The latter tends to feature after a single Black Velvet – that heady classic cocktail of Guinness and Champagne. try it sometime in an equal-part mix. But be warned, it might send you dancing up the street as it did me – my previous inability to hold alcohol is the reason I’m dry for a fortnight because I suddenly discovered that I could hold far more than I used to. That a couple of glasses of wine over lunch was followed by my whisky Advent calendar (see previous post) and then a short cocktail – a Pink Gin or Gimlet. With no problems at all. Not even the hint of a slur, stagger or sore head. Great in one way but dangerous in others, especially as I rely on whisky to get me through pain. A single dram will give me relief for an hour. I also want to make sure I retain the love of a good drink and it’s there for pain or pleasure, not need.

It will be interesting to see whether I can keep it up but it’s good to remind myself that I have will power and that I decided when to have a drink, not the other way round.