Our drinks columnist Sam Wylie-Harris marks the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's Coronation with bottles boasting a Royal Warrant.

 

The royal stamp of approval

To celebrate the Queen's Coronation this summer, Buckingham Palace will put the flags out and showcase the very best of food and drink to toast Her Majesty.

The Coronation Festival, a one-off event hosted by the Royal Warrant Holders Association, takes place over four days (July 11 to 14) in the landscaped Gardens of Buckingham Palace.

Lucky ticket holders will be able to sample sumptuous dishes, wines, ales, liqueurs and spirits from more than 50 of the finest British producers. To allow a wider audience to tune into the splendour of the occasion, the BBC will be broadcasting the Gala highlights - remember many Britons were seeing television for the first time when the Coronation was broadcast back on June 2 1953.

If you want an extra taste of the garden party atmosphere, here are some posh pours headlining the event and being served in the household of HM The Queen.

:: The London Cocktail Club's leading mixologist, JJ Goodman, will be shaking up some Heritage Cocktails in front of the crowds, but there's nothing new about the Queen's preferred tipple, the Zaza.

It was first found in Hugo Ensslin's book, Recipes for Mixed Drinks in 1917, and latterly made popular and drunk by the Royals following the publication of The Savoy Cocktail book in the 1930's.

Made with Tanqueray London Dry Gin (£26.60, 100cl, Waitrose), who have held a Royal Warrant since 1925, here's the recipe to try at home.

ZAZA

35ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin, 35ml Dubonnet

Half-fill a rocks glass with ice. Pour in the Dubonnet and Gin, then stir approximately 10 times and garnish with a lemon slice.

:: Another cocktail JJ Goodman will stir is made with Berry Bros & Rudd's The Kings Ginger liqueur (£22.50cl, www.bbr.com). This was created for King Edward V11 in 1903, and Berry's have been supplying wine to the British Royal Family ever since.

Deliciously gingery with a soft, citrusy edge, try topping it up with an English sparkling wine such as Chiltern Valley Quality Sparkling Wine, England (£19.95, www.chilternvalley.co.uk) who were granted a Royal Warrant in 2007, the only Micro Brewery and Winery in the world to have such an accolade.


Royal teacup

40ml The King's Ginger, 15ml sugar syrup, 25ml Twinings Lemon & Ginger tea, 10ml fresh lemon juice, 25ml English sparkling wine

(To make the Lemon & Ginger tea, pour boiling water on to a single Twinings Lemon & Ginger tea bag. Leave to infuse for two minutes. Remove tea bag and allow to cool)

Place two big ices cubes in a tea cup. Add all the ingredients except the sparkling wine and stir. Carefully top with sparkling wine and gently stir again. Garnish with a thin slice of ginger, raspberry and a mint sprig secured with a cocktail stick.

:: The quintessentially British summer serve, Pimm's originated in an Oyster Bar in the City of London in 1823 and the first bottle of Pimm's No One was sold in 1865.

Never out of vogue, a Special Edition Pimm's Blackberry & Elderflower (£15.49, 70cl, Waitrose) has now been created to excite our tastebuds with the flavours of black cherries, blackberries and hedgerow scents of elderflower. Pour over ice with plenty of lemonade and garnish with blackberries to chime with the season.

:: Sherry is enjoying a revival, but Harveys Bristol Cream has graced our tables for more than 100 years. A blend of fino, amontillado and oloroso, the sweet rich creaminess of this tawny sherry is ideal served over ice with a slice.

A fitting tribute, Harveys Bristol Cream Coronation Edition (£9.41, 75cl, major supermarkets nationwide from July) is decorated with silver swirls inspired by a crown.

:: Italian drinks brand Martini will also be joining in the extravaganza, rolling out a Martini Royale alongside its vermouths to celebrate the Coronation - which is also their 150th Anniversary.

To create this fun fizz at home, fill a large wine glass with ice and mix equal parts of Martini Bianco (£11.60, 100cl, major supermarkets nationwide) with Martini Prosecco (£12.99, major supermarkets nationwide), then add a squeeze of fresh lime and sprig of mint.

:: Famed for its "first class, top dressing malt", The Macallan have released a limited edition commemorative bottling to excite whisky lovers and collectors, with only 1,953 bottles being released for sale in the UK.

The Macallan Limited Edition Coronation Bottling (£350, www.themacallan.com) is dressed in a Windsor red presentation box and contains two 35cl bottles of single malt - one with a picture of The Queen taken in 1953 by Cecil Beaton, and the other with an image taken in 2004 by Julian Calder.

Each expression is named after the photographer, with Cecil Beaton exuding more of a fresh, fruity and youthful character; and Julian Caulder showing more sherry influence with mature, well-rounded flavours and a richer mouthfeel.

:: The only cognac company to hold a Royal Warrant, Hine Cognac have raided the cellars and teamed up with Glenfarclas Single Malt to create a rare gift for connoisseurs with a penchant for the high life.

A temple to British craftsmanship, 125 pairs of hand-made obelisks have been crafted by N E J Stevenson, the Queen's cabinet maker. Made out of English oak and inspired by ancient Egypt, one obelisk houses a numbered bottle of Hine 1953, and the other, Glenfarclas 1953 (£14,000, 2 x 70cl, www.thewhiskyshop.com).

:: Information: The Coronation Festival, hosted by the Royal Warrant Holders Association, is taking place in the Gardens of Buckingham Palace from the 11 - 14 July 2013. The event partners: Jaguar Land Rover, GlaxoSmithKline, and Bentley will each present one of the Gala evenings which will be broadcast on the BBC. For further information www.coronationfestival.com


:: Best buy

Green summer shoots... With the asparagus season in full swing, try matching its intense, grassy flavours with the refreshing citrusy notes of a New World sauvignon blanc such as Cono Sur Bicicleta Sauvignon Blanc 2012, Chile (£7.49, major supermarkets nationwide).

Asparagus is notoriously difficult to pair with wine, but this crisp, tangy white will complement the delicate taste without overpowering.


:: Liquid news

Brewed in Barcelona... Spanish favourite Estrella Damm have released a limited edition four-pack with a funky design and Catalan tapas recipes by Ferran Adria - the former head chef of world famous Michelin star restaurant, El Bulli.

Lager lovers can match Limited Edition Estrella Damm (£4.99, 4 x 33cl, 4.6% abv, major supermarkets nationwide) with classics such as tuna belly and tomato salad, codfish fritters and grilled red peppers for a taste of Mediterranean sunshine.