Fancy a drink? Our drinks columnist Sam Wylie-Harris celebrates springtime with some refreshing recipes from her little black book.
Shaken or stirred, cocktails are enjoying a renaissance in bars everywhere. But aspiring bartenders can have a go at home too, all you need is plenty of ice, a long bar spoon, a Boston shaker and a hawthorn strainer, and you're ready to create one of these delightful concoctions.
Cheers!
:: Bacardi Pedro Collins
A funky Cuban version of the classic Tom Collins gin cocktail
50ml BACARDI Gold Rum (£20.45, 70cl, www.thewhiskyexchange.com), 25ml freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 heaped tsps caster sugar, ginger ale, lemon wedge to garnish.
Half-fill a shaker with ice. Add the ingredients and shake vigorously. Double strain into a chilled glass, top with ginger ale and garnish with a lemon wedge.
:: Tanqueray Ten Southside Gin Cocktail
Basically, a mojito with gin instead of rum
50ml Tanqueray No. Ten (£32.50, 70cl, www.alexanderandjames.com), 15ml fresh lemon juice, 15ml sugar syrup, mint leaves, 1 bottle premium quality soda water.
Smash a mint sprig, 15ml lemon juice and sugar syrup in a mixing glass. Splash 50ml Tanqueray No. Ten gin and make it spin. Pour into a highball of crushed ice and swirl. Top up with soda and a mint sprig to garnish.
:: Quintessentially Vodka Rhubarb Rickey
Made with a silky smooth premium vodka, from the members' only concierge club
35ml Quintessentially Vodka (£36.95, 70cl, www.whiskyexchange.com), 12.5ml rhubarb liqueur/syrup, 12.5ml fresh lime, soda water.
Half fill a highball glass with ice. Add the vodka, rhubarb syrup and squeeze a lime wedge into the glass. Top with soda and and stir a few times before adding a wedge of lime.
:: Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve Flower
A light, fresh whisky cocktail with a fragrant twist
35ml Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve (£41, 70cl, www.amazon.co.uk), 20ml fresh lemon juice, 15ml elderflower cordial, dash of egg white.
Half-fill a shaker with ice. Add the ingredients, shake vigorously and strain into a tumbler filled with cubed ice.
:: Bulldog Bramble
Infused with 12 botanicals, this super premium gin is soft, fragrant and the perfect base for cocktails
50ml Bulldog London Dry Gin (£19.36, 70cl, www.thedrinkshop.com), 25ml fresh lemon, 20ml sugar syrup, 15ml Chambord black raspberry liqueur, lemon wedge and two blackberries to garnish.
Pour all ingredients into an old-fashioned glass topped with crushed ice. Drizzle with Chambord and garnish with a lemon wedge and 2 blackberries.
:: Appleton Estate V/X Mojito Royale
Using champagne or sparkling wine instead of soda water gives this classic a decadent twist
50ml Appleton Estate V/X Jamaican Rum (£20.10, 70cl, www.thedrinkshop.com), 12 fresh mint leaves, 3 tsps caster sugar, 20ml fresh lime juice, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, champagne.
Muddle mint in a highball glass with sugar and lime juice. Fill glass with crushed ice, then add rum and bitters. Top up with champagne and stir slowly, garnish with a sprig of mint.
:: Tanqueray Grapefruit Julep
Gin replaces bourbon in this signature serve hailing from the Kentucky Derby horse race
50ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin (£21.30, 70cl, Waitrose), 35ml pink grapefruit juice, 15ml grapefruit liqueur, fresh mint.
Stir all the ingredients with six mint leaves into a glass and slowly add crushed ice. Garnish with a pink grapefruit slice and a mint sprig.
:: Hayman's Old Tom Gin Rickey
This fresh thirst-quencher will put a spring in your step
50ml Hayman's Old Tom (£23.99, 70cl, Waitrose), half a fresh lime, soda water.
Half-fill a large wine goblet with ice. Squeeze the lime into the glass and add the lime peel. Pour in Hayman's Old Tom and top up with soda.
:: Best buy
Devil may care... The cellars of Chilean winery Casillero del Diablo are rumoured to be protected by the devil himself and to market this myth, the producer has launched the Devil's Collection of wines.
The new range includes Casillero del Diablo White 2012 (£8.99, Tesco) - a blend of sauvignon blanc, chardonnay and gewurztraminer; and Casillero del Diablo Devil's Collection Red 2012 (£8.99, Tesco) - a blend of shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and carmenere. Both perfect to inspire some mischievous merriment.
:: Liquid news
Calendar wines... Australian icon Penfolds have release their 2014 Bin Series which includes some significant labels such as the 2012 Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz (RRP £22), 2012 Bin 138 Barossa Valley Shiraz Grenache Mataro (RRP £24), 2011 Penfolds Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz (RRP £22) and 2013 Bin 311 Tumbarumba Chardonnay (RRP £30).
An annual event, this year's collection also marks the debut of Penfolds 2012 Bin 9 Cabernet Sauvignon which promises ripe, bold flavours and highlights the art of multi-regional blending from this blue-chip winery.
The 2014 Bin Series features 12 wines and is available from fine wine stores nationwide including Berry Bros & Rudd (www.bbr.com)
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here