Raise a glass to the Easter Bunny!

Thanks to the new breed of surprisingly delicious choccy spirits

OnCE the favoured tipple of elderly aunts at Christmas, liqueurs are suddenly all the rage among the smart set. And a new breed of chocolate spirits has given the boozy treat an edgy makeover — perfect to serve at garden gatherings this Easter weekend.

Forget sickly- sweet cream-based concoctions, these are the product of hipster distilleries, handcrafted with the finest cocoa.

So, as children dive into their foil- wrapped eggs and chocolate bunnies, the adults can indulge in their own Easter treats, either mixed into a pre-lunch cocktail or served neat as a post-lamb digestif.

From a rich, ruby chocolate rum to an after- dinner cocoa-mint vodka, we test the best grown-up tipples for chocoholics. . .

CRAFTY CACAO TIPPLE Copalli Cacao Rum, £34.95, masterofmalt.com

WHAT IS IT? A white rum made with cacao nibs — small pieces of crushed raw cacao beans which taste bitter and chocolatey.

Copalli is made from organic sugar cane, which is crushed into juice within two hours of cutting and then infused with the cacao. The spirit is sustainably crafted by a distillery in the middle of a tropical rainforest in Southern Belize. TASTES LIKE: The first thing you notice is the dark chocolate taste, then the more chemical smack of the alcohol. After that it settles deliciously into a sharp jag of cocoa with a soft hint of citrus. I sank one on the rocks and sipped slowly. Then crept back to the bottle for more. It’s simple, yes, but the taste of the cacao does all the talking. 9/10

CHOC-ORANGE GIN

Elephant Orange Cocoa Gin, £30.90, elephant-gin.com WHAT IS IT? A handcrafted gin with Spanish oranges and roasted cocoa beans.

Its gorgeous bottle is decorated with traditional Maasai beads. Brand founders Tessa and Robin Gerlach were inspired to create their gin range after journeying in Africa, and 15 per cent of the profits from product sales goes to elephant charities. TASTES LIKE: If you’re expecting zesty sweetness, forget it. I added tonic water for a G&T, but the taste is quite bitter, with the orange dominating the chocolate. A little too zingy for me. 5/10

MOCHA MARTINI

Aber Falls Coffee and Dark Chocolate Liqueur, £20, aberfallsdistillery.com WHAT IS IT? A chocolate liqueur inspired by the classic espresso martini. It’s made by the Aber Falls Whisky Distillery, one of only four in the whole of Wales. TASTES LIKE: The rich, dark amber colour of this liqueur is rather inviting, as is the balance between aromatic roasted coffee and bittersweet dark chocolate.

At first, you taste the sharpness of the coffee, which slowly settles into something more woody and chocolatey. I liked drinking this neat.

It is lovely and warming and, at only 20 per cent proof, is a fine way to get pleasantly squiffy. 8/10

BOLD RUBY RUM

Cane Toad Ruby Eyes Chocolate Rum, £25, zymurgorium.com WHAT IS IT? A rum made with ruby chocolate, which is a startling pink as it comes from unfermented cocoa beans which retain their natural shade. TASTES LIKE: Truthfully? The neon colour is quite off-putting — I’m haunted by childhood images of strawberry cordial. At 38 per cent, this is rather strong, and the alcohol overwhelms the taste of the chocolate, so you’ll need quite a bold and adventurous palate to enjoy this.

I also tried it in an Old Kent Road cocktail, which is one part rum with equal parts bourbon, cherry liqueur and chocolate liqueur, plus a dash of vanilla bitters. This way, you get an odd explosion of sweet and sour that somehow works. 6/10

COCOA VANILLA SPICE

Zymurgorium Luxurious Choc-O-Bloc Gin, £29.95, masterofmalt.com WHAT IS IT? A gin blended with Madagascan chocolate, vanilla, spices and pink pepper, and made by the first craft distillery to be based in Manchester. It comes in a glorious black and gold bottle topped with a wooden cork, which sets the scene for drama and raises expectations. TASTES LIKE: Perhaps it’s the dark bottle or maybe the inviting name of the gin, but I expect something indulgent . . . and am horribly disappointed. I can’t detect any of the individual flavours since overall it tastes like petrol and makes me feel slightly ill. If you’re tough enough, enjoy neat, but mixing it with orange-flavoured tonic brings some balance. 4/10

AFTER DINNER MINT

Keepr’s Mint Chocolate Vodka Liqueur, £37.50, britishhoney.co.uk WHAT IS IT? A mint and chocolate-infused vodka with a touch of honey, perfect as a digestif. Keepr’s is made by the Oxfordshirebased British Honey Company, whose hives pollinate meadows and hedgerows. TASTES LIKE: I enjoy simply inhaling this — it is like liquid After Eight chocolates. Being a liqueur, I get smoothness from the first sip, thanks to the hint of honey. But then it settles and the alcohol bites away at the initial sweetness.

It’s gorgeous on its own, but I also used it in an indulgent hot chocolate, splashing a good glug of the liqueur into the frothy milk, and topping with a grate of chocolate. 8/10

NIP OF NIB VODKA Cacao Martini, £17, bottlebarandshop.com

WHAT IS IT? Deep mahogany in colour, Cacao Martini is handmade at Bottle Bar and Shop in Catford, South London. The vodka is infused with organic cacao nibs and bitters, and all of the ingredients are natural. TASTES LIKE: There’s a delicate hit of cocoa with the first sip. Then there’s the orange bite which is rather bitter.

At first, my mouth feels like it does when I wake up in the morning, but a few sips in and I quite like that.

I poured it neat over ice with an orange twist, and even added a little zest, too. 7/10