Gins that are a real tonic
REFRESHING AND FLAVOURFUL TIPPLES TO TOAST A SUMMER OF FUN. BY
Whether you’re toasting long-awaited reunions with friends and family, or just having fun in the garden, check out these colourful spirits and aperitifs…
1
Taylor’s Chip Dry & Tonic RTD, 5.5% abv, £2.50 per 25cl can, Ellis Wharton Wines
New on the RTD (ready-to-drink) circuit, this unseeded winner will make you ‘sip up and take notice’. The first P&T (port and tonic) in a can, you’ll love the refreshingly, dry fruitiness of one of Portugal’s finest exports.
2
Malibu Watermelon, 21% abv, £12 for 70cl (was £15), Asda
Malibu is enjoying a summer refresh with its new watermelon variant, which smells so authentic and deliciously appetising, it tastes like the real deal but with a good measure of white rum. Easy-peasy to make, simply fill a highball with ice, mix one-part Malibu Watermelon with two parts soda water and garnish with fresh watermelon slices for a taste of the tropics.
3
Portable Aperol Spritz Duo Pack: Aperol Aperitif, 11% abv, 35cl, and Cinzano Prosecco DOC, 11% abv, 37.5cl, £15.28, Amazon
All the fun of the bittersweet fair, Aperol’s new go-to party pack features their A-list aperitivo in a smaller size, alongside a half bottle of prosecco. Just the ticket for summer capers in the park, chill them both down before you leave.
4
Reverend Hubert Garden Gin Liqueur, 20% abv, £34.95 for 50cl, Master of Malt
A tweak to a recipe first laid down in 1904, the reverend’s great-grandson has
recreated the formula with a summery burst of sweet pomegranate and tart cranberries. Incredibly moreish and a flurry of flavours, rhubarb and ripe plums are in the driving seat, mellowed by brambly fruits and earthy juniper. 5
Portobello Road Savoury Gin, 42% abv, £35 for 70cl, Portobello Road Gin
A splash of Mediterranean sunshine to get the garden party off to a flying start, Portobello Road’s Savoury Gin marries bergamot, rosemary, basil, green olive and a twist of sea salt to their classic set of botanicals. The resulting gin is deliciously dry.
6
Pinkster Spritz Elderflower & Raspberry and Raspberry &
Hibiscus, 24% abv, £20 each for 70cl, Pinkster Gin
‘Tis the season to spritz – and Pinkster has you covered, with two fab variants to choose from. They’ve foraged wild elderflower from their local Cambridgeshire hedgerows and married them with gin-soaked raspberries.
7
CÎROC Summer Citrus Limited Edition, 37.5% abv, £41.99 for 70cl, INKD
A crack shot, CÎROC’s new summer variant can be sipped neat over ice, as the perfect partner to prosecco in a Citrus Spritz, or in a fruity Citrus Sunrise with orange juice and splash of cranberry.