THE ON- TREND COCKTAIL

More than a good

bottle of Sauvignon Blanc or a craft beer, cocktails are now an essential part of entertaining at home – they create an instant wow factor and get things going with a bang. ‘A proper cocktail done well is an orgy of the senses,’ says Lottie Muir (above), botanical cocktail mixologist from the super-cool rooftop bar Midnight Apothecary, and author of the award-winning book Wild Cocktails. ‘It’s a luxury – the way it looks, smells and tastes.’

‘It creates such a great feeling for people coming to your home,’ agrees Lucy CarrEllison. ‘Right now we would serve a pomegranate Bellini, which also looks so nice.’ Meanwhile, Rosie Birkett loves a good gin cocktail. ‘Last year, I made a rhubarbinfused gin that I served with tonic; or I’ll buy a really nice gin such as Botanist.’

Gin cocktails are very on-trend; in fact, Selfridges reports that sets of eight and 10 glasses are the most frequently purchased, with gin glasses one of the most popular.

‘More and more people are going for an aromatic and slightly bitter drink,’ says Lottie. ‘ We’re no longer liking the sickly-sweet cocktail of the past.’ One of her favourites is a Vermouth-based cocktail that is also on the bitter side. ‘It not only tastes and looks good, it also stimulates the appetite, which is what you want before a meal.’

Lottie makes her own botanical-infused cocktails including the delicious Wild Negroni. ‘ The key is to serve the drink ice-cold but not too diluted with ice, so make sure you use the biggest ice cubes you can find in order to delay the melting time.’