Maidenhead Advertiser

Casting a spell with a little mixology

Cookham: Cocktail club creates bespoke drinks – and fun

- By Adrian WIlliams adrianw@baylismedi­a.co.uk @AdrianW_BM

A new Cookham business selling gin has started up with the aim of ‘putting some fun in people’s lives’ while people socialise at home.

Cookham Cocktail Club’s signature gin went on sale on December 6 and the company plans to officially launch on March 4.

The company, started by business partners Jules Herd and Stephanie Maher, provides ‘a little mixology’ at private dinner parties or special events for groups of up to 12, as well as offering its own bespoke, locally-themed drinks.

Looking into the private party sector, the team felt the landscape ‘lacked intimacy’.

“We wanted to create something a lot more intimate – cocktails for people in their home environmen­t, in groups of no more than 12,” Jules said.

These two-hour ‘journeys of cocktail tasting’ are designed to ‘challenge people’s tastebuds’ with unusual flavours.

Among its unique features are shot-sized cocktails, designed to show people the ‘beauty of a lower-alcohol shot’ that is more like savouring a tiny Long Island iced tea than downing a sambuca.

Steph, from South Africa, said this mirrors her home country’s style of shots that ‘don’t taste bad’.

Part of the company’s growth has also been observing how people are spending their time at home in the post-COVID world.

“Over the last couple of years, we know a lot of people have been spending more time at home, trying to make their own cocktails,” Steph said.

“People have high standards and there are tips we can show them to make their cocktails better.”

Cookham Cocktail Club also has sipping gins to entice whisky drinkers to ‘move across’.

“There’s only 10 sipping gins around the world that are very well-appreciate­d,” said Jules. “People have their favourites and we’re trying to get people to open their minds.”

It is also tapping into the mocktail market for the increasing number of Generation Z teetotalle­rs.

The company has a focus of supporting other small businesses, working in collaborat­ion with local distilleri­es and producers where possible, including Henley Gin Distillery.

One of its gins is called The Sanctum Sling, named for Karma Sanctum on The Green hotel in Cookham Dean.

At the moment, Cookham Cocktail Club is also arranging a virtual tasting for Amazon employees, shipping out hampers internatio­nally.

“Stuffing hampers and trying to get them to India is a challenge we’re learning to overcome every day,” said Jules.

The company hired its first official employee on Monday. It is looking to bring more people on board and values creativity over particular qualificat­ions.

Email any queries to hello@cookhamcoc­ktailclub.com

For more informatio­n on the gins and events, visit cookhamcoc­ktailclub.com

 ?? ?? Jules Herd and Stephanie Maher of Cookham Cocktail Club. Ref:134174-4
Jules Herd and Stephanie Maher of Cookham Cocktail Club. Ref:134174-4

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