It’s still quite chilly and while it was hard to lockdown in April and May, the cold makes self-isolation (aka hibernation) that much easier! Spending more time at home and, well, running out of wine (let’s be honest) might have inspired you to opt for something a little more adventurous… And now that we can buy booze again, why not?
Easy enough to make at home from items most of us have in our grocery cupboards, and using spirits that many of us may have neglected in the back of our liquor cabinets, or which we may be keen to test drive for the first time, here are our top Winter Warmers to snuggle up with.
BRAVE AND BOLD
Ingredients – makes two (because who likes to drink alone?)
1 1/2 cups Water
1 bag Chamomile tea
2 teaspoons Honey
60ml Whisky (we recommend Bannerman’s Finest Scotch Whisky for its smoothness and slight sweetness)
15ml Elderflower syrup
Squeeze of Lemon Juice
Garnish with a Lemon wedge (when life gives you lemons!)
Method
Boil water and steep the Chamomile tea for 5 minutes. Remove the tea bag and stir in two teaspoons of honey. Allow to cool completely. Here is the fun part: in each rocks glass stir 30ml Whisky and 7.5ml of Elderflower syrup over ice. Pour 2/3 of a cup of tea into each glass and finish with a squeeze of lemon juice. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
THE HAUNTED
Ingredients
50ml Irish Whiskey (we recommend The Sexton Single Malt Irish Whiskey because it’s Irish. And a single malt. Yum!)
5ml Coffee liqueur
5ml Maple syrup
2 Dashes chocolate bitters (or mix a teaspoon of cacoa powder with a tablespoon of water as a cheeky lockdown substitute)
Method
Pour all ingredients into a shaker, add ice, shake and serve on the rocks.
LIFE’S A PEACH
Ingredients
50ml Rum (we recommend Don Papa 7-year old Oak-aged Rum for its long-textured finish and vanilla, honey, and candied fruit flavours)
30ml Apple Juice
25ml Stewed Peach Puree (stew some dried peaches, whizz them up in the blender until they’re smooth and bob’s your uncle!)
20ml Lemon Juice
Ginger Ale
Method
Shaken, strained and topped with Ginger Ale.
And if you’ve decided to become a teetotaller after weeks of prohibition, have no fear – you can always order a bottle of Seedlip non-alcoholic distilled spirit here and make yourself a delicious alternative to a hot toddy!
GARDEN TODDY
Ingredients
50ml Seedlip Garden 108
20ml Fresh Lemon Juice
20ml Cloudy Apple Juice
10ml Lemon Verbena Syrup (make it by bringing 2 cups of water and a handful of lemon verbena to the boil, infuse it for 30 minutes and then add 4 cups of caster sugar. Cool, pop it in the fridge and use it after 24 hours.)
Method
Build and garnish with a Lemon Verbena leaf
About Truman & Orange:
Truman & Orange’s growing range of brands includes The Extraordinary and Fabulous Gin Collection, consisting of the range of Ryan Reynold’s Aviation Gin; super-premium Brooklyn Gin; the true English gin, Hayman’s of London; Irish sensation Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin; American best-seller, Seagram’s Gin; the alchemist’s gin, Copperhead and more recently the company has invested in the local Bloedlemoen Gin.
Seedlip, Ben Branson’s non-alcoholic distilled spirit, known worldwide as the premium option for ‘what to drink when you’re not drinking®’, is also part of Truman & Orange’s diverse portfolio.
Also included in Truman & Orange’s portfolio are Fortaleza Tequila; Don Papa Aged Rum; Kraken Black Spiced Rum; Spytail Black Ginger Rum; Pampelle Aperitif; Tito’s Handmade Vodka; Godet Cognac; the world’s best-selling Mionetto Prosecco; and the sought-after Sazerac portfolio of bourbons from the world’s most award-winning distillery, Buffalo Trace.
Truman & Orange have partnered with international drinks company Kensington Distillers & Vintners to launch their range of independently-owned drinks, including Bannerman’s Scotch Whisky; Mazzatti Italian Beers; Kensington Gin and Grace du Roi Sparkling Wines. Kensington Distillers & Vintners also recently acquired several well-known brands which are household names in South Africa: Cape Velvet Cream Liqueur, Bertrams VO Brandy, Squadron Rum, Montego Rum and Lupini Sambuca, which Truman & Orange will represent in South Africa.
Truman & Orange is a national business, with offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town and representation in all the major South African metropolitans. For more information please visit: www.trumanandorange.com.
Prize Details:
We are giving three lucky readers the chance to win two bottles of Seedlip Grove each. Seedlip is the world’s first non-alchoholic spirit.
There are three variants available, including a complex, citrus forward blend of lemon, three types of orange and uplifting spice distillates; Seedlip Garden 108 which captures the essence of the English countryside; and Seedlip Spice 94 an aromatic spirit with strong spice and citrus notes.
Competition T’s & C’s Apply.
To Enter:
Fill in your details on the form below.
Terms & Conditions:
– The competition will run till August 28
-Three winners will be chosen and announced by Cape Town Etc on August 28 at 12pm.
– The winners will be contacted via details entered on the form
– Prizes are not refundable and cannot be exchanged for money
Picture/s: supplied