Come rain or shine, bank holidays are an ideal excuse to indulge in your favourite drinks.
There’s nothing quite like looking ahead to a week of work and realising that there’s no need to set your alarm this Monday morning. This upcoming bank holiday (Monday 26th August) is one to take advantage of since this is the only one we’ve got left to enjoy before winter hits.
For some, a bank holiday means planning a long weekend away. For others, the day off equals a well-earned lie-in. But for our kind of people, the absence of work is a cause for celebration. One that involves a drink or two. Given this is meant to be a period of relaxation, allow us to save you the trouble of trawling the supermarkets, corner shops and virtual shelves online for alcohol. Instead, enjoy our round-up of delightful whiskeys, gins, rums, beers, wines and even craft cocktails!
That Boutique-y Gin Company Craft Cocktails Bundle (5 x 330ml)
That Boutique-y Gin Company knows that nobody really wants to spend their day off with more work to do so it created these ready-to-drink cocktails. No need to create your own serve. Including such wonderful combinations like Pineapple Gin Mule, Strawberry Gin Fizz, Gin and Tonic, Yuzu Gin Collins and Cherry Gin Cola, this bundle not only means great taste without the effort, but it will also save you precious monies versus buying each can individually!
J.J. Corry The Gael
A blended whiskey from the first new whiskey bonder in Ireland for over 50 years, J.J. Corry The Gael is a fruity, juicy and mixable expression made to represent what the brand felt was the classic Irish whiskey profile. The bottling is named after a bicycle the 19th-century whiskey bonder J.J. Corry (who the brand itself is named after) invented.
What does it taste like?:
Fresh hay, honeydew melon, fizzy strawberry laces, cinnamon, green apple, soft oak salinity and a bright hint of lime.
Gin Ting – Passionfruit, Mango & Elderflower
Take a tasty gin recipe featuring juniper, cassia, coriander, orange and lemon and add a refreshing and summery infusion of passion fruit, mango and elderflower and what do you get? The wonderful Gin Ting, a full-bodied, fruity number that’s perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
What does it taste like?:
Fresh fruit is right at the fore of this one, with tangy mango and a hint of passion fruit. Subtly spicy juniper and cassia in the background.
Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon
If you ask a bourbon to fan to think of an affordable, approachable and tremendously tasty bottling that makes for a cracking Old Fashioned cocktail, there’s a good chance that Woodford Reserve Kentucky Bourbon will be on their mind. The distinctive drink features a mash bill that includes a weighty rye concentration (18% to be exact), adding a good kick of spice to contrast with its exceptionally smooth delivery.
What does it taste like?:
Honey, winter spice, leather, a touch of cocoa, espresso beans, plenty of rye, ground ginger, almond oil, a little smoke, toasty oak and vanilla cream with a hint of butterscotch.
Manchester Gin – Raspberry Infused
With any luck, we’ll see some evidence that it’s still summer this bank holiday. If the weather cooperates, you’ll need an equally appropriate sunshine-worthy drink. For this, we recommend Manchester Gin – Raspberry Infused, which takes the already delicious Manchester Gin recipe and add raspberries to the mix. Excellent for cocktails, mixed drinks, heck, even splashed in a glass of Champagne, it’s little surprise this beauty picked up a bronze medal in the Flavoured Gin category at the World Gin Awards 2019.
What does it taste like?:
Nutty juniper developing into soft waves of floral dandelion and lemon. Layers of sweet raspberry notes surround it.
Kona Big Wave Golden Ale Bundle (6 Pack)
Let’s face it, a good order of beer is a bank holiday essential and one that saves you a few quid is always going to be a winner. Take this bundle of Big Wave Golden Ale from the Hawaii-based Kona Brewing Co, for example. It’s filled with 6x 355ml bottles of the light, refreshing and delicious beer and it will save you a healthy 10% versus buying individually!
What does it taste like?:
Cereal, grapefruit, pineapple, toffee, bready malt and slightly pine-y hops.
Gin Mare
For the gin fan who wants an expression with a story behind it, Gin Mare is ideal. The Mediterranean gin is distilled in a thirteenth-century chapel in an ancient fishing village using a variety of botanicals including rosemary, thyme, basil and the arbequina olive. This final ingredient ensures that every bottle is unique, as every year the arbequina olive changes acidity.
What does it taste like?:
Herbal notes, coriander, tart juniper, citrus zest, berry fruits and hints of perfume.
Neptune Rum
For rum fans who want a bottling that’s delicious neat or when mixed, it’s hard to go wrong with Neptune Rum. A blend of eight, five and three-year aged golden rum distilled from pure sugar cane molasses at the revered Foursquare Distillery in Barbados, Neptune Rum was matured in American bourbon oak barrels, filtered using a specific cold filtration process, diluted with soft spring water and bottled at 40% ABV. For serving suggestions, you can check out this neat little feature from our blog!
What does it taste like?:
Maple syrup, fresh apricot, ripe peaches, shredded coconut, green banana, caramelised brown sugar, vanilla, spicy pepper, nutmeg, warm bourbon oak, sherried peels
Malfy Gin Con Limone
With its sheer cliffs, rugged shoreline and rustic charm, the Amalfi coast is a popular holiday destination for good reason. But for those who can’t make the trip to the southern edge of Italy’s Sorrentine Peninsula this bank holiday weekend, you can always enjoy a taste of the region with this delightful expression. Among the six botanicals used in the creation of Malfy Gin is an infusion of Italian coastal lemons, including some from the Amalfi coast.
What does it taste like?:
Very citrus forward and fresh, with touches of woody juniper bringing character. Lemon notes are authentic, bright and mouth-filling.
Gusbourne Rosé 2015
Rosé is always a phenomenally popular choice of drink among friends so having a good bottle on hand is essential. You can’t go wrong with this 2015 vintage from the sublime English vineyard Gusbourne, produced from hand-picked Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes for a delicate, floral and fruity profile.
What does it taste like?:
Delicate fruity notes of cherry, strawberry and slightly tart cranberry with buttery notes of brioche and a hint of spice.
