olivemagazine
type: channel
link: https://www.olivemagazine.com
date: 2026-04-15T15:34:59.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: 22 London hotel bars to visit
items: Top 19 holiday-inspired cocktails
items: Limoncello lemon drop cocktail
items: Garibaldi spritz
items: Next-level tinto de verano
items: 14 Easter cocktails
items: Best Chinese restaurants in London
items: Best cocktail bars in London
items: Mint gin gimlet
items: Grapefruit mimosa
items: Chocolate cherry martini
items: Best London wine bars
items: 16 easy mocktail recipes for every occasion
items: Añejo tequila old fashioned
items: Añejo amaretto alexander
items: Añejo tequila mule
items: 7 sherry cocktails
items: Sherry highball
items: Sherry whisky sour
items: Sherry flip
items: 10 cocktails for a Christmas drinks party
items: 65 Christmas cocktails and drinks
items: Best UK gins to buy
items: 19 best vodkas to buy, tried and tested 2025
items: 20 best tequilas to try 2025

22 London hotel bars to visit
type: item
date: 2026-04-14T07:13:20.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Drink
subject: Guides
description: Discover our favourite London hotel bars, from contemporary drinking dens to venues that exude old-school glamour
encoded: Looking for the best London hotel bars? I've been olive's drinks writer for the past eight years, and trust me when I say that London has some of the best hotel bars in the world. With cutting-edge mixology, iconic cocktails and opulent environments, many have become destinations in their own right. And with that in mind, I've curated a list of the best ones to visit right now, from sleek Mayfair outfits to funky Shoreditch drinking dens. You'll be spoilt for choice when it comes to seeking out a classy drink or two. Don't forget to check this guide for updates, as I'll be refreshing it with new openings and must-visit favourites. Now, find out the best dining experiences in London, best restaurants in London with a view and the best food and drink festivals to visit. We also have our round-up of the best London pubs for food lovers. If you like your cocktail served with stellar sound systems, discover our favourite listening bars in London. The best London hotel bars to visit Scarfes Bar, Rosewood London, Holborn This plush and handsomely outfitted hotel bar at the Rosewood London in Holborn has a luxe drawing room/art gallery vibe thanks to the many original Gerald Scarfe caricature sketches that adorn the walls. A roaring fireplace keeps things cosy, table lamps cast a glow over individual tables nestled between bookcases and the ornate bar is home to some of the city’s most creative mixologists, as well as an impressive whisky selection. Menus continue the homage to the artist, with its latest, Heroes and Villains, taking inspiration from one of his most notable works. The team takes this concept and looks inwards at the darlings of the modern bartender world – clarification, distillation, carbonation – as well as cocktails they notoriously dislike making, that have been 'trends' for long enough for them to become villains – mojitos, piña coladas and cosmos. Final Act is a low abv Campari number, topped up with discarded banana, pear and black cardamom soda, ban…

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Top 19 holiday-inspired cocktails
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Collection
subject: Drink
subject: Recipes
subject: Travel
description: Channel holiday vibes with our pick of the best cocktails, from Italian spritzes to Spanish sangria
encoded: Check out our round-up of the best travel-inspired drinks, including lots of Mediterranean creations, from punchy three-ingredient negronis to fruity sangria and bittersweet spritzes. Need more summer drinks inspiration? Explore our feel-good summer drinks recipes, summer drinks ideas to cool you down and 40 summer cocktails. Garibaldi spritz – Italy This recipe combines two iconic Italian drinks: the spritz and the garibaldi. Zesty and refreshing, Campari, fresh orange juice and prosecco come together for a surprisingly crushable brunch cocktail. Next-level tinto de verano Tinto de verano, a simple mixture of red wine and lemonade, is a fizzy, refreshing cocktail that’s popular in southern Spain during warm weather. Sweet vermouth adds a herbal, bittersweet edge in this recipe. No need to spend a lot on the wine – something young and fruity works best. Limoncello lemon drop – Italy Limoncello is the perfect addition to this sweet retro cocktail. Don’t skip the sugared rim – it provides necessary sweetness that rounds out the tart, boozy elements of the drink. Rum punch – Jamaica A big jug of fruity rum punch screams summer holiday and this tropical recipe using coconut, lime and pineapple is perfect for barbecues and garden parties. Whip up a batch and explore our guide to Jamaican cuisine. Venetian spritz – Venice Venice might be the birthplace of the spritz but rather than Aperol many Venetians favour the more bitter Select Aperitivo as their base – garnished with a green olive. Enjoy this grown-up aperitif while reading about Venetian food. Mojito – Cuba This Cuban creation has to be one of the most refreshing rum cocktails out there – a zesty mix of rum, lime and mint lengthened with soda water. We've also got a clever – and equally delicious – virgin mojito. Drink while listening to our podcast on 10 things you need to know about Cuban food and cooking. Spicy margarita – Mexico A classic marg – zesty and zingy – is a thing of beauty but adding chilli salt and …

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Limoncello lemon drop cocktail
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
description: Limoncello is the perfect addition to this sweet retro cocktail. Don’t skip the sugared rim – it provides necessary sweetness that rounds out the tart, boozy elements of the drink
encoded: Try our limoncello lemon drop cocktail, then discover how to make a limoncello and thyme collins, limoncello spritz, The Lively Australian, sgroppino or limoncello negroni. Limoncello lemon drop cocktail recipe

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Garibaldi spritz
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
description: This recipe combines two iconic Italian drinks: the spritz and the garibaldi
encoded: Try our garibaldi spritz, then discover how to make a Campari spritz, Hugo spritz and more spritz recipes. Garibaldi spritz recipe

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Next-level tinto de verano
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
description: Vermouth adds a herbal, bittersweet edge to this refreshing summertime Spanish cocktail
encoded: Try our next-level tinto de verano, then discover white wine sangria and more jug cocktails. We've also got plenty more refreshing summer cocktails to try including a piña colada, strawberry daiquiri, caipirinha and mojito. Tinto de verano, a simple mixture of red wine and lemonade, is a fizzy, refreshing cocktail that’s popular in southern Spain during warm weather. No need to spend a lot on the wine – something young and fruity works best. Next-level tinto de verano recipe

14 Easter cocktails
type: item
date: 2026-04-01T22:31:23.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Collection
subject: Drink
subject: Recipes
description: Our Easter cocktail recipes are perfect for sipping over the bank holiday. These indulgent seasonal drinks range from creamy chocolate martinis to hot-cross bun sours
encoded: Celebrate the long Easter weekend with our favourite seasonal cocktails, from indulgent chocolate martinis to Aperol mimosas and pretty pink fizz. Need more drinks inspiration? Explore our best spring cocktails next. Need to plan your Easter menu? We have an Easter recipes collection packed with inspiration. Check out our Easter dinner recipes and Easter baking ideas, including the best Easter cakes and Easter desserts. Best Easter cocktail recipes Hot-cross bun amaretto sour This delicious twist on an amaretto sour uses stale hot-cross buns to make an Easter-flavoured syrup to sweeten the cocktail. Chocolate cherry martini A smooth, chocolate twist on a vodka martini, made extra sweet with maraschino liqueur. The perfect way to use up any leftover Easter chocolate. If the idea of left-over Easter egg chocolate is a foreign concept to you, swap in good-quality dark chocolate. A drizzle of syrup from the jar of cherries lends extra fruity depth. Grapefruit sharing mimosa This sharp and zesty cocktail is a twist on the classic mimosa – the orange juice is swapped for grapefruit and a little triple sec to balance the tart citrus. It makes a great Easter brunch sharing cocktail for the long weekend celebrations. Mint gimlet Refreshing mint is a match made in heaven for the citrus zing of a gimlet in this bright and tangy cocktail, ideal to serve over the long Easter weekend. Chocolate martini It's not Easter without plenty of chocolate and this three-ingredient martini will satisfy your cocoa cravings, using both dark chocolate and chocolate liqueur for a dreamy dessert cocktail. Use a good-quality chocolate liqueur for this recipe – we like Mozart. Rosé negroni sbagliato You'll need Lillet Rosé and pink fizz to make this light and floral spin on the classic Italian cocktail. Bakewell tart fizz We used the flavours of a bakewell tart to make this sparkling aperitif, which features fruity cherry liqueur and nutty amaretto. Tom collins This classic is essentially a sour c…

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Best Chinese restaurants in London
type: item
date: 2026-03-19T16:11:36.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: London
subject: Restaurants
subject: London area guides
description: From budget-friendly Szechuanese to sumptuous banquet dining and lesser-known-regional cuisines, check out our round-up of some of London’s best Chinese restaurants
encoded: Looking for a Chinese restaurant in London? Read on for our guide to some of the capital’s best spots, then check out our Chinese New Year guide and the 10 things we love about Hong Kong-style cuisine. Check out the best places to eat and drink in Chinatown London here (including Chinese dumplings, Szechuan food and up-market Chinese) Best Chinese restaurants in London Fiery Flavours, Surrey Quays My first experience of eating spicy Chinese food was Sichuanese cuisine with its distinctive use of generous amounts of dried chillies and numbing, tongue-tingling sichuan peppercorns. Hunan is a province in south-central China and, like Sichuan, delivers similarly full-throttle levels of spice, but Hunanese cuisine is distinguished by its bold use of fresh chillies as well as sour and smoky elements in dishes. While London now has plenty of Sichuan restaurants to choose from, there are far less Hunanese eateries to visit – which is why Fiery Flavours is such a welcome addition to the capital. Located a few minutes from Surrey Quays overground, with a bright red frontage and neon-lined, bold and lively interiors, it’s owned by Winston Xu, former manager of Bar Shu, and gives diners a thorough introduction to the punchy flavours of this regional cuisine. We start with dry pot velvet mushrooms – a stir-fry of meaty mushrooms that delivers sly, aromatic heat that quietly builds in intensity. Next up, a tray of unctuous, fall-apart braised pork belly: we stuff these into plump steamed gua bao buns. Stir-fried sun-dried radish with cured pork adds more tingling heat along with savoury umami flavour. We finish by slurping up slippery, satisfyingly chewy handmade noodles tossed with fresh spring onion, greens and chunks of chilli oil-drenched beef. fieryflavors.co.uk Poons, Somerset House You should approach the Poon’s menu with a game plan in hand – pick wontons or claypot or chicken, or, if you are lunching, the daily congee or noodles and go all in, the rest of the menu can wa…

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Best cocktail bars in London
type: item
date: 2026-03-05T11:00:24.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Bar reviews
subject: Drink
subject: Guides
description: From slinky, speakeasy-style dens to cutting-edge mixology, London's cocktail bars are world-class. Here's a taste of what to expect
encoded: Looking for the best cocktail bars in London? As olive’s drinks writer, I've spent the past eight years scouring the capital’s bar scene to keep up with the latest trends, openings and hot spots. London’s bar scene is one of the best in the world (including four of the World’s 50 Best Bars; see the full list here), buzzing with cutting-edge mixology, top-tier bartender talent and, most importantly, really delicious cocktails. Here’s my pick of the best at the moment – from a Latin American-inspired basement bar in Notting Hill to a Dalston agaveria and award-winning cocktail lounge in Soho. There's plenty to keep your Friday nights and weekends busy; make sure you check back for more as I'll be updating this guide with the best new cocktail bar openings. For more like this, check out the World's 50 Best Bars, the best London hotel bars to visit, the best listening bars in London and the best London pubs for food lovers. Also check out our London food guides, including the best restaurants in Fitzrovia, best restaurants in Shoreditch, best restaurants in Marylebone and best restaurants in Notting Hill. Best London cocktail bars El Siete, Soho El Pastor Soho has revamped its basement bar and turned it into a stand-alone venue – pink doors lead down below the street venue into a moody agave den dripping in Mexico City inspired brutalist, modernist aesthetics, with Luis Barragán pink walls, chrome, volcanic stone, terrazzo bar and banquettes, all gilded in sultry red lighting. The menu is structured around the number seven – so seven different margarita expressions, seven agave cocktails and seven twists on classics (hello there, blackberry cosmo). The marg section ranges from ultra modern, like the 777 Margarita served in a stainless-steel flask to keep it icy cool, to a camp frozen melon number. We often find that bars serve a spicy marg woefully lacking in heat but El Siete offers three different levels of spice for its take. Daredevils, we plump for the hottest whic…

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Mint gin gimlet
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
description: Refreshing mint is a match made in heaven for the citrus zing of a gimlet in this bright and tangy cocktail
encoded: Try our mint gin gimlet, then discover our classic gimlet, dirty martini, tom collins, vesper martini and more gin cocktails. View Green Video on the source website Mint gin gimlet recipe

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Grapefruit mimosa
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
description: This sharp and zesty cocktail is a twist on the classic mimosa – the orange juice is swapped for grapefruit and a little triple sec to balance the tart citrus
encoded: Try our grapefruit sharing mimosa, then discover recipes for bellini, bucks fizz, kir royale and French 75. We've also got plenty more champagne cocktail recipes, prosecco cocktails and easy wine cocktails. Grapefruit sharing mimosa recipe

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Chocolate cherry martini
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
description: A smooth, chocolate twist on a vodka martini, made extra sweet with maraschino liqueur. The perfect way to use up any leftover Easter chocolate
encoded: Try our choc cherry martini, then discover espresso martini, French martini, lychee martini, passion fruit martini, vesper martini, beetroot vodka martini, dry gin martini and more easy martini recipes. If the idea of left-over Easter egg chocolate is a foreign concept to you, swap in good-quality dark chocolate. A drizzle of syrup from the jar of cherries lends extra fruity depth. View Green Video on the source website Choc cherry martini recipe

Best London wine bars
type: item
date: 2026-02-25T09:44:17.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Bar reviews
subject: Guides
subject: London
subject: Restaurants
subject: Drink
description: Some of the capital's best spots for a glass (or two) of wine, from cult natural wine bars to laidback neighbourhood joints
encoded: Looking for the best London wine bars? I've spent the past eight years writing about London's drinks scene for olive, and one of the things I'm most excited about is the explosion in new-wave wine bars across the capital. From trendy natural wine spots in Shoreditch to Gallic boltholes in Covent Garden and vermuterias in King's Cross, there's something to cater for every taste. So whether you're in the mood for a glass of funky orange wine, a fizzy pét nat or a big, bold Italian red, we've got you covered. Make sure you keep coming back here for updates, as I'll be refreshing this guide with the latest openings and discoveries. Next discover the best new restaurants in London, best dining experiences in London and best food and drink festivals to visit. Also discover some of our London food guides, including the best restaurants in Covent Garden, best restaurants in Kings Cross and best restaurants in Shoreditch. If you're partial to a cocktail served with stellar sound systems, discover our favourite listening bars in London. Best wine bars in London Passione Vino, Clerkenwell There’s something about the sight of a hefty wine menu that can induce a brain fog – too much choice can often be overwhelming. So, what if you got rid of it? Veronese Luca Dusi has been importing and selling Italian wine in London for more than 20 years, and he has no truck with wine lists. At his much-loved east London fixture, Passione Vino in Shoreditch, guests simply drink whatever Luca thinks they might enjoy. He’s brought the same idea to his new site on Exmouth Market, where you can tell staff what you’re in the mood for and they’ll make their own intuitive recommendations, bringing over a few bottles to try and talking passionately about different grapes, producers and regions. It’s a relaxed, interactive and inclusive way to choose wine, and you’re almost always guaranteed to discover something you really like. On to the bar itself, Passione Vino has taken over the digs of a family …

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16 easy mocktail recipes for every occasion
type: item
date: 2026-02-17T21:35:30.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Best ever
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Collection
subject: Guides
subject: Recipes
subject: Drinks
subject: non-alcoholic
description: Want all the flavour with none of the hangover? From elderflower-flavoured sips to drinks that'll warm the cockles in winter, our non-alcoholic cocktails will do the trick
encoded: Looking for the best mocktails? Try our ideas below, including a refreshing virgin mojito and zesty non-alcoholic gimlet. Other mocktails recipes include passionfruit martinis, kombucha spritzes and mulled tea punch. Need ingredients for your cocktails? We've got lots of non-alcoholic spirits to try out, including plenty of non-alcoholic gins.

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Añejo tequila old fashioned
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
description: While an old fashioned is traditionally made with whisky it also works beautifully with any barrel-aged spirit – try doing the same with dark rum or cognac.
encoded: Try our añejo tequila old fashioned, then discover spicy margarita, frozen margarita and more tequila cocktail recipes. Find more refreshing drinks in our collection of summer cocktail recipes, including a long island iced tea, piña colada and mai tai. After, read how to elevate your cocktail skills with our best home bar hacks. Añejo tequila old fashioned recipe

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Añejo amaretto alexander
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
description: Tequila and cream sounds like a rogue combination but using aged añejo tequila works really well in this nutty pudding cocktail.
encoded: Try our añejo amaretto alexander, then discover spicy margarita, frozen margarita and more tequila cocktail recipes. Find more refreshing drinks in our collection of summer cocktail recipes, including a long island iced tea, piña colada and mai tai. After, read how to elevate your cocktail skills with our best home bar hacks. Añejo amaretto alexander recipe

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Añejo tequila mule
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
description: We’ve taken a classic moscow mule and replaced the vodka with aged tequila, which adds a lovely complexity to this easy highball.
encoded: Try our añejo tequila mule, then discover spicy margarita, frozen margarita and more tequila cocktail recipes. Find more refreshing drinks in our collection of summer cocktail recipes, including a long island iced tea, piña colada and mai tai. After, read how to elevate your cocktail skills with our best home bar hacks. Añejo tequila mule recipe

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7 sherry cocktails
type: item
date: 2025-12-12T12:04:32.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Drink
subject: Guides
description: Discover why cream sherry makes such a versatile cocktail ingredient and the best recipes to try, including ideas for fino and manzanilla sherry
encoded: Read our guide to the best sherry cocktails, then explore the best sherries to drink this Christmas, the best ports to buy and our collection of 64 Christmas cocktails. What is cream sherry? Cream sherry is a style of sweet sherry that's usually made by blending a dry wine, like oloroso, with sweet wines like pedro ximénez. It was once hugely popular (especially Harveys Bristol Cream, which in its early 1970s heyday sold a million cases a year in the UK) but this has waned thanks to the mass production of sickly-sweet, low-quality sherries and, more recently, the changing tastes of drinkers as they seek out dry styles like fino and manzanilla. This is rather a shame because a good cream sherry from a quality producer is a lovely thing: sweet but not cloying and full of the beautiful festive flavours of dried fruit, caramel and nuts that make it a perfect match for desserts and cheeseboards (try it with blue cheese). While it’s delicious sipped neat (always drink it chilled – on the rocks with an orange slice is particularly good), the complexity of flavours in a good cream sherry make it a surprisingly versatile cocktail ingredient. Plus it lasts for ages in the fridge once opened – for weeks and even up to months. Sherry cocktail recipes Cream sherry cocktails Sherry flip Velvety and nutty, this sherry flip makes an excellent alternative to eggnog during the festive season. Sherry highball Inspired by the sherry colada at New York bar Sip & Guzzle, this drink mixes cream sherry with pineapple soda for a fresh, tropical, highly gluggable highball. Sherry whisky sour A Christmassy spin on a classic whisky cocktail, the cream sherry adds extra festive flavours to the drink. Manzanilla sherry cocktails Seabreeze cocktail You'll need cranberry vodka, two types of sherry and grapefruit juice for this zesty, tart cocktail, from Manzi's seafood restaurant in Soho. Olive martini Add a touch of sophistication to your next martini with guindilla pepper brine and manzanilla sh…

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Sherry highball
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
description: Inspired by the sherry colada at New York bar Sip & Guzzle, we’ve mixed cream sherry with pineapple soda for this fresh, tropical, highly gluggable highball
encoded: Try our sherry highball, then discover our sherry sour, Tiojito sherry cocktail and frozen sherry cobbler cocktail. Also, try more Christmas cocktails. Sherry highball recipe

Sherry whisky sour
type: item
date: 2025-12-09T10:37:29.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
description: A Christmassy spin on a classic whisky cocktail, the cream sherry adds extra festive flavours to the drink
encoded: Try our sherry whisky sour, then discover our old fashioned, Manhattan, whisky highball, sazerac and more whisky cocktails. Sherry whisky sour recipe

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Sherry flip
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Cocktails and drinks
subject: Entertain
subject: Recipes
subject: cocktail
subject: sherry
description: Velvety, nutty and low-ABV, this sherry flip makes an excellent alternative to eggnog during the festive season
encoded: Try our sherry flip, then discover our sherry sour, Tiojito sherry cocktail and frozen sherry cobbler cocktail. Also, try more Christmas cocktails. Sherry flip cocktail

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10 cocktails for a Christmas drinks party
type: item
date: 2025-12-03T11:36:04.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Drink
subject: Guides
description: From Friendsmas and family gatherings to Christmas Day fizz and New Year's Eve cocktails – check out our guide to the best festive party drinks and which snacks to serve alongside
encoded: Our Christmas drinks party guide has everything you need for a next-level celebration, including twists on classic drinks (hello, Christmas spritz), sharing cocktails and plenty of festive fizz. Alongside this we've also got plenty of snack and canapé ideas for you to try. If you're short on time it's easy to give even simple drinks a festive makeover by using the right garnishes – we love using citrus wheels, whole spices such as cinnamon sticks and star anise and seasonal fruits like cranberries and pomegranates. For extra visual Christmassy appeal, try garnishing drinks with rosemary or mint dusted with icing sugar. For more festive cocktail inspiration explore our collection of 62 Christmas cocktails, 38 winter cocktails and our favourite Christmas mocktails, plus, check out the best Christmas canapé recipes. Best Christmas party cocktails Aperol spritz punch Punches are perfect for parties and this crowd-pleasing recipe uses all the components of a classic Aperol spritz plus other festive ingredients like cranberry, ginger and pomegranate. Serve alongside Italian-inspired nibbles like crostini, tarrallini and green olives. Christmas spiced negroni A negroni lends itself well to a festive makeover as all its component parts – gin, Campari and sweet vermouth – are bold enough to take extra flavourings. The homemade spiced gin in this recipe makes 500ml, so if you also scale up the Campari and sweet vermouth you can save on time and make up a big batch to serve at parties. Serve with our mozzarella sticks with spicy dipping sauce or chunks of good-quality parmesan. Paloma champagne cocktails It turns out herbaceous tequila, biscuity champagne and tart grapefruit are a match made in heaven in this easy fizzy aperitif – serve with our spicy jalapeño poppers or roasted chilli corn. Christmas mojito A summery mojito gets a Christmas makeover thanks to the addition of cranberry juice, which nicely complements the fragrant mint in the drink. The ingredients are easy to …

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65 Christmas cocktails and drinks
type: item
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Collection
subject: Drink
subject: Recipes
subject: Drinks
description: Indulge at home this winter with our Christmas cocktails. Try twists on mulled wine, spiced negronis, warming chai cocktails and plenty of festive fizz
encoded: Looking for Christmas cocktails? Make your festive evenings extra special with our easy Christmas cocktail ideas including festive martini recipes, mulled wine and Christmas gin cocktails. Next, try our prosecco cocktails and champagne cocktails. Whether it's breakfast fizz for Christmas Day, party cocktails for New Year's Eve or warming mulled drinks for frosty winter walks, our collection of Christmas cocktails has everything you need for a jolly festive season. Find recipes for classic festive drinks including eggnog and glühwein, plus lots of fun ideas to try out, including vibrant Aperol spritz punch, zingy paloma champagne cocktails, kitsch white Christmas coladas and a dessert-worthy tiramisu martini. For more quick and easy festive entertaining, check out our no-cook Christmas entertaining ideas and our Christmas mash-up recipes. Best Christmas cocktails recipes The olive festive cocktail The ultimate Christmas cocktail from the olive magazine team. Make this easy spiced cocktail recipe with tequila and elderflower for a festive drink to serve friends and family over the Christmas season. Look for vintage bottles and add a pretty ribbon and label to complete the look. Click here for more exciting edible Christmas gifts... Sloe gin fizz Although you can buy shop-bought (see our picks of the best sloe gin to buy), you could make your own sloe gin in this festive twist on a classic gin fizz. Aperol spritz punch Aperol spritz isn’t just for summer – this festive punch version adds cranberry juice and ginger ale, then gets dressed up with pomegranate, rosemary, star anise and cinnamon. Ready in five minutes, it’s an easy crowd-pleaser for up to eight. Sherry flip Velvety, nutty and low-ABV, this sherry flip is a clever alternative to eggnog for the festive season. Smooth and sippable, it keeps the celebrations bright without overdoing it. Christmas spiced negroni Take your favourite cocktail and give it a festive makeover with homemade spiced gin. Why not make ou…

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Best UK gins to buy
type: item
date: 2025-11-25T12:05:24.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Drink
subject: Reviews
subject: Gin
subject: Products
description: From using native botanicals to being inspired by local history, explore the vibrant best British gins that celebrate a sense of place
encoded: The gin boom in recent years has seen gin distilleries spring up the length and breadth of the British Isles, and it's likely that wherever you go in the UK you'll discover a locally made gin, often using botanicals and ingredients from the surrounding area, whether that's wheat grown on Salisbury plain, Yorkshire gooseberries or foraged sea vegetables in Suffolk. Here are some of the best gins that make the most of where they come from. Want to discover more unique gins? Try our favourite Scottish gins, Welsh gins and flavoured gins, or travel the world from your home with our unusual international gins. Looking to really impress fellow gin lovers? Bring the bar to your home with our best drinks trolley ideas, and buy from one of our favourite online bottle shops. Best UK gins to buy at a glance Ludlow: Pink Ludlow gin, £42.91 The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Distillery No.2 wildflower gin, £38.50 Northumberland: Hepple Gin, £39.99 Ayrshire: Hendrick's Flora Adora gin, £34.12 Norfolk: Bullards Coastal gin, £45 Suffolk: Fishers gin, £40 Yorkshire: Slingsby gooseberry gin, £32.99 Northamptonshire: Warner's London dry gin, £31 Lanarkshire: Biggar gin, £38.81 Devon: Salcombe Start Point London dry gin, £41.99 Wiltshire: Ramsbury lemon balm gin, £36 Cornwall: Tarquin's gin, £38.50, Aureus Vita gin, £175 Cambridge: Cambridge Distillery Three Seasons gin, £90 The Cairngorms: Caorunn gin, £31.50 Thurso: Rock Rose Scottish gin, £33.39 Surrey: Silent Pool gin, £40.13, Magna Carta gin, £40, Brockman's Intensely Smooth, £36 Wales: Aber Falls small batch gin, £28.93 London: Sipsmith chilli and lime gin, £30 Swansea: Cygnet 77, £130 Northern Ireland: Boatyard Double gin, £39.58 Best UK gins to buy 2025 Ludlow: Pink Ludlow gin Available from Master of Malt (£42.91) A rich and complex pink gin, with floral notes from hibiscus, warmth from pink peppercorns and zesty orange notes to round everything off. Flavour profile: citrus Botanicals: Juniper, coriander, orange, angelica, orris, hibisc…

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19 best vodkas to buy, tried and tested 2025
type: item
date: 2025-11-25T11:55:22.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Drink
subject: Reviews
subject: review
subject: Vodka
description: Drinks expert Hannah Guinness has tested the best vodka to buy so you'll be ready to make a whole range of classic cocktails at home
encoded: Looking for the best vodka to try? Read our guide then check out our vodka cocktail recipes, then check out our alternative spirits and best sustainable spirits to try. This clear spirit is an essential ingredient for any drinks cupboard. Vodka has always been celebrated for its versatility as a cocktail ingredient, and in recent years the launches of new artisan brands have meant that it’s also seen as a premium spirit that can be sipped and savoured. In places such as Russia and Poland, it’s a spirit usually drunk neat, ice-cold and in shots, and with two things – company, and food (especially pickles and salty snacks). It’s vodka’s versatility as a drinks base, however, that saw it soar in popularity in countries including the US in the 20th century, with vodka cocktails such as the moscow mule and cosmopolitan ensuring that sales boomed. Recent years have seen vodka’s crown slip a little, with sales dented by the boom in ‘craft’ spirits, especially gin (interestingly, gin is effectively made from vodka, with extra flavourings added). This status quo is shifting, however, with the emergence of new vodkas that champion their raw ingredients and position themselves as premium artisan products. Because while it’s popularly seen as a ‘flavourless’ spirit, the best expressions will have subtle differences – potato vodkas will have a creamier texture, while a rye-based spirit can have nutty notes. This can be especially appreciated in classic, spirit-forward cocktails such as a vodka martini. The UK has witnessed its own mini-boom in premium English vodkas, made with anything from potato and grains (the traditional base ingredients for vodka) to grapes and even milk. Here are a few of our favourite vodkas to buy from the UK and beyond. 19 best vodkas to buy at a glance Best herbal vodka: Colwith Distillery Aval Dor Cornish Rosemary and Bay Vodka, £39.25 Best vodka for gifting: Sapling vodka, £31.25 Best floral vodka: Jo Vodka 103 – The Artist, £49.99 Best full-bodied v…

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20 best tequilas to try 2025
type: item
date: 2025-11-21T00:00:13.000Z
creator: Hannah Guinness
subject: Drink
subject: Guides
subject: Reviews
description: We’ve found the best tequilas to buy, from silver varieties for cocktails to rich aged spirits perfect for sipping
encoded: Looking for the best tequila to buy? Want to try new varieties of the popular agave spirit? Check out our round up of the best tequilas brands to try this summer... For more drinks inspiration, check out our expert guides to the best mezcal to buy or best premium rum to try. Best tequilas at a glance Blanco tequilas Best tequila for easy drinking: Espolòn Blanco Tequila, £30.50 Best pink tequila: Código 1530 Rosa Blanco, £49.99 Best smooth blanco tequila: 1800 Blanco Tequila, £34.20 Best tequila for beginners: Cazcabel Honey Tequila, £32.18 Best silver tequila: Don Fulano Blanco Tequila, £45.50 Best flavoured tequila: Beeble Honey Tequila, £35 Best coffee tequila: Hacien Coffee Tequila Blanco, £37.50 Añejo tequila Best value añejo tequila: El Mayor Añejo Tequila, £41.75 Best tequila with a whisky twist: Storywood Tequila Speyside 14 Añejo, £56.95 Best tequila for sipping: VIVIR Tequila Añejo, £69 Best tequila for a Manhattan: Código 1530 Añejo, £112 Best herbaceous tequila: Tapatio Añejo Tequila, £32.89 Best añejo for special occasions: Komos Anejo Reserva, £184.62 Reposado tequila Best reposado tequila: Casa Noble Reposado, £65.90 Best delicate tequila: Mijenta Reposado Tequila, £60.49 Best blow out tequila: Komos Reposado Rosa Tequila, £139 Best mellow tequila: Herradura Reposado Tequila, £42.70 Best single-estate tequila: Ocho 8 Resposado Tequila, £29.50 Best reposado for sipping: Codigo 1530 Reposado Tequila, £51.75 Other tequilas Best charcoal-filtered tequila: Maestro DOBEL Diamante, £61.50 What is tequila? Tequila is a distilled spirit made from the cooked and fermented juice of blue agave. Most tequilas fall into three categories. Blanco tequila is unaged and bottled within two months, and is typically used in cocktails. It usually has strong agave and earthy flavours. Reposado tequilas have been aged in wooden casks for at least two months – which mellows the spirit and imparts oaky notes. Try them in cocktails like margaritas, or drink them neat. Añejo teq…

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