A Whole Host Of Autumn Drinks

By Amy Castle

There’s nothing better to complement the winding down of summer and the turning of autumn leaves than your favourite tipple.

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From simple G&Ts, to classic British ciders and even soft drinks for those who don’t drink, there’s no better time to try something new and find out your favourite so you can stock up for the festive season which is just around the corner.

Classic British refreshment

Bulmers No17 cider, RRP £2.25 (568ml) available from all good supermarkets
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The latest edition to the Bulmers range is a 4% ABV premium quality apple cider with crushed red berries, cut with a shot of lime. Sounds exotic, and tastes exotic, too.

Fruity and sweet, the No17 blend was crisp and perfect poured over ice. The berry flavours were prominent and the lime too was noticeable.

The No17 Bullmers blend was a nice summer alternative to regular cider, although to some extent it was difficult to remember what I was drinking was in fact cider! It’s definitely a drink for those who enjoy sweet refreshing drinks, served over ice.

Afternoon Tea G&T

Hayman’s London Dry Gin RRP £16.29 (70cl), available at Harvey Nichols and www.thedrinkshop.com
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With juniper, angelica roots, coriander and liquorice, Hayman’s is a light and citrusy gin. Despite being a dry gin, it seems less dry than other well-known brands, and I found it was sweeter than others I have tried. Orris root – a root powder commonly used for culinary and perfumery purposes, is said to hold together the other ingredients and along with orange and lemon peel, gives the gin a crisp, fresh taste. A great gin that is refreshing and punchy at the same time.

Great with: the trendy Negroni cocktail. One measure Hayman’s London Dry Gin, 1 shot Campari and 1 shot Rosso Vermouth, served over ice.

Creative Cocktails

Patrón Silver Tequila, RRP £45.99 (70cl), available from Ocado, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges
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Tequila is one of those spirits that makes me think back to my uni days and cringe slightly (mainly at the thought of how I was feeling the next morning after a night of drinkign nothing but tequila slammers). But not anymore. Patrón Silver Tequila is a smooth silver tequila, and doesn't have the oakyness some tequilas carry.

It's not only great on the rocks, but a versatile spirit that can be easily mixed into cocktails and long drinks. I gave the Patrón Basil & Berry suggested cocktail a whirl during a rather rainy day inside with friends during what was supposed to be a barbeque.

The cocktail consisted of 50ml Patron Silver, 50ml fresh pureed strawberries, 10ml lemon juice and some sweet basil leaves – not my usual cocktail of choice, but it was a refreshing alternative to the usual sickly-sweet cocktails I’m used to.

Something to celebrate

Gosset Champagne Grande Reserve Brut, RRP £49 (bottle), available from Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, Berry Bros and many fine wine shops
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Champagne Gosset is the oldest wine house in Champagne established in Aÿ in 1584, offering a portfolio of 9 different champagnes.

Usually reserved for those special moments in life, namely my graduation (the day before the tequila hangover), champagne is one of life's little luxuries. With a group of my closest friends this summer, we had my best friend's new job to celebrate, so what better excuse than to pop open a bottle of Gosset's champagne.

Smooth and crisp, the beautiful golden liquid frothed out of the bottle and into our eagerly-awaiting best crystal glassware.

I've been told that the smaller the bubbles, the better quality the champagne, and with its abundance of tiny bubbles, everyone could tell this champagne was of great quality.
Red blackcurrants, wheat, dried fruits and gingerbread feature on the list of scents the champagne evokes, and I must although on first taste I didn't list any of the above, when I tried it again having read the list I agreed with them all.

For further information on stockists contact McKinley Vintners on 020 7928 7300.

The British favourite... a good old cuppa

Flowering Tea Blooms from The Tea Experience, £6.50 for 6 blooms, www.theteaexperience.co.uk
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Speciality online tea business, The Tea Experience, has launched a blossoming new beverage that’s perfect now summer seems a distant memory.

Handcrafted tea blooms made with tea from the Fujian province of China come in a range of six teas, from the more well-known Dragon Eye to Flying Snow, inspired by snow globes with delicate parts of the flower breaking up and whizzing around the cup.
As boiling water is poured over the individually wrapped buds unravel, and after 3 to 5 minutes the tea is ready to drink. Each flavour was as pleasant as the last, and the tea was great for drinking after a meal or just before bed.

With jasmine blossoms, red amaranth and orange lilies, the tea really is a spectacular thing to watch, and great to drink.

So we might not have the weather anymore, but at least we've got the spirit!