In an industry first, Glen Moray has pushed the boundaries of experimentation, launching its cider cask-finished single malt whisky. The first release in the Speyside distillery’s new Elgin Curiosity range, this series of limited-edition whiskies is designed to showcase small batch, off-the-wall experimentation.
Nestled on the banks of the River Lossie, its warehouses are full of weird and wonderful casks and this particular dram has been finished in those previously used to hold Thistly Cross Scottish craft cider. The result is layers of caramelised apple sweetness combined with Glen Moray’s signature citrus and spice. Tipping the £50 mark, you’ll have to really like your host to fork out for this one – but with only 2,000 casks produced, this is a seriously special tipple.
£52.95
You can buy it here:
Gosnells of London Signature Mead
The fermented honey drink of the Middle Ages is making a comeback amid the hipster crowd, finding a place on the market once more thanks to Game of Thrones-inspired mixologists. Gosnells of London takes the long-forgotten home-grown fizz right into the modern day with its gently honeyed, semi-sparkling take, fit for a Rosh Hashanah banquet.
Made with Spanish orange blossom honey, mixed with water and then fermented through to 5.5%, its signature blend is light and floral, making it a perfect accompaniment for fish. Alongside the honey’s characteristic sweetness comes a host of delicate floral and herbal notes from the nectar the bees have collected, giving all the flavour of an orange grove in bloom.
£8.95
You can buy it here:
Wild Beer: Ninkasi
Named after the ancient Mesopotamian goddess of beer, Wild Beer’s celestial Belgian-style saison is a celebration beer to rival the finest bottle of fizz. Hopped with copious amounts of Magnum and Nelson Sauvin and brewed with freshly harvested Somerset apple juice, it has a dry, cider-like quality, with tartness and vinous notes.
This is a brew with hidden depths, to satisfy devoted beer lovers and non-believers alike, blurring the lines between beer and wine. Once bottled, the beer undergoes a secondary fermentation with fresh champagne yeast, giving an earthy funk and brisk spritz on the tongue, perfect for filling your flutes to toast a sweet New Year.
£7.50
You can buy it here:
Hortus Pomegranate & Rose Gin Liqueur
In the midst of a recent ‘ginaissance’, the UK’s love affair with mother’s ruin has hit an all-time high, overtaking vodka and whiskey as our spirit of choice. The committed team at Good Housekeeping magazine recently blind-tested 118 gins across six categories, and budget supermarket Lidl came roaring into the top spot with its Hortus Pomegranate & Rose Gin Liqueur.
This gin-based liqueur leads with rose aromatics but delivers plenty of tart, fruitiness on the palate for a refreshing aperitive – giving you all the flavour of the symbolic pomegranate, without having to figure out how to open one.
£9.99
You can buy it here: