Are you doing 'Dry' this January? If so, we've got your back. In our last episode in this season we're putting the growing non-alcoholic category very much in focus and trust us, we were very impressed. We start by tasting two new products, High Point Ruby Aperitif made in Cornwall and Savyll, a range of ready-to-drink cocktails from London. Lyaness is our bar of choice. Why? Because we love the way they put as much creativity, care and attention into their 'boozeless' concoctions as they do their boozy counterparts. And book-wise, it's all about Kingsley Amis's cocktail essays, 'Everyday Dr ..read more

Our penultimate episode sees us looking back on some of our favourite people, places and products from the past 12 months including: Places Amaro Common Decency Himkok Line Seed Library Velvet Products Beefeater Crown Jewel Capreolus Distillery Fords Sloe Gin Nixta Corn Liqueur Woven Whisky People Simone Caporale & Marc Alvarez Drew Fleming Giacomo Gianotti Dan & Joe Schofield What we're mixing: Chicago 15ml cognac 15ml triple sec orange liqueur 2 dashes Angostura Aromatic Bitters 1 brown sugar cube 100ml Champagne or sparkling wine to top Orange peel garnish Method: Drop the ..read more

Hands up if you've still got the Christmas shopping to do? Yup, us too… Don't worry, there's still time to get your Santa on (Royal Mail permitting) and to help you, we've picked out a list of gifts for the cocktail lovers in your life – from £10 and under to blow the budget. see thecocktaillovers.com for gift ideas and website details What we're mixing: Julie's Sherry Cobbler ( 1 large or 2 small serves) 90ml Lustau East India Solera Sherry 30ml dark rum 15ml double cream 15ml simple syrup or cinnamon syrup) 1 small egg Grated nutmeg to garnish Method: Combine the sherry, rum, cream, syr ..read more

Martini anyone? Whether you're a gin or vodka fan, we've got a winning base for you. In the vodka corner we have Elit, smooth-as-you-like thanks to its signature freeze-filteration process, and representing gin we have the re-released Beefeater Crown Jewel, weighing in at a hefty 50% ABV. Martinis feature in our book choice, 'Cocktails, A Still Life', written by Christine Sismondo and James Waller and starring stunning oil paintings by Todd M. Casey, while artfully made drinks are on the menu at Line in Athens, the latest offering from Vasilis Kyritsis, Nikos Bakoulis and Dimitri Dafopoulos ..read more

It's getting chilly here in Cocktail Towers so we're gravitating towards the rum corner of our cocktail cabinet. Our first review sees us warming up with Rum Union, a new product from the Holyrood Distillery in Scotland (!), before we succumb to the tropical heat found in La Hechicera Rum, hailing from sunny Colombia. We've always liked the look and feel of velvet as a fabric but the new bar at the Corinthia Hotel in London, takes our love of Velvet to another level. Check in for live music, lush interiors and a stunning cocktail list from Salvatore 'The Maestro' Calabrese and his talented te ..read more

What do we do when there's a nip in the air? We warm up with some gorgeous drinks. First out of the drinks cabinet is Stauning Smoke Whisky – our pick for Bonfire Night, or any autumn/winter night for that matter. We follow that with an indulgent but dairy-free treat, Black Lines Oatnog. Sterling in Manchester ticks all of the boxes that we look for in a bar that we want to hunker down in all winter: sexy lighting, plush leather seats, great service, good vibes, and onehelluva drinks and food list. Our book choice is just the ticket for staving off the cold, it's The Cocktail Edit – Everyt ..read more

As born and bred Londoners, we're always chuffed when we have any opportunity to shine a light on all that's great about our beloved capital. We start with our two products: East London Liquor Company Kew Gin made in, you guessed it, East London, then take our tastebuds West to Chiswick to sample Sipsmith Cacao & Orange Gin. Our book is 'The Cocktail Cabinet – The art, science and pleasure of mixing the perfect drink' by London-based flavour expert Zoe Burgess and as London Cocktail Week is in full swing, we highlight a few of the many events taking place in every corner of the capital ..read more

Want to know which bar has been voted the best in the world? Of course you so but you'll have to wait until the end of this episode… Before that we have our two product reviews: Abasolo El Whisky de Mexico which takes us to the cornfields of sunny Mexico, followed by The Fords Gin Co Sloe gin which blends sloes from the UK and France. We're in Venice for this week's chosen venue – the Art's Bar at the stunning St. Regis hotel. Our book choice is 60-Second Cocktail – Amazing drinks to make at home in a minute' by Joel Harrison and Neil Ridley. This week's guest is Mark Sansom, Director of Co ..read more

Boy, do we have some good stuff for you. In this episode we bring you two delicious products: an Eau de Vie from Capreolus Distillery in the Cotswolds and Old Duff Genever, from an Irishman based in New York. Our library pick is a must-read for hosts at every level – André Darlington's fabulous 'Bar Menu – 100+ drinking food recipes for cocktail hours at home', a brand new book which does exactly what it says on the tin. From New Orleans, it's all about the delights of the stunning Chandelier Bar at the Four Seasons hotel, and for a hotel closer to home, we speak to this week's guest, Anna S ..read more

We're back and while we've been away, we're thrilled to say that The Cocktail Lovers podcast picked up Best Broadcast, Podcast or Online Video Series at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards in New Orleans – whoop-la! So what are we coming back with? Only the good stuff… Our drinks reviews take in Beesou, a honey-based aperitif from Britain and Ki No Bi, a big-hitting gin from Japan. Our library pick also puts Japan in the spotlight with Julia Momose’s award-winning book The Way of The Cocktail. Closer to home, we head over to Little Mercies in London’s Crouch End for good vibes, top-not ..read more