Rum

Holiday Drinks - Friday Favourites

With the Christmas Party season in full swing, and here at The Amazing Blog we like to celebrate in style. So whether you’re a Champagne, Prosecco, Rum or Beer drinker, here’s our round up of the classiest drinks to make sure your parties to celebrate the holidays are a success. 

Finest Fizz seem to have created the impossible, a Brut Rosé Champagne which is not only lower in calories at 270 calories, but low in sugar content too.  Comparing this to a regular Brut Champagne which can come in at approximately 570 calories, that's a big difference!

The hand-crafted fizz has Strawberry, Raspberry and Red Cherry flavours and is Premier Cru Champagne. This skinny Champagne is a version of Champagne Tribaut’s popular Rosé de Reserve, just with no added sugar. Which, if you’ve had indulgent Christmas celebrations will be a good alternative. We found that you didn’t notice the Rosé was low-sugar one, and considering it is Extra Brut it’s deliciously dry. The bottle is very feminine with a pink label and the Champagne is, of course a light pink shade. Skinny Rosé would make a perfect addition to a ladies night!

You can purchase Skinny Rosé here for £39.

When you’re told a product is a multiple award-winning one you may set very high expectations, and Premier Estate’s Prosecco did not disappoint.  This extra dry DOC is produced with grapes from a single harvest which highlights the luxurious aspects of it. It is lightly creamy with a zesty freshness and flute of this is required for anyone looking for a sophisticated accessory for when the clock strikes 12. The fizz is refreshing and can work great with or without food. The price is surprising low for the quality of the Champagne and the awards, including a bronze in the International wine challenge reflect that the experts agree.

You can purchase Prosecco here for £9.99

Ron Santa Teresa is one of the first Caribbean rum producers and is now sold in over 30 countries, the brand specialises on high quality and premium rum. We received their Santa Teresa 1796, it is a clear, reddish amber colour and its character means it’s suitable to drink on the rocks or with mineral water, if you would prefer. The strong, well rounded taste boasts smoke through tobacco and leather notes. These are created through the Solera method, a traditional method that uses Oak barrels to age the alcohol, from which it is produced entirely. The taste remains delicate, elegant and velvety whilst the bottle looks classic and classy, sure to wow any guests.

You can purchase a bottle of Santa Teresa 1796 here for £40.

If you’re the designated driver or not an alcohol drinker, St. Peter’s Brewery has made sure you don’t miss out! St. Peters is based in Suffolk and they create traditional beers as well as unusual beers. Launched in September, they have created a ‘Without’ range of beers that are alcohol free yet tastes just as good as the alcoholic version. The beer is brewed to the exact same standards as your usual craft ale, but without the alcohol. It is malty, full-bodied and bursting with flavour and is also fewer calories than standard beer. Unlike other alcohol free alternatives, this looks like beer as well as feels and tastes like beer. For an alcohol free alternative, try St. Peters Without here, 8 x 500ml £13.

The long-established English philosophy at Wimbledon Brewery uses the best Ingredients and traditions to ensure the highest of quality beers. We tried the Quatermaine bottled beer named after William Quatermaine, an original owner of Wimbledon Brewery. This beer is an I.P.A and has spicy orange notes which goes on to a crisp hops bitterness. We also tried the Bravo American Pale Ale which comes in a 330ml can; it is refreshing, with a fruity and crisp taste and pronounced Blackberry. They both have the sophisticated Wimbledon Brewery look, with silver labels and the large logo of the Wimbledon tower, Phoenix, barley and hops which encases the important aspects of the brand. You can buy the Quatermaine bottled beer here for £2.70 and the Bravo American pale ale here for £2.50.

RumFest

Following yesterday's post on Kraken Rum, and an evening spent sampling the recommended cocktails (which, incidentally, were quite delicious), we at The Amazing Blog thought we'd stick with the same theme and feature the RumFest which is due to hit the streets of London this very weekend. The world’s biggest and best rum festival is taking place at London Excel this Saturday and Sunday (13th and 14th October) and is bound to be a tantalising treat for the taste buds. Offering revellers the chance to sip, savour and buy over 400 of the rarest and most delicious rums from around the world, it’s a fabulous celebration of the Caribbean’s tipple of choice. And in addition to the dark liquid, RumFest’s Tropical Food Area brings the opportunity to try delicious street food and some of the finest Caribbean cuisine. From rumcakes, to infused chocolate and fresh coconuts RumFest really is bringing a little bit of Caribbean beach life to Autumnal London.

And for anyone after a bit of culture there will be workshops and seminars discovering rum's history, where and how it's made plus master classes on rum and chocolate pairing. The Rum University will also be on hand where 'Cocktail historians' will be featured and Ian Burrell's Rum map will be revealed, outlining where rums come from around the world and linking in their flavours and ingredients.

There will also be a cocktail theatre with live demos and competitions, the chance to see some of the most exciting and skilled mixologists create cocktail master pieces and a live band playing exotic rhythms and really bringing a flavour of the Caribbean over to London’s dismal streets.

So whether you’ve got an uneventful weekend ahead of you and are looking for something fun to do or want to celebrate all things rum-related, check out London’s rather wonderful RumFest, tickets available here.

 

 

Kraken Rum

Now that jugs of Pimms, white wine spritzers and lazy afternoons spent in beer gardens drinking just-pulled pints are but a distant, sun-drenched memory, now is the time to be indulging in winter-appropriate tipples. And while we're not yet ready to be sipping eggnog and mulled wine, the gang at The Amazing Blog has stumbled across the perfect tipple to see us through winter.

Named after a mythical sea beast, The Kraken is a spiced Caribbean rum aged and enriched with exotic spices including cinnamon, ginger and clove. Distilled in Trinidad and Tobego from sweet molasses, the ageing takes place over a two-year period in ex-bourbon whiskey barrels and is blended with an exotic combination of 14 spices, giving it a smooth and sultry taste.

Unlike many rums which have a sharp bite and a burn that lingers long after it's swallowed, Kraken Black Spiced Rum has a rich, caramel-like flavour with a gentle after-taste. Certainly none of the willing volunteers here at The Amazing Blog had cause for complain after drinking a generous serving on the rocks. Perfect on it's own, or mixed with coke for a great alternative to vodka, the rather lovely peeps who have spearheaded a successful campaign making The Kraken the fastest growing rum-brand in the USA have provided us with this rather lovely recipe (to be enjoyed in moderation!):

The Perfect Storm:

Mix together 50ml Kraken Black Spiced Rum with 25ml freshly squeezed lime juice, 5ml sugar syrup and 2 dashes Angostura Bitters.

Top up with ginger beer, serve over ice in a highball glass and garnish with two squeezed lime wedges.

Kraken Rum is available to buy from leading retailers including Waitrose, Asda, Tesco, Selfridges, Majestic Wine and Sainsbury's. Cheers!