Can you believe that 2022 is almost over!? If you’re anything like Team TPO, you are ready to share a refreshing drink with friends & loved ones. With the summer holidays well and truly in sight, our writers have done the ‘hard’ work of finding the absolutely best drinks to enjoy on a hot sunny day this Christmas and New Years (or let’s be honest, anytime).
Some are classics, and soon to be classics, so why not mix things up this summer with something you haven’t tried before – we guarantee these are all delicious! Cheers to the holidays!
Sprissetto Bitter
Aperitivo hour is is an automatic part of the day in most parts of mediterranean Europe, and so it’s little surprise many Aussies are starting to embrace this delicious and social pastime. One of our favourite new discoveries when it comes to aperitifs is the Sprissetto Bitter.
Its bright red summer sunset colour, intense rich aroma and particular delicious bitter taste make it extremely versatile for an aperitif and ideal as a base for some of the most famous cocktails in the world including a very good Negroni. Crafted in Italy from a recipe dating back to 1892, this well-balanced infusion of bitter herbs, orange, wormwood and rhubarb is delicious and smooth “on the rocks”, with a dash of premium soda water or perfect in a cocktail. The bottle is also a real conversation starter on your home bar, and well worth considering for those difficult to buy for spirit drinkers in your life. Get yourself a bottle from David, Julian and Leonie at Apertivo Importers.
Bombay Citron Pressé
We hope you are ready for delicious, lemon infused cocktails all summer long as Bombay Sapphire have just released a new creative expression with Bombay Citron Pressé – a vibrant gin that beautifully captures the taste of freshly squeezed Mediterranean lemons. Inspired by the classic Tom Collins cocktail, Bombay’s new gin has been created with a 100% natural fruit infusion and is perfect gin for elevating simple cocktails and inspiring creative twists. We recommend trying this over ice, with a dash of Mediterranean Fever Tree tonic, or in a refreshing Tom Collins – just add one shot of Bombay Citron Pressé, a slice of fresh lemon, sugar syrup to taste, and soda water.
To top it off, Bombay have also preempted your picnic needs this summer with a ready to go Citrus Collins! This canned cocktail blends 100% natural Mediterranean lemons with Bombay’s classic London Dry Gin & soda water. Summer, here we come! You can get both of these at Dan Murphys.
Twisted Shaker Bottled Cocktails
Bringing a breath of fresh air to premium bottled cocktails, Twisted Shaker are the award-winning range of ready-to-pour tipples made with premium spirits. The bar-quality concoctions are expertly mixed in Sydney and delivered to your home nationwide. No fancy gear required, just chill, shake and pour.
We love that Twisted Shaker cocktails come in easy single serve bottles and a larger 6-drink pour (perfect for picnics with friends). Designed to be served straight from the bottle, you won’t be wasting any time mixing up cocktails while entertaining your friends – just grab some ice or the bottle from the fridge and a glass. The Twisted Shaker range includes everything from the classics you know and love to new twists on old favourites. Our top pics are the Raspberry Hibiscus Cosmo, a fruity and sweet twist on the classic 1920’s cocktail, the Cucumber Gin Gimlet which packs a deliciously tart punch, and the classic espresso martini which we found to have just the right mix of sweetness & pick-me-up coffee kick. You can order them here.
Vermouth is having a moment in Australia in no small part to our love for a classic Negroni cocktail. A particular favourite vermouth that’s just as good over ice as it is in a cocktail is Cucielo Vermouth di Torino Rosso. This superbly balanced vermouth glows with a rich amber-ruby colour (hello sunset cocktails) and is wonderfully fragrant with hints of Angelica root, myrtle, orange, rhubarb and ginger.
Born in the small town of Moncalieri in Italy’s Piedmont region, Cucielo Vermouth has its unlikely inspiration drawn from the migrating cuckoo. In the summer these Cuckoo migrates from West Africa to Scotland. At the end of the summer months, the cuckoo returns home – flying the length of Italy – taking in the aromas of the Mediterranean before arriving back at the Congo basin. With Vermouth di Torino, they take botanicals naturally sourced from the route of the migrating cuckoo, with each bottle capturing the aromas of Italy and the Mediterranean. Get yourself a bottle at Apertivo Importers for one of the best-tasting Negroni you’ll ever try.
Bacardi Raspberry Mojito and Piña Colada
In 1862, in the city of Santiago de Cuba, founder Don Facundo Bacardí Massó created a light-bodied rum with a particularly smooth taste perfect for iconic cocktails such as the Mojito, Daiquiri, Cuba Libre and of course the Piña Colada. Today, Bacardi is the world’s most awarded rum and is celebrating an amazing 160 years of production! Never one to rest on their legacy, Bacardi has released some tasty ready-to-drink canned cocktails just in time for summer.
The Bacardi Raspberry Mojito, Piña Colada and classic Mojito are an easy to grab and go canned cocktail range perfect for a lazy picnic in a park or house party delight. Avoiding the overly sweet mistake many canned cocktails fall into, these drinks are refreshing, zesty and go down a treat on a hot summers day. You can grab them almost anywhere, but we’d try Dan Murphys first.
Never Never Distilling Co.’s 2022 Ginache Gin
There are times for wine in a fancy glass and times for sophisticated cocktails in a dimly lit bar. Then there are times for unusual drinks like Never Never Distilling Co.’s new 2022 Ginache Gin – it’s a good time in a glass, something new and absolutely delicious.
To make this Grenache flavoured gin, the team at Never Never gather grapes grown in McLaren Vale then ad their delicious Triple Juniper Gin. It’s then left on the skin for up to a month to develop its rich flavour and colour before being pressed, filtered and bottled. This gin bounces between bright raspberry and candied peel all the way through to dark plum and cinnamon. We love having it over ice or with a splash of Fever Tree tonic, but also hear a bit of lemon squash transforms this into a delicious pink gin spritz!
We love how inventive Never Never are with their gins. Their Oyster Shell and Triple Juniper Gins are legendary for both being super versatile in cocktails or equally as delicious over ice.
Grey Goose Essences
It’s officially summer and the perfect time of year for a light and refreshing cocktail. While everyone loves a Spritz, it’s time to shake things up with Grey Goose Vodka’s latest range Grey Goose Essences. What makes these flavoured vodkas different is the three unique and vibrant flavours: Strawberry and Lemongrass, Watermelon and Basil, as well as White Peach and Rosemary.
These are perfect with a splash of soda water, or as an ingredient in your fave vodka cocktails. Personally, we’ve been using the Watermelon and Basil Grey Goose with some Fever Tree Mediterranean tonic water, a slice of blood orange and some sprigs of fresh basil for a very summery spritz! These will be perfect for your next summer picnic.
– The Plus Ones Team
Please drink responsibly. We’re really excited for Summer in Melbourne, so keep an eye on our pages for lots of upcoming events or try these drinks out in the comfort of your own home (or picnic!) this holiday season. From everyone at The Plus Ones, Merry Christmas, happy holidays and have a stunning New Years.
