Christmas tipples to see you through the festive season

BY PALOMA LACY

What’s your favourite tipple? Here’s our selection to carry you through the festive season.

Known to be the ultimate liqueur during the Christmas period, Chambord, the luxurious French black raspberry liqueur, is the perfect gift for those looking to elevate their festive fizz – Champagne or Prosecco – when raising a glass with family and friends.

Made from an infusion of the world’s finest black and red raspberries, Madagascan vanilla and XO Cognac – an aged and refined elixir from the eponymous region.

Chambord is ideal for those with a penchant for festive fun with a fabulous twist.

£8.00 for 20cl and available at all major supermarkets.

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Christmas pudding isn’t just for dessert on the big day but flavours pack a punch of wintry flavours, which is why Black Cow’s Christmas Spirit is such a jolly idea.

Made using the same ingredients of a classic Christmas pudding and macerated into velvety smooth Black Cow Vodka.

The recipe for Christmas Spirit was created at the Black Cow team’s kitchen table using an assortment of winter fruits and spices: brown sugar, currants, figs, raisins, orange zest, lemon zest, cinnamon and vanilla.

Drink it straight, on the rocks, as part of a fizz cocktail or hot mulled apple.

Available at: www.blackcow.co.uk

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Christmas Margaritas could well be on the menu this year, if you manage to get your hands on Cointreau’s Tropicool – the limited edition offering.

Inspired by the original Margarita cocktail, the design takes the Cointreau bottle on a one-way trip to Mexico where the original Margarita was created in 1948.

The perfect Christmas gift for lovers of design, taste and originality, the bottle features a striking design that blends the essence of the Acapulco lifestyle with Cointreau flavours.

Perfect as a gift and available exclusively at Fortnum & Mason.

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The huge popularity for English sparkling wine has seen the appearance of a few more to the marketplace, joining some of the better known ones.

Launched July 2021, Boco by House Coren is an English wine from West Sussex, made using the Charmat method (just like prosecco), one of only a couple made in the UK.

Pale and white peach in appearance, it’s clear with ultra- fine bubbles.

The nose is treated to ripe pear, stone fruit and fresh citrus and it tastes like peaches, ripe pears, a hint of raspberry and a long, clean, citrus, and green apple finish.

The name for the wine was inspired by Old Sussex regional dialect, boco derived from the French beaucoup meaning lots of/more.

Priced at £26.00 per bottle, it would make an excellent gift or the perfect party pairing.

Over in Hampshire, a winery making a name is Hattingly Valley.

A must for a festive toast, or providing the perfect luxury stocking filler, Hattingley’s 2018 sparkling rosé is a refreshing wine that is the hand-harvested Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier grapes have been blended to create elegant strawberry coulis flavours, a creamy texture and fine toasty notes.

Available to purchase from www.hattingleyvalley.com (RRP £36).

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Coffee lovers, look out for Quick Brown Fox Coffee Liqueur that’s come all the way from New Zealand.

This handcrafted liqueur, is low in sugar and ABV, and has no artificial flavours, so as not to compromise the level and quality of flavour.

The coffee beans are specifically selected and specially roasted by hand to slightly darker than espresso, this helps bring the unique and complex flavour profile.

It’s a decadent and stunning product, really tasty on the rocks, in an Espresso Martini or in a Foxy Old Fashioned.

RRP – £25 from Majestic.