Here we go again… Just when pubs and bars were beginning to get their heads around what could pass as the ‘substantial’ meal required to serve alongside drinks, all while trying not to put themselves into more financial jeopardy; just when they thought they could at least make some vital funds in the run-up to Christmas and New Year, along comes Tier 4 aka another lockdown.
No one is having it easy right now. But as we all know, hospitality – particularly independent ventures are feeling it more than most. All we can do is hope and pray that they all get the support they need to make it through to the other side.
In the meantime, once again, we urge you to do your bit to keep the cocktail love going. Not by making your own drinks at home but by treating yourself to the array of pre-mixed drinks on offer from your favourite bars. Hardly a chore… There are some belters out there, all shaken and stirred to bring you joy throughout the festive season and beyond.
You must be over 18 to order. Proof of age may be required. Please check websites for details as these are liable to change.
Brilliant bottles
Favoured for classic, three (ish) ingredient cocktails these stylish sippers are just the ticket for popping in the freezer ahead of serving. Most come in 200ml sizes designed for two serves, while some give you the opportunity to go large to share with your designated ‘bubble’.
Sustainability factor:
Good. All bottles can and should be reused.
The Connaught
As you might expect from the best bar in the world (official), the bottled cocktails from the Connaught team bring a little taste of five-star luxury to your home. Heck, you feel posher just by pouring them. Chill in the freezer before serving and garnish with the appropriate citrus peel and your fanciest clobber. A big hit here at Cocktail Towers.
On the menu:
Keeping things simple with two classics of the highest order: a Martini and Negroni, both made using house-distilled Connaught Bar Gin.
Price:
From £35 for 240ml bottle.
Order details:
supper.london/restaurants/jeangeorgesattheconnaught
Crossroads Bar
Like anyone who’s opened a bar in the latter half of this year, husband and wife team Bart and Monica Miedekska have probably spent more time selling cocktails to go rather than to drink in their Camden bar. Fortunately, there are some crackers on their six-strong list – show some support and give them a try.
On the menu:
Six cocktails available in 200ml and 500ml. The collection includes Perfect Lady #2 (Roku Gin, olive leaf infused Cocchi Americano, Aelred Nectarine, cold brew oolong tea, Supasawa); Pear (Chivas Regal 12, Earl Grey infused Sauternes, homemade pear liqueur, Supasawa, pear leaf tincture); Jack & Jill (Avallen Calvados, Disaronno Amaretto, Lillet Blanc, Laphroaig 10, Supasawa). Looking for last minute gift ideas? Try the Xmas Gift Box and 2021 New Year’s Eve Box – made up of your choice of cocktails from the collection.
Price:
£14 for 200ml bottles; £28 for 500ml bottles; gift boxes from £39.
Order details:
Pick up from the store and available for delivery. Find out more at shop.crossroads.bar
Davies & Brook
True to the Make It Nice philosophy that the team abide by, the bottled cocktails on offer here are focused, expertly made and downright delicious.
On the menu:
Amaretto and Orange Negroni (sweet vermouth, bitter, amaretto, orange and walnut), Maple Old Fashioned (Toki Japanese Whisky, maple, herbal liquor and bitters); Spiced Cider (To be served hot. Michter’s Bourbon, spiced pear and apple cider). For the ultimate treat, order the festive chicken feast to go with your drinks. Includes Sutton Hoo chicken for four, celeriac velour, greens, roasted brussels sprouts, wild mushroom pie, tuffle gravy, fruit tart, granola, £185).
Price:
£15 for 250ml bottle.
Order details:
daviesandbrooktogo.slerp.com
The Sun Tavern
The special Christmas Quarantine kits are designed to do exactly what they say on the tin: keep your tastebuds alive throughout the festive season.
On the menu:
Take your pick from the Tommy’s Chocolate Negroni (Cacao Nib & Orange Peel Gin, Sweet Vermouth, Campari), Three Kings (Gold Rum, Frankincense, Myrrh, Umbrella London Ginger Beer Syrup, Bitters), Umbrella Buttered Brandy (Butter-washed Cognac, Rosso Vermut, Pedro Ximenez Sherry, Umbrella Brewing Apple Cider Syrup) and Xmas Old Fashioned (Bourbon, Pimento Spiced Liqueur, Douglas Fir & Jasmine Tea Syrup, Bitters).
Price:
2 x 240 ml bottles for £30, or 4 x 240ml bottles for £50.
Order details:
theumbrellaproject.co.uk
Blue Bar at The Berkeley
Another mighty fine offering from one of London’s five-star hotels. The six bottled classics each have a slight twist and can be enjoyed in the special Blue Bar glassware which is also on the menu. Nice touch…
On the menu:
Six cocktails including Pear Tommy’s (Patron Silver Tequila, pear, agave); Martini (Bombay Sapphire Gin, Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth, coconut water, bitters); Old Fashioned (Angel’s Envy Bourbon, Demerara sugar, bitters, tonka); Negroni (Bombay Sapphire Gin, Martini Rosso, Campari, Italicus Bergamot).
Price:
£19 for 200ml and £43 for 500ml.
Order details:
Available daily between 5.30pm and 9pm for collection from the hotel or delivered free of charge to SW1X postcodes. Call 020 7201 1653.
Lyaness
As far as we’re concerned, we have Ryan Chetiyawardana to thank for the premiumisation of ready-to-drink cocktails. If a dedicated window display in Selfridges doesn’t say bottled cocktails are sexy, cool and desirable then we don’t know what does. That groundbreaking window was in 2014. Since then we’ve seen the category grow exponentially, both in size and status. This year in particular…
On the menu:
The Lyaness At Home collection includes single serves, cocktails for two, cocktails to share with five serves, as well as specially curated hampers and packages. Choose from Beetle Boulevardier (reposado tequila, Martini bitter, purple pineapple, white and pink radicchio, cochineal), Strawberry Aperitivo (Aperol, blanco tequila, strawberry oleo); Vegan Honey Old Fashioned (wheated bourbon, vegan honey, spiced apple, bitters); Rock Pool Sazerac (old cognac, onyx, green apple, limestone, absinthe) and Onyx Negroni (gin, Campari, sweet vermouth, onyx, cacao).
As for the hampers, we’ve got our eyes on the Blast the Bells box, devised with New Year’s Eve in mind. It includes Champers: Laurent Perrier Rosé, Laurent Perrier Brut; cocktails: Vegan Honey Old Fashioned (five serves), Strawberry Aperitivio (five serves), beer: two Harbour Pilsners, plus two Bloody Mary’s (for the morning after, natch) and a playlist by Martin 2 Smoove. Boom!
Price:
£13 single serve; £22 double serve; £50 five serve; £145 for Blast the Belles package.
Order details:
lyaness.myshopify.com
Hawksmoor at Home
Talk about good timing, this collection launched on the day that lockdown 2.0 came into play. Beautifully balanced, extremely well priced, all four drinks in this collection get top marks from us.
On the menu:
A cleverly curated selection of new and much loved classics. There’s the Ultimate Dry Martini (Hepple Gin, Hawksmoor Vermouth Blend, Felicudi lemon oil); Sour Cherry Negroni (Hepple Gin, Rose Vermouth, Campari, sour cherry), Hepple Gimlet (Hepple Gin, blackcurrant leaf cordial, lemon) and Fuller Fat Old Fashioned (Woodford Reserve Bourbon, tonka bean, brown butter), all available in 200ml sizes.
Price:
£12 for 200ml bottle. Also available in a set of four, £48.
Order details:
Order before midday, two days before your preferred delivery date. Free delivery over £50.
hawksmoor.slerp.com
Hacha
Deano Moncrieffe has won plenty of praise for his bottled Mirror Margarita. In fact, it was voted number one cocktail in London in the Time Out Awards. Little wonder really. The crystal clear, beautifully balanced drink really does taste as ace as it looks.
On the menu:
Available in two variants: one with Don Julio tequila, the other with Mezcal Verde, both expertly balanced with Hacha sour mix, cane syrup and citrus oils.
Price:
Minimum order is for two 500ml bottles at £35 per bottle (each contains four large serves). Order two of the same Margarita or change things up with one of each. Single bottles available as add-ons.
Order details:
Delivery within two miles of Dalston (London, E8) on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday; deliveries nationwide via DHL 48 hour service. £5 delivery.
hachabar.com
Callooh Callay
Callooh Callay is proof that good things can come out of adversity. Since setting up their drinks delivery three days after the first lockdown, this side of the business has become a massive hit with regular guests as well as those from further afield.
On the menu:
Ten bottled cocktails including Blood Orange Margarita (tequila, mezcal, triple sec, blood orange and lime juice); PX Rum Old Fashioned (dark rum, PX sherry, Angostura bitters, demerara sugar, dash of soy sauce); Harvard (brandy, sweet vermouth, orange bitters); Peachy Scotch Hi-Ball (Monkey Shoulder Scotch whisky, Merlet Creme de Peche, fresh lemon juice, soda water). Hungry? Order a veg, chicken or steak pie to go with.
Price:
£39 for 500ml (five to seven servings); £45 for 750ml (10 servings). Pies (serve 3-4) £15.
Order details:
Free delivery within M25; order by 10pm for next day. Minimum order £30. calloohcallaybar.com
The Last Talisman
You may not have had time to check out The Last Talisman, the bar within a bar headed up by drinks ledge Dré Masso – it was due to officially open the week that we went into the second lockdown. But he’s wasted no time in creating a selection of cocktails for you to enjoy at home. The vibe? A mash-up of Dré’s Colombian roots and his Balinese know-how with a fab selection of tequila, pisco and rum based drinks front of mind.
On the menu:
Nine cocktails including Wild Horses (blanco tequila, hibiscus, citrus juice, damiana and cinnamon syrup); Dynamite Daiquiri (overproof rum, citrus juice and honey syrup); Banoffee Old Fashioned (blend of American, Scotch and Irish whiskies, demerara sugar, banana liqueur, chocolate and vanilla bitters), Ruby Vesper (sloe gin, vodka, vermouth, cherry bitters), Ghost Negroni (London Dry gin, Size, sake, vermouth, Dandelion and Burdock bitters), and the Invisible Martini where you add a donation for Hospitality Action to your order. Nice touch.
Price:
£15 for 200ml; £35 for 500ml (four to five serves).
Order details:
Londonwide (delivery charge according to postcode. See website for details) Alternatively, pick up from 5pm-9.30pm, Thursday-Saturday.
thelasttalisman.slerp.com
Perfect pouches
Easy to store, a breeze to pour, cocktails in pouches are big news. They’re good for the bars too – cheaper to produce due to low use of materials and then there’s the fact that they’re not greedy with space.
Sustainability factor:
Good. Low use of materials, Pouches can also be easily and completely emptied which makes them perfect for reducing food waste.
Speakeasy at Home
Most of the cocktails from Nightjar, Swift and Oriole, the three bars that make up the Speakeasy at Home family, are available in pouches for convenience while the bottles are designed to give you more of an at home drinking experience. For instance, with the Nightjar options (pictured below) your bottle comes with the fancy garnishes that the bar is renowned for; while Oriole packages come with garnish and mixers. All come with a QR code so you can download the perfect soundtrack to enhance your drinking experience.
On the menu:
27 including, from Nightjar: Tia Juana (bottled: Montelobos Mezcal, Avocado Leaf Infusion, Martini Rubino El Jimador Tequila, Smokey Monkey Shoulder Whisky, Gagliardo Bitter Radicale, Ancho Reyes Liqueur, Vaporised CBD with bacon peanuts to garnish); from Oriole: Monchito Colada (bottled: Flor de Canã 7yrs, pineapple juice, coconut and graviola cordial, with Franklin & Sons Pineapple & Almond Soda on the side, plus dried pineapple garnish). From Swift: Ruffian (pouch and bottles: Old Forrester Bourbon, fig, maple, Brazilian bitters).
Price:
220ml pouch, £15; 500ml bottle from £30.
Order details:
Nationwide. Delivery £5, free for orders £75 and over. Order by midnight on Sunday for estimated Wednesday delivery, midnight on Wednesday for estimated Saturday delivery. Order before midnight on 20th December for Christmas deliveries.
The Drinks Drop
This inspiring initiative sees The Drinks Drop team partner up with select bars in London and Manchester. Cocktail lovers in London can take their pick of drinks from bars such as Artesian, Trailer Happiness, Laki Kane, Coupette and Hide Bar; while their northern counterparts can choose from Crazy Pedro’s, Schofield’s Bar, Cottonopolis and Albert’s Schloss. We love the fact that they go beyond great drinks and include thoughtful extras like providing free post envelopes so you can return used pouches, and giving out of work bartenders the opportunity to earn money by delivering cocktails for same day service.
On the menu:
Brigadoon, Satan’s Whiskers (Johnnie Walker Black Label Whisky, creme de apricot, Supasawa, orgeat); Cococabana, Schofield’s Bar (Belvedere Vodka, cold brew coffee, honey syrup, Takamaka Coco, orange bitters); The Speyside Cosmo, Coupette (Eight Lands Vodka, cranberry juice, Lillet Rose, Cointreau, Creme de Mure). Manchester Tart, Albert’s Schloss (Takamaka Coco Rum, raspberry schnapps, vanilla vodka and Supasawa); Souper Bowl, The Liar’s Club (Santiago de Cuba Carta Blanca Rum, coconut water, Takamaka Coco, Blue Curacao, sugar syrup, Supasawa, Angostura Bitters, toasted coconut).
Price:
Build your box by choosing either two or six 115ml-135ml single serve pouches, £19.50 for a box of two; £45 for a box of six.
Order details:
Next day national delivery service for orders made before 3pm. Local deliveries between 4pm and 7pm on your nominated made by out of work bartenders aka Delivery Tenders.
thedrinksdrop.com
Cool cans
Cocktails in cans used to have a bad rep. Not any more. While most bars have gone down the pouch and bottle route, a few, like the Hawksmoor have captured the energy of their effervescent drinks in cans.
Sustainability factor:
Good. Did you know, 74% of aluminium of beverage cans are recycled in Europe, making it the most recycled beverage packaging.
Source: Canmakers
Hawksmoor at Home
Yes, Hawksmoor again, this time with their carbonated canned offerings.
On the menu:
Hawksmoor Calling (Plymouth Gin, honey, lemon, chamomile and manzanilla sherry) and Ginza Highball (Johnnie Walker Black Label, apple, quince, lemon verbena soda), both available in 250ml cans; 20/20 Cosmo (Beefeater Gin, orange wine, raspberry, bitter orange), Backburner (Ocho tequila, Dangerous Don mezcal, jalapeño, pineapple soda), both available in 150ml cans.
Price:
150ml, £6; 250ml, £7.
Order details:
Available nationwide. Order before midday, two days before your preferred delivery date. Free delivery over £50.
hawksmoor.slerp.com
Don’t miss…
Tayr + Elementary Off Lic?ence
This is not an off licence, this is the Tay?r + Elementary Off Lic?ence. And as it’s brought to you by Alex Kratena and Monica Berg, that’s code for saying it’s your one-stop shop for the coolest drinks in town.
On the menu:
As well as the excellent Xmas Giftbox (containing 100ml bottles of Tay?r x Hepple Gin Mince Pie Negroni, Pine Martini and Gingerbread Old Fashioned), there’s the LKDWN Collection/20th Century (Tay?r x Hepple Gin, Lillet Blanc, Dutcth Cacao + Lemon Cordial); LKDWN Collection/Jasmine Mai Tai (Havana Club 7 Year Old, Havana Club 3 Year Old, Muyu Jasmine Verte, Curacao, Orgeat + Cordial); Tier We Again/Cherry Whisky Sour (Dewar’s White Label Whisky, Empirical Spirits ‘The Plum, I Suppose’, Vina AB Amontillado Sherry, lemon cordial + cherries); Tier We Go Again/Pine Martini (Tay?r x Hepple Gin, Douglas Fir Vodka + Noilly Prat Original Dry Vermouth), plus Tay?r x Nestarec/Smashable Riesling.
Price:
£30 for 300ml bottle and Xmas Gift Box.
Availability:
Off licence open 2pm-8pm until 24th December; reopening 6th January. Shipping to UK only, and deliveries to a radius of 3 miles from the bar. For London deliveries, order before 3pm for next day deliveries. Free delivery on orders of £50 or more.
Order details:
152 Old Street, EC1V 9BW.
shop.tayer-elementary.com
Swift
Any visit to Soho should always but always be punctuated with a swift one in Swift. And just because we’re in tier 4 shouldn’t put an end to that… While you can’t sit in the bar for the foreseeable, you can do the next best thing: stop by for one of their cocktails to go. The cocktail hatch in front of the bar is the hottest spot in Soho. What to order? The Irish Coffee, no question.
On the menu:
See board for details.
Find out more at:
barswift.com
Shop Cuvee
A pretty darned tasty selection of pre-mixed cocktails curated by Max Venning and created by some of most talented bartenders in London and beyond.
On the menu:
Bottles from Three Sheets, including the Earth Martini (Victory Vodka, beetroot distillate, dry white wine), Mr Lyan, including Spotless Martini (Mr Lyan’s gin, vermouths and bitters, distilled olives and lemon), Scout, including Super Soaker (Old Forester Bourbon, watermelon sweet vermouth, bitters), Tayer + Elementary, including Bergamot Margarita – Tayer x Top Cuvée (Blanco tequila, Tayer x Destilado Mezcal, Tia Pepe Sherry, Cocchi Americano and citrus cordial). Also cans from Empirical Spirits in Copenhagen, including CAN 01 Oolong Tea (oolong tea, toasted birth, green gooseberry).
Prices:
From £5.50 for cans; from £18 for bottles.
Availability:
UK wide, next day delivery for orders placed before 3pm (12pm Saturday). £6 delivery charge; orders £50 and over, free. Same day delivery within selected London postcodes. See website for details.
shopcuvee.com
One Response
Amazing selection; rather jealous of all the lovely options. I need a similar list for Seattle!