At this time of year, we see a huge increase on the supermarket shelves of ready to drink cocktails in a can and attractively packaged festive-themed cream liqueurs. But are any of them any good?
M&S have a range of cream liqueurs which were on a half-price offer (down to just £6 per bottle) at the time of writing. I was intrigued by the Egg Nog Flavour Cream, bottled at 12%, and it’s actually pretty tasty.
I wasn’t adventurous enough to try the Mince Pie version, or the one that sounded like a liquidised Bounty but I’m sure they’d be just as good. Now, I’m not for a moment suggesting that this bottle is tastier than a proper home-made eggnog with extra rum added, but it’s certainly well-made, affordable and convenient.
Make sure you keep it in the fridge, and drink within a month of opening. (Shouldn’t be an issue).
A cocktail that’s currently taking the world by storm is the pornstar martini, a combination mostly of vanilla vodka, passion fruit puree, and prosecco. M&S do a pre-mixed version in a can for £2, which the cynical part of me thought a terrible idea. These ready to drink cans can be awfully sweet and lacking in flavour, and I often think they’re just not strong enough.
I was pleasantly surprised by the balance in this one and, though I wouldn’t drink it all night long, it was a nice way to start the evening.
The other supermarket staple for the festive season is the pre-made mulled wine. You know the one that you bought last year, and it’s still at the back of the cupboard.
This is definitely one to buy (and drink) this year…whack it in a pot over a low heat with a cinnamon stick, some orange slices and a few whole cloves. Call the neighbours and stick some mince pies in the oven.
Christmas Mulled Wine (Waitrose, £5.49). This is lovely, great value and incredibly festive. On a particularly cold night, it’s acceptable to add a glug of brandy or port to the pot. Cheers!
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