Finlays' New UK Cold Brew Extraction Plant is a major Opportunity for Major Brands

Global cold brew coffee pioneer Finlays has set a target date to open its new multi-million-pound facility which will specialise in producing delicious cold brewed coffee. 

Opening this autumn in Hull, East Yorkshire, the facility will produce pure cold brewed coffee for a wide range of branded and own-label suppliers in the UK and European grocery and hospitality sectors. 

Finlays is a leader in the global independent B2B supplier of tea, coffee and botanicals, and the world's biggest cold brew coffee provider by volume.

Cold brew is a rapidly growing sector which is expected to reach a category value of €90mn in Europe by 2025 after a period of high growth, +51% between 2017-21. Cold brew is also a major driver of innovation, accounting for more than 10% of RTD/iced coffee launches in the last five years.

The new cold brew coffee site is being built next to Finlays' tea decaffeination facility in Hull and close to its tea and coffee facility in Pontefract, West Yorkshire. The new facility will focus on supplying big beverage brand owners with a full cold brew coffee solution, including ready-to-drink and bag-in-box formats. 

Andrew Martin, Group Head of Business Development at Finlays says: “While cold brew is already extremely popular in the US and Japan, the market is emerging in the UK and Europe. Looking at the forecast growth for this sector, there's a massive chance for brands to lead in this space in both retail and Out of Home. Our new facility will help these brands tap into the exciting cold brew market.”

Cold brew is a key trend among young consumers with 80% of Millennials finding cold brew appealing, and 40% of Gen Z consumers preferring their coffee in chilled ready-to-drink formats.

Cold brew is also a significant value driver as figures show it achieves a significant premium compared to hot brew products – 89% of cold brew drinkers are willing to pay a premium for this type of beverage.

Andrew continues: “Cold brew is seen as a more premium alternative to traditional iced coffee. Cold brew is made by slowly steeping coffee in ambient temperature water to extract the best flavours from the beans, creating a full-bodied, richer flavour that is less acidic and bitter than hot brew coffees. Its complex flavour profile and natural smoothness also means it offers a rich sensory experience without the need for any additional ingredients.

“Cold brew is also a natural source of caffeine making it a great alternative to normally sugary energy drinks, most of which contain synthetic caffeine.”

Finlays new facility will produce pure cold brew coffee solutions, starting with high-quality, sustainably sourced coffee beans that are freshly roasted at its roastery in nearby Pontefract. 

Finlays will be able to create tailored blends which are steeped in ambient temperature filtered water in a reduced oxygen environment. The cold brew is triple filtered and gently extracted using a bespoke, gravity fed extraction technology that involves no heat or pressure. 

This gentle process will preserve the character and full-bodied flavour of the coffee and achieve consistency. Though some manufacturers may use heat to improve yields, or even add soluble coffee to achieve higher concentrations, Finlays promises to only offer “pure” cold brew to achieve less acidity, smoothness and richer flavour. 

Packaging formats will be flexible to suit a variety of customer needs while also maintaining Finlays' commitment to sustainable sourcing. 

For details visit https://www.finlays.net/product-solution/cold-brew-coffee-europe/

 

Celebrate International Beer Day with Bier Company

Friday, August Fifth is a very important day in the calendar of beer lovers all over the world as it is International Beer Day.

From the IPAs of California, to the lagers of Canada to the stouts of Ireland to the old ales of Britain, the wheat beers of Germany, the pale ales of Australia, everyone who likes drinking beer can raise a glass to other beer drinkers all over the world!

Helping beer fanatics in the UK celebrate this truly momentous moment in beer history is Bier Company.

Bier Company was launched by university mates. Stefan White and Tom Renshaw.

What exactly is Bier Company? It's a leading online beer retailer that stocks the finest independent craft beers from breweries all over the UK, plus there are always some new and exclusive brews, which it cleverly pairs with its signature own-brand Bier Nuts and Bier Crisps.

Bier Company has gone from strength-to-strength in a record-breaking time, generating £10million in revenue in just two years, with sales skyrocketing following the release of its fantastic gifting boxes range.

Now a firm favourite in the seasonal gifting market, Bier Company has launched its Bier Club subscription service and the chaps behind it have their sights set on global domination, launching in Europe and the USA during this year.

Said Stefan "Stefan said: “For us, beer is life, and so we absolutely love uniting with people across the world to celebrate something we are so passionate about. Beer brought Tom and I together and now it’s how we make our living. We are incredibly lucky to be able to do what we do.

“International Beer Day is a fantastic day to meet up with your friends and family, try out new beers from across the world, and take a moment to raise a glass to one of Britain’s favourite drinks. Cheers!”

Bier Company's popularity skyrocketed in 2020, and since then Stefan and Tom have released a swathe of successful gifting products like the Bier Champions Euro Lager Box, Oktoberfest special edition box, and a huge Christmas advent calendar, with many more exciting new designs to launch later this year.

To place your orders please visit https://biercompany.co.uk/

'Pimp Up Your Picnic' This Summer With Crabbie's Ginger Beer

Crabbie's is taking a new, fresh look at al fresco eating and drinking this August with a new collaboration celebrating the refreshing flavours of its legendary Alcoholic Ginger Beer.

The iconic drink has teamed up with popular food and drink blogger Pippa Perriam, @eatinburgh, to give the Classic British Picnic a modern makeover, asking Pippa to share her top tips and inside knowledge of Britain's eating hot spots to help Brits move away from the soggy sandwich and flask of yesteryear.

From clever styling and eco picnicware to easy recipes and stunning locations, the partnership will be supported by a digital campaign packed with content from the collaboration – all inspired by Crabbie's flavourful ginger beer range.

Lashings of ginger beer have long been deemed the perfect accompaniment to a summer picnic and with Crabbie's, drinkers get all the refreshment and flavour – but with a grown-up dash of alcohol. Its range of Original, Rhubarb, Raspberry and Strawberry and Lime ginger beers are delicious served straight from the bottle or over ice with a slice of lime, whilst their new Original Alcohol Free beer offers an option for those looking for low or no alcohol options.

Pippa's tips for thinking outside the (picnic) box!

Head to the Coast – why not enjoy some world class seafood which we're so blessed with here in the UK. Some of my favourite seaside seafood shacks across the country are – Crail Crab Shack (as featured on my social posts), Riley's Fish Shack in North Shields and Sole Bay in Southwold Suffolk. Either enjoyed sat on a pier or on a beach with sandy toes. And don't forget some throw blankets, to wrap around your shoulders at sundown – bliss.

Savour Street Food – the UK's street food scene is fantastic and you can find markets in most major cities – The Pitt in Edinburgh, The Big Feed in Glasgow and Bristol's weekly market at St Nicholas' Market are some of my favourites. Grab a dish to takeaway and enjoy in your favourite city spot and save on the cooking.

Go global – when it comes to picnic food, the world is your oyster. Consider hosting a themed picnic with a spread inspired by your favourite holiday destination. Some Spanish picnic tapas, a Mexican feast, or even some delicious local fayre to offer a taste of your hometown, this works especially well if you are hosting for friends from outside the area. Another option is to host a colour themed picnic, each person brings a dish of their selected colour (matching outfits of course encouraged!)

Set the mood – create a picnic playlist on your ipad – think relaxing Ibiza sunshine vibes, or a festival playlist to remember great times. You could even ask friends to suggest their favourite summer anthem in advance to create a talking point on the day.

Perfect your presentation – because not all picnicware is created equal! When it comes to what to sit on, often a water-resistant underside is a must! However, preventing soggy bottoms aside, it's worth going a little 'extra' for a beautiful boho vibe. Think pretty quilts, blankets or mats that you have at home, if you don't want to get these dirty, drape them over your waterproof rug. If you are driving to your spot, then why not bring some striking scatter cushions for people to lounge on, think colour, comfort and creativity! And if you are going 'all out' two wooden pallets stacked together, covered with a lovely tablecloth or scarf make a stunning picnic table. Don't forget to add some handpicked flowers in a pretty pot in the middle.

Pair with care – matching your food and drink is a great touch to really pack in the flavour. One of my favourite picnic recipes that work so well with the Crabbie's Ginger Beer range is as follows:

Three Cheese Garlic Twists

A great way to use up cheese at the back of your fridge. I've suggested Cheddar, Parmesan and Gruyere here but feel free to mix it up with whatever you have to hand. I'd recommend keeping a block of puff pastry in the freezer for occasions like this, so not even a trip to the supermarket is needed! Served up with a spicy Crabbie's Ginger Beer to cut through the decadent cheese makes for a great pairing.

Ingredients

1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry

4 handfuls of grated cheese (I suggest Cheddar, Parmesan and Gruyere)

1 beaten egg

3 tbsp butter, melted

2 garlic cloves, crushed

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees

Open out your puff pastry and press in the cheese using a rolling pin

Fold your pastry in half and roll to thickness of a £1 coin

Brush with an egg, then cut the cheesy pastry into 10 strips and twist

Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown

When your twists are nearly ready mix your melted butter with crushed garlic (if you have any fresh parsley to hand, adding a little bit of finely chopped parsley here would add a lovely pop of green)

Brush with your garlic butter when fresh out of the oven, leave to cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!

Rachel Adams, Global Marketing Manager, Crabbie's Ginger Beer says: “Crabbie's has become a real staple for people looking to enjoy a refreshing drink in the sunshine, so our new picnic campaign really plays into that. It's great to partner with Pippa who, like Crabbie's, hails from Edinburgh and is also a real pioneer when it comes to offering the lowdown on how to enjoy the best food and drink when out and about.”

#crabbiespimpedpicnics   Visit: www.crabbiesgingerbeer.com

Pippa Perriam has been posting about her food recommendations online for the past seven years. Having originally trained professionally at the Edinburgh New Town Cookery School, Pippa then started her Instagram page, Eatinburgh, to share her favourite restaurant across Edinburgh. After joining TikTok in 2020, Pippa now posts online to an audience of over 75,000, expanding her recommendations to locations across the UK and sharing the occasional recipe idea along the way too.

Always happy to help promote a fellow Blogger! Visit Pippa here https://www.instagram.com/pippaperriam/?hl=en

Wrights Launches New Ready Meals & Vegan Savoury Pastry Range Into Foodservice

Cheshire-based food manufacturing experts the Wright Food Group is launching its latest Wrights branded vegan savoury pastry range and a new line of core ready meals into foodservice.

The vegan range includes a Vegan Peppered Steak Slice, a Vegan Steak Pie, Vegan Chicken and Mushroom Pie, a Vegan Pasty and a Vegan 6 inch Sausage Roll, complementing the brand's existing vegan offering and wider savoury range. 

Wrights' new line of ready meals include a Meatball Marinara, Mac and Cheese, a Chicken Jalfrezi and a Mediterranean Vegetable Lasagne, adding to the current range of Wrights ready meals.

Commercial director Helen Bowyer said: “As one of the UK's leading specialist food manufacturers, we supply a wide range of savoury pastries and ready meals to many of the UK's foodservice distributors, top restaurant brands and independent bakers. 

"For 96 years we have offered consistently high quality foods to consumers alongside that all-important convenience and choice for caterers.

“We are constantly evolving all of our ranges and for 2022 have prioritised the development and launch of an extended vegan offering for consumers looking for more plant-based out-of-home choices. 

"We've developed vegan alternatives to our most popular fillings which are encased within our signature golden pastry and make a perfect complement to our meat-based savoury lines.”

The Wrights Food Group's £30million manufacturing facility in Crewe, Cheshire, produces over 3,000,000 savoury products every week including gastro pub pies and ready meals for both the hospitality and retail sectors. 

The Group operates with a team of 600 employees over two sites in Crewe and includes 15 North West high street stores, too.

Helen added: “Our focus in recent months has been on perfecting plant-based products and increasing our ready meal range. With the Wrights heritage founded on pastry-based foods and providing quality, hearty meals for hospitality, we're confident our existing loyal and new foodservice customers will welcome the addition of choice and quality in the convenience and the plant-based arenas.”

For more information on the new Wrights vegan savoury pastry range and core ready meal range, contact sales@wrightsfg.com.

You can also visit their website at http://www.wrightsfoodgroup.com/.

 

Mainbrace Rum Sponsors Race for Carrick Fleet at Falmouth Sailing Week 2022

Top Cornish spirits brand, Mainbrace, has announced a special partnership with the Port of Falmouth Sailing Association (PoFSA), the non-profit organisation responsible for organising, running, and promoting sailing in Falmouth waters.

The partnership will involve the sponsorship of the “Mainbrace Rum Race” for the Carrick Fleet, which will take place during Falmouth Sailing Week on Wednesday 10th August 2022 from 11am onwards. 

After the race, there will be a prize giving on Thursday 11th August, where Mainbrace will be awarding the winners with their rum and gin products, as well as other branded items.

This is a truly a natural partnership, as Mainbrace's name is inspired by the naval term to “splice the mainbrace”, which embodies the spirit of courage, teamwork, and friendship at sea.

In the days of sail, the main mast was steadied with a thick rope called the mainbrace. If it was cut by enemy fire, a brave team of naval ratings (sailors) had to splice the rope back together in the heat of a battle to save the ship. As a reward for successfully achieving this herculean task the captain would order the ship's pusser (purser) to issue a double ration of rum to the team of ratings as a toast to victory.

To 'splice the mainbrace' inevitably became a naval euphemism for an important celebration and was always accompanied with the toast 'The King – God Bless Him' or 'The Queen – God Bless Her.' Mainbrace therefore embodies the spirit of celebrating a victory, no matter how big or small, while continuing to pay homage to Royal Navy traditions and the spirit of the sea.

To “splice the mainbrace” to the upcoming races, a Mainbrace Rum Bar will be set up on Saturday 6th August, where the Mainbrace team will be offering complimentary rum cocktails to special guests.

Richard Haigh, Co-Founder of Mainbrace Rum, said: "We're really pleased to be sponsoring the Mainbrace Rum Race for the Carrick Fleet during Falmouth Sailing Week for the second year running. We're very much looking forward to splicing the mainbrace with everyone taking part, and wish everyone the best of luck!”

To purchase your own bottles, please visit  https://www.mainbracerum.com/shop.    

And checkout their spiffing Cornish gin, too!

Enjoy the rest of Summer with Chefs for Foodies' BBQ Boxes

With folks in Britain getting ready to enjoy even more heat waves throughout the month of August, it's the perfect opportunity to impress your friends and grab yourself a chefs for foodies BBQ box prepared by top chefs - including some with a Michelin star!

Chefs for foodies has got together with the barbecue experts at LANDMANN to create a range of delicious grills featuring high quality ingredients that have been expertly sourced and carefully measured. Perfect for those who want to take their BBQing skills to the next level with colourful and creative dishes that are genuinely chef-level quality.

The boxes are delivered direct to your door so you have everything you'll require to make showstopping feasts for friends and family quickly and easily.

There's a huge range of grills to choose from including Wagyu Burgers and Spatchcocked Poussin by “butcher to the stars”, C Lidgate, Beef Flank with Salsa Verde and Grilled Vegetables by Masterchef's Sofia Gallo and Sarson Prawns by Michelin Star Chef Rohit Ghai.

Vegetarian or vegan guests won't feel left out, because the BBQ Vegan Kebab and Cherry Tomato Pizza box by pizza master and owner of Yard Sale Pizza Ricardo Arias will be superb. 

The recipe boxes come with a detailed digital method card and a bespoke video tutorial from the chefs for foodies chefs. You also have the chance to book a live interactive class with one of the chefs through the LANDMANN Academy to really boost your barbecuing skills and deliver the perfectly plated dish.

James Garth Hill, Director, said: “Born out of the pandemic to support chefs who were unable to get their food in front of diners and the rising trend for cooking at home, chefs for foodies provides foodies an opportunity to engage professional chefs and learn how to cook some of their delicious signature dishes, learn new skills and cook a perfectly plated dish with the very best ingredients, expertly sourced and carefully measured, weighed, packed and delivered directly to their door.

“With the temperatures set to rise yet again, these boxes take the stress out of hosting a barbecue gathering with friends and family over the summer months.”

The BBQ boxes can be ordered via the chefs for foodies website at https://chefsforfoodies.com/pages/landmann-bbq-kits#choose

The prices range from £19 for two for the BBQ Vegan Kebab and Cherry Tomato Pizza box up to £78 for four people for the Japanese Boss BBQ Box.

New from BrewDog Distilling a nifty new vodka

Those wonderful folks at BrewDog Distilling Co have announced the launch of Candy Kittens Vodka: Raspberry & Guava (40%), the second collaboration with the gourmet sweet brand which follows the amazing success of the Candy Kittens BrewDog Beer and marking the 10th anniversary of Candy Kittens. 

Using a grain to glass approach, BrewDog Distilling Co uses triple bubble distillation for four days, then the crystal clear spirit vapour climbs a purification column so high that, BrewDog Distilling Co actually needed had to rebuild their roof around it! 

The liquid is then infused with ripe, fruity British raspberries and tropical guava that combine nicely with strawberry and pear flavours for a delicious sipping vodka!

How should you serve it, apart from neat?

Suggested Serve is:

Candy Kittens Cosmo

40ml BrewDog Distilling Co's Candy Kittens Vodka

20ml Cointreau or peach liqueur 

10ml Fresh lime juice

20ml Cranberry juice

20ml Guava juice 

Method: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake and strain into a chilled Martini glass, garnish with a Candy Kitten.

BrewDog Distilling Co's Candy Kittens Vodka: Raspberry & Guava will be available from www.BrewDog.com and Sainsbury's for £20.

@BrewDogDistillingCo

@CandyKittens

Ahmad Tea and Galerie du Thé celebrate winning 18 stars

Ahmad Tea and its sub-brand Galerie du Thé are delighted to announce they have been named among the top food and drink producers globally this year, picking up an impressive 18 stars in the 2022 Great Taste Awards. 

This year, over 14,000 products were entered into the world’s largest and most trusted food and drink accreditation scheme and each of the products were put through a rigorous blind tasting process.

Galerie du Thé won a 3-star award for its Luyeh Red tea, a red oolong from Taiwan and 2-gold stars each for its Darjeeling First Flush and Dragon Pearl Tea. Ahmad Tea and Galerie du Thé won 6 and 5 gold stars each respectively for their high-quality teas.

 Ahmad Tea won stars for its classic English Breakfast and English Tea No.1  blends, its newly launched Kew Gardens Elegant Earl Grey and Garden Afternoon  as well as Black Tea from its new decaf range.

“At Ahmad Tea, we pride ourselves on our commitment and 100% focus on producing the highest quality teas and we’re thrilled to have won so many stars from the Great Taste Awards in 2022. Our aim is to inspire the love of tea and we hope these awards will encourage more food and drink lovers to discover the wonderful taste and aroma of premium teas," said Saleh Afshar, Head of Tea Department.

To learn more please visit https://www.ahmadtea.com/

Have a Vegan Merry Christmas With Cocoba Chocolate!

Cocoba, the Kentish chocolate company justifiably famed for their irresistible chocolate and hot chocolate gifts, has launched their Vegan Christmas range for Christmas 2022.

Having committed to the continuous growth of their vegan product range, they have consistently received well-deserved praise for producing 'the best vegan chocolate available'.

And now that Christmas is underway in their chocolate kitchen, Cocoba is concentrating on making their biggest range of vegan gifts yet to ensure Christmas magic is accessible to everyone in the form of delicious chocolate treats! 

With a variety of Vegan Christmas Gift Sets available, containing their best loved dairy-free treats, plus a selection of Vegan Stocking Fillers, Cocoba's Christmas range will certainly spread smiles all-round this year.

Vegan Christmas Hot Chocolate Bombes from £10.95

Nothing gives you the Christmas feeling quite like a cosy mug of hot chocolate on a chilly Winter's night. So, what better way to shake off the chills than with a hot chocolate bombe?

Cocoba's award-winning Vegan Hot Chocolate Bombe Christmas Cracker makes an ideal gift for vegetarians, vegans, and dark chocolate lovers alike. Made from 55% dark Belgian chocolate and loaded with sweet, vegan-friendly marshmallows, it makes a heavenly hot chocolate to curl up with in the evening.

And for the younger chocoholics, Cocoba's festive hot chocolate range includes vegan milk and white hot chocolate bombes in the shape of three merry friends. Cocoba's trio of Vegan Christmas Character Hot Chocolate Bombes includes a vegan milk chocolate Santa and Reindeer, plus a vegan white chocolate Snowman – all filled to the brim with micro marshmallows to make a creamy and delicious hot chocolate with the addition of a heated milk alternative poured over the top (plant-based and nut milks work great!).

Starting from £10.95 for a set of three hot chocolate bombes, these vegan-friendly treats are an ideal solution for stocking fillers this Christmas. 

Vegan Christmas Hot Chocolate Spoons and Tree Hangers, from £3.95

Vegan Hot Chocolate Spoons are a great way to bring an element of creativity and joy to any festive celebration.

Cocoba's selection of Christmas hot chocolate stirrers include a jolly Vegan Christmas Santa Hot Chocolate Spoon, made from silky smooth vegan 'milk' chocolate and topped with a vegan white chocolate Santa Claus.

Also, they've introduced a delightfully packaged trio of Vegan Hot Chocolate Spoons with Marshmallows – including Milk, Dark, and Salted Caramel (EDITOR: Yum!) flavoured spoons, each topped with a sprinkle of marshmallows, and all of which are completely suitable for those with a vegan or vegetarian diet!  

Looking for something to decorate the tree with too? Look no further!

Cocoba's complete range of magical treats also includes Vegan Tree Hangers to add a touch of festive fun whilst you deck the halls. Featuring a vegan 'white' chocolate Santa Claus embedded in a disc of thick 'milk' chocolate that's been topped with a helping of sprinkles, it's certainly going to be a job to refrain from eating it straight away!

Nevertheless, at only £3.95 per tree hanger, these vegan-friendly decorations are a great way to glam up the tree with a treat that's great for everyone to enjoy at Christmas time.

Vegan Christmas Chocolate Bar Set, £9.95

New this Christmas, Cocoba's Vegan Christmas Chocolate Bar Set makes a sweet gift to slip underneath the tree. Piped and decorated by hand, one with chocolate drizzle and the other with rainbow candy beans, this tasty duo features two family-friendly chocolate bars in the shape of a gingerbread man and a Christmas tree. Made especially for vegan and dairy free diets, this vegan chocolate bar set is ideal for gifting to little chocoholics or as a sharing treat for the whole family to enjoy together, retailing at £9.95 per set.

Vegan Christmas Baubles, £4.95

Epitomising the Christmas spirit, Cocoba's range of Christmas chocolate gifts features baubles which don't only look great on the tree, but also look great in a hamper and taste even better too! Made from a perfect sphere of velvety 'milk' chocolate, these vegan-friendly baubles are expertly spun to create a thick shell of chocolate which evenly encompasses a fluffy marshmallow centre. They're then thoughtfully wrapped in cellophane and tied with a ribbon, reading for hanging on the branches of the Christmas tree, or popping into a stocking for someone to enjoy.

Vegan Christmas Gift Sets starting from £14.95

For wow-factor gifts that include a mesmerising variety of treats to light up the eyes of any recipient on Christmas morning, Cocoba has it all wrapped up with a collection of beautiful Christmas Vegan Gift Sets.

Starting from as little as £14.95 for a complete hamper of vegan-friendly chocolate gifts, Cocoba's Vegan Christmas Gift Sets have everything you can think of to keep a chocoholic sweet. From their bestselling vegan hot chocolate bombes, complete with a made-to-measure Cocoba hot chocolate mug, to fun festive treats to enjoy alongside your favourite Christmas films. With each product made without any compromise in flavour using their highly praised vegan chocolate recipe, Cocoba's Vegan Christmas Gift Sets are the perfect gifting solution for loved ones with vegan and dairy-free diets.

 Cocoba's founder, Darren, is from Australia where he grew up sharing delicious hot chocolates with his grandfather that he carefully made, not from powder, but using real, premium chocolate.

When Darren came to the UK, he could not find a chocolate drink that matched the one from his childhood, so he decided to create it.

Cocoba launched with a test pop-up kiosk in Brent Cross Shopping Centre in 2012, and following its success, opened a café in Bluewater Shopping Centre, Kent in 2013. Here, they use slowly melted Belgian chocolate as the basis of all their hot and iced chocolate drinks.

The café didn't just see success in drinking chocolate and chocolate desserts, but also created demand for the chocolate bars and make-at-home hot chocolates, which they made and packed behind the counter.

Today, the same love and care his grandfather put in to his hot chocolate can be found in every one of Cocoba's chocolate products, including Belgian chocolate bars and lollipops, hot chocolate spoons, flakes and hot chocolate bombes, truffles and buttons, and a growing range of vegan dark and 'milk' chocolate too. All these products are handmade, packed and dispatched from Kent, and sent all over the country, to farm shops and delis, to larger retailers, and international distributors too.

Cocoba's Vegan Christmas Range is available from 15th September at www.CocobaChocolate.com as well as independent farm shops, proper delis, John Lewis, Selfridges and more.

Rock Rose gins

In today's post I am reporting on two gins from Scotland's Rock Rose Gin Company.

The first is Scottish Botanicals Gin.

I like this gin as it has a nicely balanced range of tastes. 

It's a delightfully smooth gin with the classical tang of juniper berries, but there's so much more to this gin, which is the result of many experimental batches. 

There's a nice hint of citrus with other fruity notes underpinning this gin. There was something I could not identify that gave a little bit of extra fruitiness to this gin. I think that will be the sea buckthorn. 

Next I move on to the Rock Rose Gin Citrus Coastal Edition.

Wow! What a neat treat! This is like no other gin that I have tried.

The bouquet is not juniper, it has a good, warming citrus aroma and it has a good, warming citrus taste to it, also.

It's described as an experimental gin (there most experimental to date, apparently) and the distillation process includes a range of specially selected ingredients including locally foraged kelp from Shore Seaweed and liquorice salt from the Hebridean Mustard Company.

After the citrus flavour, there's a definite very pleasing aftertaste, but I'm not sure that I can identify it, but you'll know it when you try it.

Both of these gins are ideal neat (I prefer mine with ice, my wife prefers hers without ice) and they are both perfect for use with premium mixers and tonics.

My wife's gin and orange recipe (which reverses the more normal ratio, so you get far more gin than you are probably used to!) is ideal for both of these gins, but they are also superb with some real Indian Tonic Water.

A 41.5% Alc Vol. - 700ml bottle costs £35.00, but you can receive fairly generous discounts for regular orders.

Learn more at https://www.dunnetbaydistillers.co.uk/