As the nights draw in and the days grow cooler, our drinking habits start to change. From bright, citrus-forward cocktails and crisp whites, we move towards deeper, darker tipples enjoyed by the fire. This guide will take you through a number of autumnal classics, as well as a few drinks you may not have encountered before.
Let’s start on the lighter end of things with Two Drifters Lightly Spiced Rum. Hailing from Exeter, England, this rum is slightly different from traditional Caribbean styles as both its colour and some of its flavour come from macerating spent cacao husks left over from chocolate production. The result is a spirit with notes of chai tea, toffee apple, and cacao, perfect for a rather obscure but awesome winter cocktail: the Hot Buttered Rum. I first came across this cocktail during a Thanksgiving in the US. A simple yet moreish drink made by combining sugar, spices, melted butter, and, of course, rum over heat. One glass can easily lead to three, so it’s best to make a batch.
So, we’ve tried something you may not have heard of before, now we’re moving on to a classic: PX Sherry. Sometimes you can’t go wrong with a timeless pairing. With this Barbadillo Pedro Ximénez and a chunk of good-quality blue cheese, you have the makings of a brilliant finish to any dinner party. The sweetness of the PX provides a delicious contrast to the intense saltiness of a strong blue cheese.
Talking about blue cheese and sherry makes me think of one thing: the C-word… cream liqueurs.
As Halloween passes and the fireworks fizzle out, we’re left with one celebration in the calendar. If your household was anything like mine, there was always a bottle of cream liqueur open — usually an Irish variety starting with B. So why not try the Rum Producer of the Year (10 years running!)’s answer to that: the Crisma Cream Liqueur. The perfect blend of rum, cream, and a hint of vanilla, it’s great in a coffee cocktail, poured over desserts, or simply enjoyed with ice!
And finally, like at the end of any great occasion, you have to have a dram of whisky. This dram screams autumn – The Ardnamurchan 5 Year Old spent the entirety of its maturation in a single first-fill Pedro Ximénez sherry cask, so you get all those lovely dark PX notes combined with the amazing peated spirit of Ardnamurchan. The result is a whisky bursting with blackberry jam, sea-salted caramel, chocolate, espresso coffee, and smoked meats, an incredibly rich and complex dram.
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Two Drifters Lightly Spiced Rum – Buy Now >>
Barbadillo Pedro Ximénez – Buy Now >>
Crisma Cream Liqueur – Buy Now >>
Ardnamurchan 5 Year Old 2019 (Cask 2080) Peated PX – Nickolls & Perks – Buy Now >>