New Year’s Eve party drinks

>SUBSCRIBE FOR THE BEST THINGS TO DO EVERY WEEKEND<

Pictured: Edmunds

Pre-mixed cocktails

If you don’t want to spend all evening mixing drinks for your guests, pre-mixed cocktails are your party best friend. We liked the colourful packaging of the BrewDog Wonderland with 10 cans of the most popular cocktails, including Classic Mojito, Espresso Martini, Classic Margarita and a Cosmo. The Espresso Martini was a hit: ‘Expect lashings of punchy espresso, hints of chocolate and a super-smooth mouthfeel.’

And with their gorgeous bottles, we loved Tommy’s Fizz Cocktails (Mixology Express) which are inspired by local ingredients and a have big emphasis on provenance of ingredients. Our reviewer said of the Espresso Martini: ‘Richly flavoured with a good kick of vodka and delightful balance of coffee and vanilla. Lush!! Very seductive.’

©Pierre Carton Mixology Express

We also tried Edmunds Cocktails, made in Bury St Edmunds. The packaging is recyclable and Edmunds plants a tree for every litre bottle or box of 6 cocktails sold through their partnership with Ecologi. Our taste tester said of the Amaretto Sour cocktail: ‘Smooth vanilla and nutmeg notes make for a rich, velvety Christmas cocktail. Pour over ice and its equally perfect for a cosy evening on the sofa in your Christmas PJ’s or for a cocktail night with friends.’ The Old Fashioned was a ‘well balanced, sweet version of the classic cocktail with a blend of bourbon and Adnams Single Malt Whisky. Adding a dried orange slice (included in the pack) helped to perfectly balance. Christmas in a glass.’

New wave wine boxes

Wine boxes make hosting a doddle. Laylo boxes stay fresh for six weeks after opening and generate 90% less carbon than glass bottles, and they have lovely packaging too. The limited edition English Bacchus and Spanish Malbec promise to be New Year party crowd pleasers.

The grown-up non-alcoholic drinks

For the non-drinkers who still want something celebratory, there are plenty of fabulous options around. We tried Bemuse’s non alcoholic honey wines made by natural fermentation using only honey, water and yeast, infused with all natural flavourings. The B-Corp certified Bemuse is on a mission to boost the dwindling bee population through investing in honey cultivation and responsible beekeeping. There are four flavours including ‘Origo’; with wildflower honey paired with citra and ekuanot hops. There’s also ‘Pomona’; apple blossom honey infused with cardamom and ginger, and ‘Calluna’; raw heather honey with tarragon and Thai basil. ‘Fiora’ is the rosé blend; delicate and lightly floral, it’s made from English meadow borage honey and wild raspberry. We tried the Calluna – the honey was the predominant flavour but it was, ‘very refreshing. Would have again as a substitute for wine.’ Another said: ‘The drink has a nice fizz with a background honey flavour and slight sourness similar to kombucha.’

Kombucha drink ROBOT has a funky robot on the can. There are three varieties – we tried the organic honey cola kombucha, which was delicious. It is organic, free from artificial additives and preservatives and the packaging is recyclable. Said our reviewers: ‘Delicious natural fizzy cola flavoured kombucha with quirky packaging design. It has a natural sweet taste without the sourness of many kombuchas. Sweetened with honey, the flavour rings through without being too strong.’

Countdown to midnight

To mark the start of the New Year and the end of the old, you need something truly special. Our vote goes to Taittinger Brut Réserve NV, its signature cuvée. It is both light and elegant but with a depth on the palette and long finish. There are notes of peach and brioche and a hint of citrus. A pleasing pale gold in the glass, and delicate bubbles.

And finally, a nightcap – this is great to signal the end of the evening – crack open Hotel Chocolat’s Espresso Martini Velvetised Cream. We loved this indulgent drink, a perfect blend of sweetness, creamy and with a kick of coffee. Wonderful.