Six of the best summer drinks
| 10th August 2023
Nothing says summer like a cheeky cold one and soon it will be the Bank Holiday weekend so VIVA has rounded up six of the best alcoholic drinks to get you into the spirit of things.
Our spotlight is on SPHYNX, the new tequila just launched on the market by Big Brother celebrities and VIVA loves it.
And there’s plenty more to go around, with some fabulous tipples from Gin and Vodka to ready made cocktails.
Cheers!
1. SPHYNX tequila
Big Brother housemates, Sukhvinder and Imran Javeed have launched their own tequila brand called SPHYNX and VIVA had to find out more.
The couple told us they embarked on a labour of love, immersing themselves in the heartland of tequila production in Mexico as part of their quest to rediscover the authentic ways of enjoying tequila and to craft a spirit so smooth that it would ‘transcend’ expectations.
The result is a tequila brand created to epitomise sophistication and raise the bar for true tequila connoisseurs. Sukhvinder has been an entrepreneur since she was 18 before diving into the world of celebrity when she entered the Big Brother house back in 2017 with her husband Imran.
After attending the star-studded events that come with reality TV fame, she noticed that there was a gap in the market for a premium British tequila brand that would have Mexico at the heart of it. For Imran, he credits Big Brother for giving him the courage to go out in the world and believe that anything is possible.
Sukhvinder told VIVA: “It was extremely important to me that SPHYNX Tequila stayed as true as it could to the authenticity of Tequila and its rich Mexican history, especially as I was taking it a long way from home.”
Imran added: “Respect is important. Respecting the Mexican culture is really important to me, the ways of doing things are not invented but rather learnt over time. Tequila is and always has been a sipping drink, it’s meant to be consumed in small portions with amazing food. That’s the way it should be and that’s why it’s so important to us to ensure we keep the old methods alive. We are authentic in the way we live our lives, we wanted to make sure the tequila was a representation of us: clean, simple, transparent, and honest.”
To use the couple’s words, the range encompasses four exceptional expressions: their Blanco Tequila, Añejo Tequila, Añejo Cristalino, and Extra Aged Añejo Black Oak. The inspiration behind the name comes from the couple’s Sphynx cat who they affectionately named ‘Tequila’.
It was love at first purr and they wanted to create a magical bottle that stood out and inspired conversation. Thus, the concept for their signature decanter in the shape of a Sphynx cat was born, along with the name for their tequila. As well as their handcrafted decanter made from 100% recycled glass, which is a timeless piece of art in its own right, the tequila it houses is a game changer.
Sukhvinder and Imran decided to work with a distillery in the lowlands of Jalisco in Mexico that mastered the art of tequila making as well as ageing the liquid in wine barrels, rather than whisky barrels, giving the tequila a feminine touch and smoother sipping. For them, it was important that it was served as a renaissance to the old ways of drinking tequila.
All the of their tequilas in the range are made with 100% Blue Weber Agave and contain zero additives. The new expressions are available to purchase directly from the brand’s website starting from £70 for 70cl.
2. Desi Daru Mango Vodka
The succulent Alphonso mangoes from Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, referred to as King of the Mangoes in India, are the star ingredient in this spirit, offering an unrivalled taste of the tropical.
The mango vodka combines the sumptuous sweetness of Indian Alphonso mangoes with the grounding notes of English wheat, creating a richly satisfying vodka that is seven times distilled for exceptional smoothness.
It’s priced £33.95 from The Whisky Exchange.
3. Tito’s Handmade Vodka
Tito’s Handmade Vodka is America’s Original Craft Vodka. In 1995, sixth-generation Texan Bert “Tito” Beveridge obtained the first legal permit to distil in Texas and created Tito’s Handmade Vodka on a plot of land in rural Austin.
To this day Tito’s Vodka is distilled and bottled on the very same land using traditional pot stills and the finest corn sourced from local American farmers.
With a meticulous six-time distillation process, Tito’s achieves a smooth and clean flavour profile that has won the hearts of vodka enthusiasts worldwide. It’s priced £31.99 from Master of Malt.
4. Shirl the Pearl Gin
Inspired by a generational Brook family recipe, Eddie Brook has produced this cumquat gin that every enthusiast will be jumping to add to their bar cart. ‘Shirl the Pearl’ is a bright and citrusy spirit which pairs the natural acidity and mild bitterness of Australian cumquats with the unique flavour profile of Brookie’s Byron Dry Gin.
With bright notes of orange blossom, mandarin and marmalade, it makes for an uplifting tipple whether you’re shaking up a citrusy sour or leveraging the sweet acidity for a modern twist on a classic cocktail. Priced £35.95.
5. Soho Street Cocktails
Soho Street Cocktails is a brand that is revolutionising the ready-to-drink cocktail market. These cocktails have been handcrafted with a ‘taste-first’ approach, made with high-quality ingredients and no artificial flavours or colours.
The current range includes a Pornstar Martini, Espresso Martini, Strawberry Daiquiri, Piña Colada and Strawberry Daiquiri. They all come in quantities of 1.5 litres (that’s 10 full sized cocktails!) and range from 9.5 – 12% ABV. Priced £28.99.
6. Two Shores Rum - Irish Single Malt Whiskey Cask Finish
This sugarcane distilled rum from Panama, has undergone a unique aging process. After aging for 6 years in Central America, it is then brought the West Coast of Ireland where it was matured for a minimum of 6 months in casks that previously held 19-year-old single malt whiskey.
The result is a fascinating and flavourful and the perfect sipper for the Summer! Priced £50.