Choosing the best drinks for a decadent evening, we turn to a chic concoction or two made from seductive spirits designed for discerning palates. Raise a toast to the meritorious members of our ultimate drinks cabinet, the nectars that give us a warm glow on sociable sojourns at our favourite watering hole.
Best drinks: Wallpaper* Design Awards 2024
Pomello
Sometimes we like to kick off with Pomello, a sweet, pink-tinged apéritif that’s tempered by a refreshing acidity and a bitter floral flavour. Made from elderflower and pomelo, a mellower relative of the grapefruit, it’s delicious served over ice with sparkling wine, a dash of soda or tonic and a wedge of grapefruit.
pomello.world. £33, from pomellouk.myshopify.com
Isle of Harris gin
If we’re in the mood for some maritime freshness, we’ll conjure up a cocktail using gin produced by the Isle of Harris distillery in Scotland’s remote Outer Hebrides. Made from local sugar kelp seaweed and Macedonian juniper berries, with coriander, Javan pepper, orange peel and licorice, the spirit is distinctive and smooth with a dry, flinty taste, offering plenty of deliciously bitter juniper notes at the fore, followed by sweet citrussy hints of orange, lime and grapefruit leading to a warm peppery finish.
From £44, harrisdistillery.com. Also available from thewhiskyexchange.com
Mount Gay single estate rum
When we want a whiff of tropical sunshine, we reach for a neat pour of single estate rum from Barbadian distillery Mount Gay. Made from dense layers of molasses, it boasts flavours of burnt caramel, pineapple, sweet vanilla, warming spices and citrus.
mountgayrum.com. £345, from masterofmalt.com
Glenmorangie Signet whisky
Meanwhile, the most luscious way to round off an evening is with a tot of velvety rich Glenmorangie Signet whisky, with its overtones of mocha, tiramisu, dark chocolate and smooth butterscotch. For a more comprehensive whisky experience, take yourself to the Glenmorangie House and Distillery.
glenmorangie.com. £192, from thewhiskyexchange.com
L’Or de Jean Martell cognac
Equally exquisite is a dram of the deliciously complex L’Or de Jean Martell cognac, with its notes of blackcurrant, gingerbread and orange peel. For a new limited-edition, see L’Or de Jean Martell – Réserve du Château. Santé!
A version of this article appears in the February 2024 issue of Wallpaper* – dedicated to the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2024 – available in print, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News +. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today
