The Cocktail Lovers

We've done whisky specials before but here we are, back with another. Why? There are always plenty of mighty fine whiskies to shout about. Besides, why the hell not?

We start with two whiskies born and raised in the US. One is the result of two actor friends who bonded over their love of the spirit so much they decided to create their own, aptly called Brother’s Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey. The other is also the result of two bright minds coming together: this time it's Sirdavis created by Dr Bill Lumsden and Queen B herself, the one and only Beyoncé Knowles-Carter.

Our book is a glorious road trip journal across Japan in which renowned whisky expert Dave Broom shares his very personal observations of the spirit and place in 'The Japanese Way of Whisky'.. And while we're on the subject of travel, there's certainly a whisky-based cocktail or two on the menu at Shakerato, the new bar in Amsterdam from the team behind Mexico City’s award-winning Handshake bar.

And then there's our guest, the fabulous Georgie Bell-Leoni, who has been evangelising about her favourite spirit, whisky, for over 15 years. She tells us about sourcing whiskies for her company, The Heart Cut, talks about how to fully appreciate them and guides us through a tasting of one of the bottlings on offer from her award-winning company The Heart Cut.

For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com

For the products featured in this episode, see websites below:

What we're drinking:

Matcha Highball
By Jason Patz, from Food & Wine Magazine

60ml Japanese whisky (we used Hibiki)
15ml honey water
15ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp Matcha powder
Chilled Club Soda to top
Lemon wheel to garnish

Method:
Chill Collins glasses. Shake first four ingredients over ice. Pour into the chilled Collins glass, top with Club Soda and garnish with a lemon wheel.

Brother's Bond Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Shakerato, Amsterdam
SirDavis American Whisky
The Heart Cut
The Japanese Way of Whisky – by Dave Broom

The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson
Edited by Christian Fox
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve got travel on our brains this week as we’ve just returned from Barcelona where we celebrated the 10-year-anniversary of Paradiso, our featured bar and book in this episode, while our interview takes us to Buenos Aires, the next stop on our itinerary, where we’ll be joining in the fun with the team at Tres Monos for the fourth Gran Corso de los Monos. We’re joined by co-founder Charly Aguinsky who tells us about the bar, its work in the community and what they have in store for Latin America’s carnival weekend.

Our featured products take us on journeys of a different kind – taste. We have two very special gins, one shaped entirely by the Golden Ratio and produced just once a year, the ultra premium Aureus Vita, the other is Seatrus Gin, which promises flavours of the Mediterranean sea.

For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.com

For the products featured in this episode, see websites below:

What we're drinking:

Between The Sheets
25ml cognac
25ml light rum
25ml triple sec
10ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
Orange peel to garnish

Method:
Chill Martini glasses in freezer. Shake all ingredients over ice. Pour into the chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist.

Aureus Vita Fibonacci Gin
Paradiso 10 Year Anniversary Book
Paradiso Barcelona
Seatrus Gin
Tres Monos Bar

The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson
Edited by Christian Fox
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After our last few themed episodes we’re now back to our regular format – talking two bottles, a book, a bar and a very special guest…

Our first product is Jin Jin – an enzymatic cordial. Chivas Regal Crystalgold. Equally intriguing, in a very different way is Chivas Regal Crystalgold, the first clear spirit from Chivas Regal… With a nod to Dry January our book tells you everything you could want to know about lighter drinking. It’s Low Alcohol Cocktails – New Frontiers in Mixology by Diego Ferrari. And to warm up on a cold winter’s evening we headed to The Winter Chalet at Rosewood London.

Finally, our guest is Katie Rouse, co-owner of Couch in Birmingham, who joins us to talk about the bar’s Couch Surf programme.

What we're mixing:
Horse's Neck With A Kick

40ml cognac
120ml ginger ale
5 dashes of Angostura bitters
long strip of lemon peel

Method:
Chill glasses and fill with ice. Add the cognac then top with ginger ale, add Angostura bitters. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with a long strip of lemon wound in and over the top of the glass.

Links to bars mentioned in this episode:

Couch Stirchley
Chivas Regal Crystalgold
Low Alcohol Cocktails – New Frontiers in Mixology – by Diego Ferrari
Jin Jin
The Chalet at Rosewood London

The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson
Edited by Christian Fox

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our first trip of the year took us to Milan for the launch of Coqtail magazine’s winter edition (grazie mille for the invite Penelope and Chiara). Which gave us just enough time to soak up the atmosphere and revel in that famous Italian hospitality in four very distinct bars.

First up, Camparino in Galleria, not only a symbol of the aperitivo but also the history of art and culture in Milan; then we headed to 1930, once a speakeasy, now open to discerning drinkers with an appetite for creative culinary cocktails; on the hotel bar front, we were thrilled to experience the magic of the Maestro Salvatore Calabrese at his latest collaboration with the Rocco Forte group at The Carlton hotel and lastly, we headed to Moebius Milano to find out why, not only was it the highest climber in this year’s 50 Best Bars list at No. 7, but also the proud owner of a coveted Pin from The Pinnacle Guide as well as Michelin Star.

But as well as visiting the bars, we talk to the people behind them, so this is a longer episode than usual but with inspiring chat from Salvatore Calabrese, Benjamin Cavagna, Lorenzo Querci & Tommaso Cecca, we hope you won't mind.

What we're mixing:

Negroni Sbagliato

30ml Campari
30ml sweet vermouth
60ml dry prosecco

Method:
Chill glasses and fill with ice. Add the Campari and sweet vermouth then top with prosecco. Stir gently to combine. Garnish with an orange slice nestled in the side of the glass..

Links to bars mentioned in this episode:

1930
Camparino
The Carlton Bar at The Carlton Hotel
Moebius Milano

The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson
Edited by Christian Fox

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the first episode of the New Year so before we jump fully into 2026 we want to take a moment to look back and celebrate 2025.

During the year we were once again fortunate enough, both here in the UK and further afield, to have enjoyed an array of incredible cocktail experiences, visited some wonderful bars and best of all, meet some of the fantastic people in the drinks world. So here, in no particular order, are some of our most memorable moments from the last year.

What we're mixing:

Chin Chin
created by Tony Conigliaro at Isola, Knightsbridge, 2002 (from Difford's Guide)

Half a barspoon of honey
15ml apple juice
30ml blended Scotch whisky
Champagne to top

Method:
Chill your flute glasses. Stir the honey and whisky in the base of your shaker to dissolve honey. Add apple juice then shake ingredients over ice. Fine strain into your chilled flute. Top with chilled sparkling wine or Champagne.

Links to interviews/reviews mentioned in this episode

Dante x Maybourne with Linden Pride – interview
Hawksmoor Martini Bar – review
Lorenzo Antinori – interview
New York Special – interviews/reviews
The SG Shochu – review
Town – review

The Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' Watson
Edited by Christian Fox
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.