Facebook competition winner Matteo Zarandy won the chance to take part in a cocktail masterclass with expert drink maker Zoran Peric at London’s Corinthia Hotel. Matteo walked away with a bottle of Suntory Whisky AND learned how to make a Rob Roy cocktail by Zoran. We loved the fancy tipple so much that we had to show you how to make it too:

Glass: Martini glass

Garnish: Orange Peel and cherry.

Ingredients: Ice. A few drops of bitters. 20ml Sweet Vermouth. 40ml Yamazaki Suntory Whisky. Fresh Orange Zest.

Method: Pour the ice in a large tumbler and stir for a minute. Add a few drops of the bitters, 25ml of sweet Vermouth, 40ml of Yamazaki Suntory Whisky and grate in some orange zest. Stir vigorously for two minutes and then strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a cherry and orange peel – voila! A perfect Rob Roy.

To sample some of Zoran’s Rob Roy cocktails yourself visit the Corinthia Hotel.

As Captain Jack Sparrow would say, “where’s the Rum?” You can’t beat a good old rum cocktail, we know it, Johnny Depp knows it, and after making this delicious crowd pleaser, who will know it too. After watching Mr Depp in the Rum Diaries last week – yes we did see it in the cinema AND rented it at Blockbuster, we had a hankering for a rum cocktail.

We found it at one of the most stylish bars South of the river (yes, we know, we never thought we’d use those two S words together). But Skylon on Londn’s Southbank offers a Davy Jones, a rich and tangy taste will give your evening the kickstart it deserves.

We can testify that it has great ingredients – we sampled a lot of the Chairman’s Reserve rum when we went to St Lucia.

Essential Info

Glass: Martini Glass

Garnish: A light dusting of sugar round the rim

Ingredients: 50ml Chairman’s Reserve rum, 20ml saint teresa orange rum liqueur, 15ml freshly squeezed lime juice and 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

Method: Shake ingredients well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Simple, yet effective!

This week has seen the world go James Bond crazy, with Daniel Craig filming scenes around the world for new flick, Skyfall and rumours that the Queen will be knighting James Bond for the Olympics. The legendary spy famously has a penchant for ladies and Martinis and being a majority of sophisticated ladies in the Live Like a VIP Headquarters, we went on a hunt of the perfect Martini.We’re still looking – we don’t know if we’ve found the best yet – but one of our favourites so far has to be in Mayfair’s Dukes Hotel, where James Bond author Ian Fleming frequented while he was writing the books. You can book on a Martini masterclass at Duke’s hotel here but if you can’t wait for a course, here are the basics:

Essential Info

Glass: Martini Glass

Garnish: Olive on a cocktail stick

Ingredients: Cracked ice, dry vermouth, 120 ml of Bombay Sapphire Gin

Method: Fill a metal shaker with cracked ice. Pour in the dry vermouth, stir briefly, and strain out (this may be discarded). Add 120 ml gin (we Bombay Sapphire) – you want it around 94-proof. Stir briskly for about 10 seconds, strain into chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with an olive. Voila! 
.

The LiveLikeaVIP.com have a passion to strive for the best, so we were intrigued by Sloane’s Gin when we heard it won not one, not two but three awards at the San Francisco World Spirit Competition 2011. Winner of World’s Best Gin, Best White Spirit and Double Gold Medal, Sloane’s Gin tastes delicious served on the rocks with tonic water and even better in a cocktail.

Officially the best cocktail right now is Grandma Sloane’s Teatime Tipple , which won Sloane Gin’s own Twisted Traditions National Cocktail Competition. Created by Robin Webb of 64th&Social in London, the cocktail combines two of our favourite things – gin and tea. Robin served it alongside homemade macaroons so if you’re feeling brave then check out a recipe here

Glass: Tea Cup

Garnish:Vanilla macaroon

Ingredients:50mls Vanilla Rose pouchong (black tea) infused with Sloane’s Gin for 10mins (no heat needed), 25mls lemon juice, 10mls rose syrup, Egg white, 2 dashes orange bitters, violet essence atomiser

Method: Dry shake, then hard shake over cubed ice. Serve straight up in grandma’s best bone china. Garnish with two vanilla macaroons and (optional) give a quick spray with the violet essence

For more cocktail recipes and recipe ideas visit the Sloane’s Gin Facebook page

We told you about Japanese Whisky last week, after being pleasantly surprised by how light and delicate it is compared to the Scotch counterpart. We’re informed that one of the reasons for this is the water as Japan’s Suntory Hibiki Whisky uses the purest water from the forests next to the distillery. And we’ve also been told of another way to drink it, which we thought we’d share with you as this one is suitable for men and women. Bring this out at a dinner party and you’re guaranteed to impress! Serve it with a fascinating fact: the Shunbun cocktail is perfectly suited to March as it’ been designed to fit in with one of Japan’s 24 seasons -  the vernal equinox – which starts on 20 March

Glass: Martini

Garnish:Orange zest

Ingredients: 40ml Hibiki 17-Year-Old, 25ml Ume shiso (Japanese mint), 2 drops of Old Time Aromatic Bitters (The BitterTruth, Orange zest

Method: Stir all ingredients with ice in a mixing glass and strain into a chilled martini glass.

Sometimes we like to think we can drink hard liquor at events, when actually the taste of liquid on the rocks sends shivers down our spine. This was until we tried the Shokan, which showed us we really do like whisky.

Suntory Hibiki whisky is one of Japan’s best spirits, and is now our new favourite too. Hibiki cocktails have become hugely popular, and is considered drinkable art in down-town Tokyo, because of the technical work involved in creating these drinks. Japanese whisky is much smoother, sweeter and fruitier in taste than the Scotch tipple, and we love it! Hibiki has become so popular in bars that it can be served through a pump with soda.We decided there is only one thing for it; when is the next flight to Japan?

The Shokan is burnt orange in colour, and sweet in taste; perfect for a Mad Men night. The masculine drink is given a girly twist by adding a vanilla pod and a splash of cherry liquor. Mmmmmm, we can’t wait to have another one!

Essential Info

Glass: Tumbler

Garnish: Orange Zest

Ingredients: 40ml Hibiki 17-year-old, 20ml Cherry Marnier, vanilla pod

Method: Pour all ingredients over ice in a mixing glass. Add vanilla pod, orange zest, stir 30 times, then strain over cracked ice.

At the VIP offices we have come off the detox, and gone back to the cocktails. So in aid of this momentous occasion, we decided to hit the London bar scene and get ourselves a much needed alcohol injection.

Proud Cabaret in the City has recently launched a new night dedicated to City workers. ‘After Work Affair,’ has a Mad Men’s theme, and has a 2 for 1 cocktail list inspired by classic tipples. The Manadrine Cosmopolitan is as bright as the sun, and tastes as sweet as lemon sherberts. This twist on the classic Cosmopolitan cocktail consists of Eristoff Vodka, Mandarine liqueur, cranberry juice and lime. To give it a little more zing, the drink is finished off with shavings of orange peel, and an orange slice is wiped around the Martini glass. Sat around a table in Proud Cabaret, we could definitely give the Sex and the City girls a run for their money!

Essential Info.

Glass: Martini glass.

Garnish: Orange peel.

Ingredients: 40% Eristoff Vodka, 20ml Mandarine Liqueur, 35ml Cranberry juice, squeeze of lime.

Method: Place the Eristoff Vodka, Mandarine Liqueur, Cranberry juice and lime into a cocktail shaker with some ice and shake hard. Strain the mixture into a Martini glass, rub an orange slice around the glass, and garnish with orange peel.

With the Oscars on the social calendar, we thought there was no better excuse than to indulge in one or two. We found this fabulous tipple, designed by G’Vine gin which is inspired by Oscar nominee and BAFTA winner, Jean Dujardin. The G’Vine Du Jardin’s sunset orange colour reminds us of sunning ourselves on a beach, which is perfect to beat those Winter blues. The refreshing flavours of the basil and grape juice gives you an instant hit of pleasure, while the sugary aftertaste satisfies even the sweetest tooth. The Jardin is perfect for all those Oscar parties you will all be having; and even if you’re not, then make them anyway as they are so yummy!!

Essential Info

Glass: Tall cocktail glass

Garnish: A sprig of basil and half a strawberry

Ingredients: I quartered strawberry, 2 basil leaves, 3/6 lime, 1/3 part Agave nectar, I part G’Vine Floraison, 2/3 part white grape juice

Method: Muddle the first four ingredients in a shaker. Add G’Vine Floraison, the white grape juice, ice, shake a serve in a tall cocktail glass. Garnish with half a strawberry and a sprig of basil.

The LiveLikeaVIP.com team adore chocolate and love Champagne even more so when we heard about a new cocktail involving both of these elements, we were practically ran (as fast as we could in our high heels) to try it out.

The 1811 consists of Perrier Jouet Champagne (not just any old fizz) and Mozart Dry chocolate liqueur (a premium clear chocolate spirit), a bit of Belle Brillet pear liqueur  to sweeten things up and finished off with a handmade chocolate truffle like a diamond at the bottom of the glass. We were frightened to try the drink, thinking could it possibly live up to our expectations? The answer was yes and then more…it’s like a drink, dessert and a fizzy kiss on the lips every time you raise the glass to your mouth. Saturday nights will never be the same again. Why start the night with anything else when it’s not too hard to whip up this tasty concoction? Champagne is less calorific than other drinks and studies suggest a bit of chocolate is good for us.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Champagne Flute, chilled

Garnish: none

Ingredients: 10ml Mozart Dry Chocolate Liqueur, 15ml Belle Brillet, 100ml Perrier Jouet Champagne, a chocolate truffle

Method: Place a chilled chocolate truffle at the bottom of a Champagne flute. Add the chocolate liqueur and belle brillet before topping up with Champagne. Stir briefly. Enjoy!

The Lucky Pig cocktail bar has just opened in London’s Fitzrovia featuring one of the best cocktail menus we’ve seen for ages. The classic Grey Goose Le Fizz tempted us as did the Marie Antoinette consisting of Grey Goose Vodka, Chambord, Crème de Mure and lemon, topped with Champagne and also appetising was the Pontarlier Neuveax of Bombay Sapphire Gin, Absinthe, curacao and grapefruit juice. But it was the Dark and Stormy that we chose to drink first as it was a particularly dark and stormy day outside.

What’s great about the Lucky Pig is you leave the outside world at the door when you come in. Owners Keith Tucker and Jeremy Hall have designed the The Lucky Pig to be a complete alternative to the old man boozers or West End Style clubs that crowd up this particular area of London. The design of the bar has drawn on elements from the Art Nouveau period and old New York to create a space packed full of fascinating design features, wooden floors, beautiful mismatched furniture and plush upholstery. Juxtaposing exposed brickwork with one off art pieces, Chinese parasols, antique mirrors and chandeliers, this is a place you could spend all night and not get bored and the Dark N Stormy is the perfect drink to start the night in style.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Highball glass

Garnish: A slice of lime

Ingredients: 50ml Dark Rum, 200ml ginger beer, ice

Method: Fill a highball glass with ice cubes and pour in the ginger beer. Add the measure of dark Rum and watch it float its way down through the glass. Add a twist of fresh lime, drop the lime into the glass and muddle together.

Hands up if you like a bit of fizz? Hands up if you want to sample three different drinks for under £20? Well get ready for some more arm action as very soon you’ll be following our lead and raising your glasses to Castillo Perelada.

Cava is enjoying a surge in popularity as a high-quality, wallet friendly alternative to champagne and Castilo Perelada cava is absoulutely delicious.

We sampled it at Iberica Marylebone, which was offering consumers the opportunity to sample a Cava Flight of Castillo Perelada Cavas with their superb Tapas menu – three delicious Cavas from the beautiful Penedès region, south of Barcelona, in Northern Spain.

Presented to us on a bespoke tray, we tried 125ml  of Castillo Perelada Brut Reserva Cava NV served with cheese and ham potato croquettes

125ml of  Castillo Perelada Brut Rosado Cava NV served with sailor stew of clams and battered potatoes

125ml of Castillo Perelada Gran Claustro Cava 2007 (Awarded Best Cava Trophy, New Wave Spanish Wine Awards 2011) served with tosta de asparagus, Manchego, onion confit &truffle oil

Trying these three varieties of Cava opened our mind and stopped us from being so snobby about Cava compared to Champagne. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it!

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Champagne Flute, chilled

Ingredients: Castillo Perelada Brut Reserva can be bought at Ocado for just £9.99 while the Gran Claustro vintage is £19.99 per bottle

But you’ll find it hard to recreate the Iberica tapas so visit the Iberica website for opening hours and booking details

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and we want to do all we can to support it…and fortunately so do the kind-hearted folks at Russian Standard vodka.

They’ve designed a selection of cocktails designed for women to enjoy with their friends like the Strawberry Berryoska. So we say grab the girls, a selection of chick flicks and pampering treats and make all your friends give you money for charity if they want to be part of the night. Give them a few of these cocktails and you’ll probably be able to convince them to donate more money.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: High ball glass

Garnish: A strawberry, sliced

Ingredients:

50ml/1.7 fl oz Russian Standard Vodka, 4-6 strawberries, Juice of half a lime, 3 tsp. sugar, crushed Ice

Method: In a tumbler, muddle the lime juice, sugar and strawberries to create a paste. Top the glass up with crushed ice. Add vodka and stir well. Top with extra crushed ice and garnish with a sliced strawberry.

If you thought the Innocent company just made delicious smoothies then think again! There’s a lot more yumminess to discover.

We’ve come across the perfect end of summer cocktail to rehydrate you after those hot months of heavy partying. Also, if you’ve been to a summer festival then you’ll probably need to get some goodness back into your body after non stop alcohol and a lack of nutritious food.

So that’s why we’ve picked the Hedgerow Collins mocktail instead of a cocktail this week, with all of the taste of a cocktail but NO HANGOVER!

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Tumbler and a big glass jug

Garnish: A fresh, juicy blackberry

Ingredients:

900ml bottle of innocent apple juice, 3 handfuls of fresh, washed, juicy blackberries, a generous splash of elderflower cordial

Method: Pop the blackberries in a bowl and blend. Scoop some ice into a big glass jug nd pour in the apple juice. Add the blackberry puree and elderflower cordial to the jug and mix well. Then pour into some glasses and share with friends.

Soho restaurant Benito’s Hat (named after the Mexican president’s outlandish headgear) celebrated its third birthday this year on 28 July. So that’s three year’s since Ben Fordham, the owner, jacked in his City law firm job and followed his passion: cooking quality Mexican food and serving margeritas made with fresh fruit juice.

Let’s face it; the Mexicans know how to do drinks for hot weather. What could be nicer in sweltering Soho in July than this ice cold classic? It comes as the classic lime version, or two shades of pink: either strawberry or watermelon. And if you need more help to get the party started, we hear that head chef Felipe is partial to pouring out shots of tequila into unsuspecting customers’ mouths!

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Martini glass

Garnish: A slice of watermelon

Ingredients:

40ml 100% Blue Agave Tequila, 20 ml Tequileno, and fresh Watermelon

Method: Juice the watermelon and pour it into a cocktail shaker with the Tequla and Tequileno. Add ice and shake well and strain into a chilled martini glass. Add watermelon

Zenna is London’s only Indian cocktail bar – situated under restaurant Red Fort on Dean St in Soho – and its exotic cocktail creations use ingredients such as sweet spices, lemongrass, almonds and ginger.

However, the Illiana is not so sweet. Named after the mythological Indian golden dragon, it holds the title of the ‚Äòworld’s hottest cocktail’ yet it contains merely one drop of the secret chilli potion (which we learned is 40 times the strength of tabasco sauce!). Before drinking it you must sign a waiver form  and resident mixologist Dan Thomson kindly also provides a fire extinguisher sidekick made from ice cold Bombay Sapphire Gin, Lemon and Soda water which he says ‘,will help a bit’, before setting the drink alight before you (as if it wasn’t hot enough).

Apparently anyone managing to drink one also gets a certificate of commendation, but sadly we only managed three sips!

Zenna is running a number of Tasting Classes through the summer, showcasing different spirits and demonstrating cocktails. Check out www.zenna-bar.co.uk for more details.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Tumbler

Garnish: Something to set on FIRE!

Ingredients: Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Rum, Orange Curacao, Almond syrup, Lime and Orange juice and Zenna bar’s secret chilli potion

Method: Make sure you have something cool on the side (ie yogurt / lassis) for when you’re unable to drink any more. Add all the ingredients except the chilli potion and shake well. Drizzle the chilli into the glass and stir. Try not to cry when you taste the extreme spiciness.

This is a drink to sip to show off to your friends – there is no point drinking it alone because it’s not about taste it’s about displaying bravery!

The Hoxton Pony, London’s first bar to mix the laid back, trendy East End atmosphere with the ultra premium service and feel of the West End, has some exciting new summer cocktails on offer, all created by the award winning team of bar staff.

Our favourite is the High Heels (above) which combines Grey Goose vodka, raspberries, blackberries, apple juice, lemon, creme de cassis and creme de mure to make a light and fruity cocktail with a feminine edge, perfect for the summer.

The  head barman explained that he’d chosen the most refreshing summer fruits, sourced locally from top fruiterer Soulfruits, and the ultra-premium Grey Goose to make a tasty and decadent cocktail to enjoy on a roof terrace on a summer evening. We think it’s certainly a must try.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Tall

Garnish: Blackberry, raspberry and apple slices

Ingredients: 50ml Grey Goose vodka, 4 raspberries, 4 blackberries, 10ml apple juice, 10ml fresh lemon juice, creme de cassis, creme de mure

Method: Muddle the berries and add the vodka, apple juice, lemon juice, creme de cassis and creme de mure and shake well with ice. Pour into a long glass over crushed ice and garnish with a blackberry, a raspberry and apple slices.

Croatia’s hippest beach club – Papaya – hosted an exclusive party last week at West London Club Cherryjam in association with U’Luvka vodka. That was the key ingredient of the Sun and Moon cocktail to reflect Papaya’s idyllic location and 24 hour party vibes.

The likes of Vedran Corluca, Calum Best and Pollyanna Woodward enjoyed the cocktail and Calum tweeted that he would be drinking U’Luvka AND partying at Papaya this summer!

Last year Papaya hosted Tiesto, Calvin Harris, Armin van Buuren, the Ecclestones… and Zoe, amongst their VIPs and we look forward to seeing Calum out there in a few weeks.

PS Cherryjam will be offering free club membership to all Zoe Griffin readers – watch this space for more details.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Tall glass

Garnish: Sage leaves

Ingredients: 50 ml U’Luvka vodka, 25 ml Pineapple Puree, 15 ml Lime Juice, 10 ml Sirop de Gomme, Sage Leaves, Soda Water

Method: Mix the vodka, pineapple juice, lime juice and sirop de gomme in a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour into a glass over crushed ice. Top with soda water and garnish with fresh sage

Set just off London’s Regent St, the Living Room is a trendy bar and restaurant situated perfectly for people watching.

It has the sort of Ladies’ loos you’d expect at Stephen Fry’s house – with Axminster carpet on the walls and Radio 4 piped through the ceiling – but the main reason to visit is their their new cocktail menu.

This week’s Cocktail of the Week – the Blackberry and Rosemary Fizz – is a quirky combo of herbs and berries plus two types of gin. ‚Ä®Barman Lucas told us that the new trend is to serve summer cocktails in a wine glass – so who are we to argue? This one comes full of crushed ice, like a grown up Slush Puppie.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Sundae glass

Garnish: Fresh Blackberry and a rosemary sprig

Ingredients: 50ml Haymans Old Tom and Sloe gins, 100ml apple juice, 25ml lemon juice, 2 sprigs of rosemary, 1 tsp sugar, a handful of fresh blackberries, 10ml cocktail sugar syrup

Method: Crush rosemary and blackberries in a large glass, add apple juice, lemon juice and sugar syrup. Then pour in Haymans Old Tom and Sloe gins, strain and serve over crushed ice with a rosemary sprig.

The Gore Hotel near London’s Royal Albert Hall has one of the coolest bar features we’ve ever seen. At first glimpse it seems like any other hotel bar, although a luxury one with heavy wooden tables, sexy low-lighting and just the right classical come easy listening background music. And then you walk round the corner and see a Cinderella carriage with plush red velvet chairs and gold poles with room for a party of 10.

Such decadent seating calls for something that will cause your tastebuds to tingle and we found that in the form of the Basil Me Up ‚Äì described on the bar’s cocktail menu as an aromatic explosion with basil, grapefruit, apple and lemon!

We highly recommend visiting the Bloom Hotel to check out the carriage, especially on a Thursday night when there is live music ‚Äì see more info on The Gore Hotel’s website. But you can have a go at mixing the cocktail yourself using the information below:

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Highball glass

Garnish: Basil Leaf

Ingredients: 50ml Bloom gin, 50ml grapefruit juice, 50ml apple juice, lemon juice, 1 tsp sugar, a handful of fresh basil

Method: Crush the leaves with the sugar and put in a cocktail shaker. Add the gin, grapefruit juice and apple juice and shake well. Pour into an edible flower a chilled highball glass and squeeze in a thumbful of lemon juice. Finish with a basil leaf garnish

The Gorgeous Group, who are behind the drinks at London’s  Zeta, Rockwell, Hakkasan, and Apartment 195,  have a reputation for pushing the boundaries when it comes to cocktails. Their latest daring drink – which is served at Covent Garden bar and restaurant Tamarai – is garnished with a flower that you can eat. Much more imaginative than a dull cocktail cherry!

The Violet Martini almost looks too pretty to drink given it’s light purple colour and ice-chilled glass (not to mention the flower floating like a lily pad in the middle of the drink)

However, try it and you’ll find that you’ll need willpower to restrain yourself from downing it in one. It’s a liquid version of violet chocolate truffles – sweet and uplifting to your sense of smell as well as your tastebuds.

Need to impress dinner party guests? Serve this with some lavender or orange shortbread to be the hostess with the mostest. Edible flowers can be bought online

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Chilled martini glass

Garnish: Edible flowers

Ingredients: 40ml Tanqueray No. Ten gin, 15ml Violet liqueur, 35ml lychee juice, lemon zest

Method: Add the gin, violet liqueur and lychee juice to a cocktail shaker and shake well. Pour into the chilled martini glass and squeeze in a thumbful of lemon zest. Finish with an edible flower

Bennett Oyster Bar, Brasserie & Wine Store has just opened in South London’s Battersea Square.

Backed by Freddie ‚ÄòJalouse’ Achom and developed by Ray Duhaney (ex Ronnie Scott’s and Cheyne Walk Brasserie) the concept is an oyster bar with an organic grocery attached.

Inside the bar, if you’re not pairing your oysters with Champagne then Bennett has a great selection of cocktails created by mixologists Andres Masso, Jared Brown and Anastasia Miller such as the Jam Bourbon Sour, our cocktail of the week.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Impress your guests by serving it in an old jam jar. Failing that a long glass will do…

Garnish: Lemon and strawberry slices

Ingredients: 2 spoons strawberry jam, 15ml Four roses bourbon, Lemon juice 20ml, 3 dashes of Angostura bitter, one egg white

Method: Separate an egg and discard the yolk. Whisk the white and set aside. Mix the bourbon, lemon juice and bitters in a cocktail shaker then pour into a glass. Stir in the jam and then lightly stir in the egg white until its smooth and fluffy.

London members club The Hospital recently launched its 2011 Creatives in Residence – a philanthropic showcase of music, art, photography and film in the Covent Garden space.

And while enjoying the creations of the club’s talented members, we’d recommend you sip a Twinkle. Served in a martini glass and sprinkled with gold glitter, the drink is fairydust in a glass. And as most of the glitter seems to get on your face whilst drinking it, you’ll come away just a little more fabulous!

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Champagne Coupe

Garnish: Glitter!

Ingredients: 50ml 42 Below Vodka, 100ml Elderflower Cordial, Dash of Champagne

Method: Shake the vodka and cordial and pour into a chilled coupe. Add the champagne and liberally sprinkle with gold glitter

The Glorious Goodwood extravaganza of vintage fashion and classic horse-racing fun calls for a speical cocktail.

It’s called Glorious for a reason so it’s only right that it’s accompanied by a drink that smells, tastes and looks like a work of art. Just carrying this cocktail is a fashion accessory!

Made from dry Tanqueray No 10 gin, it’s refreshing and uplifting – perfect if the little flutter on the horses didn’t turn out the way you’d hoped.

If you didn’t manage to get tickets for this year’s Goodwood then just sip this cocktail and relax in the garden or the park. You’ll enjoy it wherever you are…

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: High ball glass

Garnish: Fresh mint sprig

Ingredients: 40ml Tanqueray London Dry Gin, 20ml Lime Juice, 15ml Sugar Syrup, 6 mint leaves, 35ml Cloudy Apple Juice, dash of soda water

Kid Rock and Carrie Underwood drank it at the CMT Awards, Madonna loves it in a Cosmo and the Queen apparently has Grand Marnier in a limited edition purple bottle. Ooh la la – Grand Marnier is getting cool.

Created in 1890 by the Marnier Lapostolle family, Grand Marnier gets its bittersweet taste by blending cognac with citrus bigaradia oranges. Adding extra orange slices  in a cocktail gives one hell of a citrus-kick and contributes to the recommended 5-a-day.

The Grand Esprit ‚Äì our cocktail of the week ‚Äì is a social experience as much as a drink as it comes in a big pitcher like Pimm’s. Get a booth, settle back and let the gossip commence as the fruity tipple tickles your tastebuds.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Tall Glass and Pitcher

Garnish: Slices of oranges, slices of strawberries and ice cubes

Ingredients: Per person – 25ml Grand Marnier, 25ml elderflower cordial, 175ml soda water

Method: Pour everything into a cocktail pitcher and stir well with a long glass cocktail stirrer (no need to shake). Garnish with plenty of strawberries and orange slices.

London’s Trafalgar Hotel has come up with the Spa Wherever You Are concept, which has influenced their appetising new cocktail menu.

Each of the four cocktails in the new spa @ the bar menu is  infused with ingredients used in Templespa products and each comes with a little pampering treat.

Choose the cheekily named hand job and get a massage with Templespa Palm balm while you sip it…Or the G-Spot which somes with an energsing mouth spray!

Our fave is the Hot Lips, which comes complete with purse size lip balm so you’ll leave the bar looking glam no matter how many you drink.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Martini

Garnish: Grated ginger, slice of lime

Ingredients: 40ml Vodka, 20ml Dry Vermouth,  mandarin, grated chilli

Method: Shake up the vodka and vermouth and strain over ice. Add a dash of manadarin and some chilli flakes. Top with grated ginger.

Serve With: All Talk Lip Balm (to cool your lips after the chilli!)

Black Moth vodka – which is infused with European perigord truffles – launched in the UK earlier this year and is now stocked in Selfridges

It’s a collaboration between vodka enthusiast Paul Amin and truffle connoisseur Paul Thomas. Together, they concluded that black Perigord truffles would be the perfect ingredient to create a vodka that would be used both in the bar and on the dinner table.

The Black Moth Vodka website has recipes for dishes that complement the vodka ‚Äì this is a bottle you will be proud to have on the dinner table instead of wine.  It means you can stick with the same drink all night ‚Äì moving on to a cocktail for desert such as the divinely creamy Truffle and Raisin Alexander.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass: Chilled Martini

Garnish: Freshly grated nutmeg

Ingredients: 40ml Black Moth Vodka, 20ml double cream, 15ml PX sherry, 10ml vanilla liqueur

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice and fine-strain in to the martini glass, grate nutmeg on top

If you’re planning a party and need a stylish cocktail to impress your guests  – a drink that is both refreshing and indulgent -  then BLOOM’s delectable Gin & Sin cocktail is the perfect tipple.

The floral, delicate notes of BLOOM Gin are complemented with the citrus flavours of lemon, orange and grenadine in this luscious, fruity beverage.

BLOOM contains chamomile and honeysuckle with a taste engineered to evoke those uplifting feelings of the first day of Spring so it will get your guests in the mood for a fun-filled, fabulous night.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Glass:   Martini

Garnish:   Orange Twist

Ingredients: 50ml BLOOM gin, 20ml  lemon juice, 12.5ml sugar syrup, 12.5ml shot orange juice, dash of grenadine

Method:   Shake all ingredients with ice and fine strain into a chilled martini glass