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Best summer cocktail recipes for sunny days in the garden
Happy hour is from four to six!
It’s time to dust off your swimwear and stock up on sunscreen. Summer is just around the corner (ish), and after what feels like a 45-year winter, it’s set to be a pretty big one. We're all counting down the days until the warmer weather returns and we can get out in the garden, the park or even just that little patch of sun that pokes through your window in the morning.
From cracking out the barbecue with your pals to a curling up in that little garden reading nook, it’s safe to say all of our diaries are looking pretty packed for the foreseeable. All we need now is the sunshine. While we wait, here’s our pick of the best summer cocktail recipes to enjoy when the time finally comes.
So, err, if the sun could make an appearance sometime soon we’d appreciate it…
Patrón El Cielo Spritz
Patrón's new premium silver tequila promises an ultra light and smooth finish.
Ingredients
- 30ml PATRÓN EL CIELO
- 60ml Chilled Pinot Grigio or Provençale Rose Wine
- 90ml Chilled Ginger Ale
Method
In a white wine glass with cubed ice, build all ingredients, stir to combine. Garnish with a fresh orange wedge - squeeze and drop into the glass.
The Palominado
A fiery take on Mexico's classic cocktail.
Ingredients
- 50ml Tequila Cask Terminado
- Grapefruit
- Lime
- Agave syrup or honey
- Soda water
Method
Combine ingredients in a glass over ice, topping with soda water and garnishing with a grapefruit slice.
Neurita Margarita Spritz
Introducing Neurita: a tequila made specifically for margaritas. Yes really.
Ingredients
- 50ml Neurita Tequila Blanco - Citrus
- Top up with citrus soda
- Squeeze of fresh lime juice
MethodPlace all the ingredients in a spritz glass with ice. Garnish with fresh lime. Enjoy.
Grey Goose Strawberry & Lemongrass Soda
Like summer in a glass.
Ingredients
- 50ml Grey Goose Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass
- 150ml Soda Water
- Fresh Strawberries
- Lemongrass
- Lemon Twist
Method
Add Grey Goose Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass to a chilled glass gilled with ice. Top with soda water. Garnish with lemongrass, fresh strawberry, and a lemon twist.
Fresh Monkey Daiquiri
If you're after something refreshing and light, step this way
Ingredients
- 40ml Fresh Monkey
- 20ml Lime Juice
- 20ml 1:1 Sugar syrup
Method
Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake vigorously until the shaker is cold with condensation on the outside. Strain into a coupe glass.
The Cross Court
With tennis season in full swing (wahey), why not make a themed cocktail to celebrate?
Ingredients:
- 35ml Eden Mill Wildcard Gin
- 10ml Monin Wild Strawberry syrup
- Pink Prosecco
- Raspberry
Method
Pour the gin and strawberry syrup into a champagne flute. Top up with pink prosecco and stir, then garnish with the raspberry.
ADRIATICO Bianco Amaretto Margarita
We love a margarita, so anything with a twist on the tequila classic gets a thumbs up from us.
Ingredients
- 50ml ADRIATICO Bianco Amaretto
- 20ml Tequila
- 30ml Fresh Lemon Juice
- 10ml Triple Sec
Method
Dry shake all ingredients. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a dried lemon wheel.
Duppy Share Punch
This punch recipe services eight to 10 people. What screams BBQ more than that?
Ingredients
- 350ml Duppy Share Aged Rum
- 700ml Orange Juice
- 500ml Grapefruit Juice
- 120ml Sugar Syrup
- 8 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Method
Add Duppy Share Aged Rum, orange and grapefruit juice, sugar syrup and bitters to a large jug or punch bowl. Stir and serve.
Elijah Craig Old Fashioned
Time to channel your inner Don Draper.
Ingredients
- 50ml Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon
- 10ml Sugar Syrup
- 3 Dashes of Bitters
Method
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir until chilled and strain over a large ice cube. Garnish with a twist of orange
Micil Irish Mule
You've heard of a Moscow Mule, but how about an Irish one?
Ingredients
- 35.5ml Micil Irish Poitín
- Ginger Beer
Method
Pour Micil Irish Poitín into a glass filled with ice, squeeze a wedge of fresh lime into the glass, and top with premium ginger beer. Give the drink a light stir and garnish with a lime wedge
The T&T
Natural? Tick. Fresh? Tick. Your new favourite summer tipple? Tick tick tick.
Ingredients
- 40ml El Rayo Plata or Reposado
- Indian tonic
- Fresh grapefruit slice
Method
Fill a highball with ice, then add 40ml El Rayo Tequila. Top with tonic and garnish with grapefruit.
Spicy Raspberry Punch Mocktail
Who says a cocktail has to have alcohol to pack a punch?
Ingredients
- 2 jalapeño slices, plus 1 slice for garnish
- ¾ oz raspberry syrup
- 1 oz lime juice
- Red Bull Summer Edition Juneberry
Method
Create the raspberry syrup by combining raspberries and simple syrup in a bowl. Crush raspberries using a spoon. Add to a shaker with the rest of the ingredients. Add ice and shake. Double strain over large ice cubes. Top with one 8.4 oz can of Red Bull Summer Edition Juneberry. Garnish with jalapeño slice.
818 Añejo Old Fashioned Recipe
An old fashioned with a tequila twist? Perfect for Father's Day (18th June 2023, FYI!)
Ingredients
- 2.5 oz 818 Tequila Añejo
- 1 cube of sugar
- 2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
- Splash of water
- Orange peel and cocktail cherry to garnish
Method
Add bitters, a splash of water and a sugar cube to a glass. Muddle to make a paste. Add ice cube and Tequila. Garnish with cocktail cherry and orange peel.
Aperol Spritz
It's a classic, isn't it? This recipe was provided by Aperol themselves, so you know it's going to be good.
Ingredients
- 75ml Prosecco
- 50ml Aperol
- A splash of soda water (c. 25ml)
- Slice of fresh orange
Method
Take a large wine glass and fill it with ice. Pour 75ml of Prosecco in and add 50ml Aperol, Top with 25ml of soda. Stir gently to combine and garnish with a slice of orange.
Campari Spritz
If you're after something a bit different to an Aperol Spritz, how about you try a Campari version?
Ingredients
- 75ml Prosecco
- 50ml CAMPARI
- A splash of soda water (c. 25ml)
- Slice of fresh orange
Method
Take a large wine glass. Fill with ice. Pour 75ml of Prosecco, add 50ml CAMPARI. Top with 25ml of soda. Stir gently to combine and garnish with a slice of orange.
London Calling Spritz
Thanks to the rhubarb slice and pomegranate, these look so refreshing.
Ingredients
- 40ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
- 10ml Fino sherry
- 20ml lemon juice
- 10ml sugar syrup
- Soda water
- Prosecco
- Fresh rhubarb (to garnish)
- Pomegranate (to garnish)
Method
Add the first four ingredients into an ice filled wine glass. Top with half Prosecco and half soda water. Garnish with fresh rhubarb and pomegranate.
St-Germain Hugo Spritz
This summer we're on full on spritz mode and the Hugo spritz is one of our favourites. If you like a mojito, this will suit your vibe - it's sweet, refreshing and full of lime and mint flavours.
Ingredients
- 40ml St-Germain
- 60ml Martini prosecco
- 60ml Soda water
- 8-10 mint leaves
- Lime wedge for garnish
- Mint sprig for garnish
Method
Add ice into a wine glass. Pour in St-Germain and add approximately eight mint leaves. Top with sparkling wine and soda water. Stir the drink to combine all of the ingredients. Garnish with a mint sprig and lime wedge.
Sipsmith’s Vesper Martini
It's been 70 years since Ian Fleming’s James Bond novel, Casino Royale (published in April 1953), first referenced the Vesper Martini. So why not make one to celebrate?
Ingredients
- 40ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
- 10ml Sipsmith Sipping Vodka
- 10ml Cocchi Americano
- Lemon peel (to garnish)
Method
Combine gin, vodka, and Cocchi in an ice-filled shaker. Throw at least 5 times between cocktail shakers. Double strain into chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Appleton Estate Mai Tai
Appleton Estate say the first *ever* Mai Tai was made to show off one of their original rums, which is how you know it'll be good.
Ingredients
- 25ml Appleton Estate 8-year-old Reserve
- 25mml lime juice
- 1 tbsp orange curacao
- 2 tsp orgeat syrup
Method
Combine all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice. Shake until chilled and pour into a double old-fashioned glass. Garnish with one lime shell.
St-Germain Spritz
If there's a drink which sounds more refreshing for a summer's day, we haven't heard of it.
Ingredients
- 40 ml St‑Germain elderflower liqueur
- 60 ml martini brut prosecco
- 60 ml sparkling water
- Lemon twist
- Edible flowers (optional)
Method
Pour St‑Germain over ice into your glass. Top with prosecco and sparkling water. Give the drink a good stir. Gently twist a lemon peel on top of your drink and add edible flowers (optional)
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