Raise a dram to Robert Burns in style at The Ivy on the Square, where guests will be treated to a limited-edition menu featuring some traditional Scottish favourites with an Ivy twist.
On Tuesday, 25 January, diners can enjoy a good helping of Scottish cuisine with classic Burns Night dishes, including a Haggis Neeps and Tatties Shepherd’s Pie, and the regular favourite Oatmeal-rolled Lathallan Haggis Bon Bons. For those with a sweet tooth, the menu also features a Hazelnut Praline Parfait.
Additional themed cocktails will be available alongside entertainment that will pay tribute to Robert Burns and his work. Get ready for some poetry, pipes and drams!
Cocktails include My Love Is Like a Red, Red, Rose (£9.75) a whisky lover’s twist on the classic Bramble cocktail with Highland Park 12 Year Old Whisky, lemon juice, sugar and a float of Crème de Mure; and My Heart Is In The Highlands (£12.75) a wonderfully indulgent champagne cocktail with Highland Park 12 Year Old Whisky, Grand Marnier & The Ivy Champagne poured carefully over a sugar cube soaked in Angostura Bitters.
To view the full menu and make a reservation, visit TheIvyEdinburgh.com
The Ivy on the Square celebrates with a festive installation and limited-edition cocktails created in collaboration with Edrington UK
The Ivy on the Square celebrates the launch of ‘A Jolly Robin’ with a spectacular festive installation for guests and passers-by to enjoy as well as new limited-edition cocktails.
Inspired by William Morris’ famous 1883 print, The Strawberry Thief, The Ivy on the Square’s façade will take guests on a wonderful festive journey combining festive florals, the Christmas robin and pomegranate.
Available until Friday 31 December, guests will be able to enjoy a selection of bespoke cocktails created in partnership with Edrington UK.
For those looking to treat themselves to a yuletide tipple, the brasserie’s bar team are serving up a number of bespoke cocktails, including the showstopping Red Robin (£9.75), a blend of Maker’s Mark Bourbon, lemon, pomegranate, and honey, finished with apple cider, and Hold-Up Ginger (£10.25), complete with Haku Vodka, Aperol, pineapple, lime, and gingerbread, perfect for an after-dinner treat.
Also featured is the Christmas Star(£10.25), a festive delight incorporating refreshing Roku Gin, star anis, pineapple, lemon and Crème de Mure.
Diners can also enjoy a delicious menu featuring showstopping seasonal desserts including the delightfully rich snowball fight (£9.50), with brandy ice cream, white chocolate, gingerbread and complete with cream sauce – perfect for those with a sweet tooth.
Agata Lubera, General Manager at The Ivy on the Square said: “We’re excited to officially launch our new installation and delicious food and beverage menus to guests this week.
“Edinburgh is known all around the world for its vibrant Christmas celebrations so we’re looking forward to being part of the city’s festivities.”
Bar Hütte, a brand new après ski themed alpine village, is now open for festivities at St James Quarter.
The pop-up experience, complete with cosy furnishings, exclusive private hüttes, walk-in bar, live music sessions, house DJs and Christmas karaoke, welcomes guests to enjoy seasonal cocktails, delicious hot serves, a broad selection of wines and Cold Town Beer brewed locally in Edinburgh.
Located at St James Square, the unmissable festive concept will be open until Sunday 2nd January.
Inspired by some of the coolest après ski bars in Europe, Bar Hütte St James Quarter combines super snug ski hüttes with a vibrant and fun atmosphere, whether you’re out with friends, hosting a Christmas party or looking to chill-out for an afternoon drink.
Bar Hütte has partnered with Scotland’s award-winning master brewers Cold Town Beer to offer locals some of their favourites. The range on the menu includes Cold Town Lager (recently awarded ‘best pilsner’) Cold Town New England IPA, and festive brews, including Christmas Pudding Ale, Chocolate Cake Stout, and their best-seller Queen of Puddings.
Guests to the alpine village can also enjoy authentic Neapolitan pizzas from Salerno Pizza, ordered via QR code and brought straight to your cosy karaoke hütte. The rustic Italian pizza specialists will be serving an array of incredible tasting pizzas, including gluten-free bases and non-dairy toppings.
As well as Cold Town Beer, there’s an array of season cocktails including Lemon Drizzle Spritz: Sipsmith Lemon Drizzle, mancino rosso, tonic & rosemaryand Winter Spiced Old Fashioned; Makers Mark, spiced syrup & orange bitters. Bar Hütte’s hot serves include Makers Biscoff Hot Chocolate; Makers Mark, hot chocolate & speculoos syrup and Hot Gin & Gingerbread; Sipsmith London Dry, gingerbread syrup, water, orange slice plus many more.
There’s also an extensive wine list curated and supplied by local wine merchants Good Brothers Wine.
To experience a ‘Cosy Karaoke Hütte’ for up to eight people, each hut requires a non-refundable booking fee of £60 and this secures your exclusive use for 1 hour, 45 minutes along with a complimentary welcome ‘Bombardino’ and Christmas karaoke.
Hosting a party? Bar Hütte’s VIP hütte can cater for a minimum of 9 and a maximum of 20 people. Pay £150 to hire the space, enjoy a welcome glass of prosecco and a Bombardino for all guests on arrival, then go crazy on karaoke and keep the drinks flowing for two hours.
Larger groups are encouraged to email edinburgh@barhutte.co.uk to find out which sections of the Après Bar would be a great fit for special festive events and parties.
If you’re wondering what a Bar Hütte Bombardino is, then you are in for a treat – An Italian Mountain classic, warm rum, cream and cinnamon shot served topped with whipped cream… essentially Christmas in a cup.
Bar Hütte is also known for their ‘Shot-Ski’s too – four shots of limoncello on an actual ski. Tip back together, then head to the dance floor.
Animal lovers can also expect a Doggy Grotto, complete with ‘paw-secco’, and complimentary dog treats. This un-fur-gettable experience has everything dog lovers need to get into the festive spirit, including photo props and Santa hats to make your four-legged friend look even cuter.
Edinburgh’s Christmas is back with a bang as St James Quarter announces the arrival of Bar Hütte’s festive experience that is set to take shape from Monday 8th November, offering a unique take on ‘Alpine Après Ski’.
Proving popular in other cities across the UK, the pop-up concept provides private holiday style chalets for shoppers to get cosy with friends and indulge in festive speciality cocktails, whilst taking part in Christmas karaoke.
Located at St James Square, customers can also enjoy live music sessions whilst sipping on a hot gin or spiced mulled wine and tucking into mince pies until Sunday 2nd January.
Inspired by previous trips to Courchevel, Zermatt and Tignes, Bar Hütte have created the look and atmosphere of traditional Alpine ski resorts. Furnished with a warm, festive décor, the super-snug ski hüttes are the perfect place to accommodate wintertime get-togethers, a post-Christmas shopping ‘pick-me-up’ or date nights with a difference.
Each private, bookable hütte includes a karaoke set-up so you and the blast out Mariah, Wham or Kylie to your hearts content.
Nick Peel, Managing Director at St James Quarter, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Bar Hütte to St James Quarter as part of our Christmas offering. With it being our first Christmas, we’re excited to join our customers in getting into the festive spirit and what better than mulled wine and karaoke to help us do that.
“These Alpine Après Ski’ inspired huts are the perfect way to create our very own winter wonderland here at The Quarter and we can’t wait for everyone to enjoy them.”
To experience a ‘Cosy Karaoke Hütte’ for up to eight people for 1 hour 45 minutes, each hut requires a non-refundable booking fee of £60. This includes Christmas karaoke as well as a complimentary welcome ‘Bombardino’ – a warm drink made up of hot rum and eggnog topped with whipped cream & cinnamon.
Bar Hütte also has a VIP area that can cater for up to 20 people for two hours for £150. This includes hire of the space, Christmas karaoke, a welcome glass of prosecco and a Bombardino for all guests on arrival.
From a six layered cake to a premium gin cocktail, Hilton has expanded its menu with new unique dishes
Calling all food and drink lovers – Hilton is adding four new mouth-watering, unique creations to its menu, available in 31 UK Hilton hotels from London to Edinburgh, and 145 hotels across Europe, Middle East and Africa.
The brand-new creations have been developed as part of Hilton’s annual Flavour and Flair competition, where Hilton’s talented food and beverage team members from across Europe, Middle East and Africa go head-to-head with their creations, competing to have their drink or dish featured on Hilton menus across the region.
A long-standing pioneer on the flavour-front, Hilton kitchens and bars across the world are responsible for the birth of world-famous F&B firsts, from the Pina Colada, Waldorf Salad and even the Red Velvet cake.
Continuing with the trail-blazing, the four newest taste sensations are:
Pastry perfection … The Belle Provence
A delicious six layered sponge cake, tiered with a surprising combination of fresh rosemary, sweet almond and juicy apricot compote.
Creator, Chef Ankit from Hilton Salwa Beach Resort & Villasin Qatar, took inspiration from the region of Provence in France, which produces the largest amount of apricots, to bring this baking creation to life.
Cocktail’s finest … The Simia Sour
Be transported to the tropics with this perfectly balanced cocktail by mixologist Andrea Volajova from Hilton Prague, Czech Republic.
Featuring a range of fresh botanicals of gin, zesty lemon juice and punchy cranberry juice, topped off with a foam of egg white.
Mouth-watering mocktail … The Zinggreen Frost
A health fuelled mocktail, bursting with luscious cold green tea, aromatic ginger water, lemon juice and sweet honey, with a touch of mint to finish. Bartender Mohammed Hassan from Hilton Hurghada Plaza in Egypt, wanted the drink to provide a refreshing hit of zesty goodness with every sip and move away from calorie laden, sweet concoctions.
Punchy power bowl … The Rainbowl
A stunning power bowl like no other. Chef de Partie Pedro Caetano from Conrad Algarve in Portugal took inspiration from the colours of the rainbow.
His creation features bright blueberry salmon, delectable quinoa and black chia, salty granola and a whole range of exotic vegetables and fruits which creates the stunning rainbow effect.
Emma Banks, Vice President of F&B Strategy & Development EMEA, said: “For over a century we have been serving up industry firsts, from the Pina Colada to the Red Velvet cake.
“Our culinary and cocktail teams are more determined than ever to be innovating and creating world famous F&B. By galvanising our talented team members with the Flavour and Flair competitions, it inspires them to create the next big dishes, that will help us lead trends for the next century.
“Now available in the UK, make sure you visit your nearest Hilton to sample them all for yourself!”
To find out more and join the conversation visit @tasteofhilton
Edinburgh International Film Festival is delighted to announce that the 74th edition will host a unique and inclusive celebration of being yourself at Edinburgh’s Talking About Jamie.
The free, hour-long event in St Andrew Square at 6pm on Friday 20 Augustwill kick off with drag queen entertainment and cocktails.
Those dressed to impress will be in with a chance of prizes for the best outfits. It takes place immediately ahead of the eagerly awaited Special Preview of the film adaptation of the award-winning hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Compere Alice Rabbit – Edinburgh’s Most Wanted drag queen, Mother of the Hoose of Rabbit, reigning queen of Edinburgh’s legendary regular Tuesday night drag explosion, The Rabbit Hole and all-round drag powerhouse – has found time in her busy, “booked and blessed” schedule to, whilst running her sell-out Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut ‘Alice Rabbit’s AYE-Cons’, bring the beautiful crowd of Edinburgh’s Talking About Jamie an hour of local legends, live singing and legendary looks.
Joining Alice Rabbit is Jamie Campbell,and his mother Margaret who will make a special star appearance at St Andrew Square.
Also on the bill is Scotland’s lioness, Lady Rampant! This high-heeled activist uses her two law degrees to influence her performances and frequently works with third sector organisations, the Scottish press and politicians advocating for equality.
As such, she won Best Political Queen at the Glasgow Drag Awards 2020. Talent, humour and intelligence all wrapped into one, she has earned her spot as Scottish Drag Royalty.
Although pre-booked tickets for the event are sold out, we will allow free un-ticketed entry to all screenings by walk-up on a first come, first served basis, subject to availability of space. On arrival, please make your way to the ‘Event Entrance’ located on the south-west corner of St Andrew Square.
The film will have its Special Preview screening at the Festival Theatre – a ‘coming home’ of sorts – where the stage musical was the last show to play before the March 2020 lockdown. The screening is now sold out.
Inspired by true events, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is the film adaptation of the award-winning hit musical from London’s West End, about Jamie New (newcomer Max Harwood), a teenager in a blue-collar English town with a dream of life on stage.
While his classmates plan their livelihoods after graduation, Jamie contemplates revealing his secret career ambition as a fierce and proud drag queen.
His best friend Pritti (Lauren Patel) and his loving mum (Sarah Lancashire) shower him with endless support while local drag legend Miss Loco Chanelle (Richard E. Grant) mentors him toward his debut stage performance.
But it’s not all rainbows for Jamie as his unsupportive dad (Ralph Ineson), an uninspired career advisor (Sharon Horgan), and some ignorant school kids attempt to rain on his sensational aspirations. In rousing and colourful musical numbers, Jamie and his community inspire one another to be more accepting, and to see the value in facing adversity stepping out of the darkness into the spotlight.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie will be released exclusively on Prime Video on 17th September 2021.
St Andrew Square is also the home of Film Fest in the City, delivered in partnership with Essential Edinburgh and supported by Johnnie Walker, EIFF’s Official Whisky Partner, Innis & Gunn, EIFF’s Official Beer Partner, and EventScotland, part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate.
The 74th edition of EIFF runs from 18 – 25 August 2021.
A study has shown that Mojitos are the most popular summer cocktails in the UK based on search data.
Piña Coladas and Espresso Martinis ranked 2nd and 3rd respectively.
Home kitchenware sales rose by 41% in the last year, indicating the UK is eager to recreate various food and drink, including cocktails, at home this summer.
A new study has revealed that the Mojito is the UK’s favourite summer cocktail.
The research by professional kitchen suppliers Maxima Kitchen Equipment analysed Google search data to find out the nation’s favourite cocktail to make at home during summer.
It revealed that the Mojito is the most popular with a 91,600 Google searches each month. The Cuban drink that combines zesty lime and mint has few ingredients making it an easy cocktail to create at home.
The Piña Colada came in second with 89,150 searches. The cocktail that contains three ingredients – coconut cream, white rum and pineapple juice – makes it an incredibly affordable cocktail in comparison to many.
The third most popular cocktail to make at home, Espresso Martini, was searched on average 82,700 times. The refreshing and energising cocktail is perfect for a long summer evening. In Britain, people drink around 95 million cups of coffee per day, so it is hardly a surprise that the alcoholic alternative to coffee is also hugely popular.
The fourth most popular cocktail was Sex on the Beach. The cocktail that combines cranberry, orange and peach flavours was searched 82,200 times a month in the UK.
The Pornstar Martini, which ranked as the fifth most searched for cocktail to make at home, was reportedly the most ordered cocktail in bars before the UK lockdown. The passion-fruit infused cocktail was searched 77,550 times a month, reflecting its popularity in bars.
During the pandemic, the industry growth of pubs and bars in the UK has decreased by 69.5% meaning the interest in homemade cocktails has risen dramatically.
However, over the lockdown period, sales in home kitchenware rose by 41% as the UK public looked to recreate their favourite food and drink at home whilst pubs and restaurants were closed.
A spokesperson from Maxima Kitchen Equipment commented: ‘The cocktail industry has grown more and more profitable over recent years however, these search numbers are bigger than anticipated, suggesting that cocktails are now a staple of British culture regardless of if they are consumed at home or at bars.’
The nation’s most searched summer cocktails
Cocktail
Number of searches
Mojito
91,600
Pina Colada
89,150
Espresso Martini
82,700
Sex on the Beach
82,200
Pornstar Martini
77,550
Margarita
65,600
Negroni
63,700
Old Fashioned
60,890
Long Island Iced Tea
58,400
Sangria
53,970
The analysis was conducted by Maxima Kitchen Equipment which has more than 40 years of experience in the supply and maintenance of professional kitchen equipment.
Pimms not packing a punch? Well get ready to be gin-spired by the newest additions to the Scottish gin range at Aldi.
You can never tell what you’re going to get with a Scottish summer, but Aldi is channelling all the sunshine this August with brand new additions to its Toradh gin range including two new Scottish Gin Liqueurs and four delicious pre-mixed Gin Fizz cocktails – making sure your summer drink has that extra ‘je ne sais quoi’, even if you didn’t quite make it to the Riviera.
At just £1.49 for 250ml (6% ABV), the Rhubarb Gin Fizz, Citrus Gin Fizz, Tropical Gin Martini and Fruit Gin Bramble are the perfect tipples to enjoy while taking in the rays. These handy cocktails in a can are made by long term supplier Eden Mill and with four to pick from you are guaranteed to find a favourite….or four.
Bursting with botanicals, the two brand-new Toradh Gin Liqueurs are priced at just £8.99 for 50cl and come in Rhubarb and Ginger or Raspberry. The perfect addition to any drinks cabinet, the liqueurs can be topped up with Aldi’s own Ridge Valley tonic, or topped with Aldi’s Costellore Prosecco (£5.99, 75cl) for the perfect summer evening cocktail.
These new additions to Aldi’s Scottish gin line-up join Aldi’s award-winning* Scottish Gin range including its premium Scottish Gin, Eidyn (£19.99, 70cl) and ToradhScottish Rhubarb & Ginger Gin and Premium Pink Gin (£14.99, 70cl) and the Botanical Project Scottish Gin available in Scottish Dry, Passionfruit & Coconut,Plum & Pink Grapefruit and Chilli & Ginger (all £15.99, 70cl), and McQueen Colour Changing Gin (£14.49, 70cl).
Aldi’s new summer flavours are on sale now at all 96 Aldi stores in Scotland and are sure to shake up any BBQ or garden-party this August. You can find your nearest Aldi store here.
Aldi currently works with over 90 Scottish suppliers, and after reaching their initial goal of stocking over 450 Scottish products by the end of 2020, the supermarket has now increased this target to stock over 500 locally sourced products in the next two years.
Multi award winning spirits producers and wild flavour alchemists Buck & Birch are toasting a 350% increase in online sales over the last year.
The East Lothian-based brand, which curates foraged flavours of the wild and conjures them into unique spirits, liqueurs and ready to drink cocktails has launched nine new products in the past 12 months, picked up a gold and bronze award at the IWSC for their Amarosa rosehip rum liqueur and Aelder elderberry liqueur respectively and seen online sales soar.
Success has also seen Buck & Birch partnering with premium national distributor Sip & Savour which will see their products introduced to the very best on and off trade venues across the country.
Creative director and co founder Tom Chisholm says: “As a small company in the competitive world of drinks and spirits it has been vital for us to partner with a distributor who has the connections, industry knowledge and passion to help us grow our brand.
“Working with Sip & Savour is hugely exciting and we cannot wait to see where it leads us”
Jamie Walker, Managing Director of Sip & Savour said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Buck and Birch in driving their distribution in the UK. Their philosophy of working in harmony with their environment to create exceptional liquids is inspirational.
“Tom and Rupert have been challenging the status quo of drinks production for five years and we are honoured to have the opportunity to expand their footprint and spread their philosophy.”
The founders have also developed their beautiful new tasting room at the distillery, in preparation for visitors to come and discover and sample the expanded range along with wild nibbles from their pop up restaurant beginnings.
This will also double as the R & D facility for their new consultancy arm of the business which has already seen success over the last 18 months working with various large, international drinks brands.
“It’s such an exciting time for us,” said director Rupert Waites. “It has been a very difficult year for many in business and we too have had our challenges, but we’ve been very fortunate and have seen our online sales really take off and the new consultancy arm of the company proving really popular which has kept us going.
“At the Buck & Birch we are fanatical about flavour. Our mission is to create accessible and versatile drinks that are expressions of our landscape and what has been so rewarding over the past year is we have been able to share this with so many people despite the restrictions.
“If searching for a silver lining as a result of the pandemic I would say it is that people have a new found love for the outdoors and our brand is more relevant to consumers and other businesses as a consequence.”
In the interest of sustainability, the innovative duo has also used the national lock down as an opportunity to refurbish their facility based in Macmerry, using a loan from the Energy Saving Trust to make considerable alterations. This has enabled them to improve their production methods as well as insulating the factory space and installing a new heating system – all to minimise energy usage.
Buck & Birch have also recently secured SALSA accreditation for food safety and production, and have confirmed a premium national distributor, Sip & Savour. The team are now working on a range of new domestic and international projects due to be released later this year to further enhance the business.
With hospitality in lockdown, Tom and co-founder Rupert Waites launched a range of six ready-to-drink wild bottled cocktails last spring, including the Dandy Lion and the Thornstar Martini.
They’ve since followed that with an exclusive wild cocktail collaboration with The Botanist gin, their Gibson Martreeni (a birch and wild garlic twist on the classic Gibson) with Miran Chauhan; long term collaborator and now bar manager at the new Johnny Walker experience in Edinburgh, and a collection of three wildflower cocktails with Foraged by Fern, the Sussex-based foraging guide and cook.
2020 was the year that also saw Buck & Birch awarded with the Most Innovative Brand title in the Mid and East Lothian Chamber of Commerce Food & Drink Awards and Best Artisan Spirit 1st runner up in the Scottish Rural Awards for Amarosa which is further testament to the hard work of the entire team.
With big plans for the future the team at Buck & Birch are gearing up for a crowdfunding round later this year, which will enable them to continue to develop their business.
THE SIGNATURE COCKTAIL MENU COMBINES THE FRESH FLORAL FLAVOURS OF SUMMER WITH WHISKY IN ITS PUREST FORM
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society (SMWS) have teamed up with world-renowned mixologist, Jason Scott, of Bramble and Lucky Liquor Co. and The Royal Botanic Garden to create a limited-edition range of floral cocktails.
In this iconic partnership, mixologist and Edinburgh independent bar owner, Jason Scott, will be working with Dr Greg Kenicer of The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh. Together they have created cocktails that explore the more delicate and floral notes within the Society’s June Outturn whiskies, complementing and contrasting them through edible flowers and exciting mixers.
Jason, who is the owner of Bramble Bar, Lucky Liquor and The Last Word Saloon, is a key figure in the Scottish cocktail industry and has trained some of the best bartenders in the country.
Inspired by the flavours of summer, the signature cocktails will be created using a range of natural mixers, that include lavender, primrose flower, borage flower, fresh mint, and gorse.
Jason Scott, said: “I have long been a fan of the Society and really admire what they do.
“After visiting The Botanics and meeting up with Greg, it’s been a journey of fun and discovery to create these fantastic floral cocktails. I’m confident whisky and flower lovers alike will adore this summer cocktail menu.”
Dr Greg Kenicer of the Royal Botanic Garden, said: “I am delighted to be working with Jason and The Scotch Malt Whisky Society on this exciting and unique project.
“When it comes to enhancing and developing cocktail flavours, there is so much out there for drink makers and bartenders to explore from the botanical Kingdom. Many of these plants can be grown in a garden or even a window box, or you can find them at your local supermarkets.
“Since the Stone Age, botanicals and fresh plants have been used as compounds to enhance the flavour of drinks. It’s really exciting to see mixologists across the world continuing this ancient legacy, and also innovating in so many creative ways.”
The signature cocktails will be available at SMWS Bath Street, Queen Street and Greville Street from tomorrow (Friday 11th June).
Non-members are also welcome to attend Queen Streets’ Kaleidoscope Bar and can visit both Bath Street and Greville Street venues on Tuesday evenings, by booking online or by phone.
To celebrate the signature cocktail menu, the SMWS will also be hosting an event on the 29th of June, at their Queen Street venue.
With the aim of breaking down the perceived barriers of traditional whisky drinking, the cocktails have been designed to encourage whisky enthusiasts to delve deep into the modern use of whisky, by mixing the water of life with fresh ingredients:
Cocktail list:
Queen Street, Edinburgh – Joy & SorrellThe Joy & Sorrell features vibrant fuchsia flowers with a taste of citrus lemon and sweet sorrel syrup.
Bath Street, Glasgow – Melancholy CrushThis refreshing julep combines an elegantly fruity and herbal dram with fresh mint, lemon and Angostura Bitters.
Greville Street, London – Four SeasonsThis London inspired violet Penicillin, features a 2008 Speyside distilled whisky combined with ingredients that include fresh lavender, finished in an old fashioned glass.
Bottled – Flaming Primrose Garnished with a primrose flower, this vibrant blood-red cocktail incorporates infused gorse Campari and Sweet Vermouth with an 8-year-old single scotch oily and coastal whisky.
For more information about the Scotch Malt Whisky Society click here.
