A GLOBAL brand known for its fresh take on traditional Thai food has officially opened the doors of its first ever Scottish venue in Edinburgh’s St James Quarter.
Thai Express Kitchen offers Edinburgh foodies casual dining and a licensed bar, centred around an open-plan kitchen, with expert wok chefs cooking to order and using fresh and seasonal produce.
The Edinburgh restaurant features Scotland’s very first example of double decker restaurant seating – inspired by a setup popular across Southeast Asia.
Also offering food on the go, it serves a selection of traditional Thai and custom dishes, including pad Thai, papaya salad and its popular Thairatcha wings – with customers able to customise dishes to their preferred spice level.
The launch is an exciting moment for Uzma and Sachin Pattani, who brought the 300-outlet “Thai Express” brand to the UK in 2012.
As the first Thai Express “Kitchen”, Edinburgh will be the eighth and largest setting, with the dining in element a much bigger focus. The St James Quarter restaurant joins similar buzzy locations including Croydon, Wembley and Birmingham.
The opening marks the moment Sachin, 42, who has overseen the £500,000 transformation of the site, hands over operations to his 35-strong team who will oversee the day to day running of the venue.
Thai Express Kitchen, St James Quarter, Edinburgh
He said: “Our launch events could not have been more successful and we are delighted to have started serving up our world-famous Thai food to the Edinburgh public.
“As our first ever ‘Kitchen’ – a lot of care and hard work has gone in behind the scenes to make this our most creative and extensive venue so far.
“We’re fiercely proud of the business we have built in the UK so far and are looking forward to offering our Scottish customers delicious Thai flavours in a special setting that we hope will get people talking.”
The eatery, within the £1billion St James Quarter’s Leith Street Eats area, will feature 100 covers.
Originally from Canada, Thai Express is the global leading brand for fast casual Thai Dining – and it attracts a wide audience, from families to students to office workers, with a combination of fresh food at a reasonable price.
For more information about Thai Express Kitchen at St James Quarter, visit: https://thaiexpress.co.uk/ or follow us on Facebook and Instagram
This Christmas, Aldi Scotland will be stocking what is described by farmers as ‘the meat you can feel good about’, as its range of Galloway joints hits shelves.
The supermarket is enhancing its Christmas range with Scotch Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint (£17.99/kg), Scotch Galloway Beef Rump Joint (£9.99/kg) and the award-winning* Scotch Galloway Beef Joint wrapped in Ayrshire Streaky Bacon (£11.99, 950g), which will be available across all 102 Scottish stores from 19th December.
Galloway cattle are renowned for the benefits they have for farmers, local communities, and the biodiversity of the natural environment. That’s in addition to being recognised by top chefs across the world for their exquisite taste and outstanding quality.
The cattle are ‘conservation grazers’ meaning they thrive on agricultural land that face natural challenges, such as exposed high hills. As one of Scotland’s oldest native breeds, the Galloway’s knack for digesting rough grass and foraging on Scottish hillsides have set them apart for their ability to reinvigorate the landscape, creating valuable habitat that allows rich biodiversity to flourish.
Scott McKinnon from Galloway Cattle Society said: “Scottish farmers are sitting up and taking notice of the fantastic benefits Galloway cattle can have, not only for their buying partners like Aldi who are looking for unmatched quality from their suppliers, but also the benefit these cattle have on the landscape and the wider environment.
“It’s important we all work together to make farming as sustainable as possible and explore opportunities for the agricultural sector to continue to grow and diversify as the world moves to a more circular economy model.
“It’s great to see a leading supermarket like Aldi supporting Scottish farmers and recognising the cattle for their sustainable benefits.”
Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland said: “Our relationships with our talented, local suppliers gives us a real insight into the sector and allows us to explore options which not only meet our high-standard in quality but that have benefits which exceed essential food production.
“Galloway beef is renowned across the world for its superb taste, and it has been amazing to discover what makes them so uniquely special.
“At Aldi Scotland we only stock products that we are proud of, and we look forward to offering our shoppers a meat they can feel especially good about this Christmas.”
Scotbeef’s Scotch Galloway Beef Sirloin Joint (£17.99/kg), Scotch Galloway Beef Rump Joint (£9.99/kg) and the award-winning* Scotch Galloway Beef Joint wrapped in Ayrshire Streaky Bacon (£11.99, 950g), will all be available, while stocks last, across all Aldi Scotland’s 102 stores from 19th December 2021.
* The Scotch Galloway Joint with Ayrshire Bacon has won Grocer own Label Award Bronze in 2021 and a Quality Food Awards Commended award in 2020.
Wemyss Malts are launching six new extremely rare single cask whiskies. The six expressions from the Wemyss Malt whisky range are boldly named using the aromas and tastes of the whiskies to uniquely identify each bottling.
This wave of releases will be in a brand-new design, with each label colour coded to match the flavour category it falls under: Sweet, Spicy, Smoky, Rich, Light and Oily.
The team at Wemyss Malts believes that much of the malt whisky terminology can be difficult to decipher, even for a knowledgeable consumer. The expressions from the Wemyss Malt whisky range are boldly named using the aromas and tastes of the whiskies to uniquely identify each bottling. The six new single casks follow this naming convention and have intriguing descriptive names to entice whisky drinkers.
In addition to their flavour led names each label is colour coded to match the flavour category it falls under: Sweet, Spicy, Smoky, Rich, Light and Oily.
This wave of releases will be in a new design, the updated packaging includes a bespoke decanter bottle, ornately illustrated labels and gift box.
Each cask has yielded only a few hundred bottles and the resulting unique whiskies are extremely rare.
Prices noted are approximate suggested retail per 750ml:
• Bananas and Cream: This light single cask is a grain whisky from Strathclyde distillery. Distilled in 2005 and bottled in 2021. Priced at £88. Key tasting note: Sweet banana ice cream, meringue, lemon balm and iced buns.
• Clove Studded Oranges: From Speyside, Glenrothes distillery. Distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2021, with only 187 bottles. Available only through www.wemyssmalts.com (£200). Key tasting note: Rich, deep orange flavours laced with intense cloves, dried fruits and muscovado sugar.
• Jam on Toast: This spicy single cask is from the Highland distillery of Blair Athol. Distilled in 1991 and bottled in 2021, this single malt is a majestic 30 years old. 226 bottles. This bottling is a Cask Club members’ exclusive (£300). Key tasting note: Sweet rich fruit flavours with a slight savoury edge evokes an array of rich fruits; plum and orange jam with sultanas. Complex wood spices give a peppery and spicy depth.
• Kiwi and Chilli: From Speyside, Glenrothes Distillery. Distilled in 1996, with 282 bottles (£225). Key tasting notes: Kiwi fruits with a spicy Jalapeños kick. Sweet, glazed doughnuts, shortcake and provides a cereal rich depth. Honey rich sweetness balances the zesty exotic fruit and chilli spice.
• Sweet Disposition: From Speyside, Glen Keith Distillery. Distilled in 1996 with 492 bottles (£200). Tasting notes: Light and enticingly sweet with eucalyptus honey, pear drops Moffat toffee, lime cordial and strawberry laces. Glazed doughnuts, shortcake and provides a cereal rich depth.
• Ultimate Apple Pie: This sweet single cask is from Speyside, Glen Moray distillery. Distilled in 1996 and bottled in 2021. Priced at £150. Tasting notes: Rich and stewed apple pie with allspice and sweetened short crust pastry. Zesty green grapes, candy chews and white icing. The sweetness shifts to a drier note with an effervescent, fizzy mouthfeel.
William Wemyss, Founder and Managing Director at Wemyss Malts, commented:“Winter is all about treasuring time with loved ones over the festive period, with this in mind our latest selection of single casks convey an assortment of fortifying and warming flavours.
“With this assortment of single casks from the spritely and sweet ‘Ultimate Apple Pie’ to the incredibly decadent Glenrothes aptly named “Clove Studded Oranges” and the show stopping 30 year old Blair Athol named “Jam on Toast” we truly have something to please all whisky fans.”
Four of the six bottlings will be available in selected retailers in the UK, EU and key Asian markets.
Kirsty Mackinnon, Brand Manager, Wemyss Malts, commented:“We have selected one very special bottling; a 30 year old Blair Athol named “Jam on Toast” to be an exclusive release to our Wemyss Malts Cask Club members.
“Anyone interested may join the Cask Club free via our website. Whether you are a newcomer to whisky or an experienced imbiber the Wemyss Malts Cask Club also aims to delight and enlighten with regular features and competitions.”
“Jam on Toast” joins 6 new single cask bottlings that have been released online and to selected retailers in the UK, EU and Asian markets. Four Speyside single malts, one Highland single malt, one lowland single malts and one single grain whisky make up the new release. Each cask has been selected by Isabella Wemyss, Director of Production, each bottling has a descriptive name illustrating the whisky’s character and have been bottled non-chill-filtered and in their naturally colour.
They are limited to only a few hundred bottles with suggested retail prices ranging from £88 to £300.
Full detail of these single casks can be found of the Wemyss Malts website.
– The Ultimate Breakfast is back on the menu after feedback from customers –
– It has bacon, sausages, fried egg, mushrooms, tomato, black pudding, hash browns, beans and fried bread –
– Other customer favourites coming back include the Prawn Mayo Sandwich and Mini Fish & Chips –
A selection of customer favourites are making a return to the Morrisons Café menu this week, including The Ultimate Breakfast.
The 15-piece fry up is available all day and includes three large sausages, two bacon rashers, a fried egg, two flat mushrooms, a griddled tomato half as well as two black pudding slices, two hash browns, Heinz beans and a slice of fried bread cut in half. What’s more, it costs just £6.95.
Other winter warmers making a comeback include our Mini Fish & Chips, Bangers & Mash and Sausage, Egg, Chips & Heinz beans. The smaller café classics all cost £4.50 and are available all day.
Our Prawn Mayonnaise Sandwich is also back by popular demand. For an additional £1.00, customers can now add a portion of chips to their sandwich orders as well as to other main meals such as salads, pies or pizzas.
This week also sees our takeaway Afternoon Tea reduced from £12.00 to £10.00, including the festive option. It includes a selection of sandwiches, cakes and mince pies that are served with British clotted cream – all served with proper Yorkshire Tea.
If it’s just a hot drink you’re after, then you can now order a coffee and cake for £3.00 or simply add a muffin to your drinks order for just £1.00.
In addition, kids can also eat free all day everyday when an adult meal over £4.50 is purchased.
Our Christmas menu is currently available with a wide range of breakfast and lunch options including our Christmas Turkey Lunch with all the trimmings for just £5. Succulent hand carved Morrisons Deli turkey is served with roast potatoes, creamy mash, carrots, brussel sprouts, stuffing, yorkshire pudding, pigs in blankets, cranberry sauce and gravy.
Ali Lyons, Morrisons Head of Café, said:“This week we’re bringing back by popular demand some of the items from our menu that customers have told us they are missing, particularly our 15 piece Ultimate Breakfast as well as a selection of smaller dishes.
“We’re also making it easy to add some extras to your orders such as a portion of chips to a main meal or a cake or muffin to a hot drink.”
To help customers in the run up to Christmas, we’re also offering £5 main meals on a selected number of delicious Morrisons café dishes.
Customer favourites include our Best Beef Burger which is stacked in our The Best Brioche Bun with cheese, salad and burger or a Crispy Chicken Burger using Market Street succulent chicken.
For pie lovers there’s our Market Street Chunky Steak Pie which is served with creamy mash, mushy peas and piping hot gravy. Our Full Breakfast is also available in this offer too.
Morrisons eco range includes cleaning products, fabric conditioner and laundry liquid
All products are 100% recyclable
Made using plant-based and biodegradable materials, with no harsh chemicals
Prices start at just £1.00, a fraction of the cost of similar household brands
Morrisons has launched a new cleaning range – Morrisons eco – to provide customers with more environmentally friendly alternatives to many staple household products.
The range includes anti-bacterial spray, floor cleaner, toilet cleaner, laundry liquid, fabric conditioner, washing up liquid, toilet paper, kitchen roll, sponges and cloths – all the products are made from plant-based and vegan ingredients.
The packaging is fully-recyclable and can be recycled by customers at home, the products are also part of Morrisons first Leaping Bunny Cruelty Free certified range.
Morrisons has launched the range in response to feedback from customers that they want to purchase cleaning products that would help them protect the environment but need them to be at a more affordable price point.
Research by Morrisons revealed that four out of five of its customers (81 per cent) said they care about the environment, and just under half (45 per cent) of customers said they have purchased an eco-friendly household product in the last six months, as shopping trends continue to shift.
Unlike ordinary cleaning products that can be harmful to the environment, Morrisons eco range has been created with sustainability and the protection of the planet in mind, and without any compromise on performance.
When independently tested against comparable products from leading household brands, Morrisons eco range performed as well as products costing three times as much. Customers can pick up the Morrisons eco range in store from just £1.00, a saving compared to similar eco-ranges available.
James Crabtree, Senior Household Buying Manager at Morrisons, says: “We believe that powerful cleaning doesn’t have to cost the earth – and we mean that both figuratively and literally.
“We’ve seen a boom in the popularity of more environmentally friendly products and we know our customers want to shop more sustainably. We’re excited to be able to provide them with an even bigger variety of cleaning products – that look and smell great – to pick up as part of their weekly shop, without breaking the bank.”
The following products are available now in Morrisons stores nationwide and online at morrisons.com:
The award-winning team behind the UK’s best burger have today opened up their first Edinburgh outlet, taking a prime position within the acclaimed Bonnie & Wild food hall in the St James Quarter.
Nick Watkins of Glasgow’s favourite burger restaurant El Perro Negro said they had been looking for the right Edinburgh location for a while, and that the prospect of “joining the Bonnie & Wild family was a brilliant opportunity, and too good to pass up on”.
El Perro Negro has won a string of culinary and business accolades in recent years, including UK’s best burger in 2021 and in 2019. The popular eatery has a restaurant in Glasgow’s Woodlands area.
Now the popular burger restaurant and takeaway has today opened up its first Edinburgh outlet at Bonnie & Wild’s food hall, which hosts a variety of exciting chef-led food businesses including Chef Jimmy Lee’s Salt & Chilli, Gary Maclean’s Creel Caught and The Gannet, which last month won Best Restaurant at the annual SLTN awards.
Fans of El Perro Negro were given a tantalising hint of the new move over the weekend when the burger business published a cryptic post on their social media channels announcing the move to Edinburgh, but keeping quiet on the location.
El Perro Negro’s founder Nick said: “Opening in Edinburgh is a massive milestone for El Perro Negro, and both myself and business partners Peter McKenna and Ivan Stein are delighted to head east and join such a fantastic line-up at Bonnie & Wild.
“The support from customers over the past seven years, since we started out as a small pop-up in Glasgow has been overwhelming and we can’t wait to welcome everyone at our newest location.”
Offering a mouthwatering selection of meaty masterpieces, El Perro Negro will be serving up its spectacular Top Dog burger, twice winner of the National Burger Awards, boasting bone marrow and Roquefort butter, double bacon, caramelised onions and black truffle mayo.
Nick, who recently hosted a cook-off event at Bonnie & Wild in partnership with resident butcher MacDuff 1890, added: “All of El Perro Negro’s beef is sourced from small farms in the UK. Always grass-fed and always dry-aged.”
Bonnie & Wild’s Director of Operations Ryan Barrie said: “I’ve over the moon that Nick and the El Perro Negro team are joining Bonnie & Wild. Nick’s focus on high quality and responsible sourcing really chimes with Bonnie & Wild.
“We’re delighted to be welcoming the El Perro Negro team into our Scottish Marketplace, where they’ll be joining the likes National Chef of Scotland Gary Maclean, The Gannet and Chef Jimmy Lee, as well as local favourites east PIZZAS, CHIX and Joelato. I can’t wait to get my hands on one of their Top Dog burgers!”
Since opening in July, Bonnie & Wild has served more than 150,000 guests and attracted businesses such as Bowmore, Naked Malt, Bruichladdich, Virgin Atlantic and Scotland Food & Drink for product launches and other high-profile events.
As well as El Perro Negro, its food stalls include Creel Caught by Gary Maclean, Chef Jimmy Lee’s Salt & Chilli, Erpingham House, east PIZZAS, Joelato, CHIX, The Gannet East, MacDuff Butcher, Broken Clock Café & Patisserie and the Inverarity Morton boutique bottleshop.
El Perro Negro is open now and customers can visit at Bonnie & Wild, located in St James Centre, Edinburgh 7 days a week.
The nation’s biggest supermarket launches fourth annual Tesco Christmas Report, offering a unique look into how Britain plans to celebrate Christmas 2021
Tesco has liftedthe lid on how the nation plans to spend the festive season in its fourth annual Christmas Report.
Key trends for this year’s festive season include; a growing preference for Christmas brunches and ‘Instagrammable’ spreads, a continued thirst for no and low alcohol, increasingly ‘conscious’ celebrations, a surge in popularity for turkey, and a bleak outlook for traditional Brussels sprouts as younger generations abandon them.
With the supermarket’s data revealing that 86 percent of UK adults claim that nothing will stand in the way of them having a joyful Christmas this year, one thing is for sure – Christmas is officially back, and the nation will be celebrating in style.
Going big and celebrating early
With a desire to return to pre-pandemic celebrations, it’s no surprise that the nation is keen to embrace the festive season like never before. Nearly half (47 percent) of the people surveyed want to spend more time with family than in previous Christmases, while 20 percent want to spend more time with friends. Additionally, a third (33 percent) plan on socialising more, and one in six (15 percent) plan on hosting more parties than in previous years.
However, when it comes to celebrations on December 31st, 18 percent of 18–34-year-olds claim to have started a new New Year’s Eve tradition last year that they’ll be continuing this year – the ‘big night in’. So instead of going out this year, they will be staying at home for when the clock strikes midnight.
With so many people more excited for the festivities than usual, the celebrations are set to begin early with over one in 10 (12 percent) families putting the tree and decorations up by the end of November.
The rise of Christmas brunch
While we’re looking for a return to normality overall, there are new trending occasions that Tesco predicts could become traditions in the not-too-distant future, such as Christmas brunch.
The supermarket’s data revealed an interesting trend for an earlier celebratory meal come Christmas Day, with the festive brunch gaining in popularity particularly among younger adults (18–34-year-olds), a fifth (19 percent) of whom said they would replace their traditional Christmas lunch in favour of a brunch affair.
Insta-perfect centrepieces
When it comes to Christmas dinner, it can’t just be any roast dinner, it’s also got to look great – almost a third (31 percent) of younger adults (18-34-year-olds) plan to put in extra effort to make their festive offerings more Instagrammable this year.
However, it’s not just the youngsters – one in six (16 percent) UK adults of all ages claim they’ll be going all out to make this year’s spread look picture perfect, with men slightly leading the charge (18 percent versus 16 percent).
Popular tactics used to ensure festive offerings are looking good for the ‘gram this year include serving food on platters as opposed to everyday dinner plates (31 percent) and using festive plants and flowers as additional decoration (31 percent).
Food innovation is a key trend for Christmas 2021, with over a third (38 percent) of UK adults seeking out innovative dishes and products. This is especially true of 18-34-year-olds, with 62 percent planning to be innovative with their food and drink choices this year.
Ways in which they plan to do this include buying new, talkable products (20 percent), opting for twists on classics (20 percent), and looking to social media trends for inspiration (15 percent). With this in mind, Tesco has launched a showstopping range of treats such as Tesco Finest Black Forest Christmas Pudding and the Tesco Speculoos Profiterole Gateau.
Turkey reclaims its crown
Despite an increased focus on ‘talkable’ and innovative festive food, when it comes to the centrepiece, turkey is still king. In fact, 68 percent of UK adults plan to tuck into a turkey roast on the 25th, suggesting that many are craving the return of a traditional family Christmas.
Whether it is a full bird, such as a Tesco Finest British Free Range Narragansett Turkey, or smaller crowns, the Christmas bird is more popular than ever.
Plant based Christmas
While traditional turkey is very much in vogue, a quarter (27 percent) of UK adults will be catering for vegan, vegetarian or plant based guests this Christmas.
That said, a quarter (26 percent) of vegans and vegetarians are actually considering pausing their usual diets on the big day so they can enjoy the many meat and dairy dishes on the Christmas table. For those keeping temptation at bay, Tesco is making it easy to enjoy a meat-free celebration with mouth-watering alternatives, like the Tesco Plant Chef Meat-Free Festive Vegan Roast and the Wicked Kitchen No-Turkey Roast Crown.
Popularity of pigs in blankets soars and younger generations ditch the traditional Brussels sprout
The popularity of pigs in blankets continues to soar, with just under two thirds of UK adults claiming them to be their favourite trimming (63 percent) – a 24 percent increase on last year.
A quarter (24 percent) of 25-34-year-olds will eat more than 10 over the Christmas season.
To offer an innovative spin on the side-dish favourite, this year Tesco has launched inventive varieties such as Tesco Finest Pigs in Blankets Candy Canes with Orange & Maple Glaze, and plant based options such as Plant Chef Meat Free Bangers in Blankets and Wicked Kitchen Choriz-NO Pigless Duvets.
Meanwhile, the good old roast potato was named the most essential veg on the Christmas lunch plate for 87 percent of people, replacing carrots, which took the top spot last year but has fallen to third place this year.
Taking the second spot is the divisive Brussels sprout (61 percent), with a 22 percent uplift from 2020 in people citing it as the most essential vegetable on the Christmas dinner plate.
However, the sprout’s position as a festive staple might be at risk, with a clear pattern emerging that shows the vegetable’s popularity waning with each generation. Those aged 75+ are the biggest advocates, with 65 percent declaring their love for them, but this drastically drops to just 26 percent when it comes to 18-24-year-olds.
But even though the vegetable continues to split the nation, more of us still love them than hate them, with 49 percent claiming to ‘love’ them, while only 21 percent claim to ‘hate’ them.
Cheese please
Over two thirds (71 percent) of the nation will tuck into a cheese board on Christmas Day, with Cheddar (52 percent), Brie (36 percent) and Stilton (24 percent) set to be the top cheeses chosen.
However, younger adults (18–34-year-olds) were four times as likely to opt for adventurous cheese like Halloumi (12 percent) compared to the over 60s (3 percent). Its new position as a festive staple saw sales of Halloumi soar by 33 percent in the five weeks leading up to Christmas last year.
A not so merry Christmas
For the big day itself, red wine was named the top tipple of choice by 29 percent of UK adults, overtaking white (27 percent), which took the top spot in 2020.
The nation is also partial to a glass of the finer things, as nearly a fifth (19 percent) say they’ll have Champagne on Christmas day.
However, the recent growth in mindful drinking seems set to continue with a quarter (24 percent) of UK adults set to opt for no and low alcohol tipples only on the big day itself – a 10 percent increase on last year (15 percent). Brighton (40 percent), Norwich (40 percent) and Cardiff (35 percent) are the capitals of this growing trend.
Conscious Christmas celebrations
Last year was a year like no other – but there are signs that the events have made more people aware of social issues and become more active in their communities.
This Christmas 34 percent of Brits will donate to a food bank, with one in five (20 percent) gifting via an in-store collection point, whilst one in 10 (9 percent) will give warm clothes to the homeless or to a shelter, and a further 9 percent will help a neighbour in need.
Giving to charity will also prove to be important to many, particularly amongst the older generation (55-74-year-olds) with just under a third (33 percent) of this age group donating money to a charity.
The younger generation are also being thoughtful in innovative ways, with over one in 10 (11 percent) 18-34-year-olds asking for charity donations in lieu of Christmas gifts.
As well as charitable acts, this Christmas is also set to be an environmentally aware one. Over 36 percent of the nation plans on being more sustainable over the festive period and 49 percent claim that thinking about the environment will impact their purchasing decisions this Christmas.
Ways in which the nation plans to be more sustainable this Christmas include reusing old Christmas decorations (49 percent), recycling wrapping and packaging (43 percent), buying loose fruit and veg (42 percent), being more precise with quantities to ensure minimal food waste (36 percent) and cooking with leftovers (33 percent).
Alessandra Bellini, Tesco Chief Customer Officer said: “As we enjoy the freedom to extend the dinner table and make wonderful memories, it’s perhaps no surprise that 86 percent of the nation say nothing will stop them from having a joyful Christmas in 2021.
“In our fourth annual Tesco Christmas Report, we’ve lifted the lid on what the seasonal comeback will look like – from reviving family traditions to finding new food occasions and being sustainably savvy throughout celebrations.
“However you choose to spend this Christmas, Tesco is here to help you mark the moments that matter, with innovative, quality products at excellent value for money. On behalf of Tesco, we wish you a Merry Christmas.”
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.”
Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky, one of the fastest growing single malts in the UK and globally, is once again twisting tradition with their latest release, Twisted Stout.
The brand-new limited-edition expression has been part finished in stout casks, priced at RRP £49.99 and with an ABV of 43%, it is only available to purchase exclusively from www.smokehead.com
Intertwined with the intense smack-in-the-tastebuds smoke you’d expect from Smokehead, the creamy, malty stout flavour adds unfamiliar notes of rich chocolate and treacle toffee, vanilla ice cream, roasted nuts, and toasted biscuits.
Wrapped up in a striking new pack design, the ever-courageous brand’s new and innovative release is available to buy now only from www.smokehead.com
Commenting on the launch Iain Weir, Smokehead Brand Director said “Our unique and disruptive Smokehead thinking has led to some convention challenging, trail blazing, rule breaking whiskies over the years that don’t follow the usual traditions and rituals.
“We’ve clearly struck a chord with those who do things their way, live life on their own bold terms, and pick a whisky that’s as disinterested in the status quo as they are. Twisted Stout is as far away from a standard single malt as the combination of tastes, aromas and flavours inside the bottle.
“So, while all our releases come with an original twist, our latest might just be our most twisted yet. Which is just how we like things.”
SMOKEHEAD TWISTED STOUT TASTING NOTES:
THE FIRST IMPRESSION
The usual island intensity of Smokehead comes cloaked in sweet aromas of chocolate and treacle toffee. Maritime air meets a decent pint on the shore. Unexpected. Unusual. And unsettling for the senses.
THE FULL-ON FLAVOUR
You’re past the point of no return now. Hot and soothing at the same time. Salty smoke weaves its way around dry roasted nuts, toasted marshmallow, vanilla ice-cream and… is that someone putting a pot of fresh coffee on?
THE FINALE
New flavours unlocked. Old favourites reunited, wood smoke and spices. Malty, toasted biscuits. Zingy citrus. Dark and delicious. A fitting sign-off from the twisted lovechild of whisky and beer.
Smokehead also grabbed the headlines recently with the launch of the first-ever pre-mixed single malt in a ready to drink can serve. Kick-starting the brand-new ready to drink range with two eye-popping serves: ‘Smokehead mixed with Cola’ and ‘Smokehead mixed with Ginger and Lime’, both available to buy online via Amazon, Smokehead.com and other UK selected retailers.
The Smokehead core range (see below) is also available globally via online and instore.
CORE SMOKEHEAD EXPRESSIONS:
SMOKEHEAD
Smokehead Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky is the original expression, an intensely rich yet subtly sweet dram. With immense smoke and notes of sea salt and spice, this is a vigorous whisky that stands out from the crowd.
HIGH VOLTAGE
If Smokehead is an assault on your senses, then High Voltage is an all-out attack. The breath-taking intensity of the peat and smoke is a red light for the faint of heart.
RUM REBEL
The rich, smoky, salty Islay whisky rebel is finished in spicy, sweet Caribbean rum casks creating culture colliding carnage and a melding of mouth-watering tastes.
SHERRY BOMB
Smokehead Sherry Bomb is a peaty Islay single malt that has well and truly earned its name. Blasted by rich, sweet and spicy Spanish sherry casks, it had emerged as a fiery, explosive, heavy hitting dram that has even turned our skull red.
Combining flavours of the wild with some of our seasonal favourites, Scottish alchemists, Buck & Birch, have launched an innovative and indulgent spirit just in time for Christmas. A wild sipping rum, Rum & Cake, will warm the cockles and tease the tastebuds, as it quickly becomes your go-to drink for the cold winter nights.
The finest dark rum is infused with the incredible Buck & Birch Hogseed Parkin, then cold-filtered to ensure a sumptuous sipping sensation, laced with molasses and Scottish spice. And what is hogseed we hear you say? A lesser known but fantastic spice that grows abundantly in Scotland and enlivens this rum with the heady scent of orange peel and warming spice on the palate.
Offering a fresh, but heady scent of orange peel with a spicier kick on the palate, the Hogseed Parkin adds a snappy taste note to make this luxurious liquor unmistakeable.
Big, bold and well-rounded, Rum & Cake is rich, buttery and full bodied in your mouth. With notes of warming ginger and clove, orange zest and a touch of caramelised fennel, this is a spirit to sip
Creative Director and co-founder, Tom Chisholm on the creation of this new taste sensation: “Rum in cake works a treat, but cake in rum – even better! No tricks or fancy science. We don’t rely on over complicated techniques or any other chemical wizardry to capture this unforgettable flavour. Instead, we rely on good old-fashioned methods of infusion and patience.
“Newly baked parkin is added to rum and left to macerate, slowly imparting all of those beautiful flavours into the liquid. The finished spirit is then cold filtered for clarity whilst the all-important flavonoids are kept intact. Basically, it’s what Santa will want you to leave out for him with the mince pies this year.”
Decadently seasonal when served with ginger ale or apple juice, it is just as much at home neat and over ice with a twist of orange. Salivating yet?
Rum & Cake – go on, name a better duo …we’ll wait!
RRP: £32.99. 700ML. 39.6% ABV.
To view a full selection of drinks and gifts available or to book a distillery tour in The Tasting Room, visit www.buckandbirch.com
