Two of Manchester’s most popular drinks brands have released limited edition festive gins just in time for Christmas.
With the festive season fast approaching, both Manchester Drinks and Manchester Gin – two of the city’s most well-loved and industry-leading drinks companies – have delighted gin lovers by launching a collection of limited edition flavoured gins ready to toast a tipple or two, and round out what has been a turbulent year.
Among the festive offerings this year are a ‘Candy Cane’ flavoured gin and ‘Winter Spiced Gin’.
How brilliant do they sound?
First up, Manchester Drinks – established in 2005 and is a leader in the ready-to-drink market, providing a wide range of award-winning own-label and branded cocktails – has introduced new shimmery Candy Cane Gin Liqueur for the festive season.
The gin liqueur perfectly blends subtle minty notes with sweet vanilla to create a beautifully fresh, yet nostalgic Candy Cane flavour for the ultimate festive sweetshop taste, and is best enjoyed neat, or by simply adding soda, ice, a sprig of fresh mint and a wedge of lime for a refreshing taste of Christmas, making it perfect for those cosy nights in.
The traditional flavoured gin also has a festive modern twist as it shimmers when shaken.
If you’re after something a little different, Manchester Drinks Company’s hugely popular Snow Fairy Gin Liqueur – a shimmery tipple infused with all the flavours of the holiday season, including cinnamon, spice and orange – is also back by popular demand this year.
Manchester Drinks Co
The two limited-edition gins are now available exclusively in Home Bargains stores nationwide for £8 per 500ml bottle (20% ABV).
Speaking on the launch of the festive tipples, Richard Benjamin – Director at Manchester Drinks – said: “Christmas is fast approaching and what better way to get in the mood than with festive gin. We know that our fans love our nostalgic flavours so we wanted to create something we knew they’d love with added festive sparkle.
“This fresh and festive gin is perfect to enjoy on cosy nights in or with friends and family over the Christmas period.”
Also, for the first time ever, The Spirit of Manchester Distillery – which is home to Manchester Gin – has released a limited edition festive-inspired Winter Spiced Gin and it has been created with the classic flavours of Yuletide in mind to “transport your taste buds to the festive season with every sip”.
It has a beautiful blend of orange and cinnamon – which gives each sip that citrus kick that every gin fanatic loves, followed by a sensationally warm, spicy taste that’s fitting for a Christmas tipple – and complementing these dominant flavours are notes of clove and nutmeg, creating a tipple packed with nostalgic Yuletide spices.
Manchester Gin
Manchester Gin’s incredible winter warmer can be served hot with an aromatic tonic syrup for a sweet citrus, yet spicy sip and completed with a twist of flamed orange peel and a cinnamon stick for the ultimate festive kick. Or alternatively, it is just as delicious served cold by simply pouring slowly over a few ice cubes, adding your choice of aromatic tonic, and finally garnishing to enjoy.
Seb Heeley – Co-Founder and Master Distiller at Manchester Gin – said: “After a hard year for many, we want to celebrate the festive season more than ever before, and what better way to put a smile on people’s faces than with a delicious yet distinctively Christmassy gin?
“We had such fun sampling the festive flavours until we found the perfect expression, which is both high quality and mouth-wateringly delicious.
“Winter Spiced Gin has the perfect balance of spice and citrus to provide that festive flavour whilst creating a drink which everyone will enjoy.
“It’s also really exciting to be launching our first gin with a recommended hot serve, further adding to the warm feeling this unique blend of botanicals creates [so] we hope that gin-lovers across the country enjoy drinking Winter Spiced just as much as we enjoyed creating it.”
The Winter Spiced Gin is launching this November priced at £35 for a 500ml bottle (40% ABV), and you can pre-order it via the Manchester Gin website here.
Eats
Northern Quarter favourite The Pen and Pencil announces massive 10th birthday party and huge offers
Daisy Jackson
The Pen and Pencil, an absolute staple for brunches and drinks in the Northern Quarter, is celebrating a major milestone this month with a huge party and some unbeatable deals.
The bar and restaurant will be marking 10 years on Tariff Street in September – and it’s only right that we all pile in to celebrate with them.
This spot is one of the city’s original bottomless brunch venues and is similarly famed for its happy hour offerings, and opened in 2015 to bring a taste of Manhattan to Manchester.
Pen and Pencil took its name from the infamous New York City bar that was seen in Mad Men.
And now as it turns 10 years old, it’ll be throwing one big party on Saturday 27 September, featuring 10 hours of DJs, free pints of Red Stripe at 10pm, and a special bottomless brunch offering.
Those DJing on the day will include Drag Race UK’s Banksie, as well as Les Croasdaile, Mark Hogg, Danny Ward and A Deeper Groove.
Pen & Pencil has amazing deals for its 10th birthdayPen & Pencil is a Northern Quarter OG
The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party will kick off from 2pm and run until late – but if you can’t make that one, there’ll be celebrations all week (and, indeed, month) long.
On Tuesday 23 September, you’ll be able to play for double prize money in The Pen and Pencil quiz, as well as enjoying happy hour drinks all night.
Then on Friday 26 September, it’ll be an all-night happy hour, with free tequila shots at 10pm and music from DJs Nev Johnson and Gareth James from 7pm.
All September long, there’ll be 50% off food every Monday, two-for-£10 cocktails every Wednesday, £10 burgers every Thursday, happy hour all night on Fridays, 10 dishes for £10 and two bloody Marys for £10 on Sundays, plus DJs on Fridays and Saturdays.
There’s a new colourful art installation outside the venue inspired by the bar’s New York roots.
Owner Kevin Connor said: “We’re really excited to be celebrating being part of the Manchester community for ten years!
“New York’s Pen and Pencil was a classic steak and cocktail joint, and we’re proud to have created our very own iconic Northern Quarter hangout. We hope everyone will join us in celebrating ten years on Tariff Street.”
Walk-ins are welcome for The Pen and Pencil 10th birthday party on Saturday 27 September, but booking is encouraged – book your spot HERE.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Eats
Manchester restaurant to give out FREE katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’
Emily Sergeant
In what is a small stroke of genius, a restaurant chain has decided to give out free katsu curries to anyone called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’.
Throughout September, award-winning restaurant chain Banana Tree – which has a Greater Manchester site down at Salford Quays – is shining the spotlight on its popular katsu creations, and as a clever way of celebrating National Katsu Day on 27 September has announced a pretty unique giveaway.
That’s right – the restaurant will be serving up katsu dishes to people called Kat, Sue, and every delicious variation of the names in between.
Anyone named Kat, Katie, Katherine, Sue, Suzy, Susan, Suzanne – or close enough to qualify, the list goes on – can head to their local Banana Tree restaurant, and all they’ll need to do is show proof of name and they can enjoy a free katsu dish of their choice, worth up to £16.75.
The chain’s kastu lineup includes three star dishes.
First there’s the much-loved Katsu Curry, as well as the all-new Katsu Burger, which is made from either a crispy chicken or veggie fillet, spicy mayo, puffed noodle crunch, and a drizzle of Katsu sauce tucked into a soft Shokupan bun with a side of salt n pepper chilli chips.
Then there’s also the intriguing newcomer, the Katsu Carbonara – which is described as being a daring East-meets-West mash-up and ‘unapologetically’ Banana Tree.
Banana Tree is giving away free katsu curries to people called ‘Kat’ or ‘Sue’ / Credit: Banana Tree
With each of these dishes usually priced around the £16 mark, the giveaway isn’t just a way of marking National Katsu Day, but it’s also a way to sample the some of the restaurant’s biggest crowd-pleasers entirely free of charge.
To avoid any confusion on who makes the cut, Banana Tree will reveal the full qualifying list of name variations on Instagram soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
“Our Katsu range is one of our proudest creations, so National Katsu Day felt like the perfect moment to have some fun with our fans,” a Banana Tree spokesperson said ahead of the giveaway.
The free katsu offer is available for four days only from Monday 22 to Thursday 25 September, and you just need to head to the Banana Tree website to sign up to the Big Flavour Club here.
Emily Sergeant -
13th November 2020 
