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.
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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.
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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.
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“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?
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“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
Mouro opens third coffee shop on Tib Street in the Northern Quarter
Daisy Jackson
South Manchester’s beloved independent coffee brand Mouro has opened its third location – and this time, they’ve headed to the Northern Quarter.
The stylish neighbourhood coffee bar has taken over a vacant unit on Tib Street, serving speciality coffee as well as sandwiches, cinnamon buns, and pastries.
The two-storey venue has been kitted out beautifully (but that’s no surprise – the team here are also behind So Marrakech in Altrincham).
There are comfy banquette seats in the window, marble and wood sunburst tables, terrazzo floors, hanging wooden lights, and all sorts of other carefully thought-out design details that set it apart from everything else in the Northern Quarter.
Outside, they’ve preserved a lot of the character of Tib Street, painting their sign directly onto the old brickwork above the door.
Mouro is already a well-established name in Heaton Moor and Altrincham, where it’s built up a loyal following for its house-roasted small-batch coffee beans.
In the Northern Quarter, you can pick up a bag of beans to take home with you – and if you do, they’ll make you a fresh coffee to take away with it.
Cinnamon buns at MouroInside Mouro on Tib StreetSandwichesThe newest Mouro opens on Saturday 15 MayMouro is opening in the Northern Quarter
Alongside those house blend and single-origin coffees, there’s a whole spread of cinnamon buns, including ones made with an espresso frosting (again, made with their own roasted coffee).
There are also sandwiches and other bakes to have in or take away.
Mouro will open its doors at 68 Tib Street on Saturday 16 May, with free coffees and matcha from 9am to 12pm on launch day.
Mouro will then be open Monday to Sunday, 8am to 4pm, and on Sundays from 9am to 4pm.
Inside Tyga, as a Manchester favourite changes its stripes for a new era
Danny Jones
We recently had the pleasure of visiting Tyga, Manchester city centre’s latest Indian restaurant, which has taken the place of former local favourite, Asha’s.
The Peter Street spot had always been a great place for a curry and progressive takes on the nation’s staples, often pulling inspiration from the Rajasthan region, but now the unit is the start of a new chapter.
In truth, the food was always pretty damn good here – often truly great, even – as we found out the last time we reviewed it; however, it’s clear that there’s been a greater honing of the concept.
Put simply, Tyga is trying to elevate what the team already did so well, whilst adding an extra layer of fine-dining refinement.
@the.manc Peter Streets Indian spot Tyga, has had a serious glow-up, bringing a more refined, fine-dining take on Indian cuisine while keeping all the bold flavours at the heart of it. The 24-hour slow-simmered lamb shank is an absolute must, as is the butter chicken which just melts in your mouth. 😍 It’s not just about the food here though, with an extensive cocktail list that brings theatre to the table, they’re the perfect accompaniment to your table full of scran. It’s the perfect spot for date night, celebrations, or when you just want to seriously impress someone over dinner. 🍸 Get it booked. 📍 47 Peter Street, M2 3NG #themanc#tygamanchester#manchesterfoodie#manchestercurry#wheretoeatinmanchester♬ original sound – The Manc
You hear sentences like a ‘contemporary twist on cuisine’ and ‘modern approaches to classics’ recycled quite a lot, and we get it: it can be a great way to get across that you’re trying to push culinary tradition(s) forward, but it often feels a bit of a throwaway term that’s used far too much.
That being said, while there’s definitely a feeling of familiarity to this recently refreshed foodie lineup, this is one of the times and places where it actually seems like that phrase means something.
While the building and stunning venue itself might have stayed largely the same, bar some knick-knacks being swapped for a few different tiger-based decorations, the authentic clay-pot lamb, ‘Tyga’ prawns, salmon tikka, and Vepudu spiced stir fry show some real innovation.
A lot of these might be rooted in a kind of food we know very well here in Britain, but these latest iterations in recipes and experimentation with their components result in some very cool creations.
The ember wings were smoky and moorish in a way that we’ve not had in a restaurant like this before, and the lamb chops alone were worth ordering by the wheelbarrow full.
Small plates have also been thrown into the mix more seamlessly this time around, too, as have some of the Indo-Chinese options that feel less like a footnote now and, instead, like a continuation of the tweaking and trying out new things seen throughout the rest of the offerings.
Even the vegetarian/vegan section of the menu has been lifted in certain aspects, too, with previously popular dishes being brought back better and more beautifully presented than ever.
Before we forget, a special shout-out goes to those beetroot dill patties.
Speaking of presentation, although they might have simplified some stuff (such as the okra fries that simply need to be dumped on the table and be devoured in seconds by gannets like us), as mentioned, plenty of other bits have been levelled up.
It comes as no surprise, therefore, that they’ve just been voted alongside some fellow standout spots by the Asian Catering Federation.
They’ve never shied away from a bit of pageantry, and nothing has changed in that respect.
Everything from the plating to even giving you a rotating water jug that revolves on a single point and never spills has a bit of flair, without being too much or straying into gimmicky territory.
Most importantly of all, whether you want a classy room for your next date night, somewhere intimate the next time you go out for tea with your partner, or still fancy a more banquet-style feast for you and your mates in the form of the updated ‘Maharaja’s Grand Platter’, Tyga can turn its paw to any occasion.
Emily Sergeant -
13th November 2020 
