Friday Favourites: Tipples With a Twist

Whether you are a cider lover, live only for gins, or a wine aficionado, here are some flavourful and delicious must-have drinks to have in your possession. If you're bored of the usual drinks on offer, we at The Amazing Blog have a selection of some traditional drinks with a unique and interesting twist. 

The Fifty Pounds Gin is produced by a family owned distillery located in London. It is traditionally made with the finest grains spirit distilled four times. The gin is produced using a method that is centuries old, known as Batch Process Distillation, which Fifty Pounds Gin hark as the best way to get the purest gin possible. It is thrice filtered, making sure all impurities are removed. It is self-proclaimed as the 'smoothest gin ever' and we have to agree. The method they adopt is delicate and painstaking; however, we reckon it is worth it. The botanicals selection, a combination of herbs, spices, fruits and flowers, makes it extremely delicious and nuanced in flavour. Where most gins focus on the juniper berries (the ingredient that makes gin a gin, and which can be a bit heavy or resinous), Fifty Pounds Gin have made the more mellow coriander seed their hero ingredient. Angelica root then contributes a lovely earthy and spicy flavour.

It is a classic, smooth, rich and fresh drink that goes well with a good tonic and a lemon zest. A special mention should be made for the design of the bottle that is inspired by the first ever gin bottles, giving them a beautiful vintage appearance. 

You can purchase the Fifty Pounds Gin 70cl bottle here at £34.99.

Cider Lovers are going to love the Cranes Cranberry Cider. When twin brothers Ben and Dan decided to go into the business they thought that cranberries should be the key ingredient of their drinks and they thought well!

Cranes cranberry ciders are a mixture of the finest cranberries and apples which makes them very refreshing, light and tasteful. The ciders are naturally light as the sweetness comes from the fruits used during the production rather than additional sugars, and therefore they have 30% fewer calories than brand leaders. You can enjoy these sweet ciders guilt-free! These delicious cranberry ciders are available in three sublime flavours.

The Cranberry & Lime is one of our favourites; it is crisp, light and ideal for an afternoon refreshment. The second flavour is Blueberry & Apple; a perfectly sweet pairing. The third flavour is the Raspberry & Pomegranate, which is as fresh and invigorating as the first two but with that little delightful fruity taste that makes all the difference. 

A case of 12 Cranes Cranberry Cider can be purchased here at £27.60.

Famous for its alcoholic drinks, the Republic of Ireland will be soon renowned for its fruit wines. Móinéir wines are luxurious artisan fruit wines made in Wicklow Way Wines, the first ever Irish fruit winery. The wines are made from 100% Irish fruits.

The Blackberry Wine is a delicious blend of blackberries and wild elderberries; an Irish plant that was foraged in the Wicklow Mountains. The wine is intensely flavourful and fruity but with a light body making it easy to drink.  The Móinéir Blackberry Wine is a perfect choice for a light aperitif and goes wonderfully well with red meats.

The brand’s Irish Strawberry Wine is created with juicy, delicious handpicked Irish strawberries gently pressed to capture the most of their flavour. It is an aromatic, slightly sweet and crisp wine that will satisfy the palate of wine lovers. Here at The Amazing Blog, we love combining it with some dark chocolate, a real treat! We love that these are a little taste of Ireland captured in a bottle.                                                

Both wines are suitable for vegans and are unique gifts to offer to your loved ones.

You can purchase the Strawberry Wine here at 21.99€ and The Blackberry Wine here at 24.99€. Fortunately, you can buy the products in GBP by using PayPal.   

Sloane Home has found the way to our hearts with the Lone Stag Spirits: the LONE STAG SPIRIT Raspberry and Lime Gin Infusion and the LONE STAG ZESTY Clementine, Lemon and Lime Vodka Infusion.The drinks are traditionally produced in the heart of the British countryside with only the finest ingredients. Bottled, packaged and labelled by hand they are more delicious and savoury than any spirit made by machines. 

The spirits offer an excellent tasting experience; you can taste and identify all the ingredients used during the production. The sweetness and acidity are well balanced making the drinks taste natural, delicate and aromatic. The Lone Stag Spirits come in a fabulous case with cocktail ideas, transforming you into the new cocktails master. It is also a great gift for your friends and family.

We are very fond of these flavourful spirits, and we are not the only ones. Indeed, the LONE STAG SPIRIT Raspberry & Lime Gin infusion was awarded a Great Taste Award by the Guild of fine food August 2017 and the LONE STAG ZESTY Clementine, Lemon & Lime Vodka infusion won the same award in 2016.

If you want a taste of these delicious spirits, you can purchase a Sloane Hamper including both bottles here at £45.00.

We here at the blog can no longer have a dinner or go to a party without one of these drinks. This great selection of diverse and unique drinks will be a show-stopper at any dinner party.

Healthy Drinks – Friday Favourites

Here at The Amazing Blog, we love to stay healthy and fit... but sometimes it can be a bit of a challenge. One of the biggest health tips is to drink a lot of water; however, it can be so boring to drink the same thing every day! That is why we have formed a list of drinks that are good for your diet while leaving your taste buds craving more:

Our office fridge has recently welcomed a new natural ingredient: birch sap! It has been brought to us by Buddha Water, a refreshing drink that contains organic birch sap tapped from the forests of Finland.  This special ingredient is traditionally known for its detoxifying and cleansing properties.

So it’s time to forget about miraculous creams, pills, and expensive treatments. A can of Buddha Water give you everything you need to feel healthy and look great. The drink claims to work against cellulite, encourage weight loss, and lower cholesterol. It comes in a variety of flavours that are so subtle and delicious that we couldn’t really choose our favourite. It’s also perfect for office environments because birch sap promotes relaxation.

It’s time to embrace a healthier lifestyle! Try out one of the six flavours, you won’t regret it. Buddha Water is available in cases of 24 cans here for £32.99.

In April 2015, Mighty Bee, a brand known for certified organic products, launched a new line of coconut waters. Now we can easily absorb all of the health benefits that coconut naturally contains. Mighty Bee sources their green Nam Ham coconuts from Ratchaburi, Thailand, where they’re expertly picked at their peak ripeness to capture the natural aroma and sweetness.

The coconut waters are packed with complex B-vitamins, essential minerals, and amino acids that are retained by going from tree to bottle in 24 hours. The drinks are also never heat processed, and come either cold pressure processed (Raw) or completely untouched (Virgin) varieties.
 

Because the raw version is so fresh, it is sold fresh frozen and must be defrosted to enjoy. The Raw coconut water can be stored for up to 45 days thanks to the revolutionary processing method. To purchase, check out your local organic food store or shop here for Mighty Bee coconut water.

Next up we have Ojamin Herb & Fruit, a natural lifestyle and wellbeing tonic made from 15 different herbs and fruit that will help you feel and live better. The herbs are sourced specifically from pristine forests and are free from fertilisers, pesticides, and GMOs. Only the purest of spring water is used to make a drink that helps fight off diabetes, manage blood sugars, boost immunity, cleanse your body, and revitalise your skin.

To receive all of the benefits, all you have to do is mix one teaspoon of Ojamin with water, soup, juice or tea 2-4 times per day. Whilst being suitable for vegans, it is also gluten free, cholesterol free, sugar free, salt free, fat free, dairy free and aspartame free. Ojamin is the perfect way to start your morning with a boost.

After a week of trying Ojamin, we feel more energised and lifted. We cannot recommend it enough if you’re feeling fatigued throughout the day.

Take the next step towards a healthier lifestyle with Ojamin here for £34.99, and get ready to feel and live better.

TreeVitalise Organic Birch Water is 100% natural and that is exactly what we like to hear. All of the nutrients are naturally brewed within a tree and tapped into a bottle of TreeVitalise without any added sweetener.

Sourced from the Carpathian Mountains, known to be ecologically clean and natural, the organic birch water is made by tapping into birch trees that have absorbed the nutrients from the spring thaw. Only a small amount of the water is tapped, so the trees stay entirely unharmed! Birch water will help strengthen the immune system whilst purifying your body and assisting with weight loss. While the original flavour has the silky taste of the spring forest, TreeVitalise also produce versions that are infused with organic Lemon or Mint. We personally love the lemon flavour because of its zingy taste.

For a refreshing and healthy drink full of benefits, grab your TreeVitalise Birch water here for £2.75 a bottle.

Sunlover - Nutricosmetic Drinks

Here at The Amazing Blog, we understand that there are some nutrients we get best from the sun's warming rays. However, for the more fair among us, we'd rather steer clear of spending too much time in the sun. So when Sunlover sent us these nutritious drinks that claim to offer these very benefits in a can, we we're intrigued. 

Rich in vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, the nutricosmetic beverage comes in two delicious flavours.  Protector, a thirst-quenching orange and carrot flavoured drink is great for topping up your vitamin levels, as well as protecting your cells from oxidative stress. As well as this, Copper helps to regulate and protect the skin’s melanin, whilst Zinc and Selenium help to shield skin cells from free radicals, ensuring you’re looking radiant and healthy at all times. Although refreshing, our favourite was the Regenerator, a pomegranate flavoured drink that's both nutritious and delicious. Containing VIQUA, it helps to keep elastin levels topped up, as well as providing a range of nourishing minerals and vitamins, making it ideal for keeping your skin at its absolute best. We also loved that Sunlover improves your tan, so we can prep for summer and get ready for that bronzed and flawless complexion. Did we mention that these sugar free beverages have zero calories? You can’t go wrong.

Sip on the sun in liquid form and have a radiant complexion that shines like sunbeams with Sunlover. Grab a can here for only £2.50.

Sagaform - Fruit Infuser Pistons

Here at The Amazing Blog, we know how important it is to stay hydrated, but it can often seem a bit of a chore to keep on sipping throughout the day. Luckily for us, we’ve discovered a way to spice up our water, thanks to Sagaform’s Fruit Infuser Pistons.

Perfect for the gym, on the go, or just keeping hydrated in the office, these innovative bottles are a wonderful way to add a bit of excitement to dull old water, as well as adding an extra nutritious kick to your diet. The bottles are a substantial size in their own right, enough to keep you hydrated without having to refill every ten minutes. As well as this, the interesting design is great for playing around with flavours.

We’ve had fun in the office, experimenting with various fillings for the piston. Our favourite combination is deliciously juicy strawberries, with crisp apples, perfect for adding a refreshing zing to our desk side drink. And with a selection of colours to choose from, we’re sure there’s the perfect piston for your personalities.

Add an extra health kick to your water with the Sagaform Fruit Pistons. You can buy them here for £8.50.

Frederique's Christmas Wish List

I’m the type of girl who loves to experiment with different kinds products and gadgets and companies. This is why I find working with the girls at The Amazing Blog so fun… who doesn’t love trying something new? My Christmas wish list consists of a unique bundle of a different kinds of products, ranging from as far as chargers to liquor. So without further ado, let the shopping begin!

The first thing on my Christmas list is The Kissable Charger. Nowadays, hardly anybody is able to live without their phone, myself included. I always thought to myself, why can't I have cute charger that is a little girly or that will add some sparkle? Then I came across FBG: an innovative technology company with the newest chargers, including my new love; The Kissable Charger. This charger is both cute and creative for it looks like a real Coco Chanel Lipstick. Both chic and functional, the charger is able to charge your phone for 2 to 3 hours. Buy your charger here for only £29.99, and be charged all day long.

As I’ve said before, I’m definitely a girly girl. In order to make my girly look complete, I love to wear some cute bracelets along with a watch. So you can guess how excited I was when I came across these Birambi bracelets made by two enthusiastic Dutch Girls. Being from Holland, I obviously have a soft spot for this company. Not only are they Dutch, but they’ve made a great ‘Make-your-own-bracelet’ concept that is fit for any girl like me who loves to accessorise on a regular basis. Here’s how it works: You choose a card. You select a bracelet, colour and write a personal message. And that's it. That's really all there is to it. What better gift is there than one that is personally made from the heart? Starting at €4 they are affordable as well. Visit the website to take these bracelets for a spin! 

Besides my hand jewellery, I wanted to add a little bit of sparkle to my eyebrows. So I came across the Bling Brow Kit created by Benefit Cosmetics. With the Bling Brow Kit, you can decorate your brows and light up the room with a sparkling set of Swarovski crystals. Each set comes with 52 crystals and a pair of mini tweezers. They also come in different colours including my favourites, Rose Gold and Greige. Just pull the black backing sheet off and pick up the crystals with tweezers to place them either on the skin near the brow or directly on the brow. Although I’m not one to decorate my body with jewellery, the brow crystals really enhance the appearance of your eyebrows and show off your edgy side.

You can purchase the artsy Bling Brow Kit for £19.50 at selected Benefit Brow Bars and wear them on a fun night out with the girls. All eyes will definitely be on yours. 

Not only do I love to dress up, but I also enjoy going out and grabbing a drink with my girlfriends. Recently I came across Snow Leopard Vodka, which I’ve slowly but surely fallen in love with. For starters, the bottle looks absolutely great. Additionally, 15% of the profits made go to the ‘save the leopard' charity. When I saw this stunning looking bottle of vodka, I could not resist putting it on my Christmas wish list. Cheers, take a shot and donate to a cause! You can by purchase a 70cl bottle of vodka for £36.00 RRP  at Waitrose, Harvey Nichols and Ocado.com, as well as all good independent drinks retailers OR on their website.

I've also discovered a delicious selection of chocolates from Sweet Dreams Ltd. called Choc Nibbles. We received two different flavours: Original Choc Nibbles and Toffee Crumble. The one I really loved was the Original Choc Nibbles. The taste of these tiny chocolates was just divine, and you could taste that they were made with quality chocolate. It's almost like eating real chocolate milk! Purchase chocolate at your local confectionery, convenience or discount stores, and share these delicious chocolates as a treat after your Christmas Dinner.