Wild Christmas Cocktail Recipes by Smokehead Whisky

If you’ve just had all hopes of some Christmas socialising dashed as more of the country gets plunged into Tier 3, Smokehead Whisky are here to save the day with some creative and festive cocktail recipes to try from the comfort of your own home. 

Because we all know staying in is the new going out, Smokehead Islay Single Malt Whisky has big ambitions. Established in 1933 by Ian Mcleod Distillers, the world’s 10th largest Scotch Whisky Co. Smokehead has a reputation for being labelled ‘the wild one’ of Single Malt Whisky which has been described as “an assault on your senses.” As the name suggests, if you love peat, you’re gonna love this. With that being said, Smokehead have come up with some very wild cocktail recipes to try out over the festive season… (wild-ish). They have experimented with some seasonal favourites to bring you a festive mash-up to go with their unique liquor.

Smokehead Snow Ball:

Ingredients;

25ml Smokehead 

50ml Advocat

12.5ml Gingerbread Syrup

Lemonade

Method;

Add Smokehead, Advocaat and gingerbread syrup to an ice-filled glass. Stir and top up with lemonade. 

Smokehead Grinch:

Ingredients;

25ml Smokehead

50ml Melon Liqueur

25ml Lemon Juice

12.5ml Sugar Syrup

Method;

Shake ingredients over ice and strain into a coup glass.

Smokehead Hot Buttered Rum Rebel:

Ingredients;

25ml Smokehead Rum Rebel 

3 dashes of Mixed Spice

1tbsp Unsalted Butter

Hot Cider

Method;

Add butter mix to the glass, pour over Smokehead and Hot Cider. Stir until butter melts.

Et Voíla 

3 super simple but exceptional recipes by Smokehead…

This year we are being spoiled with an array of fabulous gifts on offer through the Smokehead website, not only do they provide free delivery for orders over £30, they are offering free merch with purchases of their full sized bottles. Whats more, if you’re unsure of what to try and you would like to give the above cocktails a go, we recommend checking out the Smokehead Skull Gift Tin which contains 3 miniature bottles of 3 mighty Smokehead Flavours. 

The original Smokehead which has immense smoke and notes of sea salt and spice. This is the show stopper and signature Smokehead expression.

Rum Rebel which is finished in a sweet Caribbean rum cask. 

High Voltage, the most intense of the three which offers all out smoke to the MAX.

For more info and to purchase, check out their fantastic website 

www.smokehead.com

The Last Minute Christmas Gift List

nana hot and not duvet

We cannot recommend the Nanu Hot and Not Duvet enough. You can customise it so one side is hot and the other hot. You can do with this various degrees. I cannot believe no one thought of it before. Martial harmony for Christmas? Yes please.

Available here.

hey grandude. paul mccartney's

This children’s book from Paul McCartney, and illustrated by Kathryn Durst, is lots of fun and visually stunning. My children loved the story and I have now read it to them more times than I can count. Highly recommended.

Available here.

luvabella newborn doll

This Luvabella Newborn is a wonderful toy for boys and girls. It is great for imaginative play and teaching children how to care for babies. It is well made and comes with great accessories.

Available here.

moft laptop stand

This Moft Laptop stand is a great, and stunning, design. It is easy to use, has adjustable height and attaches and detaches with ease. It is small enough to fit into a stocking making it a perfect Christmas gift.

Available here.

beats solo pro ivory

Beats Solo Pro. Sigh. I love beats. You have not heard a song properly until you have heard it through a pair of Beats. They are the headphones of music lovers. These ones in particular have brilliant noise cancelling and they are wireless. This along with 22 hours battery life? Love.

Available here.

Are you watching book

Vincent Ralph has written a stunner. A lot of crime thrillers just have women being brutalised and murdered in them. This book is different. Yes, there are murdered women, most notably the murder of the main character’s mother. But this is a feminist crime thriller. It is a modern tale and a riveting read. I could not put these down. My favourite crime book this year.

Available here.

The bear in the fifth floor flat book

Written by John Foley and Illustrated by Alice Hawthorn, this is a brilliant book and on top of that, all proceeds go to Mencap, the UK’s leading charity for people with a learning disability. A must buy for two reasons.

Available here.

perky pear tit tape, lift and shape tape.

Perky Pear is the original life and shape tape. It is perfect for Christmas parties and beyond. Sweat proof and waterproof, it is made of cotton. It is easy to use when you get the hang of it.

Available here.

Festive Cocktail Guide Vol. 2 ft Three Spirit Social Elixir

This year the market and demand for non-alcoholic spirits and beverages have boomed and more and more bars and restaurants are offering a much more exciting and varied non-alcoholic alternative menu. Accessing non-alcoholic bets has becoming so much more easier and it seems we can now treat ourselves with something other than the boring juice and ‘mocktail’ options that appear as an add-on to every drinks menu. 

This year we were treated to a host of tastings and samples of more and more innovative non alcoholic beverages and our favourite this far has to be;

Three Spirit

The World’s first non-alcoholic ’Social Elixir’. 

Created in a lab this came about as an experiment to create a plant-based alternative to alcohol…’for the bold the curious and for the good times with those who matter the most.’ The bold and curiously flavoured drink contains 11 plants, herbs and mushrooms which have been used for centuries in ceremonies and potions. Don’t be discouraged by the mushroom element… we are talking the strictly non magic kind, however Three Spirit does make you feel good made with an expert blend of plants and active compounds intended for the purpose of taste and effect. This goes without saying Three Spirit is Vegan-Friendly and Gluten Free!!!! 

Some of the ingredients included their Social Elixir blend are;

Lion’s Mane Mushroom which promotes cognitive function and mood, 

Tulsi which fights stress and introduces balance 

Damiana which is well…er an aphrodisiac 

Coconut Vinegar which promotes gut health

to name a few…

The serving suggestions for this drink are just stunning…

We recommend;

Herbal Stimulant;

50ml Three Spirit Social Elixir 

25ml Espresso 

10ml Maple Syrup or Agave 

Shake hard in an ice filled cocktail shaker

Strain into a chilled glass 

Garnish with Raw Cacao Beans.

Light & Stormy 

50ml Three Spirit Social Elixir 

100ml Ginger Ale

Pour ingredients over ice and garnish with a wheel of lime.

Three Spirit comes in three different variations and RRP £24.99 per 50cl Bottle 

https://threespiritdrinks.com

The Eco-Friendly Christmas Gift Guide.

plastic freedom Bambaw reusable makeup remover padsplastic freedom, handmade soap, bamboo, beauty kubes, eco-friendly, sanitary protection , bean and boy bean and boy handmade gin and tonic soapPlastic Freedom is a great website which has a huge selection plastic free products. They also do gift boxes. They have an array of eco-friendly stuff like Bean & Boy natural handmade soap, Bambaw reusable makeup remover pads, Beauty Kubes Shampoo and Helen Round’s reusable bamboo face wash set.

Plastic Freedom, the online store striving to eliminate the world’s plastic-footprint recommended these products to us and we were very impressed.

Founded by 28-year-old Beth Noy in 2018, @plasticfreedom_was started single-handedly from her spare bedroom. She now sells over 900 products that come from a number of sustainable suppliers, including vegan cosmetics, mother and baby products, plastic-free lunch boxes, kitchenware, travel accessories and everything in between.

Beth Noy lives entirely single-use plastic free herself, and some of her favourite products are: Beauty Kubes, PF x Sol Cup and Beeswax wraps.

plasticfreedom.co.uk

CLEAN TEETH, CLEAN CONSCIENCE

  • A new toothpaste that is 100% recyclable, with no single use plastic tube.

  • Unlike other toothpastes on the market, it contains no harsh soaps, antibacterials, petrochemicals or artificial colouring.

  • 100% natural flavouring, with papaya extract for natural whitening and essential minerals to strengthen tooth enamel.

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A new toothpaste that is not only good for you but good for the planet is now available in the UK. Happier Toothpaste, from sustainable beauty brand Happier Beauty, has packaging made from traditional aluminium, that is easy and energy efficient to recycle. With 1.5 billion single-use plastic toothpaste tubes thrown away every year, Happier toothpaste is a great swap to reduce your carbon footprint.¹ There’s no unnecessary cardboard box either. Even the postal packaging for the toothpaste is 100% recyclable, wrapped in 100% recycled tissue paper and posted in a reusable bubble envelope.

The toothpaste itself is also refreshingly different, containing only natural flavourings and no nasty chemicals. Each ingredient in Happier toothpaste has been specially selected to have as minimal impact to the environment as possible. Other market-leading toothpastes contain many artificial ingredients that are unnecessary and, in some cases, harmful. Happier toothpaste contains no soap and instead has a low foam formula treated with coconut oil to create light refreshing bubbles without drying your mouth. Happier toothpaste also avoids Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS) which is commonly found in other toothpastes has been linked with causing mouth sores and ulcers, and is often used in shampoos and body wash.

Happier toothpaste also contains natural ingredients with great benefits. Papaya fruit extract is infused into the toothpaste which aids with whitening and prevents new stains from sticking to your teeth.

The toothpaste is 100% cruelty free and vegan friendly. It has also been specially formulated for sensitive teeth.

Faye Wilson, founder of Happier Beauty said: “Toothpaste is something we put in our mouths twice a day, yet nearly all of us are guilty of being unaware of what is actually in it. I created Happier toothpaste after I started seriously looking at what is in market-leading toothpastes and saw you need a chemistry degree to understand half the ingredients!

“We are completely transparent with our ingredients; explaining what each ingredient does and why we’ve included it in our toothpaste. We never use SLS, triclosan, parabens, petrochemicals, colours, artificial flavours or sweeteners.

“It is also very important to us that our products have little to zero impact on the environment. We’ve taken special care to source ingredients that are kinder to your mouth and 100% recyclable materials for our products right down to the tissue paper the tubes are delivered in.”

Happier toothpaste is available online for £12.00 per 75ml tube, with free UK shipping. It is available in Fresh Mint flavour.

For more information, visit happierbeauty.com.

Christmas Gifts : A Guide to Great Spirits and Liqueurs


Foxhole Gin

Try an innovative English Gin this Christmas, multi-award winning Foxhole Gin has been created with a passion for sustainability. Distilled with a spirit made from tonnes of pressed grapes wineries usually throw away, Foxhole Gin rescues them to produce a beautifully balanced, aromatic and charming spirit. You’re bound to impress with their sophisticated packaging with a unique and impressive gin to match inside. Foxhole have a curated a selection of their range ideal for Christmas including;

Foxhole miniatures are a great stocking filler.

If you’re looking for a gift for collectors try the marc 3 limited gift pack which contains a 700ml bottle of the Foxhole Gin: marc 3 gift wrapped and adorned with an antique copper Foxhole spirits badge. marc 3 is strictly limited to 500 bottles due to the 8760 hrs it takes to produce this using the valuable 2015 by products from Sussex Vineyards.

Digital Gift Cards,

Available in (£10, £25, £50, £75, £100) this can be used to purchase any Foxhole Gin products on their online store including tonics.

foxholespirits.com

Baileys

This Christmas there are five different Baileys for you to try. For someone who like to keep it traditional we have Baileys Original and this year they have launched their new dairy free Baileys Almande. Blending crushed almonds, almond oil and essence of real vanilla, this new product is dairy free and vegan friendly and available at whole foods stores across the UK. Also available is the Baileys Chocolate Luxe blended with Belgian Chocolate and Baileys Original Irish Cream, Baileys Coffee and Baileys Orange Truffle.

baileys.com


Greenall’s Sloe Gin

Greenall’s the traditional British Gin have recently launched their new Sloe Gin recipe which is designed to be the perfect winter tipple. This ruby red blend of sweet sloe berries produces strong notes of almonds and cherry. Greenall’s created with a traditional, hand-crafted recipe has been made to be enjoyed not just as a liqueur but also as a great base for a cocktail. We highly recommend the ‘take it sloe toddy’ as your ultimate winter warmer. Greenall’s Sloe Gin is made through a completely natural and hands on method using only the product of the 8 weeks of sloe berry maceration. No additional juices or artificial colours are added and mixing is done by hand using the traditional Greenall’s recipe which has remained unchanged for more than 250 years.

Greenall’s Sloe Gin is available to buy through amazon.co.uk priced at £18 a bottle.

amazon.co.uk

Amarula

Personally, no feast is complete without an Irish Coffee and my perfect variation of one would definitely contain Amarula. This mysterious and creamy liqueur is distilled in South Africa and produced from the fruit of the Marula tree is aged in french oak before being blended into its luxurious creamy texture giving it a sweet honey caramel texture. This versatile liqueur can be enjoyed on the rocks, as a spicy winter warmer and even in desserts for all the bakers out there. Amarula has a 24month shelf life but we can’t guarantee it will last that long in your drinks cupboard as you won’t be able to get enough of it’s luxurious taste and texture.

Amarula is available in 700ml bottles and available to buy from multiple major retailers priced at £12.50 a bottle.

Purrfect Christmas Gifts From Cats Protection | Cute Gifts That Help Cats

Cats Protection have wonderful gifts for the cat lover in your life. We love cats at Frost and we also love the Cats Protection who do such a good job taking care of cats and kittens. We have picked a selection of some of the gifts we like, but you can also donate to them. Every pound helps. 

We love:

christmasbiscuitsandjammarmaldehamper christmashamper

White Willow Gift Basket

Delicious biscuits, fudge, marmalade and jam.

alcoholicjamandmarmalade

Tipsy Selection

Such a great idea and so tasty. Is also a legitimate way to start your day with booze. What is there not to love?

cateyemask

Knitted Cat Eye Mask

So cute.

kittenumbrella kittenumbrella3

Kitten Mini Umbrella

A dose of cuteness while you stay dry. Win win.

You can check out the Cat Protection shop here.

Sparkle through the festive season with the Mavala Christmas Range by Margaret Graham

Make Christmas even more beautiful with these festive gifts from MAVALA.

From beautiful baubles to cute crackers and kits, MAVALA’s Christmas offering has something for everyone, no matter your budget.

Sparkle through the festive season with the Mavala Christmas Range by Margaret Graham

 

MAVALA Snowblossom Kits (RRP £12.50)

Shower your loved ones with a trio of Mavala colours. These snowflake-covered sets are available in 6 sumptuous shade collections from festive reds and pretty nudes to sultry shades perfect for dark winter nights.

MAVALA Cracking Duo (RRP £9.00)

Have a cracking Christmas with these duos. Available in six complementary colour ways so there is something to suit all tastes.
No need to pull this cracker, simply untwist the top to reveal two nail treats.

MAVALA Christmas Baubles (RRP £5.00)

Have a ball this Christmas with the 
MAVALA Christmas Baubles in eight sparkling festive hues, including favourites
Rouge Rubis, Magic Sapphire & Magic Snow.

Take care this Christmas with the Mavala Nail Care Collection
Give the gift of beautiful nails this Christmas with the MAVALA care range. Whatever your nail concern, MAVALA have it covered with a collection of gifts for gorgeous natural nails.

MAVALA Vanity Case (RRP £26.50)

Packed full of Mavala’s best-selling nail care products, this vanity case is perfect for a complete at-home manicure. The case includes: Scientifique, 002 Basecoat, ColorFix Topcoat, Nail Polish Remover

MAVALA Colour Stay Coffret (RRP £17.50)

Love your nail colour but hate that it never lasts long enough? The Colour Stay coffret from Mavala has everything you need to make your colour last whilst caring for your nails and cuticles.
The set includes: 002 Basecoat, ColorFix,
Oil Seal Dryer & Mini Emery Boards.

MAVALA Discovery Coffret (RRP £29.95)

This nail care & beauty coffret is perfect for those who are new to the world of nail care. Packed full of a range of treatment products and a step-by-step manicure programme, it’s the perfect solution to your nail problems.
The set includes: Cuticle Remover, Scientifique, 002 Basecoat, ColorFix, Oil Seal Dryer & Hand Cream.

The Mavala Christmas Collection is available at JohnLewis.com, Boots.com and selected independent retailers nationwide.

 

 

 

Christmas Gift Guide For The Stylish

Christopher Ward Watches

chriswardwatchreview chriswardwatch

Humble Rose & Frankincense Hand Wash & Hand Lotion


Humble Rose & Frankincense Hand Wash & Hand Lotion

Natural beauty from writer and broadcaster Kate Humble’s new eco-friendly beauty brand. Rose and Frankincense is very festive and the hand wash and intense hand cream make fab stocking fillers for mums, mother in laws, those in search of the Good Life etc.! please let me know if you’d like any further info/samples etc.

Contains natural biodegradable ingredients. No paragons or SLS. Recyclable packaging and made with recycled material.

From waitrose.com

 

Some amazing wine from Brancott Estate.

 

Cover-Up Woodback iPhone Covers

coverup coverupiphone

coverupthank

Each one if crafted from real wood in a beautiful blend of technology and nature. They look amazing and are well made. They even feel great. Each one is unique because of its natural grain pattern. Stylish and high-end: what more could you want? www.cover-up.com

trill farm

Trill Seasons Box. Trill Seasons Boxes are an organic quarterly lifestyle subscription scheme that has been developed by Romy Fraser, founder of Neal’s Yard Remedies. We tried some handmade organic soap from the farm and it was divine.

 

For the little one…we absolutely love new London based Children’s fashion brand Mini Street Style.

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Mini Street Style is a brand new (London Based) Children’s Fashion brand. http://ministreetstyle.com/
The brand says: “Based on Street Style we reach out to our on-line community to curate next season’s collections. By voting on-line we produce the items with the most votes. It’s a new approach to using the social collective.”
 Żubrówka Enchanted Forest Limited Edition Sleeve


Żubrówka Enchanted Forest Limited Edition Sleeve

A delicious and unique vodka. Brilliant stuff. 

MRRP £20.00

Available from October, while stocks last at Tesco.com, Waitrose.com and Sainsburys.co.uk

Żubrówka Vodka, the Original Bison Grass Vodka, has over 500 years of tradition and history. Żubrówka’s exceptional character is emphasized by a single bison grass blade placed in every bottle. Each blade of bison grass is hand-picked and dried under natural conditions, making each bottle of Żubrówka an exceptional gift this Christmas.

For the perfect Christmas cocktail our brand ambassador, Przemyslaw Matuszewski, suggests our legendary Apple Zu, an extraordinarily smooth and aromatic cocktail, with a festive twist.

Glass
Highball

Ingredients
50ml Żubrówka
100ml traditional pressed cloudy apple juice
Squeeze of lime

Method
Fill a highball with ice, add all the ingredients and stir
Garnish with a few slices of apple and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon to tickle your festive tastebuds.

 

Lastly: the wrapping paper.

WHSmith Launch Charity Gift Wraps for 2015

As part of their Christmas gift wrap this year and as a first UK retail offering, WHSmith is launching three gift wrap bundles that support charity.  Each bundle has two rolls at 3M each.  On the reverse side of each roll is the WHSmith cutting grid to help those wrapping cut in straight lines and measurements.

 

The three charity gift wrap bundles will support Marie CurieRSPCA and Save The Children.

 

WHSmith Marie Curie Nordic Knit Christmas Gift Wrap

Two Rolls Per Package / Each Roll is 3M / Two designs in the package

Price per package:  £3.49

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wrappingpaper

Merry Christmas, from all of us at Frost.