We don’t know about you but we’re not making January any harder than it needs to be so we’re embracing Ginuary with open arms this month. Are you with us? Stave off the January blues with these six gintastic activities and get planning your 2020 adventures!
1. Hop on board the Gin Lovers’ Afternoon Tea Bus Tour
What better way to see the sights of the capital city than from a vintage Routemaster bus, whilst tucking into gin-infused treats and Slingsby G&Ts? We’ve partnered with Brigit’s Bakery to bring you a unique experience of London.
On the menu you’ll find mouth-watering savouries like minty cucumber and cream cheese on beetroot bread. An assortment of homemade Brigit’s Bakery sweet treats such as Raspberry tarts with Slingsby Rhubarb Gin cream will follow. And, naturally, there’ll be lots of refreshing Slingsby G&Ts including our London Dry, Rhubarb and Gooseberry gins.
Tours run Thursdays – Saturdays. Find out more, here.
2. Spot our botanicals at Rudding Park
Did you know that 12 of our 24 botanicals are sourced from the Kitchen Garden at Rudding Park, right here in Harrogate? Whether you’re planning a stay or a spa day there, it’s worth stopping by the garden which has over 100 types of botanicals, salads and edible flowers.
The 52 raised beds in the garden are tended to by a Kitchen Gardener all year round, ensuring that our botanicals such as sweet cicely, primrose and lovage, are of the finest quality. The Kitchen Garden is open to visit from May through to September each year.
We're currently running a competition on our Facebook page to win the ultimate day out in Harrogate, including a full Spa Day at Rudding Park and a Master Distiller experience, for two. Click here for a chance to win!
3. Make your own bottle of bespoke gin
Learn the tricks of the trade with our ever-popular Master Distiller experience and head home with your own bottle of gin! Firstly, our mixologists will guide you through a gin tasting session to help you discover your preferred botanical mix. Then you’ll distil your own gin, using the botanicals you’ve just selected during the tasting, on a mini copper still.
Lastly, you’ll bottle your one-of-a-kind gin and add your very own personalised label as the perfect finishing touch. And there’ll be lots of gin tasting along the way! It’s no wonder we’re the number one food and drink experience in Harrogate! Find out more about the Master Distiller experience, here.
4. Visit the world-famous Rhubarb Triangle
The rhubarb used in our award-winning Rhubarb Gin is grown on Oldroyd’s Farm in West Yorkshire. The 9-square-mile, world-famous, Rhubarb Triangle is located between Wakefield, Morley and Rothwell. Did you know that this area once produced 90% of the world’s winter forced rhubarb?
The Oldroyd family have farmed rhubarb for five generations and are experts in their field (get it?). You can take a tour of the intriguing candle-lit forcing sheds and find out all sorts of fascinating facts about the health benefits of eating rhubarb and how the forcing process originated. Book your visit, here.
5. Mix up a delicious Ginuary cocktail at home
Our mixologists have created a warming winter cocktail in honour of Ginuary, using our limited-edition Marmalade Gin. Dry cranberry and winter spices are at the forefront of this delectable drink and orange flavours sit in the background, bringing a sweet balance to the beverage. Try this recipe, inspired by a classic cosmopolitan, at home:
Ingredients:
• 25ml Slingsby Marmalade Gin
• 50ml Spiced cranberry reduction (method below)
• 15ml Sugar syrup
• 1 Dash of Angostura Bitters
• Top with hot water
To make the Spiced cranberry reduction:
Add a carton of cranberry juice to a saucepan and reduce in volume by two thirds over a medium heat. Add your desired winter spices and add them to the pan while it’s on the heat. We recommend cinnamon sticks, cloves and orange peel.
Method:
Combine all of the ingredients in a glass and enjoy!
6. Join a Sunday Gin Journey
The team at Gin Journey are seeing in 2020 by hosting extra Sunday sessions in Liverpool to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter Sunday. Of course, we can still get a taste of our Slingsby gins on Saturday’s in Leeds with Gin Journey, but these extra dates really are unmissable!
Get ready for five hours of gin tasting, cocktails and top bars. You’ll be guided by your gin guardian and travel between venues on the Ginibus. Get tickets for the Valentines, Mother’s Day and Easter specials, here.
Be sure to share your Ginuary escapades with us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. #SlingsbyGin
Originally published 17th Jan 2019. Updated on 15th Jan 2020.