As the leaves start to turn and the cool crisp Autumn air sets in, we tend to seek out more earthy autumnal flavours when it comes to our tipples.

Yep, seasonal drinks are totally a thing.

And there’s nothing like a good gin to warm the cockles when it starts getting cold outside and the nights begin to draw in.

In the Harrogate district, we are fortunate enough to have some of the best distilleries in the country.

Bar manager at Harrogate’s West Park Hotel Jordan Davis said there was a huge gin scene in Harrogate – unlike anywhere he had seen before.

He said:

“With the beautiful distilleries we have that’s no surprise. Our Masons range and Slingsby Rhubarb Gin are the clear favourites amongst them all.

“Our best selling gin cocktail would have to be either the Yorkshire Tea Negroni, or our Rhubarb and Wild Berry Sour.”

The Yorkshire Tea Negroni, a signature West Park cocktail, featuring Masons Yorkshire gin, Campari Martini Rosso and cranberry bitters.

Three Harrogate gin producers share their favourite Autumn cocktails

Slingsby Harrogate – Blackberry Sour

Slingby’s Blackberry Sour

Starting out as a flavour exclusively enjoyed by visitors to The Spirit of Harrogate store, Slinsgby decided to launch its Blackberry Gin last month after receiving rave reviews. The new gin was released to coincide with the traditional blackberry picking season and has been designed encompass an array of autumnal flavour

With floral hints of violet, followed by notes of rich blackberry jam and a beautifully sweet finish, it makes for the ideal base for this delicious Blackberry Sour recipe, a personal favourite of Slingsby senior marketing executive, Rebekha White.

INGREDIENTS

35ml Slingsby Blackberry Gin

15ml Slingsby Rhubarb Gin 

25ml Lemon juice 

10ml Hibiscus syrup 

Egg white (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Shake all of the ingredients together and then double strain into a coupe glass. To finish, garnish the glass with an edible flower or a lemon twist.

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Harrogate Tipple – Blueberry Fields

Harrogate Tipple’s Blueberry Fields

Steven Green, founder of Harrogate Tipple, which is based at Ripley, said:

“We’ve chosen this wonderful cocktail because it evokes the end of summer, when the blueberries change colour from green to a dusky blue and are ready to pick at the end of September.

“This is when our blueberries are perfect and there is no better time to celebrate this harvest than with our very own Blueberry Harrogate Gin served with mint, diced cucumber, lemon juice and sugar snap pea syrup!”

INGREDIENTS

50ml Harrogate Blueberry Gin

20ml Lemon juice

15ml Sugar snap pea syrup (equal measure 1:1 sugar and snap peas infused for 24 hours then strain)

1 slice of diced cucumber

INSTRUCTIONS

Shake and fine strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with a mint leaf.

Whittaker’s – 007 Martini

Whittaker’s 007 Martini

There’s no escaping the huge fanfare surrounding the long-awaited Autumn release of the latest James Bond movie, No Time To Die.

So as we say goodbye to the summer – and Daniel Craig – Whittaker’s has come up with this tasty little number, that is guaranteed to make you feel shaken and not stirred.

Toby Whittaker, co-founder of Whittaker’s, which is based in Dacre Banks, said:

“We have chosen this recipe incorporating our Navy Strength Gin as a nod to Commander Bond’s Royal Navy Heritage and obviously the Martini ‘shaken not stirred’, as this is his tipple of choice.”

INGREDIENTS

50ml Whittaker’s Barley Mow Vodka

15ml Whittaker’s Navy Strength Gin

15ml Noilly Prat Dry Vermouth

10ml Olive brine

INSTRUCTIONS