For gin fans wanting to get their hands on a gin inspired by the flavours of a classic Christmas treat, the Whitley Neill limited-edition Mince Pie Gin is absolutely perfect. Add the gin and vermouth to a shaker with plenty of ice. Shake, then strain and pour into a Martini glass. Garnish with orange rind. We were fortunate enough to try the new flavours and here's what our Senior Food & Drink writer, Melanie Giandzi, had to say on the new gins.

Cut out 12 circles for the base of the pies with a 10cm round pastry cutter and 12 circles for the tops with a 7cm cutter, re-rolling the pastry when necessary. Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary. What could be better than wintry spices, raisiny fruit notes and buttery crust — in liquid form? Mince Pie GinWe wanted to make sure that there was a seasonal sip for every palate, and we’re sure that our customers will love our latest additions to the Extra Special gin collection.” This one gives a taste of freshly toasted marshmallows in every sip and is best when paired with Prosecco for a light pink-coloured tipple. Shake the Whitley Neill Mince Pie gin and cranberry with ice in a shaker. Strain and pour into a coupe. Top up with chilled Champagne or Prosecco. Garnish with raspberries. Marks and Spencer have sent shoppers into a festive frenzy after announcing the return of one of their most popular Christmas products. And what’s more, is that it’s even cheaper than last year.

That brings us to our Mince Pie Gin. We use botanicals ranging from raisins and medjool dates to cloves, allspice, and a bit of oroblanco grapefruit for citrusy sweetness. The result is a gin that’s redolent of warming spices and vanilla on the nose, which tastes like spiced raisins (with a dash of juniper), and which gives way to a buttery biscuit finale. He is used to the extra hours. He’s been dealing with the annual Christmas rush for some time already. Carol singers practise nearby and a chestnut stand is selling piping hot treats as fireworks light up the night and Father Christmas races across the sky. It’s like something from your favourite festive movie and it makes you want to shrink down like Alice in Wonderland and join them, Sweet with hints of raisins, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg it’s got all of the flavours that will get you into the festive spirit. For special requests or availability please call 01455 459181 between 10am and 5pm weekdays and we will do our best to help.Mince pie fans will want to get their hands on the other new gin, inspired by the flavours of the classic Christmas treat. The limited-edition Mince Pie Gin is now available exclusively at B&M, and has an authentic, mince pie taste, Mel says. Line the holes in the muffin tray with the larger circles of pastry, letting them overhang. Spoon about 3 heaped tablespoons of mincemeat into each one and cover with the smaller circles. We hardly think we’re exaggerating when we say it’s one of our most delicious and decadent distillations yet. And should you want to try it for yourself, there’s still time to sample: sign up for the Sipping Society by the 20th of this month, and this quarter’s shipment will be sent your way, Mince Pie Gin included. READ MORE: Liverpool Lush spa offering 30 minute 'Snow Fairy bath experience' Serving examples include: Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox.

Brush the tops of the pies with the beaten egg, then bring up the overhanging pastry around the sides to create a seal around the top of each pie. Sprinkle with Demerara sugar and cut a small slit in the top of each pie to let the steam escape. The second new B&M festive tipple is the 'Sixpence Christmas Pudding Liqueur', which is described as 'luxurious' and the 'ultimate gift'. The drink is a rich Christmas liqueur with a golden shimmer boasting notes of apple, Christmas spices, candied fruit, vanilla, and caramel.

By the 17 th century, mince pies were widely enjoyed, and came stuffed with a mix of currants, raisins, and spices — and mutton. In the 18 th century, they became smaller and more sugary, though many still featured ingredients like chopped ox tongue; by the 19 th century, they had come to resemble the mince pies we still gulp down today (sans ox tongue, thankfully). The all-important gin liqueur inside the bottle is a taste of yuletide, with spiced orange and cranberry flavour using Seville oranges and cinnamon. For that extra wow factor, you can give the globe a gentle shake and turn on the light at the base of the bottle to illuminate the edible 23 carat gold leaf cascading around the Christmas scene inside Turn the dough out onto the work surface and gently bring it together, giving it a few gentle folds to ensure all of the ingredients have been incorporated. Roll the dough into a ball and flatten a little into a disc. Wrap in baking paper and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This year, M&S's popular snowglobe gins have returned, with Aldi launching two new novelty bottles in fun, seasonal flavours. There are also a couple of lesser-known bottles too - including one that's mince pie flavoured. Place the flour, caster sugar and salt into a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips. It’s important to use very cold butter to prevent it melting into the flour. Shake the bowl from time to time to bring the remaining lumps of butter to the surface and continue rubbing in.