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.

Sweet with hints of raisins, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg it’s got all of the flavours that will get you into the festive spirit. Ed Sowerby, Asda gin product developer, comments: “Gin continues to be a favourite with our customers, especially around the festive season where gifts and something to impress guests with is top of customers’ agendas, so we’re proud of the innovation which has gone into creating our latest festive spirits. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4, and butter and flour a 12-hole muffin tray. Remove the pastry from the refrigerator and let it soften a little. And fans of last year’s sell out Extra Special Gingerbread Gin will be pleased to hear the sparkly beverage is returning to shelves again this month.

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Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you, may vary. 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 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 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. What could be better than wintry spices, raisiny fruit notes and buttery crust — in liquid form? Mince Pie Gin

Like this article? Sign up to our newsletter to get more articles like this delivered straight to your inbox. The flavours returning to shelves include Clementine and Spiced Sugar Plum, the latter of which tastes just like a warm mince pie. 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.

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Friday and Saturday evenings are our busiest evenings and it is not always possible to seat guests though we will always try. It is always preferable to reserve a table to avoid disappointment. 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. 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.

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. There may be alcoholic drinks more entwined with Christmas – egg nog or mulled wine, for example. But gin, which is the primary focus of the City of Aberdeen Distillery, is in high demand at this time of year. Whitley Neill doesn't shy away from fun flavoured gins (we've seen pink apricot, rhubarb and ginger, blood orange, and raspberry flavoured gins from them in the past), and the brand has just announced the launch of two new Christmas flavours as part of its already extensive collection. Once you have achieved breadcrumb consistency, add the egg and yolk and bring the pastry together to a rough dough. It includes aromas of mince pies with citrus and hints of juniper. Described as having a 'sweet taste on the palate' the gin features a taste of raisins, cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg all creating that classic Christmassy taste.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. Subtly sweet and indulgent, this gin liqueur with zesty spiced orange and sharp berries really captures the spirit of Christmas in a show stopping way. It starts in late September, early October – you start getting hints of it,” Alan says. “And then it gets steadily more crazy.” The City of Aberdeen Distillery has gone from strength to strength since Alan and business partner Dan Barnett opened it in December 2019. 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.

The LIVE virtual tastings are carried out in the last week of the month. Please keep an eye on our socials for confirmed dates! 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, Manchester Evening News have been taking a look at all of the most popular, Christmassy beverages to get you feeling merry this weekend - and we've come across some absolute blinders. 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. 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.

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Should you fancy some Mince Pie Gin this festive season, we’re very pleased to offer it in the latest Sipsmith Sipping Society shipment. And it’s not the only thing to look forward to: three other limited-edition, seasonal distillations, each one crafted by our Master Distiller Jared Brown and Head Distiller Ollie Kitson, will also be sent straight to your door. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more deliciously inspired or ginful gift. (You can treat yourself to a subscription, too — we won’t tell.) We 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.”