MUD DLE
Is s ue No . 07 - Th e Lo v e Edi t i o n Editor: Claire White
TIPPLE TOWERS Love is in the air, everywhere we look around… It’s time to add some Valentine’s spirit to your home with the Love Edition of Muddle Magazine.
Contributors: Claire White Jessica Duffield The Cocktail Couple
Featuring Pink Gins and Perfect Match profiles, you can prepare to win over the heart of your loved one, or simply treat yourself, by shaking up some Valentine’s inspired drinks for a cosy night in.
Photography: Jessica Duffield
Looking to head out to enjoy a cocktail? We’ve Date Night sorted. There are plenty of bars across the UK perfect for a romantic night out and we’re sharing our favourite secluded spots.
For all editorial and advertising enquiries, please contact: info @ ti p p l e b ox .c o . uk
We couldn’t let February pass without pancakes so we’ve flipped and shaken up Shrove Tuesday with food blogger Jessica Duffield who has shared her delicious recipe for Irish Cream Pancakes. Roses are red, violets are blue, it’s time to relax and enjoy a cocktail or two!
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Cheers, Claire
INSIDE MONTH’S
THIS BOX
Tequila Rose
CONTENTS 01
The liqueur’s unique and rich taste comes from its sweet combination of strawberry cream liqueur with a splash of tequila.
Welco me A L et t er From Tippl e Tow ers
02
Insi de Thi s Mo nth’s Box
ISFJORD Vodka
03
Ti ppler’s Tren ds Da t es For Your Dia r y In dust r y New s
05
Ti ppler’s Tales Va l en t in e’ s Spirit s The Perfec t Ma t c h
09
Ti ppler’s Ti me ISFJ ORD Vodka Tequil a Rose Cool e Sw a n The Ver y Lovel y Sa uc e Compa n y
13
Ti ppler’s Treats La mb & Wa t t Choc ol a t e A n d Love
15
Ti ppler’s Ti ps & Tri cks Irish Crea m Pa n c a kes How To Disc over The Best Ba rs
19
Ti ppler’s Treasu res Da t e Nig ht Ba rs
21
Ti ppler’s To ast Compet it ion Time #Ta gMyTippl e
The Arctic Vodka is distilled using the finest Blonde wheat blended with pure iceberg water from the Arctic’s of Greenland.
Coole Swan
An Irish cream liqueur that blends the finest single malt Irish whiskey with white Belgian chocolate and fresh natural dairy cream.
Frobishers Pineapple Juice
With pineapples grown in Costa Rica, Frobishers pineapple juice has a tropical taste that has won three Great Taste Awards.
The Really Lovely Sauce Company - Gingerbread The Really Lovely Sauce Company embraces the warming undertones of gingerbread with its delicious caramel sauce.
Norfolk Raspberry Cordial
Utilising the sharp and floral taste of freshly picked raspberries, Norfolk Cordial use only natural ingredients.
Strawberry Liqueur
A cocktail essential, strawberry liqueur is made by the maceration and distillation of freshly picked strawberries.
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TIPPLER’S TRENDS
D AT E S F O R Y O U R D I A R Y S H R O V E T U E S D AY
13th February
Shrove Tuesday is a traditional feast day which takes place before the start of Lent. The 40 days leading up to Easter were traditionally a time for fasting and Shrove Tuesday was the last opportunity to make use of eggs and fats before this, making pancakes the perfect remedy. Now, many refer to the day as ‘Pancake Day’.
VA L E N T I N E ’ S D AY
14th February
First linked to a romantic essence in the 14th century, Valentine’s Day evolved into the celebration we know thanks to 18th century England when the typical gifting began with flowers, cards and confectionery gifted to the one you love.
CHINESE NEW YEAR
16th February
New Year is China’s most important traditional festival and is celebrated at the turn of the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar, marking the first new moon day of the first Chinese lunar month. As the calendar depends on the moon, the date changes yearly between January 21st and February 20th, with 2018 marking the Year of the Dog.
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TIPPLER’S TRENDS
INDUSTRY NEWS C O C K TA I L S I N C A R D I F F Pennyroyal is the latest bar shaking up the Welsh capital offering secret speakeasy sipping. Hidden behind a door in the Castle Quarter, with entry by buzzer only, the mixologists will take you on a trip back in time as you enjoy their revolutionary cocktails built around traditional ‘remedies’. Discover Pennyroyal at 22 High Street, CF10 1PT
SIP ON SAKE Made using high quality rice, water and koji, HEAVENSAKE has unveiled its Junmai Ging jo - a blend of three types of rice all from the safe prefecture. Made in collaboration with sake brewery Urakasumi, the sake contains no added sugars or preservatives and is sulphite and gluten free. With a floral taste including lily, iris, jasmine and hyacinth, the sake is now available by the glass and bottle at restaurants across London while retailing exclusively via Hedonism Wines. Buy Junmai Gingjo for £45 for 720ml via HedonismWines.co.uk
THE WORLD’S BEST MARTINI The winner of the World’s Best Martini Challenge has been announced as Arbikie’s Showcase Martini in partnership with bartender Francesco from The Gibson. The winning mouth-watering Martini combined Arbikie AK’S gin with sea herbs vermouth, smoked liquid and lemon zest for their unique twist on the classic tipple. Find out more about the Martini Challenge via WorldsBestMartini.co.uk
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T I P P L E R ’ S TA L E S
Valentines Spirits
WA R N E R E D WA R D S V I C T O R I A’ S R H U B A R B G I N Made using rhubarb originally grown in the kitchen garden of Buckingham Palace during the reign of Queen Victoria, Warner Edwards Gin combines this rhubarb juice with their Harrington Dry Gin to curate a sweet and tangy gin. 5 - M UD D LE - T HE LOV E E DITION
W E X F O R D S T R AW B E R R Y G I N Blackwater Distillery has distilled a sweet strawberry gin using locally grown strawberries. Combining the fruit with an additional 12 botanicals, the gin is interlaced with strawberry sweetness.
In 2016 Pantone named rose quartz as the colour of the year, marking the return of pink’s global popularity. The trend quickly gained momentum and showed no signs of slowing and in 2017 the new reigning shade of pink, as featured in Pantone’s Spring fashion report, was Pale Dogwood. Widely-known as ‘millennial pink’, the shade gained the term due to its fit within the millennial lifestyle, in particular its match to Instagram’s numerous preset filters.
Despite our pink affection, it was Spain who first embraced adding colour to their spirits. Rosecoloured gin was already a popular drinking choice with credit given to Puerto de Las Indias Strawberry Gin which saw sales of over five million euros in its first year. Combining the pink trend with the UK’s growing love for gin, the hued bottles made their way overseas and Pink Gin quickly became a trendy tipple. To help you add some Valentine’s spirit to your lovedup celebrations, we’re sharing some of our favourite pink gins from distilleries across the UK.
SLINGSBY RHUBARB GIN
PINKSTER GIN
A limited edition gin, Slingsby’s rhubarb gin is made with locally sourced botanicals and Harrogate aquifer water, creating a gin with a sweet rhubarb and raspberry taste, rounded off with the tang of pink grapefruit.
Teaming up with G&J distillers, Pinkster Gin uses five botanicals before hand-steeping the gin in fresh plump raspberries grown locally to Cambridge to give the gin its pink hue and subtle sweetness.
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T I P P L E R ’ S TA L E S
The Perfect Match Vodka The flavour of vodka is determined by which product the spirit is distilled from. Each ingredient will influence the final flavour of the spirit and is carefully selected dependent upon the final required taste.
W H E AT
Cosmopolitan
Wheat vodkas tend to be very light with notes of fresh citrus. As wheat is a delicate grain, wheat vodkas tend to require less distilling, producing a very crisp clean vodka.
GRAIN
Bloody Mary
Arguably the most common style of vodka in the world, grain vodkas are known for their light and nutty profiles.
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RYE
Vodka Sour
Rye vodkas are velvety and rich with a nutty sweetness, encapsulating an aroma of fresh honeysuckle and lemon.
P O TAT O
Martini
Potato vodkas are all about texture, with potatoes creating a smooth and creamy taste.
With romance all around us, we decided to do some matchmaking of our own by pairing up your favourite spirits with their cocktail and garnish counterparts. After all, your spirits deserve to find their perfect partner too...
Gin Providing the taste of juniper is predominant, distilleries are free to choose their recipe and selected method of distillation which finalises the way their gin tastes.
CITRUS
Orange Peel
Fresh and zesty, citrus gins are made using the peel of a carefully curated selection of fruit, dependent on the final flavour profile of the gin.
HERBACEOUS
Rosemary
The more unusual botanicals are typically used in herbaceous gins, from grasses to shrubs.
FLORAL
Grapefruit
With its light and fragrant taste, botanicals including rose petals, chamomile and lavender are used in creating a floral gin.
SPICED
Clove
Spiced gins use herbs including cardamom, pepper and coriander to create a warm and earthy palate.
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TIPPLER’S TIME
Made from the finest Blonde wheat, distilled five times, and blended with pure iceberg water from the Arctic’s of Greenland, ISFJORD Premium Arctic Vodka begins its journey at the iceberg. In 2007, ISFJORD discovered the characteristics of distilling spirits with one of nature’s best kept secrets, the extremely pure and soft water from icebergs that naturally break from the Greenland Ice Cap into the sea.
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Preserved as ice for 180,000 years, local icermen began harvesting ice pieces and melted them into pure natural water. Combining this water with natural botanicals, the distillation takes place according to a unique recipe developed especially for distillation with iceberg water. The recipe ensures the spirit is produced with an unparalleled taste, creating a raw smoothness bringing the Arctic to your abode.
TIPPLER’S TIME
Launching in America and distilled in Missouri, Tequila Rose is now one of the world’s biggest cream liqueurs. Described as ‘flirting with the line between naughty and nice’, Tequila Rose is a unique blend of strawberry flavoured cream liqueur with a splash of premium Mexican tequila. Tequila Rose is made from real dairy cream, giving the liqueur a rich strawberry taste with a subtle sweet flavour. The liqueur can be drank straight or enjoyed as an addition to drinks and desserts, as you’ll discover in our February box, with the Tequila treat featured in our Love Potion!
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TIPPLER’S TIME
Coole Swan is a new generation of Irish craft spirits. Launching in 2010 from the Brady family farm in County Meath, the name Coole Swan was inspired by one of Ireland’s romantic poets WB Yeats and his work ‘The Wild Swans at Coole’, a poem about the search for lasting beauty in a changing world. Coole Swan is made in Ireland using all natural ingredients. Using the cream taken directly from the churns in the family farm, they add Belgian White Chocolate. The liquid is then united with a triple distilled single malt Irish whiskey. All brought together using a unique blending technique known only to the team at Coole Swan. Producing an Irish cream liqueur like no other, Coole Swan is also gluten free, contains no additives, preservatives or artificial colouring. Coole Swan’s signature appearance is characterised by a delicate cream hue, imparted by the white chocolate and single malt whiskey creating a smooth and sweet liqueur that has won prestigious accolades from across the globe. 11 - M U D D LE - T HE LOV E E DITION
TIPPLER’S TIME
THE SAUCE COMPANY At The Very Lovely Sauce Company, they embrace the simplicity of natural ingredients in their caramel sauces. The first Very Lovely Sauce came about after owner Michelle Wilkinson was enjoying a Sunday lunch with friends. She had concentrated so hard on creating a splendid main course that she overlooked dessert, a fact which only came to light when the children asked what was for pudding. She delved into the freezer for the only thing she knew they had, a tub of ice cream, and made the move look intentional and purposeful by whipping up a batch of sea-salted caramel sauce as topping. It was hailed by all as very lovely indeed and she decided from that point on that she must make sauce.
Launching in 2015 with three flavours - gingerbread, sea-salted and liquorice - all of their uniquelyflavoured caramel sauces are hand-created using simple and natural ingredients. The sauces are completely versatile and there are really no rules of use. They can be used straight from the jar for spreading on toast and pancakes, or stirring through Greek yoghurt or a latte. When heated, they can be drizzled and poured on ice cream, waffles and desserts. They are also great in cakes, bakes and spoon well when frozen - which is great if you fancy the odd cheeky spoonful! In this month’s box, you can try their delicious gingerbread sauce - the perfect cocktail companion!
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T I P P L E R ’ S T R E AT S
Lamb & Watt Tonics date back to 1847 when Mr Ralph Lamb & Mr William Watt began sourcing only the finest available produce for their cordials. Fast-forward to today and the same ethos is at the forefront of this premium British mixer range, which can be enjoyed chilled with ice, or mixed in the perfect gin and tonic. The tonics are naturally flavoured, lowcalorie and sweetened with organic blue agave, with the added benefit of being made with spring water from the Lake District, which creates a clean crisp taste. Lamb & Watt Hibiscus Tonic boasts floral notes and the astringency and bitterness of the quinine perfectly balances with the sweetness of the hibiscus for a long candied finish.
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Sourcing only the best cacao and other premium ingredients, Chocolate and Love is a premium, organic, Fairtrade-certified, dark chocolate brand.
T I P P L E R ’ S T R E AT S
Launching in 2011, the company is family-owned by Richard O’Connor and Birgitte Hovmand. With a decision to convert to a majority organic diet while pregnant with their daughter, they struggled to find quality organic chocolate so decided to make their own. Chocolate and Love was created producing excellent quality, ethically-made 80g and 40g chocolate bars at an affordable price. Currently exporting to 35 countries worldwide, the company has won 23 Gold Great Taste Awards across their range. Their hand-painted packaging designs are the result of working closely with a talented artist from New York to capture the organic nature of the brand, the images taking inspiration from the aesthetically-rich areas the cacao beans come from. In addition to the high antioxidant levels naturally found in cocoa, each chocolate bar has the benefit of being gluten-free, GMO-free and contains no additives. The range uses cane sugar and is free from soya lecithin with six variants of the chocolate also dairy-free, making them ideal for vegans. From shipping to the wrappers, every aspect of the business is run as ethically as possible. Knowing that the business and their partners are contributing to the sustainability of the farmers through information, education and industry certification, speaks to the essence of the Chocolate and Love brand. These communities are a larger part of the Chocolate and Love family and they wouldn’t have it any other way. You can find out more about the Chocolate and Love range via ChocolateandLove.com. 1 4 - M U D D LE - THE LOVE ED I TI O N
TIPPLER’S TIPS & TRICKS
Irish Cream
& Coffee Pancakes
Recipe: Serves FIVE IRISH CREAM & COFFEE SAUCE
• • • • • • •
1 tbsp Instant Coffee 2tbsp Boiling Water 220g Caster Sugar 25g Unsalted Butter Pinch Salt 150ml Irish Cream 150ml Double Cream
IRISH CREAM WHIPPED CREAM
• 100ml Double Cream • 1 ½tbsp Icing Sugar (Sifted) • 1tbsp Irish Cream
By Jessica Duffield
Perfect fluffy Irish cream pancakes with a generous drizzle of Irish cream and coffee caramel, served with a dollop of whipped Irish cream - is there ever such a thing as too much Irish Cream? With a handful of toasted marshmallows to finish, another great serving suggestion for this stack of pancakes is to add some chopped toasted nuts, flaked almonds or chocolate shavings. If you’re making the caramel sauce in advance, place it in the fridge in an airtight container once cooled. Before using, heat the sauce in the microwave for 30-45 seconds. The flavour will develop as it sets in the fridge so bear that in mind when adding Irish cream as it will develop a stronger flavour!
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AMERICAN ST YLE IRISH CREAM PANCAKES
• • • • • • • •
140g Plain Flour (Sifted) 1tsp Baking Powder Pinch Salt 2tbsp Caster Sugar 110ml Semi-skimmed Milk 2tbsp Irish Cream 1 Egg 35g Melted Butter (Slightly cooled, plus extra for cooking) • 50g Marshmallows (Optional topping)
Discover more of Jessica’s bakes via: Blog: LifesWhatYouBakeIt.co.uk Instagram: LWYBakeIt Facebook: Life’s What You Bake It Twitter: @LWYBakeIt
Method: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
SAUCE & WHIPPED CREAM
To begin, place the butter, caster sugar and salt into a heavy-based saucepan and heat on a medium heat, stirring as needed until the sugar dissolves and it starts to turn golden brown. Take this off the heat and add 100ml of double cream and the coffee mixture, the sugar may begin to harden, but don’t worry as you’re putting it back on the heat. Return to heat on medium stirring occasionally until it all combines together. Remove from the heat and add the remaining double cream and Irish cream and thoroughly mix together to combine. Leave this to one side. It will also keep for up to seven days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To make the whipped cream simply add the double cream, Irish cream and icing sugar into a bowl and whisk to form stiff peaks.
PANCAKES
Place the plain flour, baking powder, salt and caster sugar into a bowl and mix together. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the egg and milk together, then whisk in the melted butter. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk together until you have a smooth batter, leave the batter to stand for 5 minutes. Place a frying pan over a medium heat with a knob of butter. Once melted, add 2 ice cream scoops of batter to the pan. Once the top of the pancake begins to bubble, flip it over and cook until both sides are golden brown.
FINISHING TOUCHES
To assemble the dish, stack the pancakes with a teaspoon of the warm caramel sauce between each layer and drizzle caramel over the pancakes followed by a dollop of whipped Irish cream! If topping with marshmallows, scatter them onto a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper and place in the oven for 4 minutes on 170°C.
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TIPPLER’S TIPS & TRICKS
How to Discover the Best Cocktail Bars By The Cocktail Couple
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There are people in this world that are good at lots of things, especially when it comes to cocktail culture. There are mixologists who are putting the most unique ingredients together and inventing amazing craft cocktails and there are restaurants that understand the importance of creating new recipes, utilising the proper glasses and perfecting classic cocktails. As ‘booze bloggers’ at The Cocktail Couple, we pride ourselves on being able to scope out the perfect place for cocktails, regardless of where we are. While we don’t travel outside Florida as often as we would like, we love discovering hidden gems. It starts with asking locals two important questions - where they go and what they drink. Just because a place offers deals doesn’t mean it is worth your time to go there. ‘Happy Hour’, to us, means good prices, but it also means interesting offerings. For example, some bars offer a variety of whiskey cocktails during ‘Happy Hour’ that I wouldn’t have normally tried and now love. One of the best things about going out of town and enjoying new bars is to find out what type of drinks they are serving up. Many years ago we traveled to
Seattle and I asked the bartender what the specialty of the area was and discovered St. Germaine. I think they served it with gin. Now St. Germaine is a staple in our home bar. Had I stuck with my usual go-to (which I can’t even remember what it was at the time) I would have never learned of all the wonders of St. Germaine. The favourite thing that I’ve enjoyed about this collaborative community of cocktails is meeting new people and trying new things. By having our blog, it forced us out of our cocktail comfort zone. Sometimes I will order a drink just because I know the color will be unique (hello Aviator!). By doing so, I have opened my flavour palette and made online friends with people all over the world. May all your cocktails be filled with flavour and joy. Cheers!
You can read more about The Cocktail Couple’s adventures via TheCocktailCouple.com and find them on Instagram @Cocktail_Couple!
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TIPPLER’S TREASURES
Date Night Temakinho,London Soho Colourful cocktails in a Japanese-Brazilian fusion, Temakinho is a new sustainable restaurant in the heart of Soho. Known for its tipples fusing unique tastes from Brazil and Japan, including tropical fruits and wasabi, the venue will shake up specials for the day including Caipirinhas served up alongside their Japanese and Brazilian tapas.
The Permit Room, Edinburgh Nestled beneath Dishoom lies one of Edinburgh’s hidden gems with cocktail bar The Permit Room. Open until 3am nightly, your late night cocktails await at St Andrew Square. Named after Bombay bars where permit-holders may consume alcohol, the cocktail list features drinks especially created for the capital by Daru-walla Carl Brown. Designated drivers don’t need to fret as there’s an abundance of ‘copy tipples’ with classic serves including an Old Fashioned, Whisky Sour and Martini made with alcoholfree spirit.
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Bars
Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse for you to convince your loved one it’s time to checkout a cosy cocktail corner - all in the name of love. We’ve uncovered secluded spots with drinks your guaranteed to fall in love with.
B.Y.O.C.,Brighton Take a trip to the South Lanes and discover B.Y.O.C. Brighton who are bringing back the spirit of the speakeasy to town. The unique experience, which must be booked in advance, invites you to bring an unopened bottle of your favourite spirit to their hidden-away haunt for the team of bartenders to create your drinks for the night. Armed with homemade syrups, juices and bitters, the team will aim to find your new favourite cocktail in the two-hour time slot.
The Fitzgerald, Manchester Dig out your gladrags for some Gatsby glamour at Manchester’s The Fitzgerald. Located in the Northern quarter, the delectable drinks will have you partying like it’s 1925. With regular events, live music and DJs, you can take a trip back in time and revel in the romance of the famed cocktail era.
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TIPPLER’S TOAST
CO M P ETI TI ON T IME It’s Tequila Time! We’ve teamed up with one of this month’s featured distilleries for your chance to win a Valentine’s treat for your loved one! This month, we’re giving away a bottle of Tequila Rose, as featured in our Love Potion cocktail, for you to add some love to your drink cabinet. The sweet strawberry flavoured cream liqueur with a splash of premium Mexican tequila is the perfect match for your Valentine’s tipples. For your chance to win, simply visit Tipple Box on Facebook and enter via our Giveaway section!
T&Cs apply.
NEXT MONTH
THE SPRING EDITION
Margaritas for Mother’s Day, tips on how enjoy World Absinthe Day and insider knowledge on the finest chocolate liqueurs for your Easter celebrations.
We’re waving goodbye to the cold and dark nights as our March edition marks the start of spring.
Our March Tipple Box will feature two cocktails with Elephant Gin, ready to put a spring in your step.
It’s a month overflowing with events so we’ll be shaking up a concoction of tales with plenty of cocktail making tips for those pending occasions.
Let us know what you think of this month’s edition on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and don’t forget to #TagMyTipple to be in with the chance of winning a Tipple Box Barware Set!
We’ve hints on how to make mouthwatering 21 - M U D D LE - T HE LOV E E DITION
TIPPLER’S TOAST
# TAGMY TIPP L E Shake to win! For your chance to win a Tipple Box Barware Set, simply share any photos of your Tipple Box cocktails with us using #TagMyTipple on social media to enter our monthly competition! One lucky winner will receive our bespoke barware set and see their photo published in Muddle Magazine. The set contains all the equipment you need to create cocktails in your home, including a shaker, bar spoon, bar blade and jigger. Our latest winner is subscriber Suzie Maitland who shared her Breakfast Martini with a tasty toast garnish! For more cocktail inspiration, check out our Instagram to see photos from cocktail lovers across the UK who have enjoyed a tipple or two!
@TippleBox #TagMyTipple
Enjoying your Tipple Box? Check out our shop to discover the latest cocktail and spirit boxes. Our curated boxes contain everything you need to enjoy delicious drinks at home, using premium spirits from distilleries across the UK. There’s still time to enjoy our February box with love inspired cocktails - simply join our Cocktail Club this month! Shop now via TIPPLEBOX.COM 2 2 - M U D D LE - THE LOVE ED I TI O N
Forget everything you’ve learned before about Irish Cream liqueurs. Coole Swan is no ordinary drink. This Irish Spirit will have you from the first taste.
We make it differently – it is a unique blend of Single malt Irish Whiskey, Belgian White Chocolate & Effortlessly Light Fresh Cream....
A Pa�i�a� Spir� www.cooleswan.com