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Warm Up Your Bonfire Night With Fortified Wine, Mead & Cocktails

This Bonfire Night, take your celebration to the next level with a selection of warming drinks that go beyond the ordinary.

Raise A Glass To Bonfire Night, Add Sparkle With Warming Wines

Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night, is the perfect time to gather around a crackling fire, enjoy the crisp autumn air, and indulge in warming alcoholic drinks. While traditional mulled wine and hot chocolate are always popular, this year, celebrate with a selection of fortified wines, mead, and cocktails? These drinks not only offer rich, complex flavours but also bring a sense of warmth and comfort that's perfect for a chilly November evening.

Fortified Wine

Port Wine In November

Rich, Warming & Perfect For Sipping

Fortified wines like port, sherry, and madeira are ideal for Bonfire Night. These wines are fortified with a distilled spirit, usually brandy, which increases their alcohol content and enhances their flavours, making them perfect for sipping by the fire.

  • Port: A classic choice for cold nights, offering deep, rich flavours of dark fruits, chocolate, and spices. Serve it slightly warmed in small glasses, or pair it with a slice of rich fruitcake or cheese for a luxurious treat
  • Sherry: Sherry comes in a range of styles, from the dry, nutty fino sherry to the sweet and luscious pedro ximenez. For Bonfire Night, try a medium-sweet amontillado or oloroso sherry. They have a warming, slightly spicy character that pairs beautifully with roasted chestnuts or caramelised nuts
  • Madeira: With its complex flavours of caramel, nuts, and dried fruits, Madeira is a robust and versatile fortified wine. It’s excellent on its own, but also works well in cocktails or paired with rich, savoury snacks like sausage rolls or meat pies
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Mead

Ancient Mead For Bonfire Night

The Ancient Drink With Modern Appeal

Mead, made from fermented honey, is one of the world’s oldest alcoholic beverages. Its natural sweetness and warming qualities make it a fantastic choice for Bonfire Night.

  • Traditional Mead: Serve it warmed, with a slice of orange and a cinnamon stick for a cosy, spiced drink that’s perfect for the season
  • Spiced Mead: Some meads are made with added spices, such as cloves, nutmeg, or ginger, which enhance their warming qualities. These spiced meads are excellent for sipping by the fire or pairing with gingerbread or spiced cookies
  • Mead Cocktails: Mead can also be used as a base for cocktails. Try mixing mead with a splash of whiskey and a squeeze of lemon juice for a honeyed take on a classic hot toddy
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Cocktails

Sparkling Cocktails For Firework Celebrations

Creative Concoctions To Impress Your Guests

For those who love to mix things up, cocktails are a great way to incorporate fortified wine and mead into your Bonfire Night drinks menu.

  • Hot Buttered Rum With A Twist: Add a splash of spiced rum to hot apple cider, then stir in a dollop of butter and a spoonful of honey. Top it off with a splash of mead for a rich, comforting drink with a hint of sweetness
  • Spiced Port And Brandy Punch: Combine port, brandy, and a selection of warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and star anise in a large pot. Heat gently, then serve in mugs with a twist of orange peel. This punch is perfect for serving a crowd and will keep everyone warm and toasty
  • Sherry Old Fashioned: Give the classic Old Fashioned a seasonal twist by using amontillado sherry instead of whiskey. Add a sugar cube, a few dashes of bitters, and a twist of orange peel for a sophisticated, warming cocktail
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Perfect Bonfire Night Pairings

Food Pairings With Port

Drinks & Bonfire Night Treats

No Bonfire Night celebration is complete without some delicious snacks to accompany your drinks. Consider pairing your fortified wines, meads, and cocktails with traditional treats like:

  • Toffee Apples: The sweetness of toffee apples pairs wonderfully with the rich, caramel notes of madeira or a sweet mead
  • Sausage Rolls: The savoury, flaky goodness of sausage rolls is an excellent match for the robust flavours of port or a spiced sherry
  • Parkin Cake: This traditional gingerbread-like cake, made with oats and treacle, is perfect with a glass of mead or a spiced cocktail

Celebrate Bonfire Night With Taylors Port