manchesterfoodtourist Many years ago… like a couple of decades ago, I used to work in bars at the weekend, not for the money (Working a night or two paid peanuts, due to tax on a second income), but more for the love of producing some great cocktails for people to enjoy.
I do love a good cocktail, however the problem with making cocktails at home is simply the huge number of different bottles you’d have to keep stocked up on, to produce all the different drinks, plus the time it takes.
On top of this, there is also the skill in making them – ok, so I make an alright espresso martini maker, but many of my other cocktails are a little hit and miss these days.
Then Mixtales caught my eye.
Mixtales was founded by 2 people who worked in 5 star hotels and catered events for many years, producing an array of cocktails that both entertained and pleased.
After receiving interest in their cocktails, their ingredients and their recipes, they decided to come up with a concept to help share some of the cocktails with a wider audience.
Catering for both the home cocktail maker and the complete novice, Mixtales started to produce cocktail kits to order online. These first kits simply put together all the ingredients, along with a recipe, required to produce the cocktails in your own home, allowing the buyer to not only enjoy them, but to wow family and friends with their creations.
Kits include such delights as a Black Cherry Margarita to a Cloudy 1925 which includes their own 5 Spiced Syrup.
The for those that were uncomfortable with the mixing, or for those that simply want to sit back and enjoy a single cocktail with ease (That’s me!), they also have a range of premixed options.
I was sent one of the pre-mixed options to try out and review. It was one of my favourites, but something I never produce at home, an Old Fashioned.
Coming in a 70cl bottle, their old fashioned is a classic mix of Markers Mark Bourbon, MixTales very own Bitters and a handmade sugarcane syrup.
So just after I get in from work, after a tough day, it’s time to give it a try.
All I have to do is pour is over some ice, then garnish with the dehydrated orange that it also came with and there it is, my Old Fashioned, ready to be enjoyed.
The nose is smokey and welcoming with a touch of orange sweetness, definitely not something I would have been able to knock up myself.
Then we come to the flavour. It is probably one of the better Old Fashioned I have had, although the first taste was a little sweeter then I would go for, it wasn’t long before I’m sipping away.
At 28% ABV, this goes down very easily and I had to refrain from pouring a top up (I still had dinner to prepare).
Overall I think this Cocktail was great, definitely far superior than any purchased ‘Pre-mix’ cocktail I’ve ever had. These are clearly made with the same love and dedication as would be shown if they were mixing it there in front of you behind a bar, just without having to have a bar and bar person in your kitchen.
Other ready made cocktail solutions include favourites like a Porn-star Martini or Cosmopolitan, to something a little bit different such as a Passionfruit Ginger Caipirinha or a Pineapple and Sage Mojito.
You can checkout all the available options by visiting their website here
Disclaimer
Mixtales was sent to me to try and review free of charge, the thoughts and opinions within the review are the sole opinions of Manchester Food Tourist, with no input from Mixtales.
