Tag Archives: triple sec

Tonic at Home: Cosmopolitan

There was a long while when the Cosmopolitan was ‘my’ cocktail, mainly because it was so easy to make – and absolutely nothing to do with any TV shows, honest! 😉 Vodka, cranberry juice, and orange liqueur – Cointreau for me, Triple sec in the Tonic at Home cocktail – simple and delicious!

Of course, that just means that when I’m trying a new ‘version’, my first reaction was more along the lines of “Hmm, that doesn’t taste quite right.” I think the difference is that Tonic adds sugar and some chemicals, and I don’t really feel they’re in the drink’s favour at all. I’m also fond of the ‘twist’ of lime juice usually added, so sweet definitely feels a bit wrong here.

Tonic at Home Cosmopolitan cocktail

That said, it’s still very drinkable, and it did grow on me as I finished the cocktail (hic). Still, far from my favourite from the Mix and Match hamper – I think I’ll stick to doing this one myself, with just three ingredients and my own control over relative quantities.

Tonic at Home: Watermeloooan

So… which of the Tonic at Home cocktails that came in my Mix and Match selection seemed best to suit a sunny bank holiday? Several seemed likely – and fruity! – candidates, but let’s go with… the Watermeloooan!

I have no idea why it’s spelled like that, no o.O

Again, I forgot to take any photos (you’ll spot a theme here as this ‘series’ goes on, you really will!) so here’s the one from Tonic themselves again:Tonic at Home Watermeloooan cocktail

The ingredients include:

  • Olemca Altos Tequila (I had a lesson once in why good tequila is good and bad tequila not – worth a few extra £!)
  • cranberry juice
  • watermelon syrup
  • orgeat (an almond and rose syrup, apparently)
  • grenadine (another syrup, most famed for the red colour – used in Tequila Sunrise)
  • triple sec (orange liqueur)

I’m going to state right off that I don’t see me trying to replicate this one at home – watermelon syrup and orgeat are both missing from my ‘cocktail cupboard’, and I wasn’t so keen on this cocktail to spend £20 buying a couple of bottles (or, heaven forbid, trying to make syrups even though they are totally easy honest o.O).

Now, I’m in two minds about watermelon. As a fruit – not so keen. I love melon, but the watermelon is well-named and just watery. Flavourless. Despite that, there is such a thing as ‘watermelon flavour’, which I’ve enjoyed in soft drinks (J20 do a refreshing one) and perhaps least authentically but most memorably: Nerd sweets. Am I showing my age?! Used to really love the watermelon ones of those!

Absolutely none of that comes across in this cocktail. It’s not unpleasant, but it is… disappointing. It tastes rather artificial, too. I suppose I’d drink it again if handed one, but I very definitely won’t be going looking for it.

Still, first disappointment, and it’s just a ‘meh’ rather than an out and out complaint.