Review: Craft Gin Club

I've been looking at gin clubs for a while. I love the idea of getting a different gin through my door each month with a selection of goodies to accompany. 

There are lots to try - some are less money each month, some come with smaller-sized bottles, some with full 75cl bottle, some with more goodies etc etc. It was a minefield! 

Of course I shared my
gin box to Insta! 

So, I turned to my friend Sarah who is the Gin-Guru behind the blog Gin a Ding Ding for advice. She has a handy review on her website of Gin Subscription services and I subsequently decided on the Craft Gin Club.

I officially bought the subscription for Father's Day (but you know it's mine) and my first box had a £12 discount so cost £28 instead of £40. I liked the fact it came with a full-sized bottle and I could switch the subscription on and off when I liked.

"Our" first box arrived in July. It was really exciting because we got lots of emails telling us it was coming and we didn't know what the gin would be or the extras included within it. And then, it finally arrived and I obviously couldn't open it because it was technically the husband's. It was so exciting I even sent him a photo of the box.

And, we were really pleased with our first box. The full-sized gin was Theodore Pictish Gin from Scotland which we had never heard of but came in a fabulous bottle. The goodies were really interesting with everything from dried Grapefruit to Salted Caramel Marshmallows. There was also a magazine packed with information about the gin and different cocktails to make using the ingredients provided.

The recommendation was to drink the Pictish gin with Fentimans Pink Rhubarb tonic water and a slice of the dried grapefruit. It was so delicious! The gin is quite spicy and, for me, the strong flavours were of cardamom, ginger and pink pepper which coupled perfectly with the rhubarb and grapefruit.

I especially loved the 3/4oz Spritz Syrup. I love an Aperol Spritz so it's nice to try a non alcoholic alternative as well as the different suggestions for cocktails using the syrup. 

Overall, we were very impressed and felt the box was exiting, interesting and represented good value for money. Can't wait for the August box! 

Welcome back (to me)

Well, it's been almost exactly two years since I last posted a blog post. What have I been doing?

I guess over the last two years, time has run away from me a bit. Since I last posted, I've had another child, moved house, we've expanded our office at work, won a local award.

Since I last blogged, my family
has expanded

I just haven't had time. Or at least, I haven't found the time.

But I was recently talking to the lovely winemaker Nina Stocker at a Naked Wines tasting event in London. She asked me if I still did my blog (which I thought was super nice of her to remember given I think I'd only met her once before). And, it made me think how much I missed having something for me away from work and the kids and the piles and piles of washing (and the boxes of "stuff" I still haven't unpacked since moving).

Naked Wines Archangel

I still drink wine (and quite a bit of gin these days), I still travel (although now with two kids in tow), I'm still an Archangel at Naked Wines (but perhaps not the most prolific contributor to the Naked Wines forums) and I still love eating out whenever I can.

Winning an award with work

My other huge passion is green issues. I am a member of the Green Party and try wherever possible to be eco friendly.

So, I *think* I still have something to say and I'm going to give this blogging lark another go. Please bear with me as I may not be regular, I may be slightly less drunk and sociable than previously, but I shall try my best. And, if there is anything you'd like me to write about, please just drop me an email. You should be able to contact me through this blog.