A Short Story of Elderflower Picking

We now stock 3 products that use elderflower, an Elderflower Vinegar, an Elderflower Vodka Liqueur and an Elderflower Cordial. However, it was as a result of demand for our Elderflower Vinegar, that was first developed along with Mrs Anne Sinclair at West Craigie Farm near Edinburgh in the Summer of 2005, that we first started picking elderflower each year. Since its introduction, Anne has continued to work her magic on many harvests of elderflower, creating our delicious flavoured vinegar which has become both a staple of our Demijohn food cupboard and a huge favourite of many of our customers the World over.

Uses for Elderflower Vinegar

Elderflower Vinegar can be used for dressing salads with olive oil or infused oils, as in our Elderflower Vinaigrette. It can be mixed with soda, ice and lemon to make a healthy soft drink and used within many inspired recipes, when baking cakes and meringues or included in cocktails such as our Lemon Weegie.

Heading for the hedgerows

By 2006, popularity for our Elderflower Vinegar had increased tremendously and we ran out of the vital ingredient needed to make enough of it. We simply needed more elderflower.

So each year since 2006 we have closed up our shops and, with nearly all our Demijohn Staff or Demijohnnies as they are known, headed to the rural hedgerows to forage for the elusive elderflower.

We have picked naturally occurring, organic elderflower, in some of the most beautiful spots imaginable. This is a short pictorial record of the many elderflower picks we have undertaken over the years. They have taken place around beautiful farmland in West Yorkshire, owned by one of our rapeseed oil producers the Kilby family, throughout historic woodlands in and around Edinburgh to the hedgerows of the famous Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire.

Picking at Gleneagles Hotel

Our Elderflower Vinegar’s popularity increased further in 2018, when both The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh and The Gleneagles Hotel in Perthshire decided to use it to dress salads within their restaurants. As demand increased, so supply was strained and we realised we would need a new source of elderflower.

So in the Summer of 2019, and after quite a bit of planning, we persuaded Executive Chef Richard Dalgleish and his many Kitchen Staff from The Gleneagles Hotel to allow us to plunder the hedgerows in and around the golf courses and gardens of the hotel.

Such was the extreme nature of the event we decided to also make a film of our day, produced by ex Demijohnnie and film maker, Callum Downs, our Glasgow Shop Manager at the time. Callum’s film shown on this page, The Elderflower Pick, is a beautiful portrayal of a memorable day, capturing some of the splendour of The Gleneagles Hotel and the fun of an elderflower pick.

It is not always easy..

Arranging the annual elderflower pick has not always been easy. After a record picking year in 2019, it has been a very different story for 2020. The Summer of 2020 has been dogged by movement restrictions as a result of the Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic lockdown, and as a result of a very hot Spring the blossom formed early on the elder.

As a result we had to organise our annual pick in mid June, and decided to mobilise our family, rather than our team of Demijonnies from our York shop, to conduct the pick on our own farm, Glenlair, in South West Scotland.

The fruits of our labour mean we will have some Elderflower Vinegar to sell, however our picking were meagre in comparison to previous years. We therefore anticipate an early sell out during 2020 sadly.

The happy news is that we will determinedly continue to pick elderflower for our Elderflower Vinegar in the many years to come.

Such is its continued popularity, our advice is always to buy it as soon as you need it, to avoid disappointment if we sell out earlier than expected.

A Day in the life of an Elderflower Picker

A day of picking elderflower involves getting up early and being prepared for all types of weather, as it could be red hot causing everyone to suffer sunburn or so wet there is even a chance of hypothermia!

Long trousers and welly boots are a must, as our romantic images may show a gentle activity, but nature has decided elder should grow in areas that are normally full of angry stinging nettles and brambles.

Plenty of energetic activity and fresh air are rewarded by a generous pickers lunch. A healthy homemade selection of food including Elderflower Cake for the Pickers, and of course some of our fantastic Demijohn cocktails and mocktails to wash it all down with. It can be a lovely relaxed piece of the day.

The pick generally ends with a pickers tea during the weigh in, where we calculate how much elderflower has actually been gathered in all the many bin liners. The precious haul is then packed up and dispatched as quickly as possible to Anne’s Kitchen in Edinburgh, to be initially frozen prior to being turned into her now famous Elderflower Vinegar.

When to pick?

Elderflower is the blossom of the native British Elder Tree and flowers generally in late June or early July in Great Britain. It can normally be picked within a 3 week window, which could be earlier or later in the Summer, depending on how far South one is picking or if we have had a very hot Spring that year. Sometimes a 6th sense, or elderflower nose, is required to gauge the optimum moment to mobilise the pickers.

Elderflower picking is more of an art therefore, than a sport. We wish you the best of luck if you too wish to head to the hedgerows and have a go at picking the elusive elderflower yourself, whether to make Elderflower Vinegar, Elderflower Vodka Liqueur, Elderflower Cordial or Elderflower Champagne.

The time is late April and the temperature is rising sharply here at Demijohn HQ in South West Scotland. The brilliant Spring sunshine has brought out in us a sudden craving for all things salad....

The simple need for fresh green salad leaves, dressed with something delicious such as our Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Oil Vinaigrette, is the best way to finally shrug off those winter blues and make us all feel fit, healthy and ready for a red hot Summer of freedoms beyond our wildest dreams.

Our firm belief is that salads only really taste as good as the dressing you drizzle on them. Luckily our selection of oils and vinegars are now so varied we are almost spoilt for choice. However, there is one ingredient that quietly exudes quality yet is almost hidden from view, Walnut Oil.

Our Walnut Oil, pressed from hand picked East Sussex walnuts has a magnificent depth of flavour, that when mixed with both our Raspberry Vinegar and our Apply Vinegar can make an irresistible, creamy vinaigrette. Just about any salad leaf is suddenly turned from something a little bit boring into the most deliciously lip smacking treat on the planet.

Ingredients:

• 50ml Walnut Oil
• 50ml Raspberry Vinegar
• 50ml Apple Vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• Ground black pepper to taste

Preparation

To make your vinaigrette, place the ingredients in an empty Demijohn bottle (200ml capacity or greater) or other suitable container, seal it and then shake vigorously. Prepare a large bowl of delicious fresh green salad leaves and then liberally dress the leaves.

We would recommend you try this dressing on our Spinach and Walnut Salad with Goats Cheese and Apple, we think it is simple to make and works rather well.

How to buy the ingredients for this recipe

We have created two sizes of easy to purchase gift sets that include the 3 main ingredients required to make this vinaigrette, the Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing Set (Nocturne 350ml bottles) and Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing Set (Fila 100ml bottles).

Related topics

Spinach and Walnut Salad with Goats Cheese and Apple

Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing Set (Nocturne 350ml bottles)

Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing Set (Fila 100ml bottles)

Elderflower Vinegar and Lemon Oil Vinaigrette

A Simple Basil and Tomato Salad

We think the World is in need of more really good salad recipes, like our Spinach and Walnut Salad with Goats Cheese and Apple.

Salads should always be simple to make, taste edible when naked and taste spectacular once properly dressed with a vinaigrette. In this way they can be rustled together within a few minutes for a quick, light lunch outside in the Summer sun, or to accompany a larger meal.

For this particular salad we would recommended our Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Oil Vinaigrette.

This dressing uses our Walnut Oil which creates a spectacular creamy depth of flavour, bringing the spinach leaves to life and complimenting the Goats Cheese beautifully. Our Walnut Oil is handmade for us in East Sussex, using handpicked walnuts. 

As an alternative dressing do consider also our Elderflower Vinegar and Lemon Oil Vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

• 10 cups of baby Spinach leaves
• 1/2 cup of toasted Walnuts
• 1/3 cup Goats Cheese
• Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Oil Vinaigrette

Preparation

Trim, wash and dry the baby spinach leaves and place in a large bowl. Chop up both walnuts and goat cheese into required bite size pieces and add to the bowl, mixing all contents thoroughly.

Prepare some Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Oil Vinaigrette in accordance with our recipe.

Finally, toss the salad in your vinaigrette, ensuring all the spinach leaves are coated well. Serve on large plates, possibly along with freshly baked bread, and provide any remaining dressing on the table for your guests to add more as required.

How to buy the ingredients for the vinaigrette

We have created two sizes of easy to purchase sets that include the 3 main ingredients required to make our Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Oil Vinaigrettte.

Purchase either our Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing Set (Nocturne 350ml bottles) or Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing Set (Fila 100ml bottles) depending on the quantity required.

Related topics

Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing Set (Nocturne 350ml bottles)

Raspberry, Apple and Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing Set (Fila 100ml bottles)

Elderflower Vinegar and Lemon Oil Vinaigrette

A Simple Basil and Tomato Salad

I had a nervously experimental attempt at making these the other day, really in preparation for a family tea party during the Easter holidays.

Much to my surprise they turned out like a very edible little rock cake, and a potential Easter gift for all the family to enjoy. In fact, since the children now tell me that they don't eat figs I've almost scoffed the lot!

Ingredients

Total time:30 mins

• 130 g sugar + sugar to dust the cookies/cake
• 100 ml unsalted butter
• 100 ml Demijohn Traditional Honey Mead 14%
• ½ teaspoon of baking powder (8 g approx.)
• 150 g of chopped dried figs
• 300 g plain flour

Preparation

1. Beat together the sugar and butter and then slowly add the mead. Add the chopped dried figs, then mix in the flour sifted with baking powder.

2. Let the dough rest for about ten minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Using your hands, shape the dough into walnut-size balls, then press them gently to flatten.

5. Coat the cookies with sugar to make them crisp once baked.

6. Space them evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until golden but still soft in the centre.

7. Cool completely on the pan on a wire rack them from the oven and let cool in the pan.

They keep well for a few days in a tin box.

Easter is a great moment for giving gifts to family and friends, such as our Chocolate Rum Ration pictured.

However, this year the latest Pandemic lockdown has made sending thoughtful gifts to those we love even more important and, crucially, a need for them to be both sustainable and consumable.

Demijohn is a very sustainable and eco-conscious food and drink retailer and our range of mail order gifts are as eco-friendly as you can get. All mail order packaging is compostable and our bottles are all refillable via our new Mail Order Refill Service or at all Demijohn farm shop concession outlets.

Demijohn’s Chocolate Egg with a Difference is a ball of delicious cream liqueur, and possibly the best, grown up liquid Easter egg to be found.

Made in Devon, the Chocolate & Coffee Cream Liqueur's flavour is moreish and contains an amazing blend of dark chocolate, rich Devonshire cream, Apple Brandy and Espresso Coffee. Less sweet than other cream liqueurs, it is the essence of Easter in a bottle.

The beautiful 500ml Sfera bottle can be slipped in among the children’s Easter eggs for the grown ups to enjoy on Easter day. Priced at just £29.80 it is the perfect Easter gift for any chocolate lover.

Another great example of a fun Easter gift for vodka lovers, is our Raspberry and Lime Vodka Stack

The set is made up of two refillable, stackable 250ml bottles and priced at £35.10. This combination of delicious handmade fruit vodkas, not only make an attractive gift set but they can be used to make the popular Demijohn Raspberry Fresh Cocktail

All Demijohn drinks can be drunk straight from the bottle over ice, or if you are feeling inventive make one of our delicious and unusual cocktails listed on our website. For added gifting, Demijohn will write a short personal message on the bottles which makes it an extra special present this Easter.

Send your thoughts and love to others by visiting the Demijohn website to order your Easter treats. Browse the full range of our new Easter gifts via: https://www.demijohn.co.uk/gift-ideas/easter-gifts

- Ends -

Note to Editors:

Demijohn was founded in Edinburgh in 2004 by Angus and Frances Ferguson. They source unusual, delicious artisan liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars from around the UK and Europe and sell them in a wide range of re-useable glass bottles via their international mail order service and farm shop concessions. Each bottle can have a free hand written personalised message added. Gift wrapping is also available.

Demijohn, Glenlair Farm, Castle Douglas, DG7 3DF

Tel: +44 845 604 8350   www.demijohn.co.uk

Demijohn Farm Shop Concessions:

https://www.demijohn.co.uk/store-locator

For photography, further press information or press samples, please contact: Angus Ferguson at Demijohn

Tel: +44 845 604 8350   Email: info@demijohn.co.uk

Autumn is looming and I greedily salvage the last of the ripening tomatoes and exuberantly bolting lettuces before the imminent frosts turn them all the dreary mush. Unexpectantly warm late summer days call for a final summer soup but my home-grown cherry tomatoes are far too precious (and few and far between) to blitz into soup so this marvellous recipe is the perfect answer.

Fresh, summery, full of vitamin C, and a delightful vehicle for lashings of health boosting and delicious Extra Virgin Olive Oil. As an added bonus it entirely dispenses with the need for all the boiling water faff of skinning fresh tomatoes too.

This delicious Gazpacho, perfected by the impressive culinary talents of a talented family friend, has come to my rescue in my battle against many a greenish, or even mud-brown Gazpacho recipe. Delightfully quick to make and using very simple ingredients it satisfies my family's insatiable enthusiasm for SOUP and yet dispels any gloomy hint of a Scots root vegetable broth in the summer months.

Ingredients:

• ½ shallot (chopped roughly)
• ½ cucumber (also chopped roughly)
• 1 Red pepper (roughly chopped)
• 1 pinch of ground cumin
• 800g tin of tomatoes
• Approx 60ml of wine vinegar
• Approx 140ml of either Kabbadates Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Monterosa Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Place the ingredients in a blender and whizz until smooth. Adjust your seasoning and oil and vinegar if needed to taste. Serve cold topped with croutons of wholemeal or sourdough bread fried in some of our Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Thanks to the inclusion of the eponymous carrot these Carrot Cake Muffins seem to carry more virtue on their fluffy shoulders than other cakes, though I do have to occassionally remind the Demijohnnies that they really don't count as part of their 5 a day!

However, they are both delicious and can, thanks to their entirely non-dairy ingredients, also be happily munched by our vegan supporters too. The use of our Perthshire Rapeseed Oil ensures a truly moist and sweet, carrotty cake. A word of warning, when served at the garden tea table the Demijohn hens also took a shine to them and managed to steal one from the tea table – so guard your Carrot cake Muffins well!

Ingredients

• 100g Self raising flour
• ½ tsp ground mixed spice
• 100g golden caster sugar
• 75ml Perthshire Rapeseed Oil
• 50ml non-dairy milk (we used an instant home-made version of oat milk which seemed to work!)
• ½ banana, mashed well
• 125g carrot, peeled and grated.

Preparation

Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Line a six hole muffin tray with case. (Mine is for large muffins, a cupcake tray will make twice as many). Mix the flour, mixed spice and sugar in a bowl. Then add the Perthshire Rapeseed Oil, oat milk and banana, followed by the grated carrot. Divide the mixture between the muffin cases and bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and golden. 

The sweet spiciness of our Rhubarb and Ginger Cordial is the perfect addition to my Rhubarb Ice Cream recipe to lift the richness of the double cream used in this indulgent mix.

One of the first things in our garden to burst into leaf, and very enthusiastically, is the rhubarb. The sprouting crowns are one minute emerging from the earth like tiny aliens, the next we are surrounded by thick dark leaves shading out everything they can! It's the work of a moment to seize a few tender stems, and I recommend getting them early when they are sweetest, and stewing them to make some deliciously rich Rhubarb Ice Cream.

Not everyone in our family is as fanatically gingery as I am so rather than adding a significant amount of ginger to create a Rhubarb and Ginger Ice Cream I like to team a scoop of this with a gingery butter biscuit to achieve pudding perfection.

Rhubarb Ice Cream Ingredients

• 500g washed and chopped stems of spring Rhubarb
• 75g granulated sugar
• 600ml double cream
• 75ml Rhubarb and Ginger Cordial undiluted.

Preparation

My sugar to rhubarb ratio is rarely measured so please feel free to add only a little of the sugar at the start of cooking and adjust to taste after cooking while the rhubarb is still hot. Stew the rhubarb in a lidded pan over a medium heat until the stems are tender throughout but only just starting to fall apart.

Once cooked and cooled remove half the rhubarb mixture (approx 250g) and puree it. Stir into the cream, add the Rhubarb and Ginger cordial and finally the remaining un-puréed cooked rhubarb. Pour the mixture into an ice-cream maker, or alternatively whisk into an ice-cream tub and put into the freezer removing every half hour or so to beat and break up any ice-crystals.

Gingery Butter Biscuit Ingredients

• 100g soft unsalted butter
• 50g caster sugar
• 150g self raising flour
• 1 tsp ground ginger

Beat the butter and sugar until creamed then add the flour and ginger and mix together gently to form a dough. Roll into small balls about cherry sized and space well apart on a lined baking tray. Dip the tines of a fork in cold water and use it to flatten the biscuits. Bake in a preheated oven at 180degreesC or 160fan, gas mark 4, for about 15 minutes.

Allow to cool on a wire rack and then perch one on a scoop of delicious Rhubarb Ice Cream and and a swirl of stewed rhubarb and eat. For a more intense gingery dessert, try a splash of our handmade Ginger Wine 14.5% over your Rhubarb Ice Cream.

Other Rhubarb Recipes

Rhubarb and Mead Pavlova

Easy Rhubarb and Ginger Wine Trifles

Vinegar is well-reknowned for making meringues more chewy and marshmallowey so I experimented with our deliciously rich Tayberry Vinegar in a batch of meringues to add an extra fruity dimension to a raspberry fool.

With just the slightest touch of additional fruity sweetness these seemed to be quite well received. Any of our range of delicious fruit vinegars would serve as well in these, next on the list will be Elderflower Vinegar meringues once the midsummer elderflowers are harvested.

Meringues with a touch of Tayberry

Ingredients:

• 3 large egg whites
• 175g caster sugar
• 4 tsp Tayberry Vinegar
• Whipping or double cream to serve

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to fan 100C/ conventional oven 120C. Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff peaks are formed. Add the sugar, a spoonful at a time, whisking well until all the sugar has been added. Once the mixture is back to the peak stage whisk in the Tayberry Vinegar a teaspoonful at a time.

Take care not to over-whisk or your meringue mix will collapse. Once all the vinegar has been incorporated and the egg whites are stiff once more gently spoon it into a piping bag and pipe small meringues onto a lined baking tray each about 3” diameter. You may need several baking sheets for this, I used 3.

Bake the meringues in the oven for 1 to 1 ½ hours until they are a creamy colour and can be easily lifted from the baking sheet without sticking. Turn off the oven and leave the door ajar to allow the meringues to cool slowly. Serve sandwiched together with freshly whipped cream alongside a tart fruit fool.

Demijohn HQ is currently having to double as home-school depot and so I feel it is my duty, as catering department, to provide an occassional break-time treat to buoy the spirits as we all tussle with tech!

This indulgent cake seems to go down well with all ages and was just as welcome for those of us who left school a moment or two ago and are finding it an interesting challenge to aid and supervise. Fortunately Mr Mill's morning PE exercises will be going some way to burning it all off again too!

By using our wonderfully fresh Perthshire Rapeseed Oil this recipe ensures that this rich Chocolate Fudge Cake is as rich and fudgy as its name requires.

Chocolate Fudge Cake

Ingredients:

• 175g Self Raising Flour
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 150g caster sugar
•  2 tbsp Golden Syrup
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 150ml Perthshire Rapeseed oil, plus extra to grease the tins.
• 150ml semi-skimmed milk

Icing ingredients:

• 100g unsalted butter
• 225g icing sugar
• 40g cocoa powder
• 2 1/2 tbsp of milk (a little more if needed)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 4/ 180°C/160°C {Fan Assisted]
Grease two 8 inch cake tins and line the bases with parchment.

Seive the flour into a bowl, and stir in the cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and caster sugar.

Make a well in the centre and add the syrup, eggs, sunflower oil and milk and beat well,until smooth, with a whisk, either hand held or electric. (I feel sure the aforementioned Mr Mill the P.E. Teacher would approve of the hand held version more)

Divide the mixture between the two cake tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until risen and firm to the touch.

Allow them to cool in the tin for 10 minutes or so before turning out onto a wire rack.

Icing:

Beat the butter until it is soft then gradually seive in the icing sugar and cocoa powder and add enough milk to make the icing fluffy and spreadable. 

Sandwich the 2 cakes together with butter icing and cover the sides and top of the cake with more butter icing. Additional decorations can be added by creative pupils needing a break from academia!

Like so many others we've found it incredibly hard to get hold of flour during the Covid-19 Lockdown of Spring 2020. Since an initial flurry of baking our supplies have vanished and we've had to think of flour free sweet treats to bring those little moments of indulgent luxury to life.

These incredibly rich liqueur truffles fit the bill perfectly. If you're lucky and manage to hide a few away in the freezer they would make a lovely Father's Day gift idea too and can buy the drinks required easily in our Egg Box of Delights Father's Day Gift Set. They're also incredibly easy to make, if a bit sticky!

Boozy Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

• 300g dark chocolate (70% cocoa content is best)
• 300ml double cream
• 50g butter
• 30ml Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23%
• 30ml Seville Orange Gin Liqueur 26%
• 30ml Morello Cherry Brandy Liqueur 17%
• 30ml Raspberry Vodka Liqueur 22%
• 30ml Spiced Rum Liqueur 20%
• 30ml Sloe Gin 22%

Chocolate coatings:

• Pistachio kernels, crushed
• Cocoa powder
• Orange zest
• Dessicated coconut
• Icing sugar or Hundreds of thousands.
• Granulated sugar or chocolate vermicelli
• Melted chocolate

Preparation:

Chop the chocolate as finely as possible and place in a bowl. Warm the cream in a pan with the butter until the butter is melted and the cream is steaming but not boiling. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and stir well until the chocolate is all melted and stirred together with the cream.

Now divide your mixture into six bowls and add the liqueurs to each, add a teaspoonful at a time and keep mixing. Adjust the quantity according to taste. Put your bowls of ganache into the fridge and allow to cool for as long as possible. We left ours for a little over an hour, longer would be better! 

Once the ganache is thoroughly cooled shape the chocolates. A melon baller would be much neater than my attempts with two teaspoons but since they are home-made I thought that we could get away with the rustic look! If your ganache is really well chilled dip the melon baller/spoon in hot water to help it shape the chocolates. Roll each chocolate in your chosen coating.

We used cocoa powder for the Seville Orange truffles decorated with a miniscule sliver of orange zest, crushed pistachios for the Mead truffles and desiccated coconut for the Spiced Rum Truffles but use your imagination! Sugar or chocolate vermicelli would also make a good coating had we had any in the cupboard.

Finally, store your chocolates in an airtight box in the fridge or freeze if keeping for more than a few days.

How do I buy the liqueurs for this recipe?

The 6 liqueurs we used in our Boozy Truffles Recipe are the same as those contained on our Egg Box of Delights Father's Day Gift Set. However, you can quickly vary the quantities and type of each drink you use via our Liqueurs page.

The beautiful spring weather that has appeared seems the perfect herald for a culinary highpoint in my year: British Asparagus season!

Each year, having shunned the imported variety that can be found in the supermarket, I get ridiculously over-excited when the bundles of British grown asparagus spears become available. Our favourite asparagus recipe is Scortched Asparagus Spears, where you simply BBQ asparagus using a little Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar.

This year, we have been promised an extended area of vegetable garden so I am proposing that, at last, we plant a row. This will, of course, herald the next agony of waiting patiently as the plants establish themselves before we can enjoy our own harvest. Fingers crossed that the rabbits don't seize the opportunity to enjoy them before we do!

Asparagus has been cultivated for many centuries. The Greeks and Romans were fans and the Ancient Egyptians were so enamoured of it that it was offered up to their Gods in homage. Whether they took to cooking asparagus on a grill or a BBQ is anyone’s guess!

Having been cultivated in France for many centuries it started to be grown in Britain largely during the 17th Century. Now commercially grown in several areas of the South East of England I shall be curious as to whether I can conjure up temperatures in Scotland to allow the asparagus crowns to thrive.

In the meantime I will continue to do my little happy dance when they appear in the local greengrocer. Fortunately, in the interest of domestic harmony, this aspara-passion reigns throughout the family and we all delight in them in their many forms: bacon wrapped asparagus and grilled asparagus over the firepit, or briefly barbecue and then added to a pasta dish.

Our Tayberry and Asparagus Tripoline and our Pici Asparagus with Balsamic Vinegar are two fabulously simple pasta recipes both involve cooking asparagus on the grill and then dressing the spears with either fabulous fruity vinegar, or for real luxury, a splash of our 25 year old Balsamic Vinegar.

If you prefer to avoid the wood-smoky flavour of the barbecue you can wrap the asparagus in foil to allow them to steam rather than grill. Do also remember to save the woody ends to make a deliciously creamy asparagus soup. Though I would recommend sieving the mix after blending the cooked down ends as the fibres are very hard to break down. Failure to sieve risks your recipients choking and wiping their tongues frantically as if suffering from furballs (unless, of course, your family has better table manners than mine?)

Each year, at the arrival of this patiently awaited season, we share our excitement through one of our recipes so here are a few gathered together so that they don't disappear into the depths of our website (the virtual equivalent of Moomin Mama's handbag).

I hope you too can find these beautiful bunches of deliciousness and enjoy them with our range of fabulous oils and vinegars.

Are you bored of Easter eggs or do chocolate turns you off? Then try Demijohn’s Egg Box of Delights, which is a grown-up way to say Happy Easter to someone you love.

For a quirky Easter treat, the easily compostable free cardboard duck egg box, which is slightly bigger than a hen’s egg box, is bursting with six miniature 40ml Apotheker bottles, filled to the brim with homemade artisan spirits such as Seville Orange Gin, Morello Cherry Brandy, Chocolate and Coffee Cream Liqueur, or oils and vinegars.

Starting at just £23, the new range includes 4 gift set varieties, including a gift set of 6 Gins, a gift set of 6 Liqueurs, a gift set of 6 Oils & Vinegars and Connoisseurs gift set, so there is something for everyone. They make a lovely present for friends and family during the Easter holidays. Crafty friends will love having the bottles to re-use and they are a great way to take a small amount of dressing elegantly to a spring picnic.

Demijohn is a very sustainable and eco-conscious retailer and this new Egg Box of Delights is as eco-friendly as you can get. The cardboard is compostable and the bottles are all refillable at all Demijohn outlets or via mail order.

All the Demijohn drinks can be drunk straight from the bottle over ice, or if you are feeling inventive make one of our delicious and unusual cocktails listed on our website.

For added gifting, Demijohn will write a short personal message on the bottles which makes it an extra special present this Easter.

Give the Easter bunny a run for his money by visiting the Demijohn website to order.

Browse the new Egg Box of Delights gift sets and a range of other Easter gifts via: https://www.demijohn.co.uk/gift-ideas/easter-gifts

- Ends -

Demijohn sources unusual, delicious artisan liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars from around the UK and Europe and sells them in a wide range of re-useable glass bottles. Each bottle can have a free personalised message added. Gift wrapping is also available.

Demijohn Shop:

• 11 Museum Street, York, YO1 7DT Tel: 01904 637487

Demijohn Shop Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10 to 6pm, Sun - 11.30 to 5pm

www.demijohn.co.uk

For photography, further press information or press samples, please contact: Fenella Taylor at Fenella Taylor PR. Tel: 01389 830390 Mobile: 07721 324696 Email: fenella@fenellataylorpr.co.uk

Demijohn has expanded its sustainable retail empire, with the opening of a Concession Store in the highly successful farm shop, Craigie’s, on the outskirts of Edinburgh.

With eco-friendly retail very much at the forefront of food retailing, Demijohn has created its fourth concession – simply a liquid deli within a farm or food shop – with specially made shelving housing the large glass demijohns and a selection of Demijohn’s finest artisan liqueurs, fruit vinegars and oils, as well as some gift products.

Craigie’s Farm Shop is a natural choice for the expansion of Demijohn as Craigie’s has been involved with the production of some of their finest handmade fruit vinegars since they founded in 2004. Most notable is their Elderflower Vinegar which is made from a secret recipe by the Mother of the owner. In summer the Demijohn team have even picked elderflowers from the hedgerows of the farm at Craigie’s to ensure there is a plentiful supply of their bestselling Elderflower Vinegar.

The idea behind Demijohn’s way of selling is for customers to taste before purchasing and then choose the size and shape of the re-fillable bottle, and they can even have a personalised message added for free. Based on the Italian cantina method of selling, this appeals to sustainable retail, as promoted by many farm and food shops. There is minimum packaging, focusing instead on the provenance and quality of the products.

Demijohn decided to expand its offerings to more consumers by taking up concessions in other like-minded food shops. To date there are other highly successful concessions stores at Loch Leven’s Larder Farm Shop in Fife and Luss General Store on the shores of Loch Lomond, with another 5 more planned to open throughout the UK within the next 6 months. The current concessions are hugely popular with regulars and tourists alike who love sustainable retail AND tasting delicious artisan drinks.

Demijohn’s drinks are quite unlike most commercial liqueurs – all are made from natural ingredients, with no added colourings or flavourings and are perfect as the basis to delicious cocktails, or on their own over ice or as an ingredient in one of Demijohn’s famed recipes.

Angus Ferguson, owner of Demijohn, said: “We offer a seriously fun and engaging method of shopping which appeals to large numbers of people who enjoy discovering new food and drink tastes. Our customers love our quirky, high quality products and increasingly understand our eco-friendly retail concept.

Re-using a Demijohn bottle by refilling it makes even more sense in 2020 than it did in 2004 when we first started. We are sharing our knowledge and success with other like-minded independent businesses such as Craigie’s Farm to create smaller, more flexible concession stores. We aim to make it as easy as possible for our customers to refill their bottles by opening more concession stores here in the UK throughout 2020."

Demijohn’s success is nationwide – they have just been nominated as a finalist in the York Food and Drink Awards, as Independent Retailer of the Year.

If you can’t make it into one of the shops or concessions, Demijohn products are also available for mail order via www.demijohn.co.uk

- Ends -

Demijohn sources unusual, delicious artisan liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars from around the UK and Europe and sells them in a wide range of re-useable glass bottles. Each bottle can have a free personalised message added. Gift wrapping is also available.

Demijohn Shop:

• 11 Museum Street, York, YO1 7DT Tel: 01904 637487

Demijohn Shop Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10 to 6pm, Sun - 11.30 to 5pm

www.demijohn.co.uk

For photography, further press information or press samples, please contact: Fenella Taylor at Fenella Taylor PR. Tel: 01389 830390 Mobile: 07721 324696 Email: fenella@fenellataylorpr.co.uk

Paired with a little sadness at turfing out our beautiful Christmas tree (though the hens now will get its benefit as a climbing frame) is the feeling of enthusiasm for getting on with the New Year and taking a much needed break from several weeks of gastronomic overindulgence. But I'm not the giveupeverythinguary type so instead I look forward enjoying some healthy but delicious meals with the mildest intention to focus on the foodie aspect of Demijohn's wares, rather than the drinky ones.

We are still several months away from salad season (the rain lashing my window in early afternoon darkness is ensuring that I don't forget this) but one of my favourite foods, which even feels relatively virtuous, is a huge tray of roasted winter vegetables: red onions, parsnips, carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, leeks all tossed together with a Demijohn Chilli infused Rapeseed Oil, salt, and roasted. It brings a bit of colour to the dish if you throw in a handful of halved brussel sprouts for the final 10 minutes of cooking time. When everything is roasted season with black pepper and a generous dressing of Demijohn Apple Vinegar to draw out the comforting sweetness of these wintery wonders.

Another much maligned winter vegetable is Cabbage. Admittedly boiled in the Dickensian workhouse manner it is truly ghastly but I love cabbage chopped up raw or braised with cooking apples and cheered up with a bit of chilli and Damson Vinegar.

Braised red cabbage

Soften half a chopped onion in Chilli Rapeseed Oil then add sliced red cabbage for a few minutes. Add some cubes of Bramley Apple if you wish. Stir in a spoonful of flour and seasoning and then slake the flour with Demijohn's Damson Vinegar and leave on a medium heat until the cabbage is cooked to make a deliciously rich winter vegetable dish. Check that the cabbage isn't catching and add Damson Vinegar as needed.

Demijohn's Yorkshire lemon Rapeseed Oil brings an air of the Mediterranean to the dankest day and I love to use it to finish a kedgeree or a mushroomy pasta dish. A generous slug stirred through before serving is all that is needed. It can also be used to make a delicious lemon mayonnaise to accompany any fish dish, and after all – fish is always healthy – at least healthier than the mince pie and chocolate biscuit fest I have been on recently.

For a fishy treat don't forget our delicious recipe for John Quigley's hot smoked Salmon using Demijohn's Bramble Vinegar – delicious, incredibly nutritious and utterly delightful!

And if you need an indulgent treat then our favourite winter medium for our Kabbadates single estate Extra Virgin Olive Oil is this recipe for heart-stopper potatoes. As the name suggests it isn't going to remove the Christmas tummy but January and February can be pretty glum without a little bit of fun! Utterly delicious served with a steak and, I think, a vast improvement on Steak Frites.

Heart-stopper Potatoes

Scrub some Maris Piper Potatoes and chop into cubes about 1-1.5cm across. Sprinkle into a roasting dish no more than 1 layer deep. Chop finely several garlic cloves and sprinkle over the potatoes. Drizzle the whole tin with Kabbadates Extra Virgin Olive Oil and turn the potatoes until they are well coated in oil. Sprinkle the potatoes liberally with rosemary and salt and roast in a hot oven (about 200C) for about 30 minutes. Turn the potato cubes about half way through the cooking time to prevent them sticking to the tray. Utter heaven with steak and salad, or anything else frankly!

Christmas presents – when it's suddenly abundantly apparent what I really hope someone might give me but wrack my brains for ideas for others! Having said that I'm almost always quite delighted to be given something that the giver clearly wanted themselves so here are some suggestions of some of my favourite Demijohn gift ideas to give to your nearest and dearest.

1. The Demijohn Drinks Chest

Who wouldn't want this beautifully hand made oak chest. A delightful piece of cabinetry partially inspired by a Georgian tea caddy but with a handsome robustness. With 8 different liqueurs and a choice of glasses all fitting into beautifully crafted spaces within the chest this couldn't be more delightful. And hopefully the fortunate recipient might appreciate how much you would like this too and at least share some of the delicious contents with you!

» Shop Here

2. The Huge Demijohn Hamper

This is just what it says – an amazing cornucopia of all things Demijohn. If Father Christmas wore a Demijohn apron this is what you'd hope he'd bring you. A wide range of all sizes of bottles filled with Demijohnnie Gin, Morello Cherry Brandy, Somerset Cider Spirit, Bramble Scotch Whisky, Gooseberry Gin, Oils, Vinegars, jams and Chutneys. I could go all Ratty listing the contents of a riverside picnic with this one but just go ahead and give one. Your giftee will be more grateful than the Mole himself.

» Shop Here

3. Chocolate Rum Jeroboam

What a treat this immense three 3 litre Salmo bottle contains! Our spectacular Chocolate Rum Liqueur 29.5%. Less sweet than many of our liqueurs this is one for the Rum enthusiast and the Dark Chocolate Lover. Cacao has been infused in Golden Caribbean Rum to make this wonderfully deep flavoured creation. Ideal equally as an aperitif over ice or a digestif after a Christmas feast we have also conjured up a few cocktail recipes using this wonderful drink. And remember we encourage owners of a Demijohn bottle to return to us for a refill so even once it has been drained dry your recipient has a fantastic decanter like bottle to refill again and again.

» Shop Here

4. The Oil and Vinegar Tower with Oak Gift Box

A beatiful European Oak box made by our talented Cumbrian cabinet makers contains 3 clever stacking Impilabile 250ml bottles filled with our fresh Villa Montalbano Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tuscany, our tart Gooseberry Vinegar from Edinburgh and our fruity Damson Vinegar from Shropshire. Our Oil and Vinegar Tower is the must have set for all salad eating food lovers. Your Oil and Vinegar Tower and its Oak gift box can be personalised to create an even more unique gift. You can alter the contents of the bottles in your Impilabile 250ml Bottle Presentation Box, add a handwritten message for free on the bottles, and for an additional fee add an engraving of your choice to the surface of the presentation box.

» Shop Here

5. Gift for a Serious Foodie

Contained in 2 handsome 100ml Mystic stacking bottles filled is our wonderful 25 year old Balsamic Vinegar from Modena and our fresh Tuscan single estate Villa Montalbano Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Made by the Tagliavini family at their Acetaia at Ponterotto, Soliera, just North of Modena this carefully matured Traditional Balsamic Vinegar can be used in a multitude of ways, on undercut beef, on Parmesan Cheese or over strawberries or ice cream. Its taste will never disappoint. Our Villa Montalbano Extra Virgin Olive Oil is a concentrated, fresh single estate extra virgin olive oil from the North Chianti region of Tuscany, near Pistoia. It has an aroma of fresh olives and a little pepper to give it excitement. It is excellent for dressing stronger flavoured foods such as green leaf salads of rocket or watercress or cured meats with our 25 year old Balsamic Vinegar.

» Shop Here

6. Gooseberry Gin Gift Box

Fitting exactly into it's handmade Oak Presentation box is a handsome cubelike Mystic 500 Bottle containing our unique Gooseberry Gin Liqueur 17%. Our Gooseberry Gin Liqueur is tart, yet sweet, perfect for the gin lover looking for the unusual.  This is equally delicious neat, over ice, long as a G&T with tonic and a big squeeze of lemon, or in a number of cocktails found on the recipes page of our website. Our Gooseberry Gin Liqueur is hand made for us East Lothian using British Careless gooseberries and a Scottish spirit gin. The Oak wood Mystic 500 Presentation Box has been hand crafted by our cabinet makers in Cumbria to our own design.

» Shop Here

7. Mini Winter Selection

A delightful handmade poplar Tantalus contains 3 100ml Chiara bottles each filled with Brammle Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23%, Raspberry Vodka Liqueur 22% and Sloe Gin 25%. Each hand made British liqueur has its own unique rich and fruity quality. The result is a drink selection that is almost impossible to resist! Our Winter Liqueur Selection is perfect as a dinner party decanter set. A magical present for a grown up foodie or a wine connoisseur at any time of the year it doesn't really need to be reserved for Christmas!

» Shop Here

8. More than Gin Baubles

Gin is Everywhere! And at Demijohn we like the variety of some of our alternatives. So here is a set of 6 charming miniature 40ml Apotheker bottles each containing one of our favourite tipples: Limoncello Liqueur 32%, Toffee Whisky Liqueur 20%, Morello Cherry Brandy Liqueur 17%, Raspberry Vodka Liqueur 22%, Seville Orange Gin 26%, and Spiced Rum Liqueur 20%. Each bottle comes with it's own raffia loop so that these tiny delights can be used as baubles on a Christmas tree, to decorate a wreath, mantelpiece, Santa's Claus's beard - or anywhere else that needs a little seasonal lift. Contents can be varied by request, prices may vary if contents are altered.

» Shop Here

9. A Nocturne of Coffee and Chocolate Cream Liqueur

A classic Demijohn bottle of 350ml of amazingly velvety Chocolate and Coffee Cream Liqueur using dark chocolate, a twist of coffee, real Devonshire Cream and Julian Temperley's first class Somerset Cider Brandy. This indulgent treat has proved so popular it has been gushing out of the demijohn since it's first arrival. If you have tried our Butterscotch Cream Liqueur, Chocolate Orange Cream Liqueur or sip the odd Baileys then this will be definitely be one for you. It is delicious drunk over ice or alternatively add to your grown up desserts, such as ice cream or cake, to liven them up a little!

» Shop Here

10. Hipflask of Traditional British Sloe Gin

The perfect stocking filler. If you have a person in mind who like their cheese and port, then this fun hipflask of Sloe Gin would be a fabulous gift to give. This drink is made with much hard work and love. In mid to late October 2018 we headed to the hedgerows of South West Scotland to help pick the elusive sloe berries that make this very special drink. After steeping in London Gin for 10 to 12 months, the result is a deliciously rich and fruity drink which is similar Port. In our family we often start our Christmas day festivities with a dash of our Traditional Sloe Gin in a glass as Champagne to make a Kir or Sloegasm Cocktail. Christmas Day soon takes a leap for the better!

» Shop Here

Whatever your tastes or your budget there is so much to choose from at Demijohn that I hope this is given food for thought. Now all you need is some delicious Demijohn wares to sustain body and spirit over the holiday season!

» Shop Here for more Christmas Gift Ideas

The Great Demijohn Easter Bake Off

Amazing! The sun has come out after storm Gareth, and the sky is dotted with the type of white fluffy clouds that I had forgotten existed anywhere outside a children's book illustration. I even glimpsed a rather prematurely enthusiastic crocus this morning. Perhaps Spring will spring after all, Easter will eventually arrive too and we can celebrate with a cheering cake?

So bring on The Great Demijohn Easter Bake Off, to cheer us all up! Cake seems particularly associated with Easter but since cake is best consumed in our family as a pudding (Mr Demijohn often receives a dissapproving glare at his attempt to heat up any cake and pair it with ice-cream regardless of how it is best served) I have experimented.

The end result is a new recipe, our Sticky Spiced Rum Cake which uses our velevty smooth Spiced Rum Liqueur 20% in its recipe for both cake and sauce. It is a banana loaf with a Spiced Rum Sauce in place of the more traditional sticky toffee pudding as I find cooking with treacle a rather dauntingly sticky process.

If you are not a Sticky Spiced Rum Cake person, then we have a number of other simple and delicious recipes we think you will enjoy for Easter. For divine decadence, try our Chocolate Rum Cake, which uses our Chocolate Rum Liqueur 29.5%.

If you are planning an Easter Tea Party and need a change from cake or cucumber sandwhiches, then we can recommend our Meady Mouthfuls Honey Mead Cookies. These delicious cookies are made using our Traditional Mead 14% and can perk up most tea parties!

Another fabulous pudding to feed a family or a dinner party, is our Raspberry and Lemongrass Trifle. Using our popular and fruity Raspberry Vodka Liqueur 22%, we can thank long term customer Jackie Hancock for this inspired treat.

Easter is set to be warmer and tastier with The Great Demijohn Easter Bake Off at its heart. We wish you a very Happy Easter baking with friends and family!

     Frances

Related topics:

Cakes & Baking Recipes

As the snow flutters prettily past the Demijohn HQ window the medicinal qualities of Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur seem a particularly welcoming thought.

In an impressively strong willed attempt to refrain for an hour or two from broaching the bottle I decide to peruse information on the Bramble itself.

This vital and delicious ingredient in both our Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur and our delicious Bramble Vinegar is such a familiar weed in rural (and less rural) Scotland that we rarely think beyond escaping its thorny clutches.

With a tiny amount of delving I immediately discover that the Bramble or Rubus fruticosus is a member of the rose family. On closer thought the scratches sustained from both are not dissimilar and there is some resemblance between the tiny pinkish white blossom of the bramble and the delightful blowsy blossom of a dog rose.

The fruit of the bramble (or blackberry for those South of the border) is now considered an antioxidant “superfood”. Not only is it a great source of vitamin C, but also vitamin A, Omega3, potassium and calcium.(I knew a little snifter would have some benefits!).

During the American Civil War blackberry tea was used to cure dysentery. More than one ceasefire was reportedly called for the purpose of picking blackberries and Confederate and Union soldiers would pick blackberries together, often from the same bush at the same time.

It is even reputed to foretell winter weather: a very cold spell whilst the blackberries are in full flower (late June to July) is known as a Blackberry Winter. It foretells plenty of snow and ice later in the year.

So that omnipresent weed the Bramble has many strings to it's bow.

It is in the knowledge of it's amazingly beneficial properties that I embark on making this delicious warming winter dish, Sausages with Red Onion and Bramble Glaze, bolstered by the knowledge that it is doing us countless other goods!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we have, do contact us with any new recipe ideas you have for Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur, we are sure there are many more.

     Frances.

Chin Gin! Your Summer Gin Cocktails Guide

Here at Demijohn we have a gin for all seasons and gin cocktails for any weather. As Scotland has been roasting under 28 degrees several times this week, the temptation to reach for a cooling sip of Gin and Tonic as the evening approaches is beckoning. So often thought of as winter warmers even our darker fruity favourites such as Sloe Gin and Damson Gin can dress up in their summer finery in some of these spectacular cocktail recipes.

Slow Down and Relax

If, like I do, you find this glorious heat makes you just a tad unproductive, embrace the enforced slow down with a Demijohn Wibble Cocktail, one of our many gin cocktails: a striking combination of Sloe Gin, Demijohnnie Gin, Grapefruit juice and lemon juice, with the tiniest dash of Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur.

A Fruity Summer Refresher

For a fruity summer refresher why not perk yourself up with our delightful Gooseberry Gin Liqueur. With the sharpness of that piquant little fruit it is delicious as a little snifter over ice or for a longer cooling quencher make it into an Evoque Cocktail, aka Gooseberry Gin and Tonic.

Sparkle and Shimmer

To make your day sparkle and shimmer why not transform your champagne, prosecco, cremant or cava with a dash of Blackcurrant Gin to make a Blackcurrant Bellini Cocktail. A tart and vitamin c packed Kir!

Smooth and Sophisticated

Feeling smooth and sophisticated. Then Celebrate your inner 007 with a Demijohn Classic Dry Martini Cocktail using Demijohnnie Gin, Dry British Vermouth together with some vodka, lemon and ice.

Zingingly Fresh Aperitifs

Don't allow yourself to become a damsel in distress. Calm that frenzy by sipping on a refreshing Distressed Damson Cocktail. Muddle some crushed blueberries with lime juice, ice, and Damson Gin to create this zingingly fresh aperitif.

At the End of the Day

At the end of the day let's appreciate our wonderful maritime climate bathing in whatever weather it has chosen to throw at us. Best of all to do this while enjoying a Citrus Sundowner Cocktail in the company of friends and family. This spectacularly successful cocktail created for a great friend of ours is a delicious combination of Seville Orange Gin, Lime Vodka Liqueur and Ginger Wine topped up with Walter Gregor's tonic water.

A Bientot and I'm off to raise a glass to the wide variety of Gins we delight in at Demijohn – Chin Gin!

   Frances

How to make 7 Healthy Salad Dressing Recipes

We have over the years sourced some of the finest olive oils, infused oils and balsamic vinegars that combine in salad recipes to create irresistible salad dressing recipes. From a simple pasta salad to the more complex bean salad recipe, these healthy salad recipes are easy to make and delicious to taste.

We currently have 7 first class edible oils on tap, including 3 Single Estate Extra Virgin Olive Oils, a Scottish Rapeseed Oil and 3 infused Rapeseed Oils. With our oils you can make many healthy salad dressing recipes. These are our 7 favourite salad recipes using our oils, to give you a wonderful week of Summer salads:

Monday's Classic Leafy Green Salad

Using our Villa Montalbano Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Tuscany. Gather a great bundle of fresh, mixed green salad leaves, from your garden if you are lucky enough to grow some. Once washed and prepared, place and mix together in your largest bowl for effect.

Top tip! When choosing your salad leaves, make sure you balance the flavour of those leaves to your olive oil and personal taste. We like a really strong salad, to excite the tastes buds and make our guests cough! If you like a mild salad use a milder dressing so that your food is in balance.

In this case we are going to the strong side of the salad spectrum with rocket, watercress and basil bulked out with red chard and a cheaper leaf such as gourmet medley. The result should be a nice colourful bowl of leaves. When dressing a salad with vinegar and oil, always adjust for salt and pepper first, drizzle the vinegar and wash through with your olive oil. In this case use our strong flavoured fruity Tayberry Vinegar and then wash through with our velvety smooth Villa Montalbano Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Tuesday's Pea and Mint Salad

Using our Kabbadates Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Corfu. To make this simple Pea and Mint Salad use roughly 1/4 kg of fresh garden peas. Remove the peas from their pods and add to a bowl with fresh mint, a splash of Kabbadates Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a splash of Apple Vinegar. Serve along with a light lunch or use as a starter with some good bread.

Wednesday's Asparagus Salad

Using our Monterosa Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Portugal. Clean and prepare a suitable quantity of asparagus spears rolled in olive oil, and fry hard in either a very hot frying pan or on BBQ until slightly scorched. Place in a cold dish and drizzle a generous amount of Monterosa Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the spears. Finally crack some sea salt over the spear prior to serving with cold meats.

Thursday's Fiery Dragon Potato Salad

Using our Chilli Rapeseed Oil from Yorkshire. Chop a handlful of clean potatoes into small cubes and place onto a baking tray. Add some rough chopped garlic, with their husks removed. Drizzle a liberal amount of Chilli Rapeseed Oil over the potatoes and garlic and stir to ensure a good coating of oil over both. Finally crack some sea salt over the whole tray and then place in a pre-heated over at 180 degrees C for about 20 minutes. Every 5 minutes, lift out the tray and turn the potatoes, applying a little more salt, until all the potatoes have turned a crispy brown colour. Remove tray and serve either hot or cold with homemade Mayonnaise.

Friday's Quick Cous Cous Salad

Using our Rapeseed Oil from Perthshire. Prepare a suitable quantity of Cous Cous and allow to cool slightly in a mixing bowl. Chop peppers, olives, cucumber and add all to the bowl with a generous amount of Perthshire Rapeseed Oil and a dash of Gooseberry Vinegar. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste.

Saturday's Wildflower and Tomato Caprese Salad

Using our Lemon Rapeseed Oil from Yorkshire. As a guide you will need roughly one large vine ripened tomato and about half a 450g fresh mozzarella per person. Cut 5mm slices of both tomato and cheese and arrange on a salad platter with the tomatoes on the bottom over laid with the fresh mozzarella slices. Season with cracked sea salt and pepper prior to scattering a handful of fresh basil leaves and wild Wood Sorrel flowers (yellow, pink or white) over the plate. Finally dress the whole dish with a healthy amount of our Elderflower Vinegar and Lemon Oil, which we also call Elderflower Vinaigrette. The result is belissimo!

Sunday's Lazy Pasta Salad

Using our White Truffle Oil from Perthshire. Are you like us and always have a small bowl of left over cooked pasta in the fridge from a meal earlier in the week? Annoying isn't it! This is a great recipe idea to use up spare cold pasta so it does not go to waste. If the pasta is very fresh and still soft you might be able to simply add the ingredients directly to it. If not then throw the pasta once again briefly into boiling water and strain to revitalise it. Then add chopped chunks of salami or chorizo, peppers of various colours, halved raw button mushrooms and chunks of raw garlic. Drizzle a liberal dose of Truffle Oil and a splash of Gooseberry Vinegar and stir well together. Add cracked sea salt and pepper to taste. Serve with a generous amount of coarse grated Parmesan Cheese.

We hope you enjoy these delicious recipes as much as we did when creating them. If it has unleashed a creative chef within you and you have thought up additional healthy salad recipes using our oils and vinegars, we would love you to share them with us. So please do contact us with any recipe ideas or suggestions.

In the meantime, happy munching!

Angus

Something for Mother

Mother's Day falls on Sunday 11 March this year here in Britain. Interestingly, in the US it will be celebrated on 13 May. If you need something nice for your Mother on Mothering Sunday, we can help. Our selection of Mother's Day gift ideas is a great start to give you present buying inspiration, but there is so much more to choose from.

Top 10 Mother's Day Gifts

To makes things simple for you, here are our Demijohn top 10 Mother's Day gift ideas for 2018. We hope you like them and don't forget you can add a free handwritten message on the bottle to give it your personal touch:

1. Rhubarb and Ginger - £23.20 - A charming set of Ying & Yang 200ml bottles filled with our delicious Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur and Ginger Wine, which combine to make our Carrie Mak Cocktail.
2. Mother's Day Warmer - £22.80 - Two tall and elegant Ducale 200ml bottles are filled with our fruity Damson Gin Liqueur and Ginger Wine. The result is a delicious, warming treat.
3. The Gin Rack - £34.87 - A set of our 5 most popular gin liqueurs nestle in a handmade, British poplar wood tantalus to create the most beautiful rack of gins. If your Mother likes gin, this could be for her.
4. Fila Oil and Vinegar Gift Set - £19.30 - 3 beautifully shaped Fila 100ml bottles nestle together to create a good looking gift set. Filled with our Villa Montalbano Tuscan Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Tayberry Vinegar and Apple Vinegar this is heaven for any salad lover.
5. The Liqueur Box - £90.55 - Its beauty is in the simplicity of its design. Our handsome British handmade Oak wood box contains a set of our 6 most popular liqueurs in charming cubed 100ml bottles. This is very special.
6. Raspberry Vodka Liqueur (100ml) - £9.00 - Raspberry Vodka Liqueur has fun written all over it. Fruity, smooth and loved by all, this drink is simply delightful!
7. Mini Vinegar Rack - £19.43 - If your Mother loves her salads and already has a good olive oil in the house, this is a beautiful compact set of our handmade vinegars that can refilled and re-used time and again.
8. Gooseberry Gin Liqueur (40ml) - £4.88 - A very small taste of something utterly delicious. Small can be beautiful.
9. Bramble Whisky Liqueur (350ml) - £21.60 - Our Bramble Whisky Liqueur is one of our most popular drinks as it appeals to whisky drinkers and non whisky drinkers alike. Fruity with a cheeky tickle!
10. Tasting for Two - £40 - If you would like to treat your Mother to a special day out, then do consider our Tasting for Two. Book it at a time and date of your choosing, in any of our shops, and tell us what you would like to taste. This is fun.

So, regardless of where you live in the World the importance of Mothering Sunday is the same for us all. It is the moment to say thankyou, to show our love and remember happy times with our wonderful Mothers.

We are here to help offer more ideas, as our suggestions are merely the start of the thought process when buying a special Mother's Day gift. Remember that each of our bottles varieties can be filled with any one of our 80 products, which gives you an extraordinary amount of choice. By the time we have written your chosen message and wrapped the bottles up beautifully for you, we can guarantee that your present for your Mother will be unique.

Best wishes,

Angus

- Ends -

Note to Editors:

Demijohn sources unusual, delicious artisan liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars from around the UK and Europe and sells them in a wide range of re-useable glass bottles. Each bottle can have a free personalised message added.

Demijohn Shops:

• 382 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AR Tel: 0141 337 3600
• 32 Victoria Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2JW Tel: 0131 225 4090
• 11 Museum Street, York, YO1 7DT Tel: 01904 637 487
• 20 Little Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX1 2HP Tel: 01865 552179

Normal Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6pm, Sun – 11.30-5pm

www.demijohn.co.uk

For photography, further press information or press samples, please contact: Fenella Taylor at Fenella Taylor PR. Tel: 01389 830390 Mobile: 07721 324696 Email: fenella@fenellataylorpr.co.uk

Top 10 Christmas Gifts for 2017

Choosing Christmas presents can be extremely stressful and time consuming. So we are trying to make it as fun and as simple as possible. Orders for pre-Christmas delivery should be placed with us by midnight on 18th Dec.Thankfully there is no rush yet.

Our top 10 Christmas gift ideas list is designed to provide a present for anyone and everyone at the right price. There are of course many more gift ideas to choose from and don't forget to add a free handwritten message to give your present the personal touch:

1. "The Stocking Stuffer" -  100ml bottle of Toffee Whisky Liqueur 20% - £9
2. "A dinner party present" - Olive Oil & Fruit Vinegar Ball - £19.60
3.  "A little something for Granny and Grandad" - Hipflask of Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23% - £22.64
4. "For my wonderful extended family" - Demijohn Goody Bag - £39.50
5. "To my darling other half" - The Drinks Chest - £975
6. "To a loving sibling" - Cordial Gift Set - £29.10
7. "For a fabulous Boss" - Seville Orange Gin Gift Box - £62.95
8. "A treat for a best friend" - The Gin Rack - £34.87
9. "Something for the family to share" - Demijohn Large Hamper - £250
10. "For a special occasion" - Liqueur Gift Box - £90.55

Late opening has started!

We are now open late until 7pm on weekdays to give you more time to browse and taste in our shops.

Don't forget you can order online and use our free Click and Collect service to save you time when visiting one of our shops.

We are here to help, so if you get stuck please contact us. We look forward to seeing you soon.
             Yours,  Angus

Are you Gin Bore-beld? Demijohn has the solution!

Christmas should, in my opinion, should be celebrated with all the good things in life. And in order to avoid the accursed over indulgence so synonymous with the party season I like to apply my rule of “everything in moderation”. Thanks to the diverse range of delicious delights offered by Demijohn I can remain true to that principal, while enjoying myself liberally!

Our Apotheker 40ml miniature bottle lends itself so well to the application of this that I have devised 3 especially Christmassy treats for the festive season, each bringing a tiny taste of Demijohn to your, or your nearest and dearest's, holiday. These beautiful miniature bottles can be used as stocking fillers, baubles for your Christmas tree or wreath, or even to decorate your table centre piece. Brilliant!

More than Gin Baubles

Firstly the More than Gin Baubles set comprising 6 charming 40ml Apotheker bottles each containing one of our favourite liqueurs. Around each bottle neck hangs a little raffia loop so that these tiny delights can be used to decorate a wreath, Christmas tree, or mantelpiece.

The contents include our deliciously sunshine filled Limoncello Liqueur 32%, warming Toffee Whisky Liqueur 20%, indulgent Morello Cherry Brandy Liqueur 17%, our founding classic Raspberry Vodka Liqueur 22%, delightfully marmalady Seville Orange Gin 26% and the best of winter spices in our Spiced Rum Liqueur 20%. Contents can be varied by request, prices may vary if contents are altered.

12 Apothekers of Christmas

If the comforts of the toasty winter fire might cause the contents of this set to simply evaporate too swiftly why not plump for the 12 Apothekers of Christmas Set. This set includes 12 apotheker 40ml bottles each supplied with raffia hanging loop and a greater selection of our unique handmade drinks. Your Christmas tree or wreaths will simply look fabulous when decorated with this varied selection.

Advent Apotheker Set

For those of us who find it too painful to narrow the field I recommend the Advent Apotheker Set. 24 charming 40ml bottles, each supplied with a raffia hanging loop, contain a huge selection of different Demijohn delights for as they say “Variety is the spice of life.” This set is so wide and varied, you could use them as an advent calendar or decorate your Christmas tree, table centre piece or wreaths and still have spare for stocking fillers for your friends and family.

Wishing you all the fun and happiness that a Christmas with family and friends can bring,

Frances

Spooky spirits make frighteningly good cocktails ....

Halloween is not just for the children. We have put together a collection of suitably spooky Halloween Cocktails for you to try. If you are planning a grown up Halloween party in the next few days these delicious cocktails should make the party go with a woohoo!

If you like a short and fruity drink, try our simple to make Bloody Pirate Cocktail. Our famous Raspberry Vodka 22% is mixed with our velvety smooth Spiced Rum 20% over ice for a superb short drink. For something longer and fresher try the Demijohn Dark Mojito. If it has to be gin, then either our Distressed Damson or Blackcurrant Bomb Cocktails are for you. There are quite a few more....

Pre-Christmas Tasting Evenings
Thankyou to all who attended our first pre-Christmas Tasting evening earlier this week. We have a few places left for the next tasting evening which will be held in all shops on Fri 10th Nov for an hour starting at 6.30pm. Click to book your place.

Win a Ball of Sloe Gin
Congratulations go to Miss Emma Ferguson from Harlow who won our last competition for a Mini Gin Rack. Our latest competition is for a Ball of Sloe Gin. If you are feeling lucky click to enter the competition.

We hope we have given you some good ideas for a tremendous party this weekend?

             Yours, 
                       Angus

- Ends -

Note to Editors:

Demijohn sources unusual, delicious artisan liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars from around the UK and Europe and sells them in a wide range of re-useable glass bottles. Each bottle can have a free personalised message added.

Demijohn Shops:

• 382 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AR Tel: 0141 337 3600
• 32 Victoria Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2JW Tel: 0131 225 4090
• 11 Museum Street, York, YO1 7DT Tel: 01904 637 487
• 20 Little Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX1 2HP Tel: 01865 552179

Normal Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6pm, Sun – 11.30-5pm

www.demijohn.co.uk

For photography, further press information or press samples, please contact: Fenella Taylor at Fenella Taylor PR. Tel: 01389 830390 Mobile: 07721 324696 Email: fenella@fenellataylorpr.co.uk

To give a Christmas gift that not only looks good and tastes good but is also original and desirable is hard to find. Artisan drink-ie and foodie company Demijohn have launched this week the most stunning presentation boxes. They are filled with delicious liqueurs and spirits, and all at different price points to meet your Christmas needs for those who enjoy the finer things in life.

For the sleek family member or friend choose the Impilabile Presentation Boxes which holds 3 stackable x 250ml Impilabile bottles in a stunning upright box. Customers can choose the contents of the bottles from any of the Demijohn products, but Demijohn recommend the lovely combination of Seville Orange Gin, Rhubarb Vodka and Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur as a sophisticated trio. The Liqueur Tower with Oak gift box is priced at £88.15.

For the individualist there is the Sloe Gin Gift Box which contains a 500ml Mystic bottle of the world’s best artisan gin (as voted in the World Sloe Championships for the last 3 years running) and comes in the most stunning oak presentation box. Made in Worcestershire from sloes collected from the hedgerows, often by the Demijohn team who shut up shop to do a day of foraging, this is a traditional liqueur with an added bitter taste making it ideal as a fresh air sharpener, an after dinner digestif or even in cocktails. But hurry as stocks of this product are limited given its seasonal nature. Priced at £62.95.

For the person who loves luxury then The Liqueur Gift Box is ideal. Hand created oak boxes hold 6 x 100ml bottles of the best of Demijohn’s liqueurs, including Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur, Seville Orange Gin, Spiced Rum, Sloe Gin, Morello Cherry Brandy and Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur. Of course, if you’d rather choose your own liqueurs then that is also possible. Priced at £90.55.

If budgets are tight the Mini Christmas Stacker is perfect, priced at just £27.60. Three Mystic 100ml bottles are filled with warming Christmas drinks – Sloe Gin, Spiced Rum Liqueur and Morello Cherry Brandy. This little present will certainly spice up a Christmas morning.

For the teetotaller or driver in the family Demijohn have a non-alcoholic gift - The Cordial Gift Set, comprising 3 charming 100ml Chiara bottles filled with our handmade fresh Raspberry Cordial, Lemon & Mint Cordial and Rhubarb & Ginger Cordial, all held together in a poplar wood rack or tantalus. Only a small amount of cordial is required to be diluted with still or sparkling water, garnished with lime, lemon or other fruits and is a very upmarket and delicious option for non-drinkers and drivers. Priced at £29.10.

The appeal of the Demijohn gifts is that they can all be personalised with either a complimentary handwritten message on the bottles or for an additional fee, an engraving of choice can be marked in the actual wood.

http://www.demijohn.co.uk/sloe-gin-gift-box
http://www.demijohn.co.uk/the-liqueur-gift-box
http://www.demijohn.co.uk/the-liqueur-tower-with-oak-gift-box
http://www.demijohn.co.uk/cordial-gift-set-raspberry-lemon-and-rhubarb

http://www.demijohn.co.uk/mini-christmas-stacker

All can be bought at one of the Demijohn shops in Edinburgh, Glasgow, York or Oxford or online at www.demijohn.co.uk. Christmas done in one order so hurry and place it now!

- Ends -

Note to Editors:

Demijohn sources unusual, delicious artisan liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars from around the UK and Europe and sells them in a wide range of re-useable glass bottles. Each bottle can have a free personalised message added.

Demijohn Shops:

• 382 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AR Tel: 0141 337 3600
• 32 Victoria Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2JW Tel: 0131 225 4090
• 11 Museum Street, York, YO1 7DT Tel: 01904 637 487
• 20 Little Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX1 2HP Tel: 01865 552179

Normal Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6pm, Sun – 11.30-5pm

www.demijohn.co.uk

For photography, further press information or press samples, please contact: Fenella Taylor at Fenella Taylor PR. Tel: 01389 830390 Mobile: 07721 324696 Email: fenella@fenellataylorpr.co.uk

Our new Damson Vinegar is ready to try...

   Angus

May is for Martinis!

   Angus

5 of the Best Mother's Day Gift Ideas

   Angus

Your Invite to a Tasting Evening

   Angus

Claim your 15% Refill Discount

   Angus

All you need is a big heart

   Angus

Our Sloe Gin is a Winner!

   Angus

Our 6 Best Christmas Present Ideas

If you are like me, you will be feeling the pressure mounting to resolve your Christmas list. The clock is certainly ticking for most of us. So to help you stay composed this is our top 6 ideas for Demijohn Christmas gifts this year:

1. Demijohn Large Hamper - £250 - A sumptuous hamper that should make a whole family happy at Christmas
2. Big Daddy - £152.50 - 3 litres of fruity Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur, for Daddy to share!
3. The Demijohn Goody Bag - £39.50 - Our highly popular Goody Bag is back, filled with delicious presents
4. The Liqueur Rack - £31.59 - If you are not sure which of our drinks would be best, then this a good answer
5. Olive Oil & Fruit Vinegar Ball - £17.40 - A beautiful set of bottles for the food lover
6. A Handmade Cordial - £9.25 - New to Demijohn, choose your favourite cordial from our set of 3 delicious varieties

Christmas Late Opening has Started!

We are now open late each day in all our shops to allow for a more comfortable shopping experience in the run up to Christmas. It will be most busy during the middle of each day, so please do consider coming earlier or later if at all possible. In addition, do use our online click and collect service to save yourself time when you visit. Please see our Christmas Store Opening Hours for more details.

Christmas Deliveries

Delivery is currently free for UK Mainland orders over £40 when using our Standard 4 to 5 working day service and we will always strive to do our best to get your order delivered safely and on time. However, if your order is very urgent, please alert us and we will do everything possible to put it to the front of the queue.

To help us ensure your order is delivered in time for Christmas, please place your order prior to Sun18th Dec for our Standard UK delivery service or by Tues 20th Dec for our Express service. Please note that delivery times cannot be guaranteed. See our shipping page for more information. 

We have a Winner!

Congratulations go to Mr Leech from Liverpool who won our latest competition for a Ball of Sloe Gin. Thankyou to all who entered and watch out for our next competition which will be posted soon.

Good luck choosing your Christmas presents, I hope our ideas help. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours,

   Angus

New Hampers and Fresh Cordials for Christmas

New things have arrived on our shelves. We have created a fresh range of Christmas Hampers that will make excellent Christmas gifts, and added a new range of delicious handmade Cordials for you to try.

Our new range of cordials includes 3 flavours Rhubarb & Ginger, Lemon & Mint and Raspberry. Designed to be exciting in taste, yet not too sweet, they will hopefully make your Christmas party as fun for your guests that are not drinking alcohol as all the others!

And finally our big Christmas free delivery offer ends soon. You can still take advantage of free delivery* on all online orders over £25. We will also include a free 40ml bottle* of something very nice from our Demijohn cupboard if you spend £50 or more. Terms apply, see our Big Christmas Offer for details.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours,   Angus

Enjoy free delivery and a little present

Christmas is coming fast, so now is a very good time to place your online order for some fabulous Christmas gifts. To help you, we are offering not only free delivery* on all online orders over £25 for a limited period, we will also include a free 40ml bottle* of something very nice from our Demijohn cupboard of delights for the first 100 orders we receive of £50 or more.

Simply place your order online by the end of November to be included in the offer and receive your free Christmas present from us.

If you get stuck please do contact our Customer Service Team in Edinburgh who will do their very best to help. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours,

    Angus

*Terms: Sorry, there are a few conditions to this offer. A free 40ml bottle of Demijohn product will be added to any eligible order regardless of its delivery address, however, we will decide what contents is included in your bottle! Free delivery applies to our Standard 4 to 5 working day UK mainland address service only, normally £5.95. Both offers end at 23.59hrs on 30 Nov 2016. Other delivery charges may apply, see Shipping for more details.

Invite to a pre-Christmas Tasting Evening

In response to popular request, on Wed 16th November we have organised a special pre-Christmas Tasting Evening in each of our 4 shops, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford.

Trying some of our unique and delicious products can be a lot of fun and this is certain to be a great opportunity to choose a few early Christmas presents. So, do not miss this opportunity to get your friends, family or work colleagues together and treat yourselves to an evening out. 

The event will start promptly at 6.30pm with a cocktail and last for about an hour. Cost to attend this one-off event is just £10* per person of which £5 can be redeemed as a shopping voucher on the night against any purchase made.

To book your place

Spaces have been filling up quickly, so please choose your preferred shop then either email your choice and contact details to info@demijohn.co.uk or call our Customer Line on Tel: +44 845 604 8350.

*Terms: Normal price £14.50 per person. Please note that after your booking is confirmed your £10 attendance fee is refundable only in the event of cancellation of the Tasting Evening by Demijohn. The £5 shopping voucher is valid only during the tasting evening.

Corporate Events and Gifts

We now have a dedicated team to assist with corporate event and gift enquiries and they are ready to help. A Tasting Evening is an excellent and affordable way to entertain a group of work colleagues or friends in the run up to Christmas and can take place on a date of your choosing.

Alternatively if you need a collection of presents for work colleagues, our products can be personalised to make simple, unique and beautiful corporate gifts to meet virtually any budget.

Contact us to find out more about booking your own tasting event or to discuss a quote for a personalised corporate gifts order.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours,

Angus

Make it a Sloe Gin

Sloe season has arrived and with it the need to harvest Sloe berries from rather prickly bushes. Sloe Gin is one of the classic drinks of the British Countryside. With its rich, port like taste Sloe Gin can make a fabulous after dinner drink or something with which to fill your hipflask.

The stakes are high to make a first class drink each year, and as our Sloe Gin won the World Sloe Gin Championships for the last two years we have quite a reputation to uphold. So last week some of our enthusiastic Demijohn Staff marched on the hedgerows of Galloway to pick a little of the elusive Sloe for our 2017 batch of Sloe Gin. Our haul was good, and luckily so was the weather and the lunch!

You may make your own Sloe Gin, you may have friends or relatives who make their own. Everyone involved in Sloe Gin's annual production understands the need to keep the location of their precious Sloe berries close to one's chest. They also understand that only time will assure you of a drink with a perfectly deep flavour similar to a vintage port.

After at least 10 months of maturing in a London Gin, Demijohn Sloe Gin is nearly ready for drinking. Often we allow 12 months just to be sure. Sloe Gin is therefore aptly named. We recommend you come and have a sip before it is all gone.

Invite to a Pre-Christmas Tasting Evening

If you would like a chance to try our Sloe Gin first hand, among the many other delicious products we have on tap in our shops, then please sign up now for our special Pre-Christmas Tasting Evening. This event will be run simultaneously in our four shops, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford on Wed 16th Nov 2016.

The Tasting Evening will start promptly at 6.30pm with a cocktail and last for about an hour. Tasting Evenings are fun and relaxed and will allow you to try all of our new products and many more besides, giving you some great ideas for Christmas presents.

Cost to attend this special event is just £10* per person of which £5 can be redeemed as a shopping voucher on the night against any purchase made.

To book your place

Choose your preferred shop then either email your choice and contact details to info@demijohn.co.uk or call our Customer Line on Tel: +44 845 604 8350. Please note places are limited.

Love the idea but not the date?

Our special pre-Christmas Tasting Evening is based on our standard Tasting Evening which can be booked and run as a private event on a date to suit you either within our shops or at your chosen location. They are an excellent and affordable way to entertain a group of friends or work colleagues. Contact us for more details about booking your own Tasting Event.

*Terms: Please note that after your booking is confirmed your £10 attendance fee is refundable only in the event of cancellation of the Tasting Evening by Demijohn. The £5 shopping voucher is valid only during the tasting evening.

Events News

Christmas Fair season is about to begin. I have oiled my moving parts and dusted off the cobwebs of Autumn in preparation! It kicks off with the wonderful BBC Good Food Show in Glasgow SECC between Fri 4 to Sun 6 Nov next week. We will be exhibiting on Stand D102, in amongst a brilliant selection of other food and drink businesses. We maybe coming to a location near to you. View our Fairs and Events page for full details.

Win a Ball of Sloe Gin

If you would like a chance to win a Ball of Sloe Gin delivered to your door for free, then please enter our latest competition.

I hope we see you for a sip of Sloe Gin very soon.....

Yours,

Angus

Last of the Summer Salads...

Our new Light Salad Dressing Gift Set or our Fila Oil and Vinegar Gift Set are great ideas for getting the last of your Summer Salads tasting ever more delicious.

So if you are planning on enjoying a weekend of warm weather like us, in a desperate attempt to cling on the remnants of Summer, then take a leaf from our book (and that would be a green one). Try dressing your salads with something exciting from our extensive Oil and Vinegar range.

Staff News

It is with huge enthusiasm that we announce the appointment of our new Oxford Shop Manager, Manon Deslauriers. Manon has a wealth of real life experience on her side and a great sense of French Canadian humour. Please be kind to her as she learns the ropes!

We have a Winner!

Congratulations go to Ann Martin, from Fife, who won out latest competition for a Ball of Marmalady Gin. Our next competition will be published shortly, so keep your eyes peeled.

I hope your weekend is as filled with well dressed green salad leaves as ours, and that we see you very soon.

Yours,

Angus

Don't miss our Festival Offer!

If you have yet to take up our special Festival Discount Offer to save yourself 15% on purchases either online or in store, please do so now. This offer ends on Wednesday this week.

Celebrate your end of Summer and our 12 glorious years in business with our Festival Offer. Order £40 or more before the end of August and receive a 15% discount on your order either online or in store in Edinburgh, Glasgow, York or Oxford.

If ordering online use Voucher Code: festival2016. If visting our shops, simply request your discount from a member of our Staff at the moment of purchase. There is no limit on how many times this offer can be redeemed.

Please note, free standard delivery applies to UK mainland orders over £40. Alternatively, order online to collect for free from one of our shops. Offer ends at 23.59 hrs on Wed 31st Aug 2016.

I hope your Bank Holiday Weekend has been as fun as ours and we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours,

Angus

A Festival of Ice Cream Recipes

The World famous Edinburgh Festival is in full swing and our founding little shop that we opened just over 12 years ago is right in the thick of it, nestling in the eclectic curve of Victoria Street. It was on one such festival that Frances's delicious Festival Blackcurrant Ice Cream recipe was born, using our incredibly rich Blackcurrant Gin Liqueur 20% from Worcestershire.

The great news is that you can adapt this simple recipe to use almost any of the 30 liqueurs in our range to make your ice creams more exciting. To vary your recipes yet further, we recommend trying out our Seville Orange Marmalade Ice Cream or our Spiced Rum and Brown Bread Ice Cream. I think ice cream heaven has arrived!

A Special Festival Offer

Celebrate your end of Summer and our 12 glorious years in business with our Festival Offer. Order £40 or more before the end of August and receive a 15% discount on your order either online or in store in Edinburgh, Glasgow, York or Oxford.

If ordering online use Voucher Code: festival2016. Free standard delivery applies to UK mainland orders over £40. Alternatively, order online to collect for free from one of our shops. Offer ends at 23.59 hrs on Wed 31st Aug 2016.

Event News

Firstly we apologise to all you wonderful Huddersfield Food & Drink Festival fans for missing this years event. Thankyou for the many fantastic and passionate messages of disappointment at our absence. It is nice to be missed!

We will, however, be back out and about with the events team next week at the amazing Burghley Horse Trials between Thurs 1st to Sun 4th Sept, located in the Food Walk as last year. If you love horses and shopping then we look forward to seeing you there! Please check our fairs and events diary to see if we are to be near to you anytime soon.

Win a Ball of Marmalady Gin

If you have yet to enter and are a fan of our Seville Orange Gin 26%, then please enter our competition now for your chance to win a 500ml Sfera bottle of Seville Orange Gin, also known as a Ball of Marmalady Gin. The competition closes for entries on Sun 4th Sept 2016.

Good luck making the last of your hot Summer days a festival of ice cream fun, and don't forget to take advantage of our festival offer.

Yours,

           Angus

Summer Cocktail Ideas

3 quick and easy Summer cocktail recipes to make your Summer a little more lively. Click the links or photos to find out how to make our Citrus Sundowner, Raspberry Fresh and Rhubarb Bellini cocktails. 

Events News

If you would like to try our cocktails first hand, you are in luck. The largest cocktail party in Scotland, the Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace, is about to kick off. Between Friday 1st and Sun 3 July we will be in action on our stand at the GWCT Members Enclosure with both our Liquid Deli and Cocktail Bar. If you are coming to see us, be prepared for a lot of fun and don't forget your welly boots or your beautifully clean Demijohn bottles if you need a refill!

We are recruiting!

We are looking for more dynamic, enthusiastic, food and drink fascinated people to join us and fill both full and part-time vacant positions in our Oxford Shop. If you or someone you know might be interested, please read our careers page for more information on how to apply for a job with us.

Have fun muddling those Summer cocktails!

Yours,

           Angus

Save 15% on your next order

If you are still looking for fabulous Father's Day gifts for your Dad or you are ready to stock up for a Summer party, our 15% discount off your next order will be welcome, I am sure.

Invite to a Tasting Evening

Our new Big Daddy bottle of port-like Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23% would certainly put a smile on most Fathers' faces. However, for something even more memorable, why not book a place on one of our special Tasting Evenings to be held on Thursday 16th June 2016 next week? Everyone is welcome, especially lucky Fathers! Click to book your place now.

Your exclusive discount and free delivery

To claim your 15% discount* off your next order in store or online, use voucher code: bigdaddy2016 prior to Sun 19th June. For in store purchases or telephone orders, simply mention the voucher code and request your discount from a member of our Staff at time of ordering.

In addition, orders placed online of £25 or more before Sun 12 June 2016 are eligible for free delivery to any UK Mainland address, saving you a further £5.95.

 *Offer Terms & Conditions: Our 15% discount offer expires at 23.59hrs on Sun 19 June 2016. It is valid for use once on your next order only and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Free delivery to UK Mainland addresses normally for orders of £40 or more. Other delivery rates may apply depending on delivery address and speed.

Something for the Weekend - A Walking Wedding Fair

Edinburgh's Grassmarket is holding its first of a kind Walking Wedding Fair this weekend from 11am on Sat 11th June to 4pm on Sun 12th June. We, along with many of the other quirky Grassmarket independent businesses, will be offering some very special deals and activities over the weekend.

So if you are busy planning your wedding and need help choosing either wedding favours for your guests, a few thankyou presents for friends and family or simply need some of our unique drinks to spice up your wedding cocktails we think you should consider taking part. It will be fun!

We look forward to seeing you soon, armed with your exclusive Demijohn 15% discount of course, and will be happy to help as required.

Yours,

           Angus

Recipe for a great weekend

The bank holiday weekend is looming and Summer has officially started. To celebrate we have a new Summer cocktail recipe for you to try called Hold your Horses. Aptly named, this cocktail was created while we exhibited at Badminton Horse trials earlier this month.

Our Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 20.5% is combined with our Grapefruitcello Liqueur 32% and Elderflower Vinegar to make an excitingly fresh long drink. So delightful is it to taste in fact, I think many forgot about the horse trials during that long, hot week in a field at Badminton!

Find out how to make a Hold your Horses Cocktail so you too can sip like a Show Jumper and get your great weekend started!

A Tasting fit for your Father

Father's Day is approaching fast on 19th June. Have you thought of a present for your Dad yet? We have many great Father's Day gifts to choose from, however, nothing could be more special than to accompany your Father to one of our Father's Day Tasting Evenings.

The tasting evenings, based on our Standard Tasting Evening format, will take place on Thursday 16th June in each of our 4 shops, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford between 6.30pm and 7.30pm. The cost to attend is £10 per person, which includes a £5 shopping voucher redeemable on the evening.

How to Book

Places are limited. Last year this was a very popular event, so if you would like to bring your Dad along please book early. To book, simply send an email to info@demijohn.co.uk with your contact details, including the number of places to be reserved and the particular shop which you would like to attend. We will then respond with full details and organise payment to be taken prior to the event.

Events News

We have been out and about this month in style. Thankyou to all who came to see us at Badminton, we will be back in 2017 for sure! Thankyou also to those who took part in the Little Clarendon Street Party in Oxford last weekend which we sponsored. Despite a splot of rain, literally 1000's turned out to see the street in carnival spirit with magical music from 6 bands and 4 choirs. Our Vinegar Spritzer Bar raised over £100 for local charity Sobell House Hospice.

We cannot thank enough the hard work from everyone who made it happen and all the volunteer musicians. All our events for the year can be found on our Fairs and Events page.

Have a wonderful bank holiday weekend, may the sun shine and good luck holding your horse!

Yours,

           Angus

Spring starts and ends with Rhubarb

Oh the joys of Spring weather. But what really tells us when Spring has started or ended for that matter? For me it is not the balmy weather, not the appearance and disappearance of many lurid yellow daffodils. It is not birds busily nesting and their chicks hatching, nor young lambs leaping. For me Spring is defined by our crop of rhubarb, crucial for our Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur.

New striking red stalks dart from a black soil in a confident upwards movement before enthusiastically bursting open with fabulously huge green leaves. Rhubarb's energy seems at odds with virtually all else growing in the garden, and then like daft sheep following each other to an open gate, the rest of nature follows. Before we know it, Summer is here, whoopee!

And what a vegetable rhubarb is, cunning and clever. Despite its foul taste when raw and poisonous leaves, its healthy look compels most to treat it as a fruit. It can make delicious drinks like our Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 20.5% or sumptuous puddings like our Rhubarb and Mead Pavlova or Rhubarb and Ginger Wine Trifles. 

Spring starts and ends with rhubarb, think about it.

Events News

2016 got off to a flying start with an evening of Demijohn Cocktails at the amazing Rutherfords Micro Pub in Kelso on 31st March. Run passionately by owners Simon and Debbie Rutherford, they kindly invited me along to mix up a few cocktails for their customers. The result was a tremendously fun evening for me, I only hope all their guests enjoyed the performance too! If you have yet to visit this small but perfectly formed establishment in the Scottish Borders, it is worth the trip.

Badminton

Thankyou also to all those who came to see us at the BBC Good Food Spring Show in Harrogate. Next week, Danny and I we will be in a field exhibiting at the famous Badminton Horse Trials between 4-8 May. If you happen to be in Gloucestershire and fancy a fun day out, remember to pack your bottles for refilling and please come and see us. We are located on the Food Walk, where the sun always shines!

Save the Date - Little Clarendon Street Party - 21st May 2016

Our Oxford Shop is planning a mega party with our neighbours. If you are near Little Clarendon Street in Oxford on Sat 21st May please come and join in our Street Party between noon and 6pm to celebrate our vibrant street, full of unique independent businesses. Music, performing arts and great food and drink will make for a seriously fun carnival atmosphere on the day and there is no cost to take part. Click for more details and show your support.

All our events for the year can be found on our Fairs and Events page

Father's Day Competition

Fathers are getting restless, knowing that Father's Day on Sun 19th June is approaching fast! Enter our Father's Day competition now to try and win our fabulous Mini Whisky Rack delivered free to your door in time for Father's Day. More great present ideas can be found in Father's Day Gifts.

Have a great weekend trying to work out when Spring is to end and Summer begin.

Yours,

           Angus

A delicious treat for Easter

My lovely Wife, Frances, has created an incredibly delicious Chocolate Rum Cake made with our Chocolate Rum Liqueur 29.5%. Could there be a better cake than this to feed friends and family with this Easter?

However, if you are simply looking for a fun alternative to the classic Chocolate Easter Egg then have a quick peek at our Easter Gifts to find all things egg shaped, from our Chocolate Orange with a Difference to our Olive Oil and Fruit Vinegar Ball and much more.

15% Discount Offer

Now you really can make your cake and eat it!  We would like to offer you a healthy 15% discount* off your next Demijohn purchase online or in store. Don't delay, your offer ends on Easter Sunday.

Please use voucher code: easter2016 either on check out online or quote verbally to a member of our Staff within our shops to redeem your discount.

*Terms for Easter 15% Discount Offer: This offer is not valid in conjunction with any other offer, excludes delivery charges and can be used once per customer. The offer expires at 23.59hrs on Sunday 27th March 2016. Please note our Standard delivery service to all UK mainland addresses is still FREE for orders of £40 or more, saving you £5.95.

Easter Competition

If you have yet to enter our latest competition for Easter, to win a Chocolate Orange with a Difference delivered free to your door, then please enter swiftly. This competition closes for entries on Sun 20 March 2016.

Good luck baking your cake. Have a wonderful Easter and we hope to see you soon.

Yours,

           Angus

Marvellous for Mothers

Demijohn has some marvellous new Mother's Day gift ideas for Mothering Sunday on 6 March 2014.

To every Mother in the land, therefore, please forward this email to the person in your family tasked with rewarding your continual love, care and attention. Bad luck Fathers, you will need to wait until June!

Our Standard delivery service to all UK mainland addresses is FREE for orders of £40 or more, saving you £5.95. To take advantage of this for a Mother's Day present, please place your order by Mon 29th Feb 2016.

Last Call for Refills!

If you have yet to refill and take advantage of our 15% discount off the cost of your Demijohn bottle refill, please do so now. This offer ends on Mon 29 February 2016.

Competition Winner

Congratulations go to Michelle Martin from Glasgow who has won our Valentine's Day Competition for a 500ml heart shaped bottle of our new Chocolate Rum Liqueur 29.5%. Thankyou to all those who entered.

Have a wonderful weekend and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Yours,

           Angus

Love is less dear than you think!

Valentine's Day is approaching fast. So if you are struggling for some Valentine's Day gift ideas inspiration prior to the 14th February like me then help is at hand.

Here are my top two ideas, from the heart of course.....

• A special something for Her, our Raspberry and Lime Vodka Ball
• A strong something for Him, A Rum Pair

Our Standard delivery service to all UK mainland addresses is FREE for orders of £40 or more, saving you £5.95. To take advantage of this for a Valentine's Day present, please order by Mon 8th Feb 2016.

Don't forget to refill!

We are offering an additional 15% discount off the cost of your Demijohn bottle refill if made prior to the end of February 2016 in store. By refilling you will also save on the cost of a new glass bottle.

There is no catch, just please request your discount at the time of purchase. Simply give your bottles a good wash out and remember to bring them with you when you next visit. You will have fun trying to choose some of our delicious products to refill them with, we will do all the rest.

Win yourself a Heart of Chocolate Rum

If you have yet to enter, we have a new competition running to win a 500ml heart shaped bottle of our new Chocolate Rum Liqueur 29.5%, worth £33.20, delivered to your door for free. Click to view competition details and enter.

Good luck with choosing your Valentine a present. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Yours,

           Angus

15% Discount on Demijohn Bottle Refills

A very Happy New Year to you. If, like me, you are feeling slightly shocked at the onset of Winter proper, then hopefully this will cheer you up.

Our seasonal discount to encourage you to refill your precious Demijohn bottles has started, whoopee!

By refilling you will not only save on the cost of a new glass bottle, but we are offering an additional 15% discount off the cost of the refill if made prior to the end of February 2016.

There is no catch, just please request your discount at the time of purchase. Simply give your bottles a good wash out and remember to bring them with you when you next visit. You will have fun trying to choose some of our delicious products to refill them with, we will do all the rest.

With Burns Night and Valentine's Day approaching fast, this I think is a very good time to refill!

Win yourself a Heart of Chocolate Rum

Congratulations go to the winner of our last competition Mrs Robertson from East Kilbride who has won herself a huge pile of Certainly Wood Kiln Dried logs. We now have a new competition running to win a 500ml heart shaped bottle of our new Chocolate Rum Liqueur 29.5%, worth £33.20, delivered to you door for free. Click to view competition details and enter.

Good luck with finding and washing out your Demijohn bottles. We look foward to seeing you for a refill soon.

Yours,

           Angus

Bring in the New Year with Grapefruitcello

Today we won, for the second year running, the World Sloe Gin Championships with our Sloe Gin 22%, how about that! However, equally as exciting is a new Grapefruitcello Liqueur 32% which has sneaked its way on to our shelves in the last few weeks. Have you tried it yet?

We think it might prove quite a popular drink at Hogmanay parties up and down the country this year, as it is really quite unique. It is always fun to surprise guests with a new potion from the drinks cupboard and our Grapefruitcello will do exactly that!

A fresh, smooth taste which is almost peppery on the tongue, our new Grapefruitcello Liqueur is an exciting drink that can make some cracking cocktails too. Start your New Year party this year with our Grapefruit Vodka Mojito cocktail and you will be dancing with the bells in no time! 

Last orders for Christmas Deliveries 

If you have placed an order recently, thankyou and now relax. Our Teams in Glasgow and York are doing a first class job of processing your orders swiftly and we are right on track to ensure all orders are delivered in time for Christmas.

Until Christmas Eve, we are open late until 8pm midweek and 6pm on Fri, Sat and Sun in all our shops to make life a little more civilised for you if you are planning a visit. Please see our Shop Opening Times page for full details.

While there is plenty of time left for pre-New Year deliveries, last orders to ensure a safe delivery by Christmas must be placed by midnight tonight for Standard deliveries and by midnight on Thursday 17th Dec for Express deliveries. After this time we will still process your order, however it is unlikely your order will arrive in time for Christmas. Weather may also affect delivery times. See our Shipping page for more details.

Win yourself a heap of Firewood for Winter!

It is not only our drinks such as our World class Sloe Gin that can keep you warm this Winter, we now have some firewood to hand out! Enter our new competition for your chance to win £125 of Kiln Dried Firewood from our friends at Certainly Wood. Click to view competition details and enter.

From all of us at Demijohn, we wish you a very merry Christmas and a jolly good party at New Year with our Grapefruitcello!

Yours,

           Angus

Top 10 Gift Ideas for Christmas

If, like me, you can hear the Christmas countdown clock ticking and are still trying to think of ideas for Christmas presents, well, help is at hand. In no particular order, these are our top 10 Christmas gift ideas to get most people out of that tricky spot!

1. Demijohn Wibble Gift Set £51.15 - A new set to make our famous Wibble cocktail, as recommended by Cosmopolitan Magazine
2. Hipflask of 7 year old Aultmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky £60.92 - A unique cask strength, Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
3. Mini Gin Rack £22.79 - New this year, everyone's favourite tasting set of gins
4. 500ml bottle of Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur £27.40 - A magnificently fruity drink, wonderful with cheese
5. Chocolate Rum Jeroboam £182.50 - New this year, a beautiful 3 litre bottle filled with our delicious Chocolate Rum
6. 350ml bottle of Elderflower Vinegar £9.85 - A unique dressing made with elderflowers picked by us
7. Oil and Vinegar Carousel £35.75 - A charming handmade presentation piece for the finest kitchens
8. Rhubarb & Ginger £21.80 - A beautiful glass orb filled with our Organic Rhubarb Vodka and Ginger Wine
9. Citrus Sundowner Cocktail Set £43.05 - 3 clever stacking drinks to make our popular Citrus Sundowner Cocktail
10. The Liqueur Box £86.95 - A handmade presentation box filled with 6 of our most popular drinks

 With free standard 4-5 working day delivery for orders over £40 to all UK Mainland addresses, simply place your order by Wed 16th Dec this year and we will do the rest. Don't forget to add a free personal message and Christmas 2015 is sorted!

Late Opening, Christmas Deliveries and Click and Collect 

Our easy shopping news gets better and better. We are now open late until 8pm midweek in all our shops to make life a little more civilised for you if and when you visit prior to Christmas Eve. Please see our Shop Opening Times page for full details.

In addition you can place your order now and request a delayed delivery. Alternatively you can choose to collect your order from one of our shops to save yourself time.

To request a delayed Christmas delivery please simply annotate "Christmas Delivery" in the special delivery instructions notes field when you checkout online.

Delayed Christmas deliveries will all be despatched in the week commencing Mon 14 Dec 2015 for delivery by Wed 23 Dec 2015. Last orders to ensure a safe delivery by Christmas must be placed by Wed 16 Dec 2015. After this time we will still be processing orders, however it is unlikely your order will arrive in time for Christmas. Weather may also affect delivery times.

Competition Winner Announced

The winner of our Mini Gin Rack Competition which ended on 30 Nov 2015 was Fiona MacDonald. Thankyou to all those who entered, Fiona will receive her prize shortly.

We are here to help. So if you get stuck simply contact us and we will do our absolute tippy top best to help. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours,

           Angus

Warm up with our new Hipflasks

There is no doubt that our warm Autumn will eventually turn more wintery, shame! Welcome our new Outlaw 375ml bottle with its handsome hipflask size and shape. With this little hipflask in your pocket, filled possibly with our fruity Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23% or our new Chocolate Rum Liqueur 29.5%, your cockles might just stay warmer this week if you're heading to a bonfire night party! 

However, if you would rather think of Summer salads than Winter warmers, then our other new bottle, the Nocturne 350ml, is a rather excellent size for drizzling dressings and fitting in your cupboard. We hope you like them both?

Book a Pre-Christmas Tasting Evening

If you have yet to sign up for a pre-Christmas Tasting Evening, on either Wed 11th Nov or Thurs 26th in all shops or book your own private event, then there is still time to book. Places start from just £5 per person. Click to find out more and book.

Events News

Christmas fair season is upon us and I am warming my body up ready for the challenge! We start by exhibiting at the BBC Good Food Show in Glasgow later this week and then travel South for the Well Child Christmas Fair at Dalesford near Oxford at the start of next week. Full details of each event can be found on our fairs and events page.

Competition News

Congratulations go to the winner of our latest competition for a Ball of Sloe Gin, Mrs Theresa Gudgeon of Suffolk who will receive her prize on Friday. Thankyou to all who entered. You can look forward to trying your luck again in our next competition which will be published soon.

Have a wonderful weekend and we hope to see you very soon.

Yours,

            Angus

Hurry! Your 20% discount offer expires on Sunday

If you have yet to order and take full advantage of our pre-Christmas offer, then please do so now. Our 20% discount offer* expires at midnight on Sunday 25 Oct 2015, in just 3 days time.

Your discount can be used against any purchase in store or online, including our fabulous new range of Christmas gift ideas, all of which can be personalised for free with a handwritten message.

Simply use Voucher Code: rum2015 either when shopping in store or online to receive your exclusive 20% discount* on your next order over £100. Some terms apply of course, please see below for details.

Don't forget you can order online to collect in store at a time of your choosing and save yourself time and stress.

Have fun shopping!

Yours,

            Angus

*Offer Terms: Discount expires 23.59hrs on Sun 25 Oct 2015. Limited offer, valid both in store and online once per customer for orders over £100 in value made in a single transaction. £100 limit excludes delivery charges. Demijohn reserves the right to exclude certain products from offer.

A Personal Invite to a pre-Christmas Tasting Evening

Delicious new things have arrived at Demijohn over the last few months, from Chocolate Rum Liqueur 29.5% to White Truffle Oil. Now we have added two very fine new Scotch Whiskies to our range to add a little strength to the tasting party!

A very interesting 7 year old Aultmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky 62.5% joins our boutique 6 year old Islay Blended Malt Scotch Whisky 42% as unique new products on our shelves.

It is a great time to drop in for a sniff and a sip. And if you have yet to take advantage our our exclusive 20% discount offer, which is valid for orders both in store or online don't delay. You have only 10 days left to take up this offer. Click for offer details.

Your invite to a Tasting Evening

We would like to invite you to one of our 3 planned pre-Christmas Tasting Evenings. They will be run simultaneously in our four shops, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford starting next week on Thurs 22 Oct, then Wed 11 Nov and Thurs 26 Nov 2015.

The Tasting Evenings will all start promptly at 6.30pm with a cocktail drink and last for about an hour. The evenings are fun and relaxed and will allow you to try all of our new products and many more besides, giving you some great ideas for Christmas presents.

Cost to attend these special events is just £5* per person of which the full amount can be redeemed on the night against any purchase made.

To book your place

Choose your preferred date and shop then either email your choice and contact details to info@demijohn.co.uk or call our Customer Line on Tel: +44 845 604 8350. Please note places are limited.

Love the idea but not the dates?

Our special pre-Christmas Tasting Evenings are based on our standard Tasting Evenings which can be booked and run as a private event on a date to suit you either within our shops or at your chosen location. They are an excellent and affordable way to entertain a group of friends or work colleagues. Contact us for more details about booking your own Tasting Event.

*Terms: Please note that after your booking is confirmed your £5 attendance fee is refundable only in the event of cancellation of the Tasting Evening by Demijohn. The £5 shopping voucher is valid only during the tasting evening.

Win a 500ml bottle of Sloe Gin

If you missed our recent posts on Facebook andTwitter (just like or follow us to receive them), we have a new competition running for a Ball of Sloe Gin. It would be silly not to enter? Enter now!

Don't forget to take advantage of our Discount Offer and book your place now for one of our pre-Christmas tastings. We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours,

Angus

Something very big, dark and strong has landed at Demijohn.....

A new Chocolate Rum Liqueur 29.5% is now on tap for you to try and we have a beautiful new 3 litre bottle called Salmo to put it in.

After 8 months of development work, this unique and delicious new drink is ready. Deliberately less sweet than our popular Spiced Rum Liqueur 20%, our Chocolate Rum Liqueur 29.5% will appeal to dark chocolate lovers and those who enjoy a strong spirit rum. As a present idea for a cold Winter night at Christmas, what could be better?

Tempted to try?

Take advantage right now of our most generous pre-Christmas offer on any of our products. Use Voucher Code: rum2015 either when shopping in store or online within the next 2 weeks to receive your exclusive 20% discount* on your next order over £100. Some terms apply of course, please see below for details.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

Yours,

            Angus

*Offer Terms: Discount expires 23.59hrs on Sun 25 Oct 2015. Limited offer, valid both in store and online once per customer for orders over £100 in value made in a single transaction. £100 limit excludes delivery charges. Demijohn reserves the right to exclude certain products from offer.

Recipe for a great Bank Holiday Weekend

Lots of amazing new food and drink products have arrived in our shops throughout the Summer and from these delicious things we have discovered even more delicious food and cocktail recipes.

White Truffle Oil Pasta for example, using our new White Truffle Oil. Quick to make and quite simply delicious to eat.

However, if you fancy a little celebration this weekend as well as our Italian inspired feast, then I urge you to mix up our Highland Fuze Cocktail. Made with our new Toffee Whisky Liqueur 20% and created for this year's Royal Guard at Balmoral, this really is a drink fit for Her Majesty the Queen.

Your recipe for a great Weekend is just a click away. So place your order now for your ingredients and receive a 5% discount*. Simply enter Voucher Code: summer2015 when you checkout.

*Offer Terms: Expires 31st August 2015. Can be redeemed online for an instore pickup. Valid on first online order only, excludes delivery charges.

Win our new Mini Whisky Rack!

If you have yet to enter our latest competition for our new Mini Whisky Rack delivered free to your door, then please do so now as time is running out. The competition closes for entry on Sun 6 Sept 2015. Click to enter now!

Events News

We will be exhibiting on the famous Food Walk once again at Burghley Horse Trials in Lincolnshire next week. Taking our Cocktail Bar for the first time, Eve and I will be dancing a merry tune between Thurs 3rd and Sun 6th Sept. If you are coming we look forward to seeing you there. There are many more Autumn and Winter events planned. Our Fairs and Events page has all the details.

Good luck creating your recipe for a great Bank Holiday Weekend. We hope to see you soon!

Yours,

Angus

'Tis the hour for Elderflower!

Summer is upon us at last, and with it brings a craving in our family for fresh green leaf Summer salads dressed with a little Elderflower Vinegar. Happily our Elderflower Vinegar is now back in stock, so it is time for you to wash out your empty Demijohn bottles and pop back in for a refill or place an order online.

A Tale of Two Picks

While it grew a little later than expected this year due to our cool British Spring, the flower of the Elder was blooming good in the North of England and slightly less so in Scotland.

A now annual event, we closed up some of the shops for two days at the end of June so that we could pick the precious elderflower heads for our delicious Elderflower Vinegar. I apologise now if you were caught out by such a sudden shop closure. However, without the gallant and voluntary efforts of our Staff there simply would be no Elderflower Vinegar and salads the Country over would be much less interesting as a result!

Team Demijohn has a history of picking things, and there is no doubt in my mind that it is the right thing to do. At the very least it gives us an excellent opportunity to eat a fabulous picnic lunch and try a few Demijohn Cocktails! At its best, it allows us to make a unique, naturally delicious product.

Once picked the flower heads are rushed north to Edinburgh, where Anne Sinclair and her team are ready to turn nature into our addictive Summer salad dressing.

Unique to us at Demijohn, our Elderflower Vinegar is always in limited supply. We would therefore recommend that you stock up now to prevent missing something very special indeed.

Competition Time

It is competition time again. If you have yet to enter our latest competition for our new Mini Whisky Rack delivered free to your door, then please do so now. The competition closes for entry on Sun 6 Sept 2015. Click to enter now!

Events News

Thankyou to all those who came to see us at the Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace in Perth at the start of the month. We had a very merry time of it and even broke into a dance at one point, not least because of the excellent bagpiping by Pipe Major Alistair Duthie!

Our next major event will be the superb CLA Game Fair, to be held this year at Harewood House near Leeds. We will be in the British Food Village and once again have our cocktail bar in action. The fair starts on Friday 30th July for 3 days.

Please view our Fairs and Events page for more details of where we will exhibit in 2015.

Have a wonderful weekend and we look forward to hearing from you again soon.

Yours,

Angus

An Invite to a Tasting Evening

If you are free on Friday evening this week and would like to take part in a fun Tasting Evening with us, either on your own or with a friend, we have a few places left to fill.

As part of our many suggested Father's Day gifts, this could even be a Tasting Evening fit for a Father too, however, all are welcome.

Amongst the many delicious products for you to try would be our very new Toffee Whisky Liqueur 20%, a delicately smooth blend of caramel, butterscotch and Scotch Whisky.

When and Where?

Our Tasting Evenings will be run from 6.30 to 7.30pm on Friday 19th June 2015 in each of our four shops, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford and be based on our standard Tasting Evening.

You will start with a cocktail drink or two and then be led by the nose through our unique range of handmade British food and drink. The evening will be relaxed and fun.

How much does it cost?

The cost to attend is just £10 per person, of which the full £10 will be redeemable as a shopping voucher on the night of the tasting only.

How do I book?

Booking is simple. Please email us your contact details, number of places required and the relevant shop you wish to attend. We will then confirm your booking and take payment.

Father's Day Competition

Thankyou to all who entered our Father's Day Competiton this month for our Cubarb, a Mystic 500ml bottle of our Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 22.5%, which ended on Sunday 14th June 2015. The lucky winner was Deborah Epsly from Grays.  We will be making contact shortly to arrange delivery of your prize in time for Father's Day.

Events News

Thankyou also to all those who came to see us at the BBC Good Food Summer Show last week, especially if you were meant to be there for the gardening show! Our next show is the amazing Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace in Perth.

We will be once again located on Gunmakers Row as last year, at the entrance to the GWCT Members enclosure. Both our Liquid Deli and Cocktail Bar will be in full swing and we may even persuade a friendly Piper to come a play for a few moments again!

Please view our Fairs and Events page for more details of where we will exhibit in 2015.

Have a wonderful week and we look forward to hearing from you again soon.

Yours,

Angus

Hurry! Our Free Delivery Offer Ends on Monday

If you have yet to take advantage of our free delivery offer for some great Father's Day gifts such as our Fruity Highlander Cocktail Set or maybe our new Citrus Sundowner Cocktail Set, then please do so now as our delivery offer ends on Monday. 

We are offering free standard delivery* for all orders over £25 placed by Mon 1st June 2015 to UK mainland delivery addresses. If you get stuck, please contact us and we will be happy to help.

*Please note terms apply: Standard delivery to a UK mainland delivery address is normally £5.95 for our 4-5 working day service and free for orders over £40. See terms & conditions.

Father's Day Tasting Evening

Places are filling up fast for our planned Father's Day Tasting Evening to be held in all shops on Friday 19th June 2015. Book your place now!

We love hearing your comments, good or bad, so please do keep sending them in.

Yours,

Angus

Father's Day is not far away....

Father's Day falls on Sunday 21st June this year. As a Father myself I am sincerely hoping that my dear Wife, Frances, will lead our children by the nose to choose the sort of food and drink Father's Day gifts that we have on offer at Demijohn. As she points out, there are, however, many types of Father to consider. Read Frances's latest light hearted and helpful guide to choosing the best Father's Day Gifts for all types of Father. It made me chuckle!

For a limited period, we are offering free standard delivery* for all orders over £25 placed by Mon 1st June 2015 to UK mainland delivery addresses.

So if enlightenment happens after reading Frances's words, please do not delay placing your order, as Father's Day is not far away!

*Please note terms apply: Standard delivery to a UK mainland delivery address is normally £5.95 for our 4-5 working day service and free for orders over £40. See terms & conditions.

A Father's Day Tasting

It may be that simply sending a Father's Day gift in the post is just not special enough for your Father. We understand and have some other attractive present ideas for you to consider. Our £40 Tasting for Two gift voucher offers a great way to spend a valuable and fun hour or so with your Father at a time of your choosing.

Alternatively book yourself in to on of our hosted Father's Day Tasting Evenings which we are to run in each of our shops on Fri 19th June 2015. The evenings will all run from 6.30pm and 7.30pm and be based on our standard Tasting Evening format, starting with a cocktail drink or two. The cost to attend is £10 per person, of which £10 will be redeemable as a shopping voucher on the night of the tasting only. Booking is essential.

How do I book?

To book please email your contact details, number of places required and the relevant shop you wish to attend at, either Edinburgh, Glasgow, York or Oxford. We will then make contact, arrange payment and confirm your booking.

Win a big bottle of Rhubarb Vodka

If you are feeling lucky why not enter our latest Father's Day competition now for our Cubarb, a 500ml cube shaped bottle of our delicious Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 20.5%. Thankyou to those who have entered already. Please note this competition closes for entries on Sun 14th June 2015 and the prize will be delivered in time for Father's Day. 

Luss is More!

Every now and then something really special happens. It is almost a year to the day when we were first invited to see the newly founded Luss General Store that sits in the beautiful village of Luss, on the banks of Loch Lomond. Since then our relationship with this unique business has blossomed and grown.

On Saturday 23rd May this weekend, Luss General Store will celebrate its first birthday and with it the launch of its latest venture, a Demijohn in-store Concession. Part of their celebrations will include the serving of a few of our jolly delicious Rhubarb Bellini Cocktails.

So if you would like a very pleasant trip out on Saturday, I would recommend you visit Luss and grab yourself a little cocktail on the house. A fabuluss idea you might say....

Don't forget to take advantage of our free delivery offer for any Father's Day gifts, and may the weekend ahead bring sun and much fun!

Yours,

Angus

A fruity new Tayberry Vinegar has arrived!

With the warm Spring sunshine comes a new fruity Tayberry Vinegar to our shelves for you to try. Just in time to dress your fresh Summer salads, with a little Villa Montalbano Extra Virgin Olive Oil perhaps? Read Frances's blog post Tayberry Vinegar Arrives for some extra recipe tips....

Competition Update

Thankyou to all those who entered our April competitions. Big congratulations go to Chloe Bailey who won our Easter competition for a Chocolate Orange with a Difference. Our Go Pointing competition winner for a Ball of Sloe Gin was Anne White and Rose Fazakarley won our competition for the best Spring photo with her shot of Blue Tits nesting, and what a cracker it was too!

So if you are feeling you have missed out, why not try your luck and enter our latest Father's Day competition now for our Cubarb, a 500ml cube shaped bottle of our delicious Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur. Good luck!

More new Products are on their way

Beavering away behind the scenes is the Demijohn R&D team, helping our eclectic band of small producers to choose and develop a number of delicious new food and drink products for our shelves.

Our next new product to arrive will be a fresh, first class Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Portugal, to be followed swiftly by a handful of unique new liqueurs and whiskies.

Importantly, please keep reading The Demijohn News for details of when the next new product arrives. These are some of our favourite things.....

Demijohn Recruits Required

Demijohn keeps growing, a little like my tummy! We are looking for more enthusiastic full and part time Staff in all our shops in Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford. If you feel as though you have what it takes to be a Demijohnnie, then do your homework and please apply as soon as possible. We look forward to hearing from you.

Have a wonderful sunny weekend and enjoy those salads with a little of our new Tayberry Vinegar drizzled over them!

Yours,

Angus

Egg it up for Easter

Easter is a great time for a family gathering. If you are planning a party over the next week or so we not only have one of the most fun grown up Easter eggs on offer, as one of our many Easter gifts, we also have a new cookie recipe for you to enjoy.

Our Chocolate Orange with a Difference is a fun play on the classic chocolate Easter egg, using our handmade Chocolate Orange Cream Liqueur 17%, and can have a personal message added for free.

Our new Meady Mouthfuls recipe, invented by my Wife Frances, uses our smooth Traditional Mead 14.5% to give these irresistible fruit cookies a delicious hint of honey. So good were the cookies, the adults ate them all leaving nothing for our children! View our simple Meady Mouthfuls recipe in preparation for your Easter tea party.

An Easter Offer

We are willing the sun to come out and Winter to finally buzz off with our Easter offer. Buy our standard £10 Gift Voucher with voucher code: easter2015 before Friday 10th April 2015 for only £5*.

The Gift Voucher can be redeemed against any product in any store including online within a year, however, we hope to see you sooner than that! Please feel free to buy one for yourself and give one to a friend. Hopefully they will return the favour one day.

*Terms apply: Our Easter £10 Gift Voucher offer is redeemable in a single transaction against the purchase of any Demijohn products either in our shops or online for up to one year from the date of purchase. No cash alternative can be offered when a gift voucher is redeemed. Discounted gift vouchers are limited to two per customer and must be purchased online. Offer ends 23.59 hrs on Fri 10th April 2015. Free delivery of Gift Voucher normally within 7 days via Royal Mail for UK customers, International deliveries may take longer. To redeem a Gift Voucher online please contact us after receipt of your voucher.

We have a Winner or Two!

Congratulations go to both Maxine Weldo, for winning our Mother's Day competition, and Chloe Bailey, for winning our Easter competition. Thankyou to all those who entered.

Have a wonderful Easter weekend and we hope to see you in one of our shops soon.

Yours,

Angus

Make your Mother happy on Mother's Day

Mothering Sunday falls on 15th March this year. If you have still yet to buy a thoughtful gift for your Mother on Mother's Day, please take a moment to look at our our new Mothers Day Gift Ideas page for some wonderful, inspired present ideas.

One such idea is our beautiful new Liqueur Carousel. The Liqueur Carousel combines 3 of our most popular handmade drinks, Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 20.5%, Damson Gin Liqueur 22% and recently returned Spiced Rum Liqueur 20% in a British handmade red cherry wood rack.

If you wish, your Goccia Carousel can be personalied with different contents and a free handwritten message added to each of its Goccia 100ml bottles.

Such a personal gift is sure to make your Mother happy on Mother's Day. The difficulty will be in keeping it secret! 

Our Mother's Day Offer to You

Spend £40 or more online or in store before Sunday 8th March to receive a 10% discount and FREE delivery* to all UK Mainland delivery addresses or FREE collection from any of our shops when using voucher code: mothersday2015.

*Terms apply to our Mother's Day Offer: Redeemable online or in store subject to stock being available. Minimum spend of £40 required on a single transaction. Discount not applicable to cost of delivery. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer. Ends midnight on 8 Mar 2015.

Win a Liqueur Carousel for Mother's Day

If you are feeling lucky, then please feel free to enter our current competition to win a Liqueur Carousel delivered free to your door. See our Competitions page for more details of how to enter.

Last call for Refills!

Calling all refillers. Your chance to take up our New Year 15% discount offer on your bottle refills ends this week on Sat 28th Feb 2015. Simply return with your washed out Demijohn bottles and request your discount at time of refilling from a member of our Staff.

This is of course another potentially great way of creating Mother's Day gifts that she'll really love at a little bit of a bargain price. Borrow your Mother's empty Demijohn bottles and surprise her by refilling some or all of them....just a helpful thought.

We are looking forward to seeing you soon, just please don't forget to bring your bottles to actually refill if that is the plan!

Yours,

Angus

Last Minute Offer for a Unique Valentine Present

Order your last minute Valentine's Day present online before Wednesday 11th February 2015 and save 15% off your order.

Whether your order is to be delivered or collected in store from one our Shops, we have some great gift ideas for you to choose from.

Simply enter voucher code VALENTINE2015 when you order to receive your 15% discount.

To collect your order in store, choose your preferred store when selecting your delivery option from the list. Your order should be ready within 48 hours.

Please note our Valentine's Day discount offer is exclusively for orders placed online and does not apply to the cost of delivery. 

Valentine Tasting Evening

If you have yet to book, there are still a few places available at our next planned open Tasting Evening which will be run between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Thurs 12 Feb 2015 in each of our shops. The tasting will be based on our standard Tasting Evening with a light hearted Valentine twist, and it is not just for couples!

The cost to attend will be only £10 per person, payable in advance at time of booking. The attendance fee includes a £5 Shopping voucher that can be redeemed on any purchases made on the night.

To book places at our Valentine Tasting Evening please email us your contact details and include details of the Shop you wish to attend, be it Edinburgh, Glasgow, York or Oxford, and also the number of places required. We will then make contact to take the appropriate attendance fee if places are still available.

We hope this helps your romantic plans this week and look forward to seeing you soon.

Yours,

Angus

Present a Tasting to your Valentine

If you have yet to think of your Valentine's Day present this year for your loved one, then why not consider a tasting with us as a romantic present? Book a private Tasting for Two on any day of the week, or alternatively join in our next planned open Tasting Evening on Thursday 12 Feb 2015 in your nearest shop. Then again there is always a bottle of our delicious Traditional Mead 14% with a personal message...

A Tasting for Two

Our £40 Tasting for Two Gift Voucher is a fun way to spend an hour in one of our shops at a time of your choosing, and includes a £10 Shopping Voucher to spend as you like. See full details and book your Tasting for Two now.

Valentine Tasting Evening

Our next planned open Tasting Evening will be run between 6.30pm and 7.30pm on Thurs 12 Feb 2015. The tasting will be based on our standard Tasting Evening with a light hearted Valentine twist, and it is not just for couples!

The cost to attend will be only £10 per person, payable in advance at time of booking. The attendance fee includes a £5 Shopping voucher that can be redeemed on any purchases made on the night.

To book places at our Valentine Tasting Evening please email us your contact details and include details of the Shop you wish to attend, be it Edinburgh, Glasgow, York or Oxford, and also the number of places required. We will then make contact to take the appropriate attendance fee if places are still available.

Refill Offer Reminder

If you still have Demijohn bottles to refill please take advantage of our 15% refill discount offer, which is now running in all our stores, and bring your bottles back in for a refill. Simply request your refill discount when purchasing in store.

Please note our 15% refill discount applies only to any refills purchased and ends at the end of February 2015. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. If you are further away and would like to refill, splendid. Please pack up your bottles securely with a note of your contact details and order and send to us at the following address:

Demijohn, Mail Order Dept., 382 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AR

Once we receive them we will make contact with you and process your discounted refill order as quickly as possible.

We look forward to seeing you again very soon.

Yours,

       Angus

Our New Year Refill Resolution

Happy New Year! 2015 has started well for us with our Sloe Gin having won the impressive accolade of Best Aritsan Sloe Gin in the World. Yes this really is true and we are very proud. However, our new year resolution is to help you to refill more in 2015, possibly with a little of our now famous Sloe Gin!

So if you have a collection of our Demijohn bottles lurking about your house, please take advantage of our 15% refill discount offer which is now running in all our stores, and bring your bottles back in for a refill. Simply request your refill discount when purchasing in store.

Please give your bottles a quick wash out prior to your visit, then have fun tasting our products. Once you have decided, we will do the rest. This could be a great way of topping up cheaply with Single Malt Whisky for Burns Night on 25 Jan or possibly preparing a little Liqueur for a loved one for Valentine's Day on 14 Feb?

Please note our 15% refill discount applies only to any refills purchased and ends at the end of February 2015. It cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. If you are further away and would like to refill, splendid. Please pack up your bottles securely with a note of your contact details and order and send to us at the following address:

Demijohn, Mail Order Dept., 382 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AR

Once we receive them we will make contact with you and process your discounted refill order as quickly as possible.

A Burns Night Tasting

We would like to invite you to attend a Burns Tasting Evening on Thursday 22 Jan 2014 in your nearest shop, be it Edinburgh, Glasgow, York or Oxford.

The Tasting Evening will be based on our standard Tasting Evening with a light hearted Burns twist, and run between 6.30pm and 7.30pm. The cost to attend will be £10 per person, payable in advance at time of booking. The attendance fee includes a £5 Shopping voucher that can be redeemed on any purchases made on the night.

How do I Book?

To book places at our Burns Night Tasting please email us your contact details and include details of the Shop you wish to attend and also the number of places required. We will then make contact to take the appropriate attendance fee if places are still available.

Staff News

Congratulations are in order for Miss Catriona Donaldson who has been promoted to Shop Manager of our York Shop. Catriona first started with us 6 years ago in our Glasgow Shop, after her Father kindly volunteered her to help me run a charitable Christmas Fair in Glasgow's beautiful Kibble Palace. Musically very talented, Catriona sang like a Lark at that event and is still singing now on special occasions. York has much to look forward to!

Wishing you all the best for the year ahead, and we hope to see you for a refill very soon.

Yours,

       Angus

And now for the Demijohn Christmas Forecast...

Festive cheer is up 10% with sunny Seville Orange Gin, giggling Gooseberry Gin and warming Sloe Gin lifting temperatures through the day.

Showers of Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur in Prosseco are expected later, followed by occasisional blasts of Bloody Pirate Cocktails from the North.

Looking further ahead, rays of Limoncello will brighten your days over the next 3 weeks, even with ice.

Outlook for the end of the festive period, generally dry with occaisional Elderflower Vinegar Spritzer flurries ending with a splash of cask strength 13 year Old Bladnoch Single Malt Whisky to bring in the New Year!

6 of the Best Christmas Present Ideas

If you have hit the panic button like me already, and need some quick ideas for your Christmas present list, help is at hand. This is our 6 of the best, last minute, Christmas present ideas for this year:

1. Elderflower Vinegar and Lemon Oil Ball - £14.20
2. Liqueur Trio - £25.60
3. The Gin Rack - £38.07
4. A Scottish Selection - £77.75
5. The Liqueur Box - £86.95
6. The Sporting Box - £595.00

There are of course many other options for present ideas on our Quick Present Ideas page, hopefully one or all of these will answer your present finding dilemma.

Free Delivery Over £40

Our standard 5-7 day delivery service is free to all UK Mainland addresses for orders over £40 and please remember you can also click and collect via our website. There is no delivery charge for orders placed online for collection from one of our shops.

Last Orders for a Christmas Delivery

If you would like your order delivered in time for Christmas this year, please order by Thursday 18th Dec 2014. Orders after this date are unlikely to make it in time. Weather may also play a factor in delaying late orders, however, rest assured we will, of course, try everything possible to be on time for all orders, short of driving it to you ourselves, which has been known in the past!

Please remember if you get stuck with any aspect of our ordering please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be very happy to help.

From all of us at Demijohn we wish you a very happy Christmas and look forward to seeing you very soon.

Yours,

       Angus

A Nutty Christmas Offer

Our new British Walnut Liqueur 38% has arrived and is now on tap in our shops, for you to try.

With its strong, spicy, festive taste it is a perfect addition for your Christmas drinks cabinet.

Delicious when drunk after a big dinner as a digestif or sipped with a sweet dessert, this is a complex, slightly sweet drink that will pleasantly surprise even the most discerning connoisseurs.

If there is one regret it is that we were only able to make 250 litres of our fabulous new Walnut Liqueur this year. So if you would like to try some, please be quick!

Our Christmas Offer

If you are planning a Christmas order with us, now might be the moment to place it. Our standard 5-7 day delivery service is free to all UK Mainland addresses for orders over £40. Please remember you can also click and collect via our website. There is no delivery charge for orders placed online for collection from one of our shops.

In addition we are offering a 5% discount* on your online order if it is placed prior to Monday 8th Dec 2015. Simply enter voucher code WALNUT when you check out. (*Terms apply. The discount cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer, applies to online orders only excluding your delivery charge).

A Walnut Liqueur's Tale

Once upon a time, (well March 2005 to be exact), Frances, the children and I travelled to Modena in Northern Italy to visit Giovanni Tagliavini's beautiful Acetia, where he makes our Traditional Balsamic Vinegars.

As a host, Giovanni is generous and fun. So as the lunch party ensued, more and more of Giovanni's personal creations appeared from his cupboard, from a delicious lightly sparkling Vino Rosso to a dark and unusual Nocino Liqueur made from his own Walnuts. The memory of that incredible homemade Walnut Liqueur stuck in my mind from that day to this and it became a personal challenge to try and recreate that fabulous drink with British grown Walnuts.

The process to find a suitable recipe, a grower of British Walnuts, and finally persuade one of our loyal producers to take up the challenge to make a Walnut Liqueur for us was a long one, 9 years in fact! Despite many failed attempts, finally in July 2013 we struck gold. Not only did we discover a British farm in East Sussex that was growing Walnuts, but one of our kind customers in Huddersfield was able to help up unlock the recipe mystery to allow us to make the drink for ourselves.

With just one kilo of Walnuts from the 2013 harvest, Frances set to work experimenting to see what combination of spirit might work best. After many failed samples were tasted by our unwitting guests, we finally had a winning formula. Our Apple Eau de Vie 40% was chosen as the base of our new liqueur.

Julian Temperley, who produces amongst other delightful drinks, our refined Apple Eau de Vie, fortunately agreed to take up the gauntlet and attempt to make the new drink. So on our 10th birthday on 1st July this year, myself and two keen young members of the Demijohn team from our Oxford Shop, Darren and Karen, headed to a beautiful farm in East Sussex to pick as many young green Walnuts in one day as was humanly possible.

We gathered 40kg, only stopping for a short break to have a welcome lunch with our hosts, which included amongst other things, pickled walnuts! (Watch this space for another new product). I think the photos will speak for themselves, as the hot Summer day was simply magical and we even ended it with a swim in the farm pool: amazing!

The next day the Walnuts were carefully boxed up and quickly transported to Julian in Somerset where they were infused in his Apple Eau de Vie with sugar and cloves. After almost 5 months of maturing, we had something ready to drink.

Julian has done a remarkable job in not only creating something of a first in Britain in the liqueur World, but in also holding his nerve through the whole mad process of its development. These things are not easy to organise, however, when we are rewarded with a result so good as this it makes it worth all the effort.

We sincerely hope you enjoy our new Walnut Liqueur as much as us. Please be warned it is very strong, like the traditional Italian drink, so your Christmas could be pretty lively as a result!

Next time in The Demijohn News: Some great present ideas for Christmas....

If you get stuck with ordering please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be very happy to help. We look forward to seeing you very soon.

Yours,

       Angus

Rhubarb Returns

It is not Roobarb, the family dog, that has returned home, it is our wonderful Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 20.5% from Inverness. After an unexpected break from our shelves, our delicious and extremely popular Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur from Inverness is safely back on tap, whoopee!

If you have yet to sample a fresh batch of our Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur I urge you to pop in to one of our shops and try some for yourself. Fabulous on its own over a little ice, or mixed as a Rhubarb Bellini Cocktail, this is certainly something to add to your Christmas present list.

Something new for Christmas

Frances and I at Demijohn HQ have just tasted the final sample of our new British Walnut Liqueur 38%. Amazing! It will be on sale in all our shops within a week. The full nutty story will be revealed in a feature length edition of the Demijohn News next week.

Have a wonderful weekend and we look forward to seeing you very soon.

Yours,

       Angus

Only ONE WEEK remains to claim your discount!

Our 10th Birthday Offer

As offered in the last edition of The Demijohn News, there is now only one week left to claim your £5 discount. It could be used to buy cocktail ingredients for a Halloween Party this weekend or help with an early Christmas present purchase?

As a BIG thankyou for your tremendous support and custom in getting us this far, we would like to make you an offer. Simply spend £30 or more online or in store before 1 Nov and receive a £5 discount off your purchase. To redeem online please use voucher code: 10yearsold  To redeem your voucher in store please bring a copy of any part of this newsletter with you, or simply note down the code.

(Some terms apply of course: You may use this offer both online and in store, but it is limited to once per person in each case. This offer is not valid for use in conjunction with any other offers or on our Mobile Events Stand, and expires at midnight on 1 Nov 2014).

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Yours,

       Angus

Celebrating 10 Great Years!

This year we are celebrating 10 great years in business as a liquid deli. From our humble beginnings in Edinburgh's Victoria Street in July 2004 with just 20 products on tap and 3 Staff to run the shop, (one of which was me!), we now have over 60 products to taste being sold by 35 enthusiastic Staff the World over.

Thankfully some things haven't changed. We are still very much a family owned Company with Frances and I in charge. We have always liked parties and have always done the unthinkable at Demijohn. This includes closing up shop for a day to pick some of the wonderful hedgerow fruits and plants that make up our products. If you have been caught out by this irrational behaviour in the past, I sincerely apologise now!

This year we even managed to break our personal record for the picking of things. We picked Elderflower in Yorkshire for our Elderflower Vinegar in June, Walnuts in East Sussex for our new Walnut Liqueur in July and earlier this week Sloe for our Sloe Gin in Galloway.

And yet it still feels like we have just opened the door to our first shop and that we have only scratched the surface of what is possible. Our future is full of excitement and challenge, and of course a few new barmy ideas for products to try and make!

Our Birthday Offer

As a BIG thankyou for your tremendous support and custom in getting us this far, we would like to make you an offer. Simply spend £30 or more online or in store before 1 Nov and receive a £5 discount off your purchase. To redeem online please use voucher code: 10yearsold  To redeem your voucher in store please bring a copy of any part of this newsletter with you, or simply note down the code.

(Some terms apply of course: You may use this offer both online and in store, but it is limited to once per person in each case. This offer is not valid for use in conjunction with any other offers or on our Mobile Events Stand, and expires at midnight on 1 Nov 2014).

Coming Soon....

We have been secretly developing another first in the liqueur World, a British made Walnut Liqueur and it is nearly ready for you to try. Watch out for more nutty news very soon..... 

Please keep your enthusiastic emails coming in, we love them all. We look forward to seeing you very soon in one place or another.

Yours,

       Angus

Plums up for Bullace!

We have another new drink for you to try, something really special and very rare. Wild Bullace Liqueur 23% is back! In our 10 years in business, this is only the third time we have been able to stock this incredible liqueur.

Our Wild Bullace Liqueur can best be described in taste as a refined Sloe Gin. However, Bullace is a wild plum, so it is a drink that is as fruity as a Damson while having the dryness and subtle bitterness of a Sloe.

How is it best drunk?

As a drink to accompany cheese it is exceptional and it can also be used to make our Wild Plum Bellini Cocktail if you need something to start your party off!

Our one regret is that there will be never enough of our Wild Bullace Liqueur to go around, and the demijohn is likely to have run dry well before Christmas. So if you would like to try some, please come and see us very soon!

October Tasting Evening

After a very successful tasting evening in Glasgow at the end of August, and thank you to those who attended, we have decided to run another group evening for all to enjoy. The evening will be run in each of our shops (Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford) on Friday 3 October 2014 and will offer a great chance for you to try our new Wild Bullace and Limoncello Liqueurs as well as offering a little Christmas spirit. It will be fun!

Based on our Standard Tasting Evening, the events will run between 6.30pm and 7.30pm, starting with a Demijohn Cocktail or two and include a hosted tasting of many of our unique products. The cost to attend will be limited to £5 per person (normally £14.50 per person), payable when booking.

The great news is that your attendance fee can be used towards to the cost of any purchase made on the night. (Please note the £5 fee can only be used against purchases on the night and is non refundable in the event of non attendance or no purchases made at the event).

How do I book to attend on 3rd October?

You can book a place either by signing up in one of our shops or emailing us your contact details, the shop at which you wish to attend the evening (Edinburgh, Glasgow, York or Oxford) and number of places required. We will then make contact to confirm your booking and collect your attendance fee. Please note, total places are limited and will be issued on a first come first served basis. A maximum of 4 places only may be booked per person.

How do I book a private tasting event?

If you would like to book your own private tasting event on a particular day with a group of 10 or more friends or work colleagues, either within our shops or held in your own premises please contact us for further details. 

We have won an Award!

Mark and Carrie are currently having a mad time of it with the Demijohn events stand at the fabulous Burghley Horse Trials in Lincolnshire. This morning they won the prize of Best Food Stand in Show. We are all SO proud!

With the cheers of winning still ringing in our ears, we have enthusiastically entered ourselves into the Farm Shop & Deli Awards this year and would like to ask for your help in supporting our bid to win.

If you feel that we deserve it, thank you! Please simply complete this online voting form and we will keep our fingers and toes crossed!

We will be attending many more events in the run up to Christmas, all of which are listed on our Fairs and Events page for more information.

Coming Soon....

Look out for details in the next edition of The Demijohn News of some new and fabulous Single Malt Whiskies on tap, and something very nutty to drink for Christmas.

Please don't delay if you would like to try our new Wild Bullace Liqueur, sadly there will never be enough. Please keep the enthusiastic emails coming in and we look forward to seeing you very soon.

Yours,

       Angus

Celebrate Summer with Limoncello

With plenty of warmth left in our sun and many BBQ's to be had before Summer is over, we have invented a new cocktail to help you celebrate the remainder of your Summer holidays, the Lemon Weegie.

Made with our new Limoncello Liqueur 32%, and inspired by the very successful Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, our new Lemon Weegie Cocktail is refreshingly simple to make and really quite delicious to drink. It may even remind you, as it does me, of happy holidays in Southern Italy....

Late Opening in Edinburgh

The Fringe Festival is in full flow in Edinburgh and we are holding on tight as the city swells to twice is size over the next two weeks. We have lengthened our opening hours slightly to assit with demand, please see our opening hours page for more details. If you are planning a larger than normal order we recommend you either visit us early in the day or book your order online for collection in the shop to make your visit as stress free as possible.

 A Tasting Evening in Glasgow

Due to popular demand we have organised a Tasting Evening to be run in our Glasgow shop on Thursday 21st Aug 2014 next week. It will run on a similar basis to our Standard Tasting Evening, between 6.30pm and 7.30pm, however the cost to attend will be limited to £5 per person (normally £14.50 per person), payable when booking. The great news is that your attendance fee can be used towards to the cost of any purchase made on the night. Please note the £5 fee can only be used against purchases on the night and is non refundable in the event of non attendance or no purchases made at the event.

How do I book?

To book places at the Tasting Evening in Glasgow please email us your contact details and places required. We will then make contact to confirm your booking and collect your attendance fee.

Here is to more happy and hot holidays! We look forward to seeing you again soon.

    Yours,

              Angus

The Elderflower Foraging Frenzy

On Monday 16th June we shut up shop in York and headed for the hedgerows around Wetherby in West Yorkshire for the now annual Demijohn elderflower pick. We need elderflower to allow Mrs Anne Sinclair to work her magic and create our unique and delicious Elderflower Vinegar. Without both our efforts, we would have none and salads would never be the same again!

Plundering hedgerows is great fun, as long as you have a long pair of trousers and a large picnic lunch with a few Demijohn Cocktails to look forward to.

When the sun shines, as it did on our day, there really is not much else that can beat this rural ceremony.

Our Elderflower Vinegar can be used in many ways to enhance the flavours in your food. For example, dressing fresh green salad leaves with a little Olive Oil or Lemon Rapeseed Oil to make our irresistible Elderflower Vinaigrette. Alternatively pour a little over a dollop of Vanilla Ice Cream and some quartered strawberries and you will have created an exciting Summer pudding. These are some of our favourite things.

Fairs and Events News

Mark and his Demijohn van have been roaring around the country to many Summer shows, from Malton to Norfolk. Next week we are back in Scotland and will be exhibiting at the marvellous Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace, Perth from 4 to 6 July.

Scone Game Fair already has a fantastic reputation as a family friendly event with the most incredible selection of exhibitors and events. We are simply planning on adding to the party further by once again running not only our classic liquid deli but also our extraordinary Demijohn Cocktail Bar.

This year we are honoured to have been invited to exhibit as part of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust Members Area on Gunmakers Row. This is special circumstance and a change from our normal Osprey Row pitch, so please don't get lost when trying to find us!

We hope you can make the party too? A full list of our events can be found on our fairs and events page.

Thankyou to all those who volunteered themselves to come picking elderflower with us this year, Demijohnnies and guests. Without you we would have none. Have a wonderful weekend and get dressing those salads please!

    Yours,

              Angus

Introducing the Fruity Highlander Cocktail

If you like your Whisky cocktails then this could be a new one for you to try. Our Fruity Highlander Cocktail combines our delicious Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23% with our smooth Ginger Wine 14.5%. Best sipped with plenty of ice, this simple aperitif will certainly get a party going!

Father's Day Offers

Father's Day is a approaching fast on Sunday 15th June, however, there is still time to take up our 15% discount offer on orders, enter our competition for a bottle of Spiced Rum Liqueur 20% and put your name down for a free Father's Day Tasting Evening at one of our shops if you are still yet to do so. All details can be found in the last edition of The Demijohn News. If you get stuck please contact us and we will be happy to help.

Observer Food Monthly Awards

If you think we are worthy of an award then there is now a small way you can show it. We would be enourmously grateful if you voted for us in the Observer Food Monthly Awards this month. Simply list us as your choice in Section 8, Best Independant Retailer category and we will let you know if we win. Thankyou for helping and fingers crossed!

Have a wonderful weekend and if you do try our new Fruity Highlander Cocktail don't forget to raise a glass to The Highlanders who inspired it!

Yours,

Angus

Phenomenal Fuel for Fathers!

British asparagus season is in full swing and we have been happily munching on many a bundle. Last weekend we threw a handful of asparagus spears on the BBQ for a couple of minutes, before dressing them with a slosh of Villa Montalbano Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a little of our 25 Year Old Traditional Balsamic Vinegar and finally cracking some salt over them. Our Scorched Asparagus Spears recipe is simply delicious! The same can be acheived with a hot frying pan if the weather misbehaves and prevents a BBQ.

So if you have yet to purchase a present for your Dad on Father's Day on 15th June, just remember most Fathers love eating and generally like a BBQ. We have many brilliant present ideas for Fathers at Demijohn, from our Father's Spiced Rum Ration to the Father's Day box Set.

However, our aptly named Daddy's Sauce, a cubed 100ml Mystic bottle of our 25 Year Old Traditional Balsamic Vinegar tops them all. Not only is our Balsamic Vinegar phenomenal fuel for asparagus eating Fathers, it can be enjoyed by all the family over salads and many other dishes.

Delivery Offer

We would like to give you a helping hand with your next order. Enter voucher code father2014 when you checkout to receive a 15% discount off your next order. Offer is limited to once per customer, applies to orders placed online only and ends at midnight on Sunday 15th June 2014.

Win a bottle of Spiced Rum Liqueur!

Enter our latest competition now for your chance to win our Father's Spiced Rum Ration. Click to enter the competition.

A Tasting Evening for Fathers

On Friday 13th June we will run a tasting evening between 6.30pm and 7.30pm in each of our shops, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford primarily aimed at those who would like to bring their Father along for an entertaining evening at Demijohn
to taste many of our unique products. If you wish to bring a guest other than your Father you would also be most welcome. The events will be free to attend and run on a similar basis to our Standard Tasting Evening which can be booked for private groups of 10 or more on a date of your choosing.

How do I book?

To book a place on the Fri 13th June Tasting Evening for you and your guest to attend, please contact us, providing details of your name, contact telephone number and importantly the shop at which your tasting is to be held. Please note that spaces are limited.

Good luck trying to dig the BBQ out this weekend and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Yours,

Angus

Blossoms Up!

Inspecting the hedgerows last week was an absolute pleasure. Warm temperatures, many critters tweeting and twerping and a wonderful display of blossom on the Blackthorn. We are hoping for a good fruit year with lots of Sloe in particular for our traditional handmade Sloe Gin, fingers crossed.

The Spring sunshine made me drag our BBQ out of hibernation and dive headlong into the salad bowl again. A bed of fresh mixed green salad leaves, drizzled simply with our new harvest Villa Montalbano Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a little of our Elderflower Vinegar is hard to beat when accompanying a little impromptu BBQ.

So if this first May bank holiday weekend lives up to be as sunny as expected, plan to break outside with possibly a Citrus Sundowner or Rhubarb Bellini Cocktail or two to get started and a sumptuous meal including the first of many Summer salads. Roll on the weekend!

Events News

Spring fair season is in full bloom. This weekend we are attending for the 5th year running the brilliant Dales Food Festival at Leyburn in North Yorkshire. Food loving folk come from the hills to visit what is now regarded as one of the top food festivals in the Country.

Mark and Emma-Jane will be dancing on the stand as usual with a fresh batch of our delicious Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur to try amongst other delights, so if you are passing the beautiful Yorkshire Dales or fancy a day out, I cannot recommend this event highly enough as a foodie paradise.

The Dales Food Festival will run daily between Saturday 3 May and Monday 5 May. More information on all our booked events for 2014 can now be viewed on our Fairs & Events page, which is updated regularly.

Staff News

It is always sad to say goodbye to our loyal Staff, but we wish both full timers Becky Salter and Lysander Watson-Hays all the best for their future careers. Opportunity, however, comes to others from their departures and we have great pleasure in appointing two new full time members of Staff from within. Rose Gregory and Joanna Perkins have both been promoted as Assistant Shop Managers in Edinburgh and Oxford respectively.

Our recruitment for a new position in our York shop has now been filled and we welcome Emma-Jane Windras to the York team. Thankyou to all the many hundreds of applications we have received. There will be more opportunities within the Company soon, so please stay in touch if you are still keen to join us.

Have brilliantly sunny weekend and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Yours,      Angus

Wedding Bells are Starting to Ring

It was wonderful to meet you recently at a wedding fair and we really hope your wedding plans are coming together smoothly. The Bride has her hen do planned with all the girls, the Groom has organised his reckless night out... but what is there to do together as a treat before your BIG day?

A personal invite to a couples tasting on the house

Why not take advantage of our fun Tasting for Two offer, worth £40 normally, and enjoy a wonderfully personalised experience in any of our shops completely free and tailored to your needs?

Simply quote code: WEDDINGBELLS2014 when you make your booking. Not only do we pamper you with a cocktail drink on arrival, we will give you a unique and intimate insight into our business, as well as treating you to many of our food and drink products. This would be perfect as a little pre-wedding treat for you and your other half, especially if you needed to make some important decisions about wedding favours for your wedding party, larger bottles for your Groomsmen or presents for your Bridesmaids for example. You will also be given 10% off any purchases made on the day.

How to Book

Our four shops located in Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford will be running Tasting for Two bookings throughout 2014. Places are subject to availability and will require pre-booking of up to 7 days prior to the event.

To book your place, please email us and include your full contact details, 3 preferred dates for your tasting and the shop you wish to visit. We will then get back in touch with you as soon as we can to confirm the details.

Ready to discuss an order now?

If your wedding is too close, or our Tasting for Two is simply not possible for you to plan to attend but you would still like to discuss options for our wedding favours for example, then please don't hesitate to contact us and let us help with your plans.

As an exclusive offer until the end of April 2014, we are also offering a 10% discount against your first order online, simply enter voucher code: WEDDINGBELLS2014 when you checkout.

We very much look forward to hearing from you soon, however, in the meantime good luck with the rest of your wedding plans.

Yours,

Angus

Rhubarb & Ginger, a mischievous pair....

Rhubarb and Ginger could very well be the names of your dog and your cat. However, it is not. This is a beautiful set of delicious drinks contained within our newly returned Ying & Yang 200ml bottles. Our smooth Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 20.5% and fiery Ginger Wine 14% can both be drunk separately. Mix them together, with a little ice, and you make our simple yet irresistible Carrie MaK Cocktail. No wonder then that this is a popular set for a present. If you are needing an idea for Mothering Sunday on 30th March, then this could very possibly be it?

To ensure the safe and timely delivery of any order prior to Mother's Day, please place your order before Mon 24th March 2014 to take advantage of our free standard UK Mainland delivery offer for orders over £40.

A Tasting Evening on the House

Following on from our successful on the house tasting evenings which we ran for both Burns Night and Valentine's Day, we are planning to run another free to attend evening on Thursday 27th March in all shops. This time we will be tipping our hats to Mothers in particular, however all are welcome!

The evening will be based on our standard Tasting Evening, starting at 6.30pm and running for about an hour. The entertainment will start with a cocktail or two while you hear the Demijohn story so far, followed by a hosted tasting of some of the many wonderful food and drink products we have on tap. The evening is relaxed and fun and could be a good opportunity to introduce your Mother or friends who have yet to discover us.

If you cannot make our planned evening on 27th March you are very welcome to book a private event for a group of 10 or more or purchase our popular Tasting for Two voucher to use on a separate date. Please contact us if you need more advice.

How do I attend on 27th March?

To be eligible to attend on Thurs 27th March you must bring at least one guest, but you are welcome to bring up to a maximum of 3 guests. To attend please simply send an email stating which shop you would like to attend, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York or Oxford and your total number of guests. We will then send a return email confirming your places and any other details required.

Events News

Mark and his little Demijohn Van have been attending many new Wedding Fairs throughout February and early March and our wedding favours have certainly been well received by many new and enthusiastic Bride and Grooms.

Wedding Favours

If you would like help to discuss a wedding favours order for your big day, please contact us and we will provide you with all the wonderful options available and a quick quote.

Free Country Living Spring Fair Tickets

As Easter approaches the events season really gets going and Mark has been polishing his shelves up ready for the first major event of the year, the Country Living Spring Fair in London. Held in the Business Design Centre in Islington between Wed 19th and Sun 23rd March next week, this splendid show is an outing that all would enjoy. We will be exhibiting on Stand F19.

The good news is that we have some free tickets to hand out. All you need to do is to collect them from our Oxford Shop and we will part with them on a first come first served basis. However, if you are travelling far and wide to come and see us, please feel free to call either Darren or Lysander in the Oxford Shop on tel: 01865 552179 to ensure that they have a ticket left and reserved for you.

All our booked events for 2014 can now be viewed on our Fairs & Events page, this is updated regularly.

Staff News

We are recruiting at the moment for a full time position in our York Shop to assist with shop sales and also our growing mail order business. If you know of anyone who thinks they have what it take to become a Demijohnnie, then please ask them to consider making an application.

Keep smiling and the sun will continue to shine. Whether it is in passing, at a tasting or at an event, we look forward to seeing you soon.

Yours,   Angus

Our Ying & Yang bottles are back in Stock!

Our uniquely beautiful Ying & Yang 200ml bottle sets are back on the Demijohn shelves and ready to be filled with any imaginable combination of food and drink from our range.

If you are looking for a special present for your loved one on 14th February next week, then this would be one of many great gift ideas we can offer. To personalise your present, try filling your choice of bottle online with your favourite product or adding a free message.

A Special Valentines Offer

If you spend over £50 either online or in one of our shops we will give you a free box of Demijohn Liqueur Chocolates worth £8.75.*

(*Terms: Please note this offer ends at midnight on 14 Feb 2014 and is only available while current stocks last. Online orders that qualify will automatically receive a box of Demijohn Liqueur Chocolates. Customers who make a qualifying purchase in store must request their free box at time of purchase to receive the offer).

Refill Reminder

Don't forget to take advantage of our refill offer prior to the end of the month. If you refill your bottles prior to the end of February then not only will you save on the cost of a new bottle, we will reward you with a 10% discount on the cost of that refill. Simply ask a member of Staff for your discount when you refill.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

Yours,

 Angus

A Personal Invite to a Tasting on the House

We would like to treat you to a Demijohn Tasting Evening on the house. Our 4 shops, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford will run two evenings each over the next few weeks. Either will be free to attend as long as you bring along at least one guest. The first tasting is on Friday this week, both will be great fun to attend.

So if you have yet to book your place and would like to attend either evening, don't delay! Please email us with your preferred date and shop venue clearly stated.

Interested? Please read below for futher details.....

A Burns Tasting. The first night will be held this week on Friday 24 January between 6.30pm and 8pm to remember our famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. Whisky will feature quite strongly on this first evening, allowing you to try our new casks of Single Malt Whisky among our many other delights.

A Valentines Tasting. Our second night will be held on Friday 14th February, again between 6.30pm and 8pm and have an altogether more romantic theme in mind. This evening could provide a nice surprise as a Valentines present, although not just for couples!

How to apply: If you would like to attend either evening please email us with your preferred date and shop venue clearly stated.

There are, of course, some restrictions. You may apply for both evenings, however you will only be accepted for one tasting evening per person. You must bring at least one guest to qualify for a free place, however you may bring up to a maximum of 2 additional guests. Places are limited, especially in Edinburgh, so do not delay in applying. Places will be awarded on a first to respond basis. Finally, your place will be confirmed at least 2 days prior to the event by email from the Shop your tasting is to be held at.

Don't forget to take advantage of our refill offer published in our last Newsletter, A Good Time to Refill. If you refill your bottles prior to the end of February then not only will you save on the cost of a new bottle, we will reward you with a 10% discount on the cost of that refill. Simply ask a member of Staff for your discount when you refill.

We hope to hear from you soon.

Yours,

 Angus

A Good Time to Refill

Happy New Year. It has been a soggy start to 2014. I can only hope you have avoided the worst of it? If you are like me then the first couple of weeks of January pass in a blur of administration that is difficult to motivate oneself to do. Helping to organise the writing of our Children's thankyou letters is one particular pleasure!

......And then something clicks, possibly as a result of too much sleep and not enough light. A basic survival instinct to get out and party!

Well, this is where we come in. It is time to shrug off the January blues, find those empty Demijohn bottles, give them a good washout and bring them in to one of our shops where you can have a little fun trying something new and refill for the cost of the refill only.

A Little Refill Offer

If you refill your bottles prior to the end of February then not only will you save on the cost of a new bottle, we will reward you with a 10% discount on the cost of that refill. Simply ask a member of Staff for your discount when you refill.

A Tasting Evening on the House

To further encourage you to take up our refill offer, we would also like to invite you to one of two Tasting Evenings we are organising on the house. In January and February we are to run two themed tasting evenings in each of our 4 shops, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Oxford. Each will be free to attend as long as you bring along at least one guest.

A Burns Tasting. The first night will be held on Friday 24 January between 6.30pm and 8pm to remember our famous Scottish poet Robert Burns. Whisky will feature quite strongly on this first evening, allowing you to try our new casks of Bladnoch Single Malt Whisky and Clynelish Single Malt Whisky among our many other delights.

A Valentines Tasting. Our second night will be held on Friday 14th February, again between 6.30pm and 8pm and have an altogether more romantic theme in mind. This evening could provide a nice surprise as a Valentines present, although not just for couples!

How to apply: If you would like to be invited to attend either evening please email us with your preferred date and shop venue clearly stated.

There are, of course, some restrictions. You may apply for both evenings, however you will only be accepted for one tasting evening per person. You must bring at least one guest to qualify for a free place, however you may bring up to a maximum of 2 additional guests. Places are limited, especially in Edinburgh, so do not delay in applying. Places will be awarded on a first to respond basis. Finally, your place will be confirmed at least 2 days prior to the event by email from the Shop your tasting is to be held at.

Wishing you all the best for 2014 and we hope to see you soon for a refill. Let the parties commence!

Yours,

 Angus

Introducing our new range of Handmade Liqueur Chocolates

Our much promised range of Handmade Liqueur Chocolates are now ready to eat. Included in their ingredients are 6 of our most popular liqueurs, from Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23% to Sloe Gin 25% and Spiced Rum Liqueur 20% to name but a few. The result is spectacular. A box of 6 will never be enough. As a quick last minute grown up stocking filler, what a cracker!

If chocolates don't hit the spot, then our range of gift ideas on our website might provide some last minute inspiration. And with our Single Cask Malt Whiskies back on tap, our beautiful Whisky Rack for us tricky men could be just the quick answer you are looking for? Good luck!

Last post for Christmas

If you are still to order for Christmas, don't panic!  We are right on top of our orders this year. However, if you wish to leave it to the absolute last safe moment, (I understand completely being a bit of a late planner myself!), please order prior to Wed 18th December for a pre-Christmas delivery here in the UK. If you are further afield you may have already missed the boat sadly, although as usual we will do everything we can to get your order to you as swiftly as possible. Please contact us if you need more advice for an international delivery.

Christmas Late Opening

We have extended our opening hours especially for you until Monday 23rd December. Please see our new opening hours page for full details.

 Order Online to Pick up and Collect

Don't forget you can place an order online and select a free pickup in one of our shops. So if you really want to avoid the queues please do try this function out. Please allow 24 hours prior to collection. We will advise you if any item is not available from a particular store.

We love hearing your thoughts. So if you have any good or bad ideas that you think are worth sending in, please do!

Wishing you all the best for Christmas from all of us at Demijohn.

Yours,

 Angus

Christmas Inspiration

We hope that your Christmas spirit is in fine fettle and your preparations assuming a carefree and festive nature. If you have yet to do so, please order online by Sunday 1st December to take advantage of our Free Delivery Offer when you spend £30* or more.

I always think you can never have enough good ideas for presents up your sleeve. So for those tricky loved ones who have blooming everything all ready why not take some ideas from our list of favourites....

• The Liqueur Carousel – This charmingly tactile little stand securely holds 3 charming Goccia bottles each containing100ml of the delicious brews Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 20.5%, Damson Gin Liqueur 22%, and Spiced Rum Liqueur 20%. You'll find it hard to keep your hands off it all!
• The Brandy Tower – A truly delicious edifice of Somerset Pomona 20%, Apricot Brandy Liqueur 17% and Butterscotch Cream Liqueur 17%. Elegant, irresistible, and just the right shape to fit in a stocking!

• Sloe Gin Box Set – Your own brew not ready yet? Then wile away the waiting cradling this Mystic 500 bottle filled with our unbeatable Sloe Gin 25% brew. All of which slips so neatly into its handmade red cherrywood box. Like a teacaddy with something SO much nicer inside.

• Traditional Mead in a Fila 100ml bottle – a little sweetener for Christmas Day.

• The Sporting Box – We all want one! It combines the wonders of intricate cabinetmaking with the taste of 4 delicious liqueurs. Beautiful to look at, fun to play with, and delicious to consume: sounds like perfection to me.

Christmas Opening Times

For those of you who enjoy a visit to that emporium of sensory festivity that is our Demijohn Shop we have extended our opening hours especially for you from Monday 9th December until Monday 23rd December. Please see our new opening hours page for full details.

Order Online to Pickup and Collect

Our new website allows you place an order online and select a free pickup in one of our shops. So if you really want to avoid the queues please do try this function out. Please allow 24 hours prior to collection. We will advise you if any item is not available from a particular store.

We love hearing your thoughts. So if you have any good or bad ideas that you think are worth sending in, please do!

Yours,

 Angus

(*Delivery normally £5.95 or free for orders over £40 for UK Mainland Standard Delivery, other terms may apply)

Winter is coming and the sloes are looking fat!

Thanks to a very late but no less surprising first proper frost at the beginning of the week we are all starting to feel a bit wintery here at Demijohn HQ. Being a sentimental type I'm starting to look forward to that lure into the depths of winter that is Christmas. I'm always won round by the promise of noisy gatherings of friends and family and the absolute requirement to eat and drink to utter satiation. 

A rare delight around the time of the first frost is the annual sloe search and the delightful news is that they are looking really good this year, fat even. All we need to do is get out there and pick them.... Have you picked yours yet?

Luckily our 2012 vintage Sloe Gin 25% is ready for drinking and who can argue that the addition of a little something from Demijohn can make the Winter seem more appealing?

Christmas Free Delivery Offer

Please get your Christmas orders in early to avoid disappointment, and don't forget if you can't get to one of our shops you can order online at demijohn.co.uk. Order online before Sun 1st Dec 2013 and all standard UK Mainland Orders over £30 will be delivered for FREE*, whoopee! (*Normally £5.95 or free for orders over £40, other terms may apply)

Some Early Christmas Recipe Tips

Smoked Salmon, a frequently served Christmas luxury, becomes more than simply food for the brain when served with a tot of Lime Vodka Liqueur 24%, Mince pies are taken from the humdrum to the exotic when served alongside a Demijohn Spiced Rum Liqueur 20%, and Stilton reveals all its majesty when paired with a Somerset Pomona 20%. Tempted to try?

Oxford Tastings

Since our launch on 9th October, our newest branch of Demijohn at 20 Little Clarendon Street in Oxford would appear to be going down a storm. Darren Anderson, our Oxford Shop Manager and his magnificent new team are enjoying the whirlwind of your enthusiasm. We had a great response to our launch tasting evening events, which gave about 150 of you the opportunity to hear a light hearted introduction to all we do, while enjoying a taster of our wares. Thankyou to everyone who has been involved so far, especially my Uncle who piped us open on day one!

If you missed them, we aim to run a few similar "on the house" tasting evenings early in the New Year within all our shops which you will be able to sign up for via a future newsletter. However, if you cannot wait that long and would like to book your own private evening for friends or work colleagues in the next few weeks then please contact us and we will be more than happy to plan an event with you. Click to find more details on all our Tasting Events.

Fairs and Events

Mark the Tireless, the heroic champion of Demijohn Events 2013, continues to appear at Fairs and Exhibitions throughout November and December taking the marvel that is Demijohn out to you. You can find him enthusing (noisily) at Living North Christmas Fair at York Racecourse until Sunday this week. However he will be all over the shop over the next 7 weeks and our full list of Christmas events including dates and times can be found on our Fairs and Events page. Good luck Mark!

Next time in The Demijohn News - Our latest product invention, handmade Demijohn Liqueur Chocolates....mmmm!

We love hearing your thoughts. So if you have any good or bad ideas that you think are worth sending in, please do!

Yours,

 Angus

Newsflash! We have finally opened our new shop in Oxford, hooray!

After 3 weeks of sanding, cleaning, painting and, most importantly, filling demijohns we are finally ready to welcome you to try Demijohn at 20 Little Clarendon Street in Oxford for yourself.

Tomorrow will be the official opening of our new shop, with my Uncle playing his bagpipes merrily at about 12.30pm and bringing a small skirl of Scotland to the streets of North Oxford. If you are able to drop by and enjoy the experience you would be more than welcome. We will be open until 6pm.

An Invite to a Tasting Evening in Oxford

If you miss tomorrow, no matter. We will be running a series of launch tasting evenings up to the end of November on the house. If you have already applied for an invite and received a reply from us then you need do nothing more as we will be in touch again shortly with booking details. If you wish to be invited to one of our launch tasting evenings at the new shop, then please contact us expressing interest.

The launch tasting evenings will be run on a similar basis to our standard tasting evening. The events will be held on a number of week nights over the next couple of months and will be free to attend on the condition that you bring at least one friend who might also appreciate what we have to offer. They will be light hearted and fun, but clearly subject to availability!

We look forward to entertaining you again soon.

       Yours,

                  Angus

Huddersfield Food and Drink Festival

Who would have thought, tucked away in West Yorkshire, there was a festival as EPIC as this one!

I think we can all say, hand on heart in Britain, "what a wonderful Summer we have had!"

Although the Summer heat is starting to wane, there is still another treat in store to keep us in positive spirits for a few weeks more; fruit! I love this part of the year, being a bit of a fruit bat. However the question remains, what do you do with the glut?

Tomatoes, for example, that have ripened all at once. My Wife's answer was to make a simple Basil and Tomato Salad. Using our new Cretan Sitia Extra Virgin Olive Oil and our irresistible 12 year old Traditional Balsamic Vinegar. This is a brilliantly quick and easy recipe for a light lunch or a healthy starter.

If you are looking for another quick starter then try our other new recipe, Traditional Bruschetta. So simple even I can make this one! And the secret to its success, wonderfully strong, fresh Olive Oil. Try it with any of our single estate olive oils, our new Sitia, Kabbadates or Villa Montalbano Extra Virgin Olive Oil, mouth-wateringly delicious!

A Special Offer

If you have yet to use up your 10% first order discount on our new website then take note of voucher code newsletter10 and simply enter it when you check out online. Please note this offer is an exclusive for those who receive The Demijohn News and is valid only on your first order online. 

Our News

If you look at our updated Fairs and Events page you will see that we have been rattling about the country during the Summer. We are certainly making our new Events and Marketing Manager, Mark Perkins, work hard for his money!

Throughout our travels, we have met a brilliant array of old friends and wonderful new people from the CLA Game Fair in Warwickshire and RHS Tatton Park Flower Show in Cheshire to our more normal stamping grounds of Scone Game Fair in Scotland and Huddersfield Food and Drink Festival in Yorkshire.

Despite exhausting ourselves in the attempt, it has been fun! Thankyou to all those who have made it to see us so far, however we are currently exhibiting at Burghley International Horse Trials until Sunday this week and will be at Blenheim Palace Horse Trials in Oxfordshire next week. So if you are nearby and need a refill, we would very much like to see you!

A tasting evening in Oxford..on the house!

Our most exciting news, however, (which is still top secret so please don't tell anyone!), is that we are to open a new branch of Demijohn in Oxford in the Autumn. More details will follow as the plan comes to life, however if you would like to be invited to one of our launch tasting evenings at the new shop, then please contact us expressing interest.

The launch tasting evenings will be run on a similar basis to our standard tasting evening. The events will be held on a number of week nights over the next couple of months and will be free to attend on the condition that you bring at least one friend who might also appreciate what we have to offer. They will be light hearted and fun, but clearly subject to availability!

Product News

It has been a while since we had Bladnoch Single Malt Whisky on tap, but our new cask strength 11 Year Old Bladnoch Single Malt Whisky 52.9% is certainly wrinkling a few excited noses!

Proving to be as popular as our original 20 and 21 casks of Bladnoch, that are sadly now just a distant taste memory, this new Lowland Malt, cask No. 314 has something special about it. And it is not just about the taste.

Our new 11 Year Old Bladnoch Single Malt Whisky 52.9% represents some of the first Whisky produced under the new ownership at Bladnoch Distillery of brothers, Colin and Raymond Armstrong. Two great men, full of character and passion about their spirit and they have created a masterpiece. If your dram is a smooth drink, with a hint of fruit and whiff of oak, then I think you should sneak in for a wee sniff of this!

Next time in The Demijohn News: Preparing for the annual Sloe pick....

We always love to hear your news, views and ideas, good or bad, so do please send in your thoughts.

       Yours,

                  Angus

Anyone who is familiar with the more alcoholic side of Demijohn's beautiful produce (which is affectionately known as "The Alcoholic Sweet Shop of Joy!") will know how well it all goes down as an after dinner tipple, with desert, in a cocktail at lunch time, with fish, meat, cheese... the list goes on...

Those of you with a more creative mind, will know that to help unlock the inner yearnings of your artistic soul, the key is a little Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur or Morello Cherry Brandy Liqueur...

So when invited to this years 'Big Feastival' in Oxfordshire, where there was fantastic food, and of course, live music - we jumped at the chance!

Fuelling artists like Ciaran Jeremiah from The Feeling, and meeting an amazing range of individuals - We had a lady, so thrilled with our product, not only did she buy some for herself, the next day, she smuggled in her own Limoncello for myself and Darren (The new manager of the up and coming, ever so exciting, Oxford shop) to taste! - it is a very hard life I lead! Next year, demijohn cocktails will be free flowing and plentiful, as well as being able to buy yourself a bottle!

With summer sunshine finally shining and our tastebuds yearning for salads Demijohn have launched a brand new Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Crete, called Sitia Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Sitia Extra Virgin Olive Oil is light, with an aromatic, fresh olive taste and velvety smooth texture, which makes it a simply irresistible choice for dressing and cooking foods with. Its gentle flavour and mild taste make it perfect just to drizzle on salad leaves or fish, or mix with our Apple, Gooseberry or Lemon Fruit Vinegars.

From the sun-kissed olive groves of eastern Crete the Sitia Extra Virgin Olive Oil is produced by Sonia Swain and her brother Edward. The climate in Crete is as near perfect as you can get for producing olives for olive oil but it is only produced in small quantities and so is very rare.

Sonia’s background in horticulture and Edward’s farming knowledge from their native Shropshire led them to purchase a small plot of arable land in Crete in 2009 with the intention of producing their own olive oil. The Swains were quickly liked by the neighbouring Cretan farmers because of their enthusiasm and competence in managing their olive grove. Fuelled by a relentless passion to produce a first class olive oil, which included picking each olive by hand, their first main crop for sale was pressed just this February.

Angus Ferguson, MD of Demijohn said: “We have dreamed of stocking a good Cretan Extra Virgin Olive Oil since we founded in 2004, but being such a rare commodity it has taken almost 9 years of searching to find something suitable. Finally, after many months of discussion with the Swains about their crop we were eventually captured by Sonia’s and Edward’s passion and integrity. The quality and flavour of their exquisite Sitia Extra Virgin Olive Oil is unquestionable and has certainly been worth the wait. If there was one regret it is that given the size of their grove and the amount harvested, stocks are limited. If you are passionate about olive oil then I would recommend ordering soon.”

Sitia Extra Virgin Olive Oil is unfiltered, giving it a magical velvety texture, so the natural fibre settles after time. Sitia Extra Virgin Olive Oil is priced at £3.40/100ml and is available from http://www.demijohn.co.uk/sitia-extra-virgin-olive-oil

- Ends -

Note to Editors:

Demijohn sources unusual, delicious artisan liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars from around the UK and Europe and sells them in a wide range of re-useable glass bottles. Each bottle can have a free personalised message added.

Demijohn Shops:

• 382 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AR Tel: 0141 337 3600
• 32 Victoria Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2JW Tel: 0131 225 3265
• 11 Museum Street, York, YO1 7DT Tel: 01904 637 487

Normal Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6pm, Sun – 11.30-5pm

www.demijohn.co.uk

For photography, further press information or press samples, please contact: Fenella Taylor at Fenella Taylor PR. Tel: 01389 830390 Mobile: 07721 324696 Email: fenella@fenellataylorpr.co.uk

Pembrokeshire County Show

In the sleepy, calm and beautiful county of Pembrokeshire in South Wales, I was looking forward to a slightly more laid back show. The main motive for which was I wanted to buy a hat, you know; the type of all weather, no-nonsense, ‘make you like John Wayne’ Hat! I was all set up in plenty of time, I had met me lovely neighbours from ‘Pembrokeshire Produce’, scouted out several hats in the running for my new head accessory… then the doors opened!

My Uncle, who lives locally, suddenly (as well as being my host for the 3 days) became the animated salesman. Handing out tasters as if they were the miracle cure, feeling as though everyone not only should want the beautiful Gooseberry Gin, but needed it… and lots of it too!

Orders were flying in, my wrapping was not fast enough, and beads of perspiration started to form, but then, suddenly, back up arrived. It came in the form of three wonderful, energetic and vibrant lady friends of my Uncle (the regular welsh Casanova), passing tasters this way and that, ensuring anyone in the vicinity had tried at least one liqueur. They were more jolly, less lethal and more moral forms of Demijohn’s very own crusaders. If you were not into alcohol, that was OK, but you would have to try the Elderflower Vinegar (as a result, this sold out on day 2)!

We even got involved with the most wonderful sisters selling Chocolate, hand made by them (Oh Sugarplum), and of course, in regular Demijohn style, just had to try every liqueur with every chocolate, in every combination… Morello Cherry Brandy and Dark chocolate Truffle… Enough said!!!

Oh… and I never got my hat!

When you have the perfect garden - all of your Bluebeard Shrubs are perfectly pruned, your Carolina Allspice is, as it does every year, putting your neighbour's generic (and if I may say so slightly browned) Hydrangeas, to shame; there is not one weed in sight and the pressure washer has been out so many times you have had to buy a new patio, as you washed the old one away (not to mention buying that little pressure washer to clean the bigger pressure washer) - the only thing left to do is enjoy it for the remainder of the summer, with a glass of sensational liqueur, a hammock and (if you have my complexion) 5 litres of suntan cream.

That is an image that screams 'I win at life'. It is a oil painting that people look at and say 'that guy has it down', a photograph in a large album that everyone pauses that extra second to suspend their disbelief and be there with you.

So when you go back to work after your short break in the Eden you have created - having sipped at ice cold Gooseberry Gin Liqueur; invited your friends around for champagne with their choice of Morello Cherry Brandy Liqueur, Organic Rhubarb Vodka or Blackcurrant Gin dropped into it; even having some Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur around that chiminea you shouldn't have bought, but you did, with your wife at midnight - your boss will say 'your three weeks behind on that report, also, finish this for me whilst I go and have dinner with an important client', you will smile and say 'OK', because you will be thinking...

'I win'!

        Mark

And we were back! Replaced by the horizontal rain, the sea of mud and dampened spirits; were smiles and blue sky as far as the eye could see! And this year we had brought out the big guns (not just Andrew from the Edinburgh Shop) but our increasingly popular cocktail bar!

Midsummer Muddles, Citrus Sundowners and yes, once again the infamous Bloody Pirate Cocktails were flying off in every direction as though there was a gin/vodka shortage scare.

We were personally fuelling the brilliant reggae band with our cocktails of musical fusion, these guys never sounded so phenomenal (well, at least their Seville Orange Gin perception was such).

Whilst the banter was free flowing and spirits high there was only one thing left that anyone with the courage, capacity and sheer determination could try... the Demijohn Challenge!!! Many modern day knights took the challenge, there were few who succeeded. 'What is this challenge?' I hear you ask, well, I shall tell you...

The Demijohn Challenge, who's record of 2 minutes and 30 seconds is still unbeaten by the hero and Yorkshire King that is Adam Palmer from Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil, is where you hold two filled 5 litre containers in each hand with arms out stretched.

'Easy' I hear you say! Well, you will just have to try it for yourselves. The woman's challenge, set by the horse vaulting, gymnastic phenomenon that is Hatty from the Spencerfield Spirit company is 1:30. Anyone who beats the record at a show gets a free cocktail, and a SHED load of respect!

So... Knights of the gin infused realm of joy... We will see you all at our next show!

                                          Mark

We may be a week or two past actual midsummer, but I am determined not to let our precious Summer slip away so easily! To remember it, we have created a new cocktail drink called the Midsummer Muddle.

Combining the rich fruity flavours of our delicious Morello Cherry Brandy 17%, smooth apple taste of our Somerset Pomona 20%, and marmalady twang of our delightful Seville Orange Gin 26%, this is cocktail to refresh, excite and enjoy.

Sip while watching the tennis or entertaining friends in the garden, fantastic!

Event News

We have been rattling our new Events and Marketing Manager, Mark Perkins, about the country over the last few weeks with our Demijohn travelling roadshow, exhibiting at events in Warwickshire, Cheshire and even Norfolk!

This week however we are back in Scotland for the official launch of our new Demijohn Cocktail Bar at the Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace, near Perth.

We will be exhibiting again this year at Stand 29 on Osprey Row, between Fri 5th to Sun 7th July. Not only will we be bottling our products in our classic liquid deli style, but mixing up some of our favourite cocktail drinks with our products, including of course our new Midsummer Muddle.

Scone Game Fair is already regarded as one of the best country pursuit events in Scotland, this year it will hopefully be known as one of the best cocktail parties in Scotland! So with the temperatures forecast to reach the 20's this weekend, I can see our stand being a popular destination.

An updated list of all our events we are planning to attend for the year can be found on our Fairs and Events page.

Product News

Last week we began the now annual expedition to pick elderflower for our much loved Elderflower Vinegar. As a simple dressing or vinaigrette for fresh salad leaves, there is possibly nothing comparable to Elderflower Vinegar.

Closing up shop last Thursday, we went picking with an enthusiastic team of 7 in the fields around Wetherby, West Yorkshire. We gathered what we now think was a record amount, but a long hard day plundering hedgerows needs a good reward, and a serious lunch of a few Demijohn drinks is definitely the carrot!

Our hard won pickings were delivered later that evening to Mrs Sinclair's Kitchen, just North of Edinburgh. Amazingly after some speedy production work (for which thankyou Mrs Sinclair!), our first batch of Elderflower Vinegar is ready and will be available to purchase in our shops, online and at Scone Game Fair from Friday this week.

We are planning a second picking day, weather dependent, next week here in Scotland. I think that lunch will be rather good too!

Whatever you are planning over the weekend, whether it be watching the tennis, gardening or partying with friends and family, we hope it is dry, warm and above all fun!

       Yours,

                  Angus

Summer brings so many things to different people; holidays, sun, beaches, alfresco dining, an ice cold cocktail on the riverside....

For me for the past 3 years, since working at demijohn in York, Summer brings with it the annual Demijohn elderflower pick!

Over the next couple of weeks the Demijohn Team and anyone else who is crazy enough, will be taking to the Yorkshire and Scottish hedgerows to gather as much elderflower as we can for our beautiful Elderflower Vinegar: so sweet you can put it on ice cream; so refreshing you can drink it with sparkling water; and so fresh it livens up the most boring of salads!

The farm we pick on is the same land that makes our Yorkshire Lemon Rapeseed Oil and the two go fantastically in one of our most popular salad dressing combinations to date, in the Elderflower Vinegar and Lemon Oil Ball.

If you would be interested in joining us either this year or in the future, drop us an email!

Mark

Fathers are rather fortunate that Demijohn exists in my Fatherly opinion, as the choice for Father's Day presents got somewhat better from about July 2004 onwards when we opened.....

If you are faced with the annual challenge of buying a Father's Day present this year, here are some quick ideas for presents that I personally would like to receive (my Wife take note please!):

• Gooseberry Gin Liqueur 17% - Newly back on tap, this drink makes a cracking Gooseberry G&T!
• Father's Day Box Set - A great idea for a whisky drinker who also appreciates a hand crafted wooden box.
• Daddy's Sauce - Not every Father drinks, but we all eat. Salads will never taste the same again with this 25 YO Balsamic Vinegar.
• Father's Gold - If your Father is a whisky lover, then this smokey Islay Single Malt will certainly appeal.
• Father's Spiced Rum Ration - A velvety smooth, dark Caribbean rum that is every Sailor's treat.
• Somerset Cider Brandy 42% - If your Father is a little cheesy, consider this alternative digestif to Whisky.
• Demijohnnie Gin 50% - My own cup. At 50% abv, this is not for the faint hearted. Disturbingly good straight over ice!

Order over £40 online by Monday 10th June to ensure you receive a free* delivery prior to Father's Day on Sunday 16th June. (*Please note free delivery applies to UK mainland delivery addresses only).

Events News

We are building up to the start of our Summer Show period which kicks off with the BBC Good Food Summer Show between 12-16 June. We will be exhibiting on Stand F502 in Hall 20 of the Birmingham NEC. Read more....

Mark Perkins, formerly Shop Manager of our York Shop, is returning to the Staff of Demijohn and will join me on our stand in this the first show of his new roll as our Events & Marketing Manager. Expect to see Mark at many events around the country, dancing and singing as only he knows how!

A full list of all our events we are planning to attend for the year can now be found on our new dedicated Fairs and Events page. We look forward to seeing you at some or all of them.

A New Recipe or Two

Frances, my lovely Wife, has been busy in the kitchen experimenting with both her own recipe ideas and others that you kindly have sent in. Please keep the ideas coming as you may be rewarded with a £30 Demijohn Gift Voucher for any recipe or cocktail that we decide is good enough to publish. One of Frances's most recent creations is her Rhubarb and Mead Pavlova. Easy to make, perfect for a BBQ pudding and utterly delicious to taste....need I say more? Read our new recipe blog for other inspiring recipe and cocktail ideas.

Please don't forget to place your Father's Day orders before Monday 10th June. Have a wonderful weekend!

            Yours,

                     Angus

At last the sun is shining but crumbs, it has taken its time to come out! The Summer BBC Good Food Show is a spectacular event at which all the nice things in life come under one roof. It combines a rather large Food Festival, with a plethora of Garden and Lifestyle amusements thrown in. 

Go on, give it a Goo!

Because the sun will be out, we will be launching our new Gooseberry Gin Liqueur 17% at the show. It is a delicious Summery drink which can be drunk either over ice or used to make a delightful Gooseberry G & T, a cocktail we have called Evoque. So for those of you who are coming to the show and yet to try it then please come and see us on Stand F502 in Hall 20 of the gigantic Birmingham NEC.

And there is more....

Our new Gooseberry Gin is not the only product we will be bringing along with us. Remembering of course it is Father's Day on Sunday 16 June, we will also have our classic Fatherly drink of Bramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23% and other great favourites such as our marmalady tasting Seville Orange Gin 26%, fresh Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 20.5% and velvety smooth Spiced Rum Liqueur 20%. 

If you are thinking of Summer salads then we will have our Gooseberry Vinegar and Blackcurrant Vinegars on tap for the first time.

If you are yet to book your tickets for the show and are now thinking of coming then vist the BBC Good Food Summer Show website for full details. We look forward to seeing you there!

               Yours,

                  Angus

There’s no more truly summer British fruit than the old gooseberry with its bright green hue and bitter sweet taste. Whether you love or loathe them, liquid deli Demijohn has a whole new take on gooseberries as it launches it 2013 new Gooseberry Gin Liqueur.

As a very original drink Gooseberry Gin Liqueur is best served long with tonic over ice and a slice of lemon – Demijohn has called this summer cocktail Evoque as it certainly evoques a mood of Summer long fun!

Made especially for Demijohn by two retired PE teachers in East Lothian, near Edinburgh, the Gooseberry Gin combines British gooseberries with dry London Gin and sugar. The result is a light green, slightly peppery alcoholic version of heaven.

Angus Ferguson, MD of Demijohn says: “Gooseberries, like many traditional British fruits are having a revival as more allotments and kitchen gardens spring up. They epitomise the British summer, which is exactly what this irresistible summer drink does, but in a delightful, alcoholic form. Launched this summer in anticipation of some sunshine, Demijohn Gooseberry Gin and Tonic provides the perfect summer aperitif or party cocktail.”

Gooseberry Gin Liqueur 17% is priced at £5.10/100ml. It is available from www.demijohn.co.uk or their shops in York, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

- Ends -

Note to Editors:

Demijohn sources unusual, delicious artisan liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars from around the UK and Europe and sells them in a wide range of re-useable glass bottles. Each bottle can have a free personalised message added.

Demijohn Shops:

• 382 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AR Tel: 0141 337 3600
• 32 Victoria Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2JW Tel: 0131 225 3265
• 11 Museum Street, York, YO1 7DT Tel: 01904 637 487

Normal Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6pm, Sun – 11.30-5pm

www.demijohn.co.uk

For photography, further press information or press samples, please contact: Fenella Taylor at Fenella Taylor PR. Tel: 01389 830390 Mobile: 07721 324696 Email: fenella@fenellataylorpr.co.uk

I absolutely love pasta! Well done Italy for inventing such a food. However, you do need to have the odd inspirational thought when creating a pasta dish to ensure you don't get stuck in a "Pasta Bake Rut" or PBR for short.

Messing about at the stove last week I came up with a delightful little dish using fresh British Asparagus which has just come into season (and thanks to the long Winter, I do mean just!).

My pici pasta with asparagus uses our irresistible 25 year old Balsamic Vinegar and our grassy Kabbadates Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It is fabulously quick to make, serves two good eaters and is superbly easy to wash up. Whoever you are making it for will think you are a legend in the kitchen. See how I made it?

Fairs and Events

Having just returned from our action packed adventures at the Dales Food Festival at the start of May, we return next week to Leyburn in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales to support another good cause the ABF The Soldiers' Charity. Their Spring Fair will be held in Tennants Auctioneers on Wed 22 May (5-9pm) and Thurs 23 May (10am to 4pm). It is a tremendous gathering of small, high quality, independent traders selling everything from china and rugs to chorizo and our Spiced Rum! So if you visited us in Leyburn at the food festival and need a quick refill of your Gooseberry Gin Liqueur bottle, for example, we would love to see you!

And finally.....

An apology. I am sorry for any frustrations you may have suffered with the April "Rhubarb" edition of The Demijohn News when trying to open the links within the email. We had a technical hiccup with our new e-newsletter format which is now happily resolved. Thankyou to all those who wrote in kindly to inform us of the problem.

We always like hearing from you, with any stories or recipe ideas that you have. So please keep the emails coming!

      yours,

            Angus

Spring has finally brought some sun and with it a fabulous crop of rhubarb in Inverness, where our delicious Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur 20.5% is made. It has also seen the launch of our new website, hooray! Our Rhubarb Vodka is never better than when made with fresh, new rhubarb stems at this time of year. So we urge you to give it a try, right now.

And if you're planning a party over the forthcoming May bank holiday weekend, then I can wholeheartedly recommend a few of our Rhubarb Vodka Cocktails and recipe ideas to impress your guests, see below for details. However, to celebrate the launch of our new website and to let you try out our most recent batch of Rhubarb Vodka we would like to offer you a 10% discount on your first order online. Simply sign up to our Newsletter from our website Homepage.

Our Spring Cocktail and Recipe Ideas

Our Rhubarb Bellini Cocktail is certainly a drink to get your guests into shape at the start of a party. Made with Prosseco, this will add more than a little fizz to the proceedings! If you like something with spice, then I can recommend our Carrie MaK Cocktail, which combines our Organic Rhubarb Vodka Liqueur with our handmade Ginger Wine 14.5%. We are, of course, all hoping for a heat wave this weekend, so for those who need something a little more refreshing then our latest recipe, Seville Orange Marmalade Ice Cream, is just the ticket. Made with our fresh tasting Seville Orange Gin 26% and our favourite Seville Orange Marmalade, this is moreishly marmalady (if that is English!).

Earn yourself a £30 Gift Voucher

Have you got a good recipe or cocktail idea that uses one or more of our products? Then we would like to hear from you. We are currently offering a £30 Demijohn Gift Voucher as a reward for any recipes that are used. Interested? Then read more...

We have a new website!

It has taken nearly a year in development, with some pretty late nights endured not only by us but also our our faithful development team at INDEZ. The results, we hope you agree, are an impressive improvement. If you think all the effort has been worth it or if you have any suggestions for further improvements, from simple spelling mistakes to real humdingers, then we definitely would like to know. So please send us a quick email.

Time for a Food Festival

After such a long Winter we all need to get outside. This weekend marks the start of our event year with the wonderful, the marvellous, the epic Dales Festival of Food and Drink (Sat 4 to Mon 6 May 2013). We will have our new Gooseberry Gin Liqueur 17% on tap amongst other products, but we are only a small part of something much larger. Held in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales at Leyburn this really is a first class event run by some amazingly enthusiastic volunteers. From asparagus to mouth watering pork pies, real Wensleydale Cheeses....as you can see I find it hard to concentrate on our stand!

Whatever your plans for the weekend, I hope they are sun filled and fun.

       Yours,

             Angus

Demijohn has gone global with the launch of a £50,000 website to enable its customers to more easily source and buy its delicious artisan drinks, oils and vinegars and to broaden its appeal.

As the world’s first ever liquid deli, Demijohn has pioneered its unique selling technique where customers choose the size and shape of the bottle into which the contents of choice are poured. The new website gives online customers the same ease of use as visiting one of the shops and all that’s missing is being able to taste before buying.

Designed by Glasgow-based Indez, the website is a clear, minimalist shop where customers can see all the products by category and can then choose the size and shape of bottle and add a personalised message all in one single action. Having re-photographed many of the products and added in new gift sets this new Demijohn ‘shop’ is already proving sensational with online sales growing fast since it was launched.

With the ability to be translated into virtually any language, Demijohn can broaden its customer base to the whole world. Many of the Demijohn products are as good in cocktail and food recipes as they are on their own so a whole new Recipes page has been added. This will be continually updated to include the latest recipes that the Demijohn team create. In addition, a blog page has been introduced where all members of the Demijohn team will write seasonal and relevant blogs about the products, where they come from and how they can be used.

Demijohn MD Angus Ferguson said: “Our new website is our fourth shop launch and offers all our customers, far and wide, much easier access and information about the products. With a fresher, cleaner look it has broader appeal and ease of use than the previous site and better explains what we do and how we do it. Despite these challenging times we have seen a steady growth in sales of about 15% year on year. We hope with this website that this should increase to 20-25% growth, allowing us to widen our product range.

“We aim to deliver to the UK within 4-5 working days but with a small, dedicated staff we can often do this quicker. We are a family company where all our staff are knowledgeable and passionate about the products, their provenance and their uses (staff nights are riotous affairs as we always have to sample the latest products!) which we hope the new website conveys.

“With two mail order sites in Glasgow and York we will fulfil orders quickly and efficiently and get them delivered to you or your loved ones, complete with the free personalised message, as quickly as possible.”

Check it out for yourself – www.demijohn.co.uk! 

- Ends -

Note to Editors:

Demijohn sources unusual, delicious artisan liqueurs, spirits, oils and vinegars from around the UK and Europe and sells them in a wide range of re-useable glass bottles. Each bottle can have a free personalised message added.

Demijohn Shops:

• 382 Byres Road, Glasgow, G12 8AR Tel: 0141 337 3600
• 32 Victoria Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2JW Tel: 0131 225 3265
• 11 Museum Street, York, YO1 7DT Tel: 01904 637 487

Normal Opening Hours: Mon-Sat 10-6pm, Sun – 11.30-5pm

www.demijohn.co.uk

For photography, further press information or press samples, please contact: Fenella Taylor at Fenella Taylor PR Tel: 01389 830390 Mobile: 07721 324696 Email: fenella@fenellataylorpr.co.uk

Don't follow the herd this year when choosing your Easter Eggs, but instead consider our more grown up liquid Easter Egg as a fun alternative!

Great for a party!

Our beautiful spherical 500ml Strauss bottle filled with our delicious Chocolate Orange Cream Liqueur 17% could make your Easter a great time for a party! Hand made with rich, dark chocolate, real Devonshire cream, zest of orange and an Apple Brandy base. This liqueur will be difficult to resist.

Not for Chocolate? Then get zesty...

If you are not a chocolate fan then simply go Orange! Our Seville Orange Gin 26% has a marmalady twang. Not only is it delicious with dark chocolate, it might give you the feeling that spring is in the air! So, whether your party is with family or friends this Easter, consider ordering your alternative Easter Egg from Demijohn to spice it up a bit. Eating in to save money has never been so much fun!

Related topics

• A Chocolate Orange with a Difference
• A Ball of Marmalady Gin

We wil be exhibiting at our first event of the year, the fantastic Leyburn Food & Drink Festival again between Sat 4th and Mon 6th May 2013. For those who have never witnessed this tremendous event I urge you to come.

Imagine this.... 

A large field, set amongst the rolling green hills of the beautiful North Yorkshire Dales. In that field are placed a few white tents, some merry go rounds for the children and a band stand. In those tents however are some of the finest food and drink exhibitors Britain has to offer. In the evening after a hard days sampling, chatting and selling, we retire to one of the many country pubs for a few ales and supper. Only in the Dales do locals talk about religion and politics on first meeting in the pub. They get away with it because they are "reet" friendly.

Just brilliant....

We wait all year for this event to happen, to see the thousands that come out of the hills for it, as it is so much fun. Who would have thought that it all started out of tragedy? The event was founded at the end of the last foot and mouth outbreak in an attempt to restart a flagging local economy, just brilliant. I hope we will see you there!

Deciding on a suitable present for your Mother on Mothering Sunday on 10th March is never going to be easy. Choosing something unique will be sure to surprise and hopefully delight. Your answer may lie with our beautiful new Oil & Vinegar Carousel. Choose this if your Mother is likely to enjoy a bowl of fresh green salad leaves simply dressed with our delicious Villa Montalbano Extra Virgin Olive Oil and either our handmade Scottish Raspberry or our fabulous new Gooseberry fruit vinegars. What is good for the digestion is surely positive food for the soul as we patiently await the arrival of Spring! However, if your Mother would be more likely to enjoy something a little stronger, then consider our Morello Fizz Cocktail using a jar of our Morello Cherries in Apple Eau de Vie 20%.

Whatever you decide, forget her day at your peril and good luck making your choice! If you are quick, we are still offering a 10% discount on any Demijohn bottle refills until the end of February 2013 (i.e Thursday this week!). Simply request your refill discount from a member of Staff in store. If you haven't got a bottle to refill or are too far away don't panic! We are currently offering free delivery for orders of £40 or more to all UK Mainland addresses, so place your order online now. Terms may apply.

Also in this letter:

• The Demijohn News: Tasting Evenings Galore! .... read below
• How creative are you?: We still need your recipe ideas.... read below
• Stay in Touch and Win a Prize!: Simply Like us on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter to hear the details first

Demijohn News - February 2013

Our News: Development of our new website continues at full speed and thankfully is nearing its completion. Those who have kindly signed up to help us test it will be getting the call up shortly, so stand by your beds! However, we have also been busy with running many tasting events, both within our shops and without. For groups of friends and work colleagues, for corporate entertainment and just good fun. At the start of the Month at one such evening I had the fortune to talk to about 40 of the knowledgeable members of the Institute for Wine and Spirits in Scotland (IWSS) about our products. Held in a private room at the Royal Scots Club and starting with a few warm up cocktails and delicious breads from Bakery Andante in Morningside in Edinburgh to taste our oils and vinegars, the evening was tremendous fun and in danger of never ending. This is always a good sign! If you are interested in organising your own event and would like more information about what we can offer for groups of two or more persons, then please look at our Tasting Events web page initially and then contact us to discuss a booking.

How creative are you? We still need your recipes! A big thankyou to those who have already sent in their recipes for consideration so far, we will be coming back to you with our verdicts shortly. However, we are still looking for more of your creative talents to assist us in developing new food & drink recipes ideas for our products. We are offering a £30 gift voucher as a reward for sharing your recipes that use Demijohn products with us. Simply email the recipe to me and if we decide to publish it we will reward you with a £30 gift voucher to spend with us in any way you choose. You will be credited with the recipe, if you wish, and may even become famous.... well it's possible! So come on, let's get those creative genes brewing and stewing and send us your recipe ideas when they do!

Next Month in The Demijohn News.... Our new website goes live ..... Please don't forget Mother's Day or to claim your 10% discount on your Demijohn bottle refills, all you need to do is ask when you return!

 Yours,

     Angus

Angus Ferguson

Managing Director

We are fortunate in Scotland to have a very good excuse for a party in January and blow away the blues of a harsh winter, to celebrate the birth of Scottish poet Robert Burns, born on 25 January 1796.

If you are to host or attend a Burns Night Supper our latest collection of Single Malt Whisky, unique Demijohn Finest Blended Scotch Whisky 40% and Brammle Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23% will be all you need for your dinner table.

For the centre of your table, we would suggest either our Single Malt Whisky Selection or our Highland and Island Malt Stack. We also have a couple of cocktail recipes which might help make your evening a memorable one.

Try our Tam O Shanter cocktail, which uses both our Demijohn Finest Blended Scotch Whisky 40% andBramble Scotch Whisky Liqueur 23% to provide a very drinkable fruity whisky punch. 

For a more traditional dessert cocktail, try our twist on the classic Atholl Brose cocktail. Whatever you decide to do, good luck in planning your evening and may "Freedom an' whisky gang thegither!

Save 10% on Bottle refills

To make matters more pleasant still, we are offering a 10% discount on any Demijohn bottle refills until the end of February 2013.

Simply request your refill discount from a member of Staff in store. If you haven't got a bottle to refill or are too far away don't panic!

We are currently offering free delivery for orders of £40 or more to all UK Mainland addresses, so place your order online now. Terms may apply. 

Demijohn News -  January 2013

I hope you have also had a good start to the new year? Thankyou for all your support and custom during 2012, it led to another successful year at Demijohn and we are enormously grateful to you for it.

Our success is both down to the valiant efforts of our Staff on a daily basis and often your patience while we try to deliver what we have promised. Despite some of the highest volumes of online trade we have ever seen, where we processed up to 120 orders per day, we once again succeeded in ensuring that all pre-Christmas orders were delivered on time. 2013 however, is set to be an even busier and more exciting year than 2012 as we look forward to the launch of our new website next month.

In order to make sure it works correctly we will need some willing volunteers to help test it prior to going live. We have a few names already in the bag but do need more.

So if you would like to be one of the first to try and place some test orders with our new website, please send a quick email to me at info@demijohn.co.uk and we will add you to the growing list.

Depending on your contributions you may be rewarded!

How creative are you?

A big thankyou to those who have already sent in their recipes for consideration, we will be coming back to you with our verdicts shortly.

However, we are still looking for more of your creative talents to assist us in developing new food & drink recipes ideas for our products.

We are offering a £30 gift voucher as a reward for sharing your recipes that use Demijohn products with us. Simplyemail the recipe to me and if we decide to publish it we will reward you with a £30 gift voucher to spend with us in any way you choose.

You will be credited with the recipe, if you wish, and may even become famous.... well it's possible! So come on, let's get those creative genes brewing and stewing and send us your recipe ideas when they do!

Next Month...Romance is in the air ...

Please don't forget to claim your 10% discount on your Demijohn bottle refills, all you need to do is ask when you return! Best wishes for the year ahead,

Angus Ferguson

Managing Director