“Nothing is more pleasurable than to sit in the shade, sip gin and contemplate other people’s adulteries, and while the wormy apple of marriage still lives, the novel will not die.” – John Skow

We are excited to start our Summer of Spirits off with a gin tasting! With the hot weather we’ve been having, what’s better than sitting outside, enjoying the sunshine, with a gin & tonic in your hand? We’re looking forward to doing just that, with our first outdoor tasting.

Gin, at its most basic level, is a spirit flavoured with juniper. This well-loved summer spirit is far more than just basic, with many exciting combinations of flavours that we will explore with you.

Our tasting will take place on the Fellow’s Garden at Christ College at 4.30-8pm on 7 August, with the Mountbatten Room as a wet weather fallback. Continue reading “Gin Tasting” →

“There is a great independence, and a confident immunity to risk, in all drinks made out of cactus.”  – Alan LeMay

Our second tasting in the Summer of Spirits line-up will be a tequila/mezcal tasting. Both are distilled beverages made from the agave plant, and both are delicious. Alan, our wonderful treasurer, will lead us through a mix of 6 tequilas and mezcals to introduce you to the great tastes they have to offer.

This tasting will take place at NOVI (2nd floor) at 8pm on the 26th of August. Continue reading “Spirits of Mexico” →

“Drinking Rum before 10am makes you a Pirate, not an Alcoholic” – Earl Dibbles Jr.

Ready for our third installment of the Summer of Spirits? On September 9 at 8pm in the Tower Room at Selwyn College, we’ll be presenting you with 6 delicious and interesting rums. I can hardly wait to be transported to the Caribbean, surrounded by nothing but the water and the sand and the rum. Please join us for this fantastic tasting! Continue reading “Rum Tasting” →

“Tea is so tame. A cocktail is lots more naughty” – Richard Florance

Here’s the one we’ve all been waiting for…we are ending our Summer of Spirits with a fantastic cocktail tasting! The staff of Novi will show us how to make a few of their favourite cocktails (as well as a special few they designed especially for us). Everyone will then have the opportunity to have a one-on-one masterclass to make their favourite cocktail of the night!

We will run this event a little differently than our other tastings, to get the most out of our wonderful Novi bartenders. Everyone will be given 4 raffle tickets to have four drinks (including the masterclass) included in their ticket purchase. Once you’ve had your four drinks, feel free to stay and explore the other drinks Novi has to offer!

The cocktail tasting will take place at NOVI (top floor) on September 23 at 8pm. As always, you are welcome to join us for a delicious meal before the event on the 1st floor of Novi. Continue reading “Cocktail Tasting” →