Make the Butler's Handover: gin, bourbon and plum

This gin-based short drink was invented by Jess Hunter, assistant manager at the Queen Charlotte in Windsor, which was shortlisted in the Diageo-sponsored Great British Pub Awards Spirits Pub/Bar of the Year category 2016

Darker, cooler nights are upon us already, making consumers desire something warm and comforting.

The facts:

  • Cost to make: c£2.31
  • Sell at: £6
  • Prep time: 1 minute
  • UK units: 1.6

What better way to indulge customers’ needs than with the simple Butler’s Handover, made from equal measures of Bulleit Bourbon and plum gin, topped with a spicy ginger ale?

The drink is ideal for the busier trading period in the run up to Christmas, as it takes less than a minute to make and serve, but still has presence.

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Gin, bourbon and plum in a cocktail, what more could you want? (Nicholas Robinson)

INGREDIENTS: 

  • 25ml Bulleit Bourbon
  • 25m Plum gin
  • Ginger Ale
  • Red plum to garnish

METHOD:

  • Fill an old fashioned glass with ice
  • Add the bourbon
  • Add the plum gin
  • Top with ginger ale
  • Gently mix
  • Garnish with a slice of red plum

See the UK's best pub cocktail, made by Newcastle-based Pleased to Meet You general manager Tom Proud.

East by North East is a clever twist on the Mint Julep. A notable warmth comes from the mead, while the Yuzu sake liqueur balances the whole drink with the addition of a rounded sweetness that ties all of the other ingredients together.

As with the traditional julep, East by North East is simply built in a copper julep cup before being topped with crushed ice. So it can be made in almost any pub.