Hello Summer, Meet Gin...

If there are any two quintessential summertime indulgents that we British so intensely love, then hands bloody down it's got to be a chilled gin & tonic and ice cream - and to be fair, as much of it as we can physically pipe into our face. It's like freaking crack! So when an invitation popped up in our inbox from the ever so charming guys at Sipsmith Distillery and Jude's Ice Cream beckoning us to come and explore the union of these two summer necessities, our excitement levels hit the roof quicker than an alcoholic trying to down a bottle of White Lightening! So with a boozy spring in our step, we headed down to the opulent Le Meridian in Piccadilly to try first hand the result of such a partnership, and man, what a bloody partnership it was! So, say hello to this summer’s limited edition, indulgent new must have: Jude's Sipsmith Gin & Tonic Ice Cream.

Hosted in the decedent and la-di-da settings of the Terrace in Le Meridian Hotel overlooking Piccadilly, we were immersed in the sights and sounds of summer. With a fridge containing more Jude’s ice cream than an obese mans freezer and what seemed to be a never-ending supply of moorish Sipsmith cocktails, it was clear to see that these two genius minds had stirred up something special just in time for summer. As soon as we walked into this sumptuous setting we were greeted with one magnificent Gin Float. Made using Sipsmith London Dry Gin, a scoop of Jude's vanilla ice cream and topped up with tonic, this foamy glass of sheer delight made us feel like an excited child that had just been given alcohol for the first time. It was magic!

So doing what we do best, drinking & talking, we networked our way round the room enjoying the plethora of Jude's ice cream on offer and indulging in as many cocktails we could physically manage. Next up was the classic Sipsmith Gin & Tonic followed by a Summer Cup Spritz, which came in a glass big enough to use as a bloody helmet, and our pure favourite: the Summer Cup Float. This cocktail was enough to make you swoon like a bloody love struck teenager! Jude’s vanilla cream plus Sipsmith Summer Cup topped with tonic equals heaven. Fact.

But anyway, less about our ability to knock back cocktails and more about this creamy collaboration, because if you love gin and you love ice cream, then this beauty is right up your bloody street! By combining the delicately balanced botanicals of Sipsmith London Dry Gin with Jude’s velvety, award winning creme anglaise with an added splash of tonic water and lemon, it’s easy to see that these two British businesses have created something so heavenly that it could easily step into a boxing ring with sex and throw some winning punches! Gin & Tonic ice cream, it’s a bloody genius idea. These two heartbreakers are having one crazy love affair and boy does it work! So much so, that eating this tub of awesomeness is enough to make you want to get naked and fully immerse yourself in a vat of the stuff! Yeah, it really is that damn good!

Sam Galsworthy, Sipsmith co-founder, said; “This is all about celebrating where summer meets gin. Our collaboration with Jude’s is the perfect marriage of two Great British Summertime institutions; ice cream and the gin and tonic. We’re big fans of Jude’s. Both our London distillery and their dairy champion crafting timeless classics of quality and substance, which are made to be savoured.”

Both teams will be on the road this summer dishing out these delectables at Port Eliot, Taste Festival and Open Square Gardens to name but a few events. But don’t worry if you’re not going to any of them, you can still pick yourselves up some tubs exclusively at Selfridges from the 20th May and online at Ocado from the 1st June for £2.95 per 120ml pot. Yeah we know, panic over!

So, let’s do what us British love to do best and indulge in these delights this summer. We just hope the bloody weather holds up!

For more info head over to www.sipsmith.com or www.judes.co.uk

#gin #Sipsmith #Summer #IceCream #GinTonic #Edits