From a dirty martini to a bloody Mary, savoury drinks are nothing new, but their star is firmly on the rise of late as discerning drinkers look to expand their palates and our tastes get ever-more adventurous.
Indeed, the most innovative bars and restaurants are tapping into the trend with a slew of inspiring new creations, from the Last Dance at Velvet by Salvatore Calabrese at the Corinthia Hotel in London – featuring ketchup as a surprising key ingredient – to the V and P at Wacky Wombat in Soho, which adds a surprising twist to a traditional pisco sour in the form of Marmite (you’ll either love it or hate it, natch). Then there’s the Porcini old fashioned at Park Chinois in Mayfair, mushrooms being a cocktail trend in itself.
Salvatore, the award-winning cocktail maestro and author of 10 recipe books, explains: “Every good cocktail bar must cater to all guests’ tastes, so having savoury drinks on your menu is very important, but it often relies on an element of trust, too.
There has definitely been a rise in the desire for more savoury serves in the past few years, particularly with more unique ingredients, as bartenders must always aim to bring excitement to the palate. Whether it’s through the use of ingredients such as ketchup or even salted ricotta, it’s important to embrace the unusual!”It's not just the hospitality industry serving savoury alternatives to sweet treats, either. From tomato to kimchi and chilli, drinks brands are showcasing savoury ingredients within weird and wonderful new bottles being displayed on supermarket shelves, perhaps driven in part by a collective desire to reduce our sugar intake.
Becky Davies, founder of Pod Pea Vodka, made with British peas, says: "Savoury drinks have become increasingly popular, a trend that reflects a broader movement towards more sophisticated and adventurous flavour experiences among consumers. People are seeking out drinks that offer depth, complexity and a departure from the overly sweet or fruity options that have dominated the market in the past.”
So, it’s out with sweet and in with savoury. Here are the best to buy and try.
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James Gin American Mustard
James May, TV presenter, car obsessive and pub landlord (yes, really), has launched his first gin in the form of James Gin, and with it Asian Parsnip and American Mustard.
It’s the latter we’re loving with a warm and savoury profile thanks to a combination of mustard seeds and gherkins that wouldn’t be out of place on a burger. Light, smooth and surprisingly delicious.
Buy now £31.03, Master of Malt
Caleño Dark & Spicy Non Alcoholic Spirit
Golden in colour and spicy in flavour, this non-alcoholic spirit is characterised by key savoury ingredients such as ginger, black cardamom, vanilla and kola nut combined with sweet notes including pineapple, coconut and lime.
Buy now £13.00, Amazon
The King’s Ginger Liqueur
Formulated by esteemed wine merchant Berry Bros & Rudd in 1903 as a tonic for King Edward VII, this revitalising ginger spirit is just what the doctor ordered with a spicy but honeyed profile finished and a refreshing hint of lemon.
Buy now £24.00, Master of Malt
Le Tomato Liqueur
Highly-prized by bartenders in Japan, Le Tomato Liqueur combines Japanese tomatoes with alcohol and sugar to create a neutral white spirit that’s aromatic on the nose and delicate on the palate. Serve it in a tomatini: 50ml Etsu Pacific Ocean Water Gin, 10ml La Tomato Liqueur and a splash of bitters shaken and strained into a martini class then garnished with a cherry tomato.
Buy now £20.95, The Whisky Exchange
M&S Collection Jersey Royal Potato Vodka
Made from its namesake spuds distilled in copper pots, M&S Collection Jersey Royal Potato Vodka is exceptionally smooth with light notes of citrus on the palate. Seriously drinkable as a shot or mixed with tonic.
Buy now £30.00, Ocado
London Essence Pomelo & Pink Pepper Tonic Water
Warming pink peppercorns combined with sharp pomelo fruit in this bitter tonic water from London Essence give any sweet G&T a distinctive savoury edge.
Buy now £4.00, Tesco
Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind Vodka
Tangy tamarind is the overriding flavour in this adventurous new flavour profile from Smirnoff together with Mexican chillies and a hint of lemon.
Buy now £18.49, The Bottle Club
Neurita Tequila Blanco Picante
A premium white tequila is infused with Scotch bonnet chilli, green chilli and tangerine to create the perfect base for a picante cocktail. Ruby-red in colour, it’s warm, intense and spicy. Trust us: it’ll blow your socks off.
Buy now £31.99, Amazon
Pod Pea Vodka
Pod Pea Vodka is made in Manchester using British peas sourced from farms in Suffolk. The resulting spirit is savoury and silky with sweet vegetal notes accompanied by citrus flavours. We rather like it in a refreshing take on a bloody Mary, perfect for spring.
Buy now £38.25, The Whisky Exchange
Portobello Road Savoury Gin
This gin adds bergamot, rosemary, basil and green olives to the usual sweet mix of botanicals found in Portobello Road London Dry Gin to create a savoury twist on the traditional recipe. A pinch of sea salt after distillation gives it a hint of coastal air.
Buy now £46.99, Selfridges
Project #173 Smoked Chilli Rum
Quality rum is flavoured with a fiery chipotle chilli maceration and cherry wood smoke to provide a BBQ-friendly spirit that’s brimming with jalapeño aromas and pepper flavours. Mix with Coke for a new way to enjoy your usual Cuba Libre.
Buy now £19.95, Master of Malt
Twisting Spirits Kimchi Gin
Aromatic on the nose and tangy on the palate, Kimchi Gin is a daring combination of homemade kimchi and London Dry Gin. It’s matured for several months to develop a deep and robust flavour being before distilled and mixed with the gin. Expect an umami flavour that’s enhanced with Franklin & Son Rosemary & Black Olive Tonic Water.
Buy now £36.95, Twisting Spirits
Everleaf x Tayer+Elementary Highball
Non-alcoholic aperitif brand Everleaf has teamed up with trendy London bar Tayer+Elementary on a collaborative ready-to-drink-can: the Blood Orange and Timur Pepper Highball. The fresh tingle of its namesake pepper teams with the zesty juiciness of blood orange for a no-booze cocktail that positively sings with citrusy, spicy flavours. The ultimate train tinny.
Buy now £27.00, Everleaf
Nine Tines Vodka
Super-smooth and small-batch, Nine Tines Vodka is North Yorkshire’s first ever potato vodka. It’s sustainable, gluten-free and vegan, hand-crafted from field to bottle – nine miles from the former to the latter, to be precise – using Yorkshire spring water and 40 Lady Claires. Expect savoury earthy tones and warming spices finished with toffee-like sweetness and vanilla.
Buy now £42.00, Nine Tines
