Tis the season where we dig out the Advocaaat, dust down the Bailey’s, haul in the crates and of course enjoy a mug of mulled wine.
Now some of us have more seasoned palates and like to go for the expensive top shelf mulled wine from the Christmas Market.
While others prefer to slum it but get more bang for their buck and have the wine in abundance from the comfort of our own home.
Here at Edinburgh Live we do not judge, there are no wrong answers here, but what I do want to do is let you know what wine tastes best and is my personal favourite as well as the recommended go to option.
READ MORE: Edinburgh teenager rushed to hospital after being hit by car
Now I must confess that I am more of a mulled cider kind of guy, it tastes better and does not leave my chapped lips with a red tinge after each sip.
So when I visited the Christmas Market last weekend I knew I was going into uncharted territory but these are the sacrifices that I make dear reader.
I was spoiled for choice, there were several stalls providing Gluhwein with the option of adding a wee shot.
But we wanted to do it right, pure mulled wine in its traditional form, so opted for a cup without all the fuss.
I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised to see that the price had remained the same at £7 a pop.
Abi, who works for Ho Ho Ho bars, was super friendly and made sure that my mulled wine was warmed to a temperature at which I could consume it.
They were very generous with the helping, so much so that when I tried to move away from the bar I could feel it drip over and heat up my icy fingers.
There were notes of cinnamon, orange and…well…wine.
It tasted just like all the other cups I’ve had in my 29 years on this planet but was rather pleasant on a crisp winter afternoon.
After a few days of nailing down the taste within my mind, I raced to Tesco to purchase a £3 bottle of their own brand mulled wine.
Now, being a lad who grew up in council houses and housing association flats, this was more within my wheelhouse and an experience with which I felt more at home.
After returning home I flicked on the stove and began to heat up my mug - my excitement could barely be contained as I watched it heat up.
I then poured the wine into my mug, allowed for it to cool down and tucked in.
At first it tasted fine but then after each sip it began to taste just like what you would expect £3 wine to taste like.
But what was surprising is that it did not really taste different from the wine I paid £7 a cup for.
So in conclusion I would recommend that you avoid all the faff of the market and head down to your local supermarket to grab an underwhelming bottle of mulled wine.
With that in mind, I’m not one to waste any alcohol, so I’m off to polish off the rest of the bottle!
Have a very Merry Christmas when it comes.
READ NEXT -
Edinburgh Christmas Market: The best gifts you can get for family and friends
John Lewis turned oven into an 'air fryer' for £10 with game changer alternative
Teacher quits job to become stay-at-home girlfriend for Scottish Love Island star
Edinburgh pensioners roll back the years with archery lessons at care home
Royal Mint's rarest 50p coins worth hundreds as people urged to check loose change
