Strawberry Shortcake is the traditional Christmas Cake in Japan, as strawberries are seasonal and in abundance this time of year. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and here at HC Towers, we’re doing our best to get our orders out, shopping done and the decorations up! Christmas is the most important public holiday here in the UK, but how do they celebrate it in our home-from-home, Japan? In honour of our Aranami Strength Gin with its Japanese botanicals, and with Hidden Curiosities’ founder Jenny having spent time living there, we wanted to give you a taste of what the festive period is like over in Japan. While obviously there are differences and eyebrow raisers, there are also plenty...
The snow is falling, the fire is roaring, the sleigh bells are ringing… Ok, we admit that not every romantic notion of Christmas time is necessarily true, but there are still some things that never fail to get you into the festive spirit. Spending time with family, a loved one, friends or chosen family are important at this time of year, as is finding the time and space to relax a little. It’s also the time for gift-giving. However it’s also important to remember that you work hard too, and you deserve to have a little something for your efforts! Father Christmas may be able to sustain himself on mince pies and carrots, but some of us might prefer...
It feels like Christmas is coming around faster than ever this year, and we could always do with a little help or guidance on buying Christmas presents for others. With this in mind, we've devised a little Christmas Ginspiration Gift Guide for those fervent gin lovers and cocktail enthusiasts in your life. We have a wide variety of gifts for an array of occasions - a Secret Santa at the office, or for your best friend, family member or significant other. There's something to fit all budgets starting from as low as £3.50 for our Hidden Curiosities and Aranami Strength enamel pin badges - cute, yet classy. Our most popular Christmas gift suggestions include our money-saving Hidden Curiosities Gin x Aranami Twin...
A Twist on a Classic Negroni The Negroni is like no other drink - sweet, bitter, rich and astringent all at once, with flavours of grapefruit, cinnamon and juniper all balancing each other beautifully. Needless to say, we are huge fans. But have you tried its cousin, the White Negroni? A recent obsession of ours, a White Negroni is a play on the original, with lighter, grassier flavours and less sweetness - and of course, a lighter colour. Initially devised to make the most of citrus-forward Plymouth gin and the gentian flavoured French liqueur Suze, the drink is a perfect reverse of a traditional Negroni. Think floral, light and bright, with a pleasing astringency on the palate - less sweetness...
Sometimes, even if you try to always look ahead, it’s good to remember how far you’ve come. It’s Hidden Curiosities’ fifth birthday this week, and we wanted the chance to reminisce about the journey we’ve been on, and think about what the future holds. In a crowded environment, we’re proud that we’ve kept distilling great gin, and carried on growing and learning. It’s been a short space of time - from just getting started, to learning all about botanicals and perfecting recipes, to visiting gin festivals and winning awards, it has been an absolute joy and a great experience. Every day is a school day! Five years ago in 2017, Jenny, Hidden Curiosities’ founder, had a dream of distilling her...
