Unboxed: Fun sweets and spirits pairings for the upcoming holidays
Infuse the season with a little adventure with these bold dessert and cocktail combos.
![Unboxed: Fun sweets and spirits pairings for the upcoming holidays Unboxed: Fun sweets and spirits pairings for the upcoming holidays](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/bltafc06db067aebac6/64cbf83cdb0bcc7a8de33eaa/NewHopeNetwork_Horizontal_RGB.png?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
Theo Chocolate Organic Peppermint Crunch What better accompaniment for a pure organic whisky than a rich piece (or bar) of certified organic, fair-trade chocolate? This limited holiday edition from Theo Chocolate begins with 70% dark chocolate infused with meticulously sourced peppermint oil from the Uttar Pradesh region of India and just the right amount of brittle-like crunch. Pair it with: Waterford Distillery Organic Gaia 1.1 Whisky This single malt whisky is Ireland’s first certified—by the Organic Trust—organic whisky. It was distilled in 2016 from organic barley grown by a handful of dedicated organic farmers and then aged in a combination of American and French oak casks. This product marks the first market manifestation of a journey begun by the distillery in 2015 to create an organic project that would recover traditional and alternative farming methods and eventually create enough demand for organic barley crops to make it possible to source this product from a single estate. With traceability at its core, each bottle features a TÉIREOIR (terroir) code that consumers can consult on the distillery’s website to learn about where the grain was grown, the grower and the distillation and aging processes, among other things.
Pots and Co Lemon Cheesecake Having recently made its debut this side of the pond, this London-based brand is slowly making the full range of its individually portioned, delectably rich desserts available in the U.S. Its irresistible “upside-down” lemon cheesecake boasts a zesty lemon curd topped with a rich cookie crumble. We also love the fact that the desserts come in individually portioned ceramic pots spun by a family of potters in Valencia, Spain, that are both reusable and recyclable—not to mention adorable. Pair it with: Highclere Castle London Dry Gin Downton Abbey fans (meaning, everyone) will recognize the image of the castle that graces the front of this striking violet-hued bottle. The origins of this London Dry Gin are in the 17th-century castle’s botanical gardens, lacing it with notes of juniper, lime flower, orange peel and a touch of English lavender.
Ethels Pecan Dandy Dessert Bars Gluten lovers won’t miss a thing with these absolutely scrumptious, gluten-free dessert bars. Inspired by Grandma Ethel’s pecan pie and now available in individually wrapped portions, these bars are handmade from sustainably sourced ingredients including hormone-free butter, cage-free eggs and chunky pecans. Pair it with: Wheyward Spirit This smooth and sippable single-batch spirit is the perfect go-to alcoholic purchase for the sustainably minded cocktail lover in search of a new flavor adventure. Made from carefully sourced sweet whey from U.S. dairy farms, this farm-to-flask beverage has a crisp taste and velvety finish. Furthermore, this circular-economy minded brand is on a mission to help create a market for the surplus whey leftover from cheese production, while also boasting a lower carbon and water footprint than typical grain-based spirits. And, the bottle is really pretty… just sayin’.
St. Benoit Creamy Organic TCHO Chocolate Dessert St. Benoit's rich and creamy pot de crème is made using A2 milk from pasture-raised Jersey cows and served up in a very cute recyclable/reusable glass pot. This certified organic dessert is made with artisan TCHO chocolate and is wonderfully indulgent—containing full-fat milk, cream, eggs and 66% chocolate. It is also a perfect clean-label choice that is free from starches, milk powders, fillers, stabilizers and preservatives. Consumers can also rest easy knowing that the desserts are made in the company’s LEED Gold-certified creamery and sourced from farms that adhere to high animal welfare standards. Pair it with: Izo Mezcal Joven This handcrafted premium spirit is made from wild agave hearts that are harvested on high-altitude ranches in Durango, Mexico, and then slow-roasted outdoors in lava-lined fire pits. The juice then undergoes two rounds of careful distillation and filtering to yield this wonderfully smoky, sipping mezcal that is surprisingly enticing paired with this chocolatey dessert.
Enlightened Classic Cheesecake Sugar begone! These mini keto cheesecakes are rich and creamy, sitting atop a vanilla almond crust and topped with whipped cream. At just 210 calories apiece (each box contains two individual servings), these keto-friendly desserts have cream, milk, eggs, butter, coconut and whey protein, are sweetened with erythritol and allulose and boast just 2 grams of net carbs per single-serve cheesecake. Pair it with: Empower Cosmopolitan Martini Sweet potato vodka from a family-owned farm in Northern California forms the basis for this ready-to-drink (though better when chilled) cocktail, along with triple sec, white cranberry and lime. The result is a slightly sweet, smooth-tasting spirit that also suits a range of cocktail recipes. A bonus: This woman-owned brand partners with several nonprofits that support women’s initiatives.
Enlightened Classic Cheesecake Sugar begone! These mini keto cheesecakes are rich and creamy, sitting atop a vanilla almond crust and topped with whipped cream. At just 210 calories apiece (each box contains two individual servings), these keto-friendly desserts have cream, milk, eggs, butter, coconut and whey protein, are sweetened with erythritol and allulose and boast just 2 grams of net carbs per single-serve cheesecake. Pair it with: Empower Cosmopolitan Martini Sweet potato vodka from a family-owned farm in Northern California forms the basis for this ready-to-drink (though better when chilled) cocktail, along with triple sec, white cranberry and lime. The result is a slightly sweet, smooth-tasting spirit that also suits a range of cocktail recipes. A bonus: This woman-owned brand partners with several nonprofits that support women’s initiatives.
Consumers will be exploring new territory in a holiday season spent under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic, so why not expand their horizons even further with some unconventional dessert and alcohol pairings from these palate-pleasing brands?
Of course, turning to sugary sweets and alcoholic beverages as stress-relieving balms has already been a go-to behavior for many consumers over the past long months. But more than merely a coping mechanism, trying new recipes and creating new traditions can also fill the holidays with joy and excitement, even as consumers show their love for family and friends by staying away from them this holiday season.
And as people scale down their holiday plans, natural product brands are here to help. All of the luscious sweets featured on the following slides are available in individual portions—yes, we are at the point where we consider an entire chocolate bar a single serving. They also represent real food, clean-label, handmade and small-batch selections that make it easier to leave guilt behind. This year has been hard enough already.
Furthermore, many small-batch and specialty distilleries are adding excitement in the form of seasonal cocktail recipes that consumers can easily download or access on their websites.
This collection of five desserts and their complementary spirits pairings might be a little unconventional, but these are exceptional times and our guess is that consumers will take all the excitement (and comfort) they can get.
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