Sip on brand-new regal cocktails in honour of the royal wedding at popular Portsmouth bar

CELEBRATE the royal wedding in style this weekend by sipping on two brand-new, specially-made regal cocktails.
Bartender George Dimbleby with his drinks, the Markle Sparkle and Ginger Royale, at The Liquorist, Gunwharf Quays 

Picture : Habibur RahmanBartender George Dimbleby with his drinks, the Markle Sparkle and Ginger Royale, at The Liquorist, Gunwharf Quays 

Picture : Habibur Rahman
Bartender George Dimbleby with his drinks, the Markle Sparkle and Ginger Royale, at The Liquorist, Gunwharf Quays Picture : Habibur Rahman

In honour of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s big day, The Liquorist at Gunwharf Quays is bringing its visitors two new sumptuous cocktails – the Markle Sparkle and the Ginger Royale.

Two mixologists at the Portsmouth venue have mixed together delicious ingredients to come up with the royal recipes, and the signature cocktails will be sold at the bar this weekend.

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They beat 12 of their colleagues to the punch in a competition The Liquorist held, where its bartenders had to come up with ideas for royal drinks.

Bartender George Dimbleby with his drinks, the Markle Sparkle and Ginger Royale, at The Liquorist, Gunwharf Quays 

Picture : Habibur RahmanBartender George Dimbleby with his drinks, the Markle Sparkle and Ginger Royale, at The Liquorist, Gunwharf Quays 

Picture : Habibur Rahman
Bartender George Dimbleby with his drinks, the Markle Sparkle and Ginger Royale, at The Liquorist, Gunwharf Quays Picture : Habibur Rahman

Dale Clark, general manager at the bar, said: ‘To help celebrate the wedding of the year we wanted to create two cocktails that scream royalty.

‘No wedding is complete without a splash of gin and a drop of prosecco and these cocktails, which fuse many of these essential ingredients, will ensure that the day is celebrated right.’

Winning recipe maker George Dimbleby, 22, said: ‘Me and my brother Charlie worked together on the recipes.

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‘We made sure to include English flavours like rhubarb, apple, and elderflower. ‘We were the clear winners.’

The Ginger Royale. left, and the Markle Sparkle    
Picture: Habibur RahmanThe Ginger Royale. left, and the Markle Sparkle    
Picture: Habibur Rahman
The Ginger Royale. left, and the Markle Sparkle Picture: Habibur Rahman

Janet Roberts, from Essex, visited Gunwharf Quays with her partner, and had lunch in The Liquorist.

The 60-year-old is an avid cocktail drinker – with her favourite being a Pornstar Martini.

After tasting the Markle Sparkle, she said: ‘This is very, very nice. It’s sweet, you can really taste the raspberry. It’s brilliant.’

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Try the Markle Sparkle for £8.95 and the Ginger Royale for £7.95. The cocktails are not part of The Liquorist’s Happy Hour promotion.

Prince Harry and Meghan MarklePrince Harry and Meghan Markle
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Markle Sparkle (recipe serves one)

25ml Absolut Raspberry Vodka

12.5ml Chambord

Dash of grenadine

A drop of prosecco

Edible golden glitter spray, for added sparkle

Method

Fill a shaker or mixing glass with ice, then add the Absolut Raspberry Vodka, followed by the Chambord. Stir Well.

Marry the mix with a dash of grenadine, then shake with vigour.

Double strain the mixture into a champagne flute then top with prosecco.

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Finish off by adding the glitter to give it that extra Markle Sparkle.

Ginger Royale (recipe serves one)

37.5ml Whitley Neill Rhubarb and Ginger Gin

12.5ml Chase Vodka Rhubarb

25ml fresh lemon juice

12.5ml apple juice

Dash of elderflower cordial

Raspberries

Raspberries

Method

Fill a shaker or mixing glass with ice, then add the Whitley Neill Rhubarb and Ginger Gin, shortly followed by the Chase Rhubarb Vodka. Stir well so that the ice is draped in the mixture.

Add 25ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice, followed by the apple juice and a dash of elderflower cordial.

Add and muddle the raspberries.

Finally, give it a royal shake then strain into a chilled Martini coupe.