Long weekend drink ideas: cocktails, Havana Club, Smirnoff Sangria, beer & wine

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Long weekends call for something fun and new, so while you’re relaxing or adventuring with friends, here are a few drink ideas, whether you plan on taking it easy, cottaging, or hosting a party. We’ve got you covered with a range of simple, delicious drinks including rum, beer, wine, coolers, and cocktails.

Featuring Havana Club rum, Remy Pannier wine, Mad Jack lager, Tyskie beer, and Baileys.

Havana Club 7 Year Old Rum

From the backyard, to the patio, or the cottage, Havana Club 7 Year Old Rum is a great addition to a range of cocktails. Whether you want to go fancy, or simple, it’s a robust Cuban rum that adds colour and flavour to your favorite drinks.

After a recent mixing session with Havana Club brand ambassador Donnie Wheeler, this cocktail was hands down my favorite, with just a bit of a Cuban twist, and it doesn’t require any fancy ingredients or mixing tricks.

Havana 7 Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Havana Club 7 Year Old Rum
1 brown sugar cube
4-6 dashes Angostura bitters
Orange peel, for garnish

Place the sugar cube in a mixing glass and add 6-8 dashes of Angostura biters, or Essences of Cuba if available. Muddle together and then add 1.5 oz. of Havana Club 7 Year Old Rum, and stir with ice.

Pour into a rocks glass over fresh ice, and garnish with a refreshing orange twist by using a peeler to cut a 2-3 inch strip of orange peel.

Smirnoff Sangria

Sangria is one of those definitive summer drinks, so what better way to kick off the warm days ahead than with Smirnoff’s new red or white sangria? Enjoy it straight from the can, or pour it over ice and garnish with fresh fruit–either way it’s a simple, easy drink for any gathering.

Simple, sweet, easy-drinking, relaxing, Smirnoff Sangria is refreshing, and it’s a great compliment to a BBQ.

Smirnoff Sangria are $2.95 each, and they’re available at the LCBO in Ontario, or check with your local liquor retailer.

Remy Pannier Rose d’Anjou & Sauvignon Blanc

Put your feet up this long weekend and grab a glass of wine. Whether you’re planning a BBQ or hosting a dinner, Remy Pannier’s Rose d’Anjou and Sauvignon Blanc are two light wines that compliment a range of dishes, or they’re delicious as drinking wines.

The Remy Pannier Sauvignon Blanc is citrussy, with hints of light fruit and a dry finish. It’s a nicely balanced wine to go with salads, cheeses, grilled sole, Mexican dishes, grilled chicken, and BBQ dishes.

Remy Pannier Rose d’Anjou is light with crisp fruit notes that taste of strawberry, with a nice, clean finish. The slightly sweet, but dry wine is perfect for dessert, or you can pair it up with lighter dishes, or appetizers.

Baileys Almande

Looking for something cool, refreshing, and creamy? Baileys Almande is a dairy free, gluten free, and vegan option for cocktails that tastes delicious over ice, or mixed.

Baileys Almande Refresh
Ingredients:
3 oz. Baileys Almande
3 oz. coconut water
Ice

This cocktail is as simple as they come. Either fill a tall glass with ice cubes and pour equal parts Baileys Almande and coconut water, then stir, or take equal parts ice, Baileys Almande, and coconut water, and then blend until smooth. Garnish with blueberries or raspberries to add a spot of colour.

Mad Jack Apple Lager

I have no doubt that Mad Jack Apple Lager is going to surprise you. While the apple may make you think of cider, this is really a balanced lager with a kick of juicy red apple flavour. The lager is crisply satisfying, and it’s perfect for hanging out with friends.

For something really different, consider using Mad Jack Apple Lager to make beer can chicken, and serve with Apple Lager. You can also try serving the lager on ice for a cooler, even more refreshing way to sample the unique, tasty beer.

Mad Jack also offers the new Strong Apple Lager and Strong Lemon Lager, plus Hard Root Beer, and Hard Ginger Lager.

Tyskie

This award-winning beer is a pleasant classic that has a long history–nearly 400 years–of pleasing connoisseurs around the world. It’s a balanced and golden beer with a creamy head that is perfect for BBQs and warm summer nights by the fire.

Featuring distinctive notes of hops, caramel, and just a hint of fruit, this Polish beer has won numerous prizes, including the Gold Medal and Grand Prix at the Brewing Industry International Awards.

Please remember to enjoy any alcoholic beverages responsibly.