Sunshine co*cktails: 39 fantastic drinks you can try this sweltering summer (2024)

Summer is well and truly here and we're now braced for months of scorching temperatures while enjoying cooling drinks in the garden. But if you find yourself getting bored with the usual lager or G&T, we have some amazing co*cktail recipe ideas for you to spice things up with.

Be that fab floats or powerful punches, there are drinks here to suit everyone - and the best thing is you don't need a PhD in mixology to rustle one up. Although we suggest you keep quiet and enjoy all the plaudits!

We have several non-alcoholic options, too, for those of us who'd rather stay off the booze.

Apple & Raspberry Wine Spritzer

• 100ml white wine
• 50ml Jazz Apple juice
• Soda water to top (approx. 50ml)
• 4 raspberries
• Apple fan to garnish

Method: Add the raspberries to a glass and muddle. Fill with ice and pour over the white wine and the apple juice. Stir gently to combine and then top with soda water and garnish with an apple fan.

El Mayor Cilantro Jalapeño Smash

• 40ml El Mayor Blanco Tequila
• 20ml Jalapeño Simple Syrup
• 20ml Lime Juice
• 15ml Blood Orange Juice
• Cilantro (Coriander) Sprigs
• Lime Wheels
• Jalapeños
• Sparkling Water
• Tajin

Method: In a shaker filled with ice, pour tequila, simple syrup, blood orange juice, and lime juice and shake! Rim glass with tajin. Double strain liquid from shaker into rimmed glass. Top with desired sparkling water. Garnish with lime wheels, jalapeño slices, and cilantro.

Pink Gin Pitcher

• 300ml Gordon's Premium Pink Distilled Gin

• 600ml Lemonade

• 2 large handfuls of fresh berries

• 1 handful basil leaves

• Ice

Method: Fill your sharing jug up to around a third with ice and add the gin, then top with your lemonade, Add in your berries and about half a handful of basil leaves, then use your muddler to distribute the ice and berries through the jug, and make sure everything’s combined. Top with the remaining basil leaves for that oh-so-shareable finish.

Gin Garden

• 80ml Bowser or Conker Gin
• 250ml Jazz apple juice
• 1 inch cucumber, plus extra for garnish
• 3 sprigs mint
• 2 sprigs basil

Method: Add the cucumber, basil and a sprig of mint to a co*cktail shaker, then bash and crush using a muddler or rolling pin. Pour in the gin and the apple juice.Strain the co*cktail into two glasses, over ice, then garnish each drink with a sprig of mint and slice of cucumber.

Persian Lime & Orange Blossom Martini

• 60ml Bathtub Gin Persian Lime & Orange Blossom
• 30ml Lillet Blanc

Method: Add both ingredients to a mixing glass with ice and stir for at least 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with lemon oils and zest.

Raspberry Crush Spritz

• 50ml Smirnoff Raspberry Crush
• 75ml lemonade
• 50ml Prosecco
• Ice
• Raspberries to garnish

Method: Fill glass with ice before adding Smirnoff, Prosecco and lemonade. Garnish with 2-3 raspberries.

El Mayor Melon Spritz

• 30ml El Mayor Blanco
• 30ml Melonade
• 25ml Lemon + Bay leaf sherbet
• 75ml Cava

Method: Build ingredients within a large white wine glass and garnish with a Bay leaf.

Sicilian Lemon Gin Pitcher

• 300ml Gordon's Sicilian Lemon Distilled Gin
• 600ml Ginger Ale
• 1 large lemon, sliced into wheels
• 1 handful mint leaves
• Ice

Method: Fill your sharing jug up to around a third with ice and add the gin, then top with your ginger ale. Add in your lemon and about half a handful of mint leaves, then use your muddler to distribute the ice and berries through the jug, and make sure everything’s combined. Top with the remaining mint leaves for that oh-so-shareable finish!

Malibu Strawberry Spritz

• 150ml Sparkling wine
• 50ml Malibu Strawberry
• 50ml Soda water

Method: Pour everything into a glass with ice. That’s it, enjoy!

El Mayor Cranberry and Honey Spritz

• 60ml El Mayor Blanco
• 30ml Cranberry Juice
• 15ml Honey Simple Syrup (boil equal parts honey and water)
• 15ml Lemon Juice
• 45ml Prosecco

Method: Shake El Mayor Blanco, cranberry juice, honey simple syrup and lemon juice over ice. Top off with prosecco and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist and ground cinnamon dust.

Mezcal Soda Float

• 50ml Recuerdo Mezcal
• 150ml orange soda
• 1 scoop vanilla ice cream

Method: Add the mezcal and soda to a double rocks glass. Stir to combine, then top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream

Conker Affogato

• 50ml Conker Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur
• 1 large or 2 small scoops vanilla ice cream

Method: Add the ice cream to a martini/coupe glass, then pour over the Conker Cold Brew Coffee Liqueur.

Sex on the Peach

• 50ml Conker Gin
• 30ml homemade peach shrub
• Soda (to top)
• Slice of peach
• Ice
• Cubed iced

Method: Take 200g of sliced peach and immerse in 200g of caster sugar and refrigerate. After a minimum 24 hours add 200g of white cider vinegar, stir and then strain the peach out. Add ice to a tall glass and then pour in the Conker and Peach Shrub. Top with soda and stir gently.

Conker Iced Tea Royal

• 35ml Conker Dorset Dry Gin
• 105ml Earl Grey tea
• Dash of lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Slice of lemon to garnish
• Ice

Method: Brew Earl Grey tea and allow to cool. Fill tumbler with ice and add gin. Top up with cooled Earl Grey tea and add a dash of lemon juice and sugar to taste

El Mayor La Dama de la Noche

• 40ml El Mayor Blanco
• 30ml Lime cordial
• 15ml Creme de framboise

Method: Combine all ingredients within a coupe glass and stir gently.

Dark ‘N Stormy Float

• 50ml Goslings Black Seal Rum
• 150ml ginger beer
• 1 scoop of ginger ice cream

Method: Add ice to two highball glasses, then pour in the ginger beer. Top with the rum, then finish with a scoop of ginger ice cream and a grating of lime

Patron Palmoa

• 45ml Patrón Reposado
• 90ml Fresh grapefruit juice
• 15ml Agave syrup (1:1)
• 15ml Fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 30ml Sparkling water
• 1 pinch of salt
• Grapefruit slice for garnish
• Salt rim (optional)

Method: Combine all ingredients except sparkling water in a shaker tin and stir. Strain onto fresh ice in a sugar and salt rimmed Collins glass. Top with sparkling water and garnish with a grapefruit wedge.

Mango & Passionfruit Twist & Lemonade

• 50ml Smirnoff Mango & Passionfruit Twist
• 150ml Lemonade
• Ice
• Lime and mango slices

Method: Fill a tall glass with ice. Add the Smirnoff Mango & Passionfruit Twist and lemonade to a glass. Stir to mix and then add garnish.

Piña Co-Lager

• 50ml Goslings Gold Seal Rum
• 330ml Einstök White Ale
• 200ml pineapple juice
• 50ml coconut water
• Garnish
• Pineapple Leaves

Method: Pour the rum, pineapple juice and coconut water into a large stein or tankard. Add a handful of ice and mix to combine. Top with the Einstök White Ale. Garnish with three pineapple leaves.

South Shore

• 60ml Goslings Gold Seal Rum
• 120ml Lemonade
• 60ml Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer (or just a good quality ginger beer)
• A few sprigs of fresh mint

Method: Fill a glass with ice, add the Goslings Gold Seal Rum, lemonade and ginger beer. Slap 3-4 mint leaves to release the oils, add to the glass and stir. Garnish with a lemon wedge and a few mint leaves.

Summer Fruit Daiquiri

• 100ml Goslings Gold Seal Rum
• 250ml Summer Fruit Puree
• 1 Lime
• Garnish
• Fresh Raspberry
• Fresh Blackberry

Method: Squeeze the juice of 1 lime into a co*cktail shaker. Fill with ice, then add the rum and summer fruit puree. Shake until well combined, then pour into chilled coupe/margarita glasses. Garnish each co*cktail with a fresh raspberry and a fresh blackberry.

Disaronno Velvet Batida

• 1 part Disaronno Velvet
• 1 part coconut water
• Crushed ice

Method: Combine 1 part of Disaronno Velvet, 1 part of coconut water, shaking and pouring over crushed ice in a highball glass. Garnish of either coconut flakes or a coconut slice.

Fruit Gin & Tonic Ice Lollies

• 500ml tonic water
• 60g caster sugar
• 100ml Eden Mill Burgundy White Wine Cask Aged Gin
• 3 limes, 1 juiced and zested, 2 thinly sliced
• 1 peach, finely sliced
• 20 raspberries

Method: Pour the tonic water into a large jug. Add the caster sugar and stir until fully dissolved and the tonic has lost its fizz. Stir in the gin, lime juice and zest. Push a couple of slices of peach and a slice of lime into each lolly mould, followed by a couple of raspberries. Divide the gin and tonic mixture between the moulds. Close the lids and push in the lolly sticks. Freeze until solid, preferably overnight. The lollies will last in the freezer for up to two months.

Dark ‘n Stormy Granita

• 1 can of Goslings Ginger Beer
• 50ml Goslings Black Seal Rum

Method: Pour can of Goslings ginger ale into a freezer-proof container and freeze for three hours. Every 30 minutes, go back and break up the ice. Add to the slushy to a glass and tip the Goslings Black Seal rum on top. Garnish with a slice of lime

Tropical Passionfruit Gin Pitcher

• 300ml Gordon's Tropical Passionfruit Distilled Gin
• 400ml Indian Tonic Water
• 200ml coconut water or pineapple juice
• 1 large lime, sliced into wheels
• Ice

Method: Fill your sharing jug up to around a third with ice and add the gin, then top with your Indian tonic water. Add in your lime wheels then use your muddler to distribute the ice and fruit through the jug, and make sure everything’s combined. Top with the coconut water or pineapple juice.

Disaronno Fizz

• 45 ml Disaronno
• 150 ml soda or sparkling water
• Fresh lemon juice

Method: Pour Disaronno over ice. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and top up with soda water. Stir and garnish with lemon zest.

Clockwork Orange Insane Pitcher

• 100ml Conker Gin
• 100ml Cointreau
• 300ml fresh orange juice
• Slices of orange and lemons
• 30ml sugar syrup
• 350ml Cava to top

Method: Add ice to a 1 litre or 1 half litre jug and then pour in the Conker Gin and Cointreau, stirring gently. Next add the orange juice, the slices of orange and lemons and the sugar syrup. Stir again to combine and finally, top with the fizz. Serve in a small wine glass or nick & nora glass with one large ice cube.

Summer Rummer Pitcher

• 100ml Goslings Black Seal Rum
• 300g frozen summer fruits
• 4 Jazz apples (juiced)
• 350ml Prosecco to top

Method: Take the frozen summer fruits straight from the freezer and blend with a JAZZ apple juice until you have a smoothie-like consistency. Add ice to a 1 litre or 1 ½ litre jug and the pour the smoothie mixture on top. Next pour in the Goslings Black Seal Ru m and stir well. Finally, top with the Prosecco. Serve with one large ice cube in a single rocks glass and garnish with a mint sprig.

Strawberry Gin Smash

• 2 cups Hernö Pink BTL Gin
• 3 cups soda water
• 1 tbsp Bonraw Coconut Sugar (to taste)
• 1 punnet of fresh strawberries
• The juice of two limes
• Ice
• Fresh basil to garnish

Method: Cut the limes into small pieces, add the sugar, place in a co*cktail shaker and muddle well to help release those oils from the peel and incorporate the sugar to the juice. Strain into the jug and then add half the punnet of strawberries before smashing everything together. Next add ice, the Hernö gin, the rest of the strawberries which have been sliced and some basil leaves. Gently stir the ingredients together before topping up with the soda water. Serve in highball glasses with strawberries and basil to garnish.

Rumango Kiwi Punch

• 1 cup Goslings Black Seal Rum
• 2 cups of mango nectar
• The juice from one Jazz Apple
• 4 kiwi fruits (green or golden)
• ½ cup White Heron British Cassis
• 2 limes
• Ice
• Mint leaves

Method: Peel the kiwi fruits and cut two in cubes and smash the other two in the bottom of a jug with a few mint leaves. Next add the cubes of kiwi along with one of the limes which has been sliced. Juice the other lime and add to the jug. Next add the Goslings Black Seal rum, the mango nectar and British Cassis before mixing well and then chilling. When ready to serve, add ice to the jug to refresh and serve in a Nick and Nora glass or wine glass

Smokehead Islay Heatwave

• 50ml Smokehead High Voltage
• Ginger beer
• Lime wheel garnish
• Ice

Method: Pack your highball with ice. Add 50ml of Smokehead High Voltage. Fill your glass with ginger beer and garnish with a lime wheel

Dark ‘n Stormy Ice Cream Float

• Vanilla ice cream
• Chopped crystalized ginger
• Gosling’s Black Seal Rum
• Ginger beer
• Candied lime

Method: Allow the vanilla ice cream to soften. Add chopped crystalized ginger and Gosling’s Black Seal Rum and blend it all in. Re-freeze and serve when ready. Add one generous scoop of the ice cream to a large milkshake glass.. Add 50 ml of Golsings Gold Seal Rum and then slowly pour ginger beer on top. Decorate with a slice of candied lime.

Rum Swizzle

• 120ml Goslings Black Seal Rum
• 120ml Goslings Gold Rum
• 135ml Pineapple Juice
• 135ml Orange Juice
• 20ml Grenadine
• 6 dashes of Bitter Truth Aromatic Bitters

Method: Into a pitcher, fill a ⅓ full with crushed ice, then add Goslings Black Seal Rum, Goslings Gold Rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, Grenadine and aromatic bitters. Churn vigorously until a frothing appears or mix in a co*cktail shaker. Strain into a tumbler with fresh ice. Garnish with a lime slice and a cherry.

Cross Court co*cktail

• 35ml Eden Mill Wildcard Gin
• 10ml Monin Wild Strawberry syrup
• Pink Prosecco
• Raspberry

Method: Pour the gin and strawberry syrup into a champagne flute. Top up with pink prosecco and stir, then garnish with the raspberry

Gin & Tonic Float

• 50ml Hernö Old Tom Gin
• 100ml Tonic Water
• 1 Scoop Raspberry Ripple Ice Cream

Method: Add the gin and tonic to a large glass (wine or rocks) and stir to combine. Top with a scoop of raspberry ripple ice cream.

Goslings Iced Tea Rum Punch

• 150ml Goslings Black Seal Rum
• 100ml Lime Juice
• 100ml Pineapple Juice
• 50ml Lemon juice
• 100ml Simple Syrup
• 400ml Freshly Brewed Black Tea
• 4 drops of The Bitter Truth – Old Time Aromatic Bitters
• Ice

Method: Brew black tea and allow to cool. To a jug, add all the other ingredients and stir. Garnish with lime and pineapple and serve.

Cassis Iced Tea Spritz

• 50ml White Heron British Cassis
• 120ml Green Tea
• 35ml Lime juice
• Soda Water
• Ice

Method: Brew green tea and allow to cool. Add the British Cassis to a bulbous glass and fill with ice, Add the dash of Lime and top up with soda water. Garnish with blackcurrants and blackberries

Kombucha, Peach & Mint Fizz

• 100ml Hernö Old Tom Gin
• 600ml Sparkling Kombucha
• 4 Peaches
• Small bunch of mint
• Garnish
• Peach Slice
• Mint Sprig

Method: Cut the peaches into segments and add to a pitcher. Add the mint (reserving some for garnish) and muddle until the peaches are thoroughly crushed. Pour in the gin and kombucha, top with ice, then stir well to combine. Place a peach segment and a mint sprig into four rocks glasses, followed by a large ice cube, then pour the co*cktail into the glasses

Recuerdo Mezcalita

• 100ml Recuerdo Mezcal
• 100ml Cucumber Juice
• 75ml Lime Juice
• 50ml Agave Nectar
• Garnish
• Cucumber Ribbons

Method: Add the mezcal, cucumber juice, lime juice and agave nectar to a co*cktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake until well combined and very cold. Wrap cucumber ribbons around the inside of two highball glasses, then pour in each co*cktail

Herno Earl Grey Ice Tea

• 45ml Herno London Dry Gin
• 60ml freshly brewed Earl Grey tea, chilled
• 10ml lemon juice
• 1t sp sugar, to taste
• Lemon wheel, for garnish

Method: Add all the ingredients to a mixing jug and stir well to combine. Check for sweetness and then strain into an old-fashioned glass over a large ice cube. Garnish with a lemon wheel.

Wildcard G&T

• 50ml Eden Mill Wildcard Gin
• Premium light tonic water
• 2-3 raspberries
• 1 strawberry, cut in half
• Slice of lemon

Method: Pour the gin into a highball glass, then fill with ice. Add the raspberries, then pour over the tonic water. Add the slice of lemon to garnish and finish by wedging the half strawberry on the rim of the glass.

Harbor Patrol

Strawberry daiquiri

• 1 oz Saint Luna
• 1 cup fresh strawberries
• 1 oz simple syrup
• 1 oz lime juice

Pina colada

• 1 oz Saint Luna
• 1 oz pineapple juice
• 2 oz coconut cream

Method: Blend up an ounce of Saint Luna, fresh strawberries, lime and simple. Next, make a colada, adding an ounce of Saint Luna, a handful of fresh pineapple, pineapple juice and coconut cream. Layer your blended colada right on top of the strawberry daiquiri.

The Ace co*cktail

• 50ml Eden Mill Wildcard Gin
• 15ml Monin Wild Strawberry Syrup
• Topped with Fever Tree Raspberry & Orange Blossom soda
• Strawberry, mint and orange slice for garnish

Method: Build in an ice-filled highball or large wine glass. Garnish with the strawberry, mint and orange slice.

The Chimera Fix

• 2 oz Saint Luna
• .5 oz Green Chartreuse
• .75 oz pineapple syrup
• .5 oz lime juice
• Seltzer
• Berries for garnish

Method: Add all ingredients except for the seltzer and berries to a shaker filled with ice. Shake until cold and then pour over fresh, crushed ice. Top with seltzer and garnish with a variety of mixed berries.

Cucumber and Fresh Basil

• Cucumber
• Basil
• 1.5 oz Saint Luna
• .5 oz lime juice
• .5 oz simple syrup
• Club soda

Method: Muddle cucumber slices and two leaves of fresh basil. Add liquid ingredients with exception of club soda to shaker and load with ice, shake vigorously and strain over fresh ice into collins glass. Top with club soda. Garnish with cucumber ribbon and one basil leaf (slap the basil to release the aroma).

Jazz Gin Spritz

• 35ml Herno Gin
• 1 Jazz Apple juiced
• Juice of half a lime
• Prosecco to top
• Ice

Method: Add the gin, apple juice, lime juice and ice to a shaker and shake well. Strain into a glass over ice and then top with Prosecco and garnish with a slice of Jzzz Apple and lime

Jazz Jungle Bird

• 50ml Goslings Black Seal Rum
• 15ml Campari Bitters
• 1 Jazz Apple juiced
• 15ml Lime Juice
• 10ml Sugar syrup

Method: Add all the ingredients to a shaker with crushed ice. Shake well and strain into a highball glass with several cubes of ice. Garnish with lemon, oranges and lime slices.