Raisthorpe Manor: Yorkshire distillery recommends these nine easy summer cocktail recipes to try at home

Mother and son duo, Julia and Oliver Medforth, first set up their gin business in 2008 out of their farmhouse kitchen at Raisthorpe Manor and it quickly became very popular with locals and out-of-town visitors alike.

The family-run business is located within the stunning dale of the Yorkshire Wolds. The destination is vital for the functionality of the distillery as they use natural water springs and wild ingredients.

One of their most popular summer spirits they use to make fruit-based cocktails is the Shimmering Blood Orange.

“Shimmering Blood Orange is very good for summer in a tall glass with lemonade or the tonic or ginger ale with a small amount of Blood Orange at the bottom filled with lots of ice and oranges. It’s really good and it sells very well,” Julia Medford said.

“For a lot of people who like orange and ginger it goes very well with ginger ale and you can use it with Prosecco, it’s very versatile. “We sell loads of our Blood Orange drink in the summertime.”

“The shimmering glass is what attracts people to the Blood Orange drink. They are [surprised by what it looks like],” Oliver Medforth said.

Our business newsletter keeps you in the know - sign up now

“It’s so fruity and refreshing, you really get the taste of blood orange, then mix that with lemonade it makes it a lovely longer drink.”

Raisthorpe’s Rhubarb Gin can be used in a variety of ways to make summer cocktails.

“We’ve got a Rhubarb Gin for £15 and that goes really well with our strawberry and pomegranate tonic,” Mr Medforth said.

“You’d get loads of ice, chopped strawberries, pomegranate - it makes a really refreshing summer drink alongside our elderflower and gooseberry or apple, very tart and very bitter. A cocktail can be anything.”

With Wimbledon approaching, one of their most popular cocktails around this time is Raisthorpe’s Strawberry Vodka.

This Summer, we’re teaming up with TK Maxx presents Live, at The Piece Hall in Halifax, to offer Yorkshire Post digital subscribers a chance to win VIP tickets

“Wimbledon is coming up and a lot of people like to have strawberry vodka with strawberries and cream,” Ms Medforth said.

You know when you go to Wimbledon you have strawberries and cream which is a well known snack.”

Nine easy summer cocktail recipes to try at home

Blood Orange Daiquiri

Ingredients

White Rum (25ml)

9ct Shimmering Blood Orange Vodka (25ml)

One whole lime (squeezed)

Orange twist

Method

Add ingredients and shake before serving in a coupette glass and garnish with a twist of orange peel.

Basil and Lychee Shimmering Spritz

Ingredients

Double shot of Raisthorpe’s Oak Aged Dry Gin

Lychee syrup (10ml)

Half a shot of lemon juice

50ml of mixer (Raisthope recommends a fruity soda water)

Basil leaf to garnish

Edible shimmer

Method

1 - Fill a cocktail shaker with ice

2 - Add the dry gin, lychee syrup and lemon juice

3 - Shake well

4 - Strain into an ice-filled highball glass

5 - Top up with chosen mixer

6 - Add a drop of edible shimmer to the drink and sir

7 - Garnish with basil leaf

Elderflower Sparkler

Ingredients

Raisthorpe’s Elderflower Gin (50ml)

Lemon juice (20ml)

Simple syrup (15ml)

Apple and elderflower Yorkshire Tonic

Lemon slice for garnish

Ice

Method

1 - Fill a cocktail shaker with ice

2 - Add the Elderflower Gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to the shaker

3 - Shake well to combine the ingredients and chill the mixture

4 - Strain the cocktail into a martini glass

5 - Top up the glass with the Apple and Elderflower Yorkshire Tonic, leaving some space at the top

6 - Stir gently to mix the cocktail

7 - Garnish with a lemon slice

Oak and Orchard Sour

Ingredients

Raisthorpe Manor’s Oak Aged Dry Gin (60ml)

Freshly squeezed lemon juice (22.5ml)

Lemon juice

Unfiltered apple cider (15ml)

Simple syrup (15ml)

One egg white (optional for texture)

Ice

Apple slice and cinnamon stick for garnish

Method

1 - In a shaker, combine the Oak Aged Dry Gin, lemon juice, unfiltered apple cider and simple syrup

2 - If using egg white, add it to the shaker. The egg white will add a velvety texture to the cocktail

3 - Dry shake vigorously for about 10-15 seconds to emulsify the egg white and create froth

4 - Add ice to the shaker and shake again until well chilled.

5 - Strain the cocktail into a chilled glass

6 - Garnish with a thin apple slice and a cinnamon stick for a scented finish and flavour

Orange Blossom Cocktail

Ingredients

Raisthorpe’s Orange Gin (3/4oz)

Sweet Vermouth (3/4oz)

Ice

Sugar to rim the glass

Method

1 - Rim your chosen glass with sugar

2 - Pour the gin, sweet vermouth and orange juice into a cocktail shaker with ice

3 - Shake well

4 - Strain into a chilled glass

Orange Crush

Ingredients

Raisthorpe’s Tangy Orange Wild Vodka (2oz)

Triple Sec (1oz)

Orange juice (4oz)

Lemon juice (1oz)

Simple syrup (1oz)

Orange wedge for garnish

Method

1 - Fill a shaker with ice cubes

2 - Add Orange Vodka, Triple Sec, orange juice, lemon juice and simple syrup

3 - Shake well

4 - Strain the mixture into a glass filled with ice cubes

5 - Garnish with an orange wedge

Pear and Peppercorn Garden Fizz

Ingredients

Raisthorpe Manor’s Pear and Peppercorn Secret Garden Gin (2oz)

Freshly squeezed pear juice (1oz)

Fresh lemon juice (0.5oz)

Simple syrup (0.5oz)

4-5 fresh basil leaves

2-3 dashes of Pear Bitters (optional)

Yorkshire Tonic’s Premium Tonic

Pear slice and basil sprig for garnish

Method

1 - In a shaker, muddle the fresh basil leaves gently to release their flavours

2 - Add the Pear and Peppercorn Gin, pear juice, lemon juice and simple syrup to the shaker

3 - If using Pear Bitters, add a couple of dashes to the shaker for an extra layer of flavour

4 - Fill the shaker with ice and shake well until the mixture is chilled

5 - Strain the cocktail into a highball glass filled with ice

6 - Top up the glass with Premium Yorkshire Tonic to your desired level, stirring gently to mix

7 - Garnish the cocktail with a thin slice of pear and a sprig of fresh basil

Rhubarb Gin Cocktail

Ingredients

Raisthorpe Rhubarb Liqueur (50ml)

Aperol (10ml)

Fresh lemon juice (25ml)

Sugar syrup (12ml)

Two dashes of rhubarb bitters

One egg white

Rosemary to garnish

Grapefruit to garnish

Lemon to garnish

Sugar to garnish

Method

1 - Chop the lemon in half and rim the glass with the juice. Turn the glass upside down and edge with sugar

2 - Dry shake all the ingredients, excluding garnishes

3 - Add ice to the shaker and shake again for 15 seconds

4 - Strain into a martini or coup glass

5 - Add rosemary and chopped grapefruit to garnish

Sloe Gin Negroni

Ingredients

Raisthorpe’s Sloe Gin (30ml)

Campari (15ml)

Sweet vermouth (15ml)

Ice

Orange slice to garnish

Method

1 - Fill a glass 3/4 full with ice

2 - Pour over your spirits

3 - Stir gently until fully chilled

4 - Garnish with an orange slice