A grimace usually follows the mention of a nog. That “should-I-shouldn’t-I?” expression that usually preludes a calorie-loaded guilty pleasure.
Nogs are divisive. You either love them, or you loathe them. A red-hot poker is purely optional.
Traditionally, it’s not an authentic eggnog unless you can set fire to it.
Now, two new non-combustible ready-to-serve bottled nogs are here, modernising the ancient but declining drinks category and reviving a Christmas tradition.
The UK’s Christmas-rewritten ABV 6.3% Oatnog, priced at £20, is made with Two Drifters Signature Rum.
Director of Honest Folk, Mike Yudt, commented:
“Our eggnog is a classic European style eggnog. Made with both cognac and rum to give a lovely sweet, nutty mouth feel and depth of flavour, we use full-fat cream and milk to add to the luxurious decadent nature of the drink. We designed it with a true posset in mind, staying as close to the original recipe as possible while also adding enough complexity to the drink that it almost feels modern. We recommend serving it straight up with a healthy dusting of nutmeg!”
Eggnog used to be the classic Christmas drink and winter warmer. It’s still more popular in the United States than the United Kingdom where it was born as a late 17th century East Anglian mulled ale.
Americans even rioted over the eggnogs. In 1826, the West Point Military Academy was the scene of a violent riots after cadets were court-martialled for making illicit nogs.
In Trinidad and Venezuela, it’s called Poncha crème and, in Canada, Hen of Milk. Puerto Roco has Coquito (rum and coconut), Mexico Rompope, Colombia Sabajon, Italy Bombardino, Poland Ajekoniak (lashings of milk, egg and sugar with vodka) and Germany Eierpunsch (mixed with wine).
Nog probably derives from “noggin”, a carved two-handled wooden mug. The Scottish term “nugged” means ale warmed with a hot poker.
A “posset” was a curdled beverage of milk and either ale or wine made as a flu remedy. The cholesterol cocktail was also known as an “egg flip” from the practice of flipping (rapidly pouring) the mixture between two pitchers to mix it.
A nogg was flavoured with cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, vanilla and even ambergris and animal musk. Today condensed, evaporated, full fat to skimmed and modified milk, whipped cream, maple syrup, carob and coconut cream are used along with brown or white sugar, egg yolks and whites. Starbucks experimented with Latte Nogs in the 1980s.
Warninks Advocaat has been made in Holland since 1616. It is called advocaat because it was considered “the lawyers’ drink” since it lubricated the vocal cords. Bols dates from 1878. Both were based on the Brazilian abacate, replacing avocados with eggs.
Dooley’s Toffee Cream Liqueur, Coole Swan, Bailey’s Irish Cream and Norfolk Nog (£26) from The English Distillery are close relatives to eggnog although more dairy chocolate-forward than egg.
This is the season of premium emulsified beverages and Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without a lot of cream and a lot of calories. Pernod Ricard’s rum-based liqueur Malibu and coffee liqueur Kalhia are huge sellers. There are Finland’s lactose and glucose-free Kyro Dairy Crema liqueur and South African Amarula Cream. They are considered by nog-ites as nogs.
In Yorkshire the Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery produces a cream liqueur as does New Yorker Daniel Szor’s Cotswolds Distillery. Its 20% Spirit of Yorkshire Cream Liqueur is made with the distillery’s own English single malt whisky and is priced at £27.50.
Partnering with the Dutch company Creamy Creations and tapping into the growing $30 billion plus oat milk market, Misunderstood Whisky Co, has released the Oatrageous range.
Licor 43’s Crème Brûlée has been joined by the brand’s recently launched, Caramel Cookie, inspired by the classic speculoos biscuit.
Bianca de la Infiesta, spirits global marketing director of Zamora Company, commented:
“With indulgence becoming a key purchase driver in the liqueur category, our Caramel Cookie launch is a natural evolution for Licor 43.”
Difford’s Guide has 30 eggnog cocktail recipes. From Canary Flip (wine) and Angel’s Advocate (gin and lemonade) to Anogo (tequila) and a sherry Alexander nog.
Not included is the recipe for jazz great Charlie Mingus’s favourite nog which was reputed to be strong enough to put down an elephant.
You can now get Build-Your-Own eggnogs with nog syrups and essences. But a DIY nog is notoriously hard to make. If you don’t want to end up with some boozy custard sludge or an alcoholic omelette, leave it to the expert bottlers.
Don’t drink a Fluffy Duck without consulting a professional.
Author Bio:
Kevin Pilley is a former professional cricketer and chief staff writer of PUNCH magazine. His humour, travel, food and drink work appear worldwide, and he has been published in over 800 titles.
Photographs courtesy of The English Distillery and Spirit of Yorkshire Distillery
Be the first to comment