Alcohol and popular drinks in Kenya
Some of us have various reasons for not drinking which goes from religion to all the way to being raised in a family of alcohol addicts. Most of us heard the term ‘alcohol’ at home if the parents imbibed which has lead to some of us having a total abstinence from anything alcoholic. Just in case you are not limited by any vice to drinking alcohol, you then know there are pros and cons of pouring yourself a glass but let us focus on the positive side for today.
Before we dive deep into the benefits of drinking let me just say that alcohol is divided into three major categories which wines, beers and spirits/liquors. The spirits are then divided into two major groups; clear spirits and the dark spirits.
Clear Spirits
These are the spirits that are made from food products which also influence their flavors. These spirits are clear in color just like water but also may gain color if aged. Aged clear spirits most of the times assumes the gold color and that why you will find out that most of these drinks have a clear option which means it has not been aged and the gold option which means it has been aged to influence their taste, flavors and the color. Flavouring may also be done mostly from chocolates or cream giving rise to the black spirits and liqueurs. One big advantage of the clear spirits over the dark spirits is that they are colourless and odourless hence they are used in the preparation of most cocktails because they don’t insert themselves but only improves the taste. The common thing with clear spirits is that they are made from distillation after fermentation. Distillation removes the impurities and hence reduces the chances of a hangover after consuming these drinks. The following are the clear spirits;
Vodka
Sometimes back vodkas were referred as the neutral spirit because the spirit was clear and had no smell. Currently vodka market is becoming more dynamic and more producers are now colouring their vodkas and then adding flavours so as to make themselves distinguishable from the rest. The flavouring also comes on board due to different tastes demanded by vodka enthusiasts. it’s on this note that you will find a particular brand has about 8 different flavours. Vodkas were initially produced as a medicine until later on when they discovered it had intoxicating effects. Most of the great vodkas come from Russia. The most common brands of vodka in Kenya include; Smirnoff vodka, Magic Moments, Absolut Vodka, Sky Vodka, Ciroc Vodka, Flirt vodka, Belvedere, KGB vodka, Grey Goose, Stolichnaya, Crystal Head Vodka, Ketel One … etc. Visit Nairobi Drinks for the best vodka prices in Kenya and enjoy great brand varieties with all their flavours.
Rum
This drinks originated from Caribbean countries and are distilled from sugar cane or molasses. They are clear drink after distillation but they are aged in barrels to turn them golden, amber or dark. The following are the awesome brands of rum in Kenya that you can enjoy at best rum prices in Kenya; Havana Club, Captain Morgan, Gold of Mauritius, Malibu Caribbean rum, Pyrat rum, New Grove, Myers Rum, Old Nick, Old Monk, Negrita Berdinet, Lambs Navy and Bacardi.
Gin
It is made from a distillate of malt spirits and is re-distilled again with juniper berries to give London dry gin. Initially, gin was developed as a cure for Kidney disorder but later on changed to be the most celebrated drink in England. Gins are strong clear drinks that are associated with courage. Common brands of gin in Kenya include; Tanqueray, Tanqueray no. 10, Gilbeys, Sense, Bombay Sapphire, Beefeater, Gordons, New Amsterdam, Hendricks, Bulldog and Seagrams. Are you a fan of gin, then you can find great gin prices in Kenya and have a bottle delivered to your house at no extra cost if you are around Nairobi.
Tequila
This is among the strongest spirits and is distilled from the fruits of the blue agave plant. It is normally clear after distillation but with ageing and flavouring with cream and chocolate, you get the golden colour and the black colour. Due to being so strong, tequila is better enjoyed as shots. The most common brands of tequila in Kenya are as follows; Patron, Don Julio, Sauza, Jose Cuervo, Camino, Olmeca, Tequila Sauza, Sierra etc. So if you are looking for great Tequila prices in Kenya don’t relent to call Nairobi Drinks and you will have your favourite bottle delivered to your house at no added cost.
Dark Spirits
Dark Spirits category of spirits contains only a few subcategories unlike the clear spirits but these subcategories are very broad. These spirits are distilled from grains apart from brandy that is distilled from grapes. Just like the clear spirits, dark spirits starts clear but changes their color to golden amber with aging and sometimes the colouring agents that are used.
The big difference between the dark spirits and the clear spirits is that all dark spirits must be aged to intensify their flavours and the colouring unlike on clear spirits where aging is not must but is done on particular brands to influence their taste. For dark spirits, the older they age in barrels, the darker they become and the more concentrated they become because the water evaporates leaving the concentrated spirit behind. The taste of dark spirits is also influenced by the barrels from which they are aged.
Brandy / Cognac
Brandys are distilled from mashed fruits but the most common ones are from grapes. This is the category of dark spirits that require a lot of technicality and professionalism from the grapes that are used to the whole process of fermentation and aging them in the barrels. For clarification, cognacs are also brandies but not all brandies are Cognacs. Cognacs are ONLY those brandies that have been produced and aged in a particular region of France called Cognac. There is a stipulated method of preparing cognacs which must be strictly adhered to because any little diversion from this method will render the cognac to be regarded as a normal brandy. Cognacs have a special way of naming their brands depending on the number of years they have been aged. To influence the taste of the cognacs, blending of different cognacs from different barrels is done. The formula is as follows;
VS - This means Very Special. To acquire this name, the cognac must be aged for a minimum of 3 years.
VSOP – This means Very Superior Old Pale. Cognacs with this label must be aged for at least 5 years.
XO – This means eXtra Old. These are the oldest cognacs with the youngest cognac in the blend being 6 years.
Something worth noting is that cognacs are branded with their names depending on the youngest cognac in the blend. For instance, you might find a VS which is supposed to have the youngest blend as 3 years but there is a cognac of more than a hundred years of age that is supposed to make it smooth and greatly improve the taste. The following are the most common and the most quality brands of cognacs in Kenya; Bisquit, Hennessy, Meukow, Remy Martins, Courvoisier, Camus, Martell etc. In the case you are looking for awesome cognac prices in Kenya then you have just landed yourself in the right place. On the hand, these are the most common brands of Brandy in Kenya; Richot, JP Chenet brandy, Kylon brandy, Viceroy 5 year, Viceroy 10 years, KWV 3 years, KWV 5 years, KWV 10 years, Three Barrels, Don Montego, Berdinet VSOP etc. To feel the value of your money, reach Nairobi Drinks for the best brandy prices in Kenya.
Liqueur
Unlike the other spirits that are either distilled from grains, grapes or food products, liqueurs are made from distilled spirits. They are then flavoured with cream, fruits, herbs, flowers, nuts or spices. Due to the flavouring, liqueurs are normally sweet which opens the ground of being enjoyed by everyone. In some countries where spirits are referred as liquors, there is always a confusion between liqueurs and liquors. The confusion arises from the fact that liqueurs are made from distilled spirits then they are flavoured to acquire their taste while some liquors mostly vodkas are normally flavoured to improve their taste.
The major difference is that liqueurs are known to have lower alcohol percentage ranging from a minimum of 15% to a maximum of 30% while liquors, on the other hand, have alcohol percentage ranging from a minimum of 40% to a maximum of 89%. There or other small subcategories of liqueurs as follows;
Vermouth – They are made from fortified wines and aromatized wines. Initially they were being used for medical purposes but currently, they are mostly being used as aperitifs (alcoholic drinks served before the meal to stimulate appetite) or digestiffs (alcoholic drinks served after a meal to enhance digestion). They are also key ingredients in cocktails and is for this purpose they are dry rather than being sweet. Vermouths are flavoured with various parts of botanicals like roots, barks, flowers, herbs, seeds and spices. Best brands of Vermouth in Kenya are like Martini Rosso, Martini Bianco, Martini Extra Dry, Cinzano Rosso, Cinzano Bianco, Butlers Tripple Sec, Butlers Blue Curacao, Ricard, Pernod etc. You may reach Nairobi Drinks for great Vermouth prices in Kenya that will leave your finances with a smile.
Bitters – Just like vermouths, they are made from botanical parts and were initially used for medicinal purposes but currently are used for cocktails and also as digestifs. Unlike vermouths that are dry, bitters are characterized by the following tastes; bitter, sour and bittersweet tastes. Some brands of digestifs bitters in Kenya are Aperol, Campari, Fernet-Blanca, Jagermeister and Underburg. The only brand of cocktails bitters in Kenya is Angostura Bitters from Trinidad and Tobago.
Apart from these subcategories of liqueurs, the other liqueurs are mostly flavoured with cream. Common brands of liqueurs in Kenya include Amarula Irish Cream, Baileys Cream, Sheridans Cream, Zanzi Cream, Molly’s Cream, Frangelico, Southern Comfort, Strawberry Lips, Tia Maria, Tequila Rose, Cointreau, Dissarono, Grand Marnier, Patron XO Cafe, Jim Beam Honey, Jim Beam Apple, Jim Beam Red Stag, Jack Daniel’s Honey, Jack Daniel’s Talifire, Amarula Gold, KGB Caramel etc. Would you like to have these liqueurs delivered at your house at the best liqueurs prices in Kenya, then reach us to find more about them and also the offers available.
Whiskey / Whisky
Whisky is made from grains like barley, rye, corn or wheat. The difference in spelling of whiskey and whisky indicates this complexity of the drink. Whiskey refers to those whiskeys produced in US and Ireland while on the other hand whisky refers to those whiskies produced in Scotland, India, Japan and UK. Whiskies are categorized into two main categories.;
Straight Whisky – those whiskeys that are made from a distillate made from one operation then added to a neutral spirit. Blended Whisky – this contains several straight whiskies that are mixed together then added to a neutral spirit. These different straight whiskies can be from different distilleries. The blending is meant to enhance the taste by adding more flavours. Taste is also improved with age as color also darkens. The older the whisky the better the quality but certainly the higher the price. The higher prices result from the compensation of increased evaporation leaving only the concentrated whisky behind. The following are the categorization of Brands of whisky in Kenya which helps the clients to quickly identify what they want.
Single Malt Whisky – this refers to the whiskies produced from the same distillery. They might be blended with other whisky but those whiskies must also come from that particular distillery. The blend is then marked with the number of years of the youngest whisky in the blend. These whiskies must bear a taste that is associated with that distillery which serves as their trademark.
Most single malt whisky comes from Scotland and because the country has six main regions that produce whisky, depending on where the distillery is located it will also influence the taste. Single malt whiskies are regarded as the most high-class whiskies due to their long ageing process which affirms their quality. The following are the common brands of single malt whiskies in Kenya.
These whiskies are grouped in families. Glenfiddich, Glenlivet, Glenmorangie, Oban, Clagganmore, Cardhu, Singleton, Aberlour, Lagavulin, Talisker, Jura, Macallan, Ardmore, Auchetoshan, Balvinie, Laphroaig, Dalwhinnie, Bowmore, Clynelish, Glenkinchie, Glenrothes, Teeling whisky, Caol ila, Highland Park, Haig etc. You can have any of these whiskies at the best single malt whiskies prices in Kenya.
Blended Scotch Whisky – These are the whiskies that are blended with whiskies from other distilleries. The blend is then bottled and also marked according to the youngest whisky in the blend. To ensure the quality is high as required, the blend might contain whiskies that are even older than 100 years. Some of the common brands of blended scotch whiskies in Kenya include; Chivas family, Johnnie Walker family, Famous Grouse, William Lawson, VAT 69, Teacher’s, Grants, J&B, Ballantines, Passport Scotch, Glen Silvers etc. Order any of the above brands at the best blended scotch whiskies prices in Kenya from the most reliable alcohol delivery Nairobi.
Bourbon and Tennessee whiskeys – These are whiskeys that are only made in the USA with 51% corn hence they are sometimes referred as American whiskeys. These whiskeys must be aged for a minimum of 6 years before bottling and their names must bear the names from where they were produced for example Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia etc. Brands of American whiskeys in Kenya include; Jack Daniel’s, Jim Beam, Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark, Bulleit Bourbon, Wild Turkey and Virginia Black. Buy these great drink at the most awesome American whiskeys prices in Kenya.
Irish Whiskey – These whiskeys are produced in Ireland. Irish whiskeys are neither smoky nor sweet but they have a particular superior taste of themselves. They are produced from malted whiskeys which are 50 % barley and 50 % oats. Brands of Irish whiskeys in Kenya include; Jameson family, Teeling whiskey and Tullamore Dew. Jameson family is the broadest because it includes; Jameson Crested, Jameson Distiller’s safe, Jameson Cooper’s Croze, Jameson Blender’s Dog, Jameson Select Reserve, Jameson Black Barrel and Jameson King Size (4.5 litres). Dial a Delivery today to enjoy the best Irish whiskey prices in Kenya.
