The festive season brings some of the most cheerful and social weeks of the year, and this season is extra special after being in lockdown for what seems like a decade.
Amongst the good cheer, fabulous food, and delicious drink, it can be hard not to get carried away and to experience burnout as the prosecco pops and the alcoholic units quickly add up.
One of the ways to outsmart burnout, whilst still being social and spending much needed time with family and friends is to practice the art of mindful drinking.
It’s not a new concept but is a clever way to enjoy alcohol and to drink with intent to appreciate a well-crafted beverage and the integrity of its ingredients, rather than to an end.
I’ve pulled together a few of my go-to tips on how to practice mindful drinking to make the most out of your beverage.
- There is so much more that goes into the drink besides how much alcohol is in it – a good spirit, beer or wine is beautifully crafted using quality ingredients with hours of research, development, trial, and error behind it. Speak to your server or bartender about what’s going into your glass or different options tailored to your taste and the flavours you love the most. It’s so much easier to savour and appreciate a drink that has a story or that you enjoy drinking.
- Alcoholic beverages, when made well, are meant to be enjoyed. So, instead of trying to drink them as fast as possible, take your time and really savour each sip. Notice the complexities in flavour and take in what’s on your palette. What notes do you taste? What lingers and how does it change? For example, when you take the time to sip Dancing Sands’ Sun-Kissed Gin you will notice how the tart rhubarb balances out the sweet strawberries and how they combine with our Dry Gin, which contains spice-forward layers of cardamom, coriander, and peppercorns for a refreshing and aromatic drop. There’s much more to an alcoholic beverage than what meets the eye.
- Tale as old as time but will always be one of the most important – drink plenty of water in between the beverage you’re enjoying. Hydrating with H20 gives your body time to process the alcohol and helps slow you down.
- Set a budget in advance and don’t buy cheap drinks. If you spend your money on a premium and well-crafted beverage and not simply the cheapest round of beers and or shots at the bar, it’ll entice you to drink less so you won’t break the bank.
- The sooner you see spirits as an experience rather than a fast track to drunkenness; the sooner you will master the art of the mindful drink.
Dancing Sands’ Gin allows you to practice mindful drinking with ease as we focus relentlessly on the integrity of our ingredients, starting from the water that feeds the clearest freshwater springs in the world, to the ingredients that we hand select to create dynamic, unique, and adventurous spirits.
They’re beverages you want to sip slowly to make your experience last just that bit longer, like a rich, decadent dessert after a beautiful meal at a great restaurant.
