Hotel Chocolat : National drink days to mark in your calendar

Fancy an excuse to open a bottle of your favourite snifter? These national drink days might be just what you're looking for!

We all know that we need to drink responsibly, so why not save some of your tipple for a national or international drink day? We've compiled a list of our favourite days when it's more than acceptable to crack open a bottle of the good stuff… Mark your calendar, invite some friends over, and look forward to paying homage to some great beverages.

Just make sure you have your drinks cupboard stocked in time for the party!

[Link] 18th February - National Drink Wine Day

We couldn't have a drink days list without including the most classic beverage around - wine!

Wine has been produced and consumed for thousands of years, giving it a long legacy certainly fit for its own designated day. At Hotel Chocolat, we're particularly fascinated by the fact that cacao wine (yes, cacao!) has been traced back to around 1400 BCE Mesoamerica.

Even more interesting, is that this alcoholic drink is integral to the development of chocolate as we know it today. Evidence suggests that through discovering the natural fermentation of cacao fruits, the ancient cultures of Mesoamerica were inspired to cultivate the cacao tree. Needless to say, the rest is history…

In honour of National Drink Wine Day and wine's cacao-based roots, we have the perfect plan for your day. Simply indulge in a few of our gorgeously high-cocoa chocolates and a glass of your go-to red wine.

It's universally agreed that chocolate and red wine are a stellar tasting combination, both with rich and delicate notes that dance in harmony with your tastebuds. It's such a harmonious pairing, in fact, that we developed our own Red Wine Selectors.

If you want to turn the day into a real celebration, invite your friends around and ask them to bring a bottle of their red wine of choice. If you supply the chocolates, you can sample different flavours together and discuss the merits of each pairing!

[Link] 24th February - World Bartender Day

Ok, so this isn't a day in celebration of a particular drink but we had to include World Bartender Day in this list. Why? It's a great excuse to create your own home bar and throw a bit of a party - who can argue with that!

In preparation for World Bartender Day, we recommend taking a look at our alcohol selection and stocking your home bar with a few bottles. Whether you fancy concocting some cocktails with our Salted Caramel Cacao Vodka Liqueur or our Mango & Passion Fruit Gin, we have plenty of cacao-infused options for you to choose from.

Are you hoping to host your own drinks night but aren't too experienced behind the bar? Check out our article on how to make the best gin cocktails at home - you'll be adding a shot of this and a dash of that in no time.

7th April - National Beer Day

Next up, National Beer Day. What better excuse to crack open a cold one and kick back with a few pals?

Everyone has their usual ale or lager. Indeed, when you're at a bar and don't know their selection it's useful to have a tried and tested request up your sleeve. But… National Beer Day? Isn't this the ideal time to try some new beers on the block? Seize this day for beer exploration by swinging by your local brew shop and picking up some local or independent ales. Better still, try our Cocoa Beer  - a dark, not sweet, porter-style ale. Or for something a tad fruitier, grab one of our Cocoa Blondes, a West Indies pale ale with a malty edge.

[Link] 13th May - World Cocktail Day

Just as with World Bartender Day, this is a fantastic excuse to do your cocktail-making hat and host an at-home mixology event.

Is one of your friends a seasoned cocktail maker? Do you all have a speciality drink you can teach each other to make? Get the 13th of May boxed off in the calendar.

May might be a typical month of spring cleaning, but we think cocktail making is a much better activity! See our guide on how to make stunning Cocoa Cocktails that will really blow the cobwebs away.

We think it's particularly useful to have our Espresso Martini Velvetised Cream and Cherry and Raspberry Gin Liqueur in stock for the big day.

12th June - World Gin Day

Can you think of a better mid-summer beverage than a gin and tonic? Probably not. In our opinion, the 12th of June is the perfect time for pre-planned gin sipping. Let's just hope for some sun…

To make the most of World Gin Day, you'll want to nab a bottle of our Cocoa Gin. Made using five botanicals including macadamia, juniper, coriander, orange and grapefruit, this gin has a fragrant and uplifting finish. It's always our go-to.

11th July - World Mojito Day

A rather niche one - but that's good in its own way. Requiring just white rum, lime, sugar, mint, and soda water, mojitos are notoriously easy to make. Whether you'll be celebrating with a small group or by throwing a huge party, it's a classic crowd-pleaser that is sure to go down a treat.

If you've made quite a few mojitos in your time, why not become an even more adventurous mojito mixologist? Try adding a dash of our Mint Chocolate Velvetised Cream to the mix for a dose of creamy cocoa and peppermint goodness.

[Link] 4th October - International Vodka Day

Last but not least, we have International Vodka Day on the 4th of October. We can't think of a better themed day to give you that mid-autumn boost. To make the most of the date, you'll want to have some vodka options lined up.

Sample our Velvetised Chocolate Cream - a blend of our signature chocolate with punchy vodka. Or to ramp it up a notch, you could even try our Salted Caramel version which embraces buttery caramel notes and tangy sea salt.

Drinks to celebrate with

What's your favourite national drink day? These are just a few national (and international) holidays you might like to try, but you can always track down some more - we won't blame you. Or perhaps you fancy toasting your own special occasions with a glass of bubbly or a dash of luxurious velvetised chocolate cream in your coffee. And remember, you can always whip up some booze-free mocktail alternatives, too.

So, get creative, drink sensibly, and we'll be celebrating with you. Cheers!