NIO Christmas Cocktail Convenience: Just Add Ice

While it can be fun making cocktails to impress your guests at a dinner party, there’s always a chance that taking your eyes off the oven will result in a small fire, says Ben Griffin, possibly talking from personal experience. Or that, heaven forbid, everyone will have to forgo the prawn cocktail entrée because you ran out of time.

That is where NIO steps in. Short for ‘needs ice only’, the Italian brand offers a convenient (and dangerously drinkable) cocktail selection. Simply peel off the corner of the nostalgia-inducing CD-shaped packaging and pour it into a glass with ice. Voila.

The 30-strong choice selection ranges from the classic Negroni and Cosmopolitan to the Espresso Martini and Old Fashioned. So even the fussiest of guests will have something to keep them from complaining about the lack of a starter. Or the burnt main.

There are even Christmas-themed NIO cocktails, such as the cunningly named Christmas Margarita, Christmas in Manhattan, Snow Daiquiri and Spiced Negroni. Lemongrass Citrus and Virgin Bitters, meanwhile, have zero alcohol, so the designated driver can join in too.

Each cocktail is said to have been crafted and designed by master mixologist Patrick Pistolesi. The owner of Drink Kong, an award-winning Rome-based bar ranked as the 45th best bar in the world.

Off I went to the swanky Menier Lounger venue in London, where I got to try as many as I could in two hours and discuss whether November is too early for Christmas decorations.

As not the biggest fan of the standard Negroni, the sweeter Spiced version was worryingly enjoyable. As was the rum-based Snow Daiquiri and its seasonal ginger and pineapple kick. The Espresso Martini was a bit blunt for my tastes, but the apple-enhanced Christmas Margarita saved the day.

For those worried about eco-friendliness, NIO says its company is carbon neutral and that the packaging is more cardboard than plastic – with the latter said to be more recyclable than ever.

The NIO Build A Box collections, available at niococktails.co.uk, cost £20, £39 and £58 for three, six and nine cocktails, respectively – all in a box that looks good enough to spare you the hassle (and wastefulness) of wrapping.

If you really want to push the boat out, NIO also offers an Experience Bar Cabinet, which sounds like furniture, but it is actually a fancy tray with six glasses and six cocktails you can use to serve guests. There is even a tasting kit, complete with an ice pack for four giant cubes.

Okay, NIO is not the cheapest cocktail solution around at around £6.50 per drink. However, I can see a NIO cocktail selection jazzing up a Christmas soirée or dinner party nicely, and most tasted excellent. Certainly better than a fish-based starter with lettuce.