Subscription box review... The cocktail man

One of the things I've decided to keep from my weird lockdown life is the unparalleled, day making, absolute joy of recieving a subscription box.

'The cocktail man' is an independent business and there really is a cocktail man behind it. It was founded by award winning mixologist James Vyse with the aim of bringing the fun of mixology and bar quality cocktails to the kitchens of the UK. You can buy a one off box or a three, six or twelve month subscription and your box is sent through the post, well packed and letterbox friendly.

Let's face it, cocktails are life... By now, I'm sure you all know I'm extra AF when it comes to drinks and I love getting the old shaker and strainer out and adding a bit of flair to Friday drinks in the living room. Whipping up cocktails in the kitchen is all fun and games until it comes to stocking up the alcohol cupboard (yes, in my house there is an alcohol cupboard) with the obscure spirits you need, that literally go in one cocktail, at £20-£30 a bottle. Your girl is on a budget and buying the full size bottles costs a small fortune and feels like a major financial commitment when you only want a couple and are only using a shot here and there. That's assuming you can even get half of it without having to order and pay for delivery on top. I can see why cocktails are not cheap in bars because when you start adding up everything you need it can mount up quickly. If you are reading this and thinking "girl... Story of my life" then this is going to be your perfect subscription box.

Inside the box is miniature bottles of the ingredients to make four bar quality cocktails. You might need to grab any fresh ingredients like lime or mint from the supermarket but the alcohol is all there. It also includes garnish and an instruction card telling you how to perfect your masterpiece. It tells you the equipment you'll need, for some of them you need a shaker so if you haven't got one and you are thinking of ordering it just be aware and the best type of glass to enjoy your creation in. The cocktails are twists on the classics and you can really tell they've been put together with a genuine love of cocktails. There's a lot of personality in everything from the website to the choice of drinks and it really gives you the feeling that this independent business is someone's baby.

I was really impressed with how well presented the box is. Theres a real art deco, Great Gatsby vibe about the packaging and the spirits are well packed without compremising on how the box looks when opened. If you are thinking of sending one as a socially distanced way of buying someone a drink it looks really classy and impressive. The prices range depending on the length of the subscription you buy, if you just want one box it's £25.95 which is decent value for what you get.

The box I got was the mango and passionfruit mojito and it tasted amazing and cheered me right up after a long week. It included Captain Morgans, the cocktail man's very own passionfruit sliquer and dried passionfruit to garnish. I needed to grab some fresh mint, lime and soda water, cheap and easy things to get from the supermarket and I really enjoyed making it.

So, I'm looking for suggestions of a subscription boxes, what are your favourites? Let me know in the comments