Celebrate 250 years of Morella cherry brandy with a Neame Noël this Christmas

Simply combine the Faversham-based brewer and pub company’s award-winning Grants Morella Cherry Brandy with a Kentish sparkling wine of your choice, and top with a cocktail cherry for the perfect serve.

It is the perfect time to enjoy the delicious drink, as this year marks the 250^th anniversary of Grants Morella Cherry Brandy. First created by Grants Distillery in 1774 in Dover, it remained a family-owned Kent business until the 1960s when production ceased, but in 1990 Shepherd Neame acquired the brand and revived it. It was granted a Royal Warrant by His Majesty King Charles III, in his former role as the Prince of Wales, in 1998.

The liqueur is made with 100 per cent English cherries and blended with pure English grain spirit to produce a warming and delicious liqueur, perfect for this sparkling winter cocktail.

The Neame Noël recipe was created by Shepherd Neame’s late former president, Robert ‘Bobby’ Neame. His daughter Moray Neame, Shepherd Neame’s Wines and Spirits Development Manager, said: “Grants Morella Cherry Brandy mixed with sparkling wine was always a favourite of my father, brought out for everyone to enjoy at family celebrations. He would be incredibly pleased to know that we are now sharing the recipe so more people can enjoy it. It is even more special now that we have so many fantastic locally produced Kentish sparkling wines to incorporate in the cocktail.”

The delicious drink has been passed down the generations of the Neame family, who continue to raise a Neame Noël to Bobby every Christmas Day.

Moray added: “Our Neame Noël is not only a fantastic celebration of the fantastic produce available in our Kentish heartland, but also the perfect winter-warming choice for this Christmas, and we hope our customers will enjoy it.”

Grants Morella Cherry Brandy is available to buy from Shepherd Neame’s online shop at https://shop.shepherdneame.co.uk or the Brewery Shop in Court Street Faversham. For information on Christmas opening hours visit www.shepherdneame.co.uk/visitor-centre

Watch Shepherd Neame’s festive film showing how to make a Neame Noël at https://snea.me/NeameNoel24