Christmas crackers or festive flops?

Following the launch of Aldi’s Prosecco-flavoured teabags, we take a look at both the weird and wonderful booze-flavoured Christmas products and some of the Christmas-flavoured booze currently on the shelves – how many of them are you game to try?

One of the more unusual has to be the mulled wine-scented loo rolls launched by Tesco last month, which promises soft quilted paper, festive decorations for “extra indulgence” and core scented with the oh-so-Christmassy-sounding citrol, eugenol, cinnamol, citronella and limonene. Twitter definitely seems unimpressed…

But things are looking up in the food aisles, particularly in festive-inspired snacks. Lidl has launched packs of Negroni-flavoured crisps ahead of Christmas, the latest in number of unusual alcohol-themed products to hit the shelves. The crisps are infused with flavours of gin, vermouth and the bitter Campari liqueur, and mark a new direction from the Prosecco-flavoured crisps favoured by Tesco in recent years. But according to on-trade distributor Matthew Clark, vermouths and bitters are set to grow in popularity as consumers embrace the anti-sugar trend and look for more sophisticated offers, so perhaps we can expect to see more. Marks & Spencer still launched a Buck Fizz sparkle hand-cooked crisp this year though, if you’re looking for fizz.

But in case you are thinking the bubble for all things Prosecco has burst, Waitrose reminds you it is very much alive and kicking – not only in the shape of Ald’s Prosecco-flavoured tisanes (which is sold out online), but also in beauty-care, with Waitrose’s bringing out a Prosecco-flavoured lip balm to make its customers ready for the mistletoe. The retailer has already reported that it has had to double its stock to keep up with demand.

Booze is also jazzing up dessert – M&S has added a dash of the Italian sparkler to its Raspberry Prosecco panna cotta terrine, while the new Christmas pud from the Heston from Waitrose range – a Persian spice version, contains pomegranate liqueur as well as rose water extract and orange oil, with a fragrant honey and rose butter filling.

Firmly back on drinks territory, Marks & Spencer has launched a range of Christmas tipples from the Christmas Cobbler, a pre-mixed sherry cocktail comprising Oloroso sherry, rum, beetroot, Calvados and apple juice, , and Christmas Cake Liqueurs.

Sipsmith has also launch a Mince Pie Gin ahead of Christmas, which plumps for infusions of modern spiced fruit to give it the necessary festive spirit. Sultanas, raisins and dates provide “a beautifully bright and fruity backbone”, the company says, complemented with cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and vanilla, which can be served as a Christmas-spiced gin and tonic or stirred with white vermouth to make a Mince Pie Martini.