Lock, stock and wine barrel: Winter drinking

Summer bodies are built in winter is the fitspo to exercise this season.

The concept isn’t wrong because certainly you can use the cocoon of winter to emerge as a skinny butterfly in spring – but considering the comfort of an after-work drink on a particularly chilly night, it’s not that easy to include diet and exercise in the short days of June, July and August.

As diet trends have come and gone, in their wake they leave great options for serial dieters also not willing to give up a sip of warming tipple for their summer body goals.

If you have a fondness for gin and tonic, Fitch and Leedes Pink Tonic is now available in sugar-free. It’s all the taste without the sugar – and it’s a great alternative if you’re counting calories. While the beverage is certainly best enjoyed with fine handcrafted gins (Hope on Hopkins remains a favourite) it also compliments more generic brands.

The tonic is delicately carbonated with the traditional taste of Indian tonic. The tonic is available at leading stores, wine shops and even cocktail bars. Expect to pay around R40 for a pack of six or R36 for four 200ml glass bottles.

If a gin and tonic doesn’t do it for you, whisky remains one of the world’s spirits with the least calories from carbohydrates. A luxurious winter whisky is certainly Bunnahabhain.

The distillery is based on the Scottish island of Islay. It uses a natural spring water source and unpeated barley in the production of most of its malts, including its 12-, 18- and 25-year-old expressions that are sold in South Africa.

The price of Bunnahabhain is R750, R1 500 and R5 000 for its 12-, 18- and 25-year-old whiskies and they’re well worth the splurge.

But if your wallet is a little on the thin side following the rise in fuel costs – Woolworths stocks a wonderful range of sugar-free ginger ale that mixes well with more affordable whiskies to create a gingery winter cocktail.