Two Scoops Honeycomb Ice Cream Stout (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream, and especially in this weather. It’s baking hot outside and I’m cooking a big steak and chips for dinner. I like a stout with my steak. I found two stouts in my cavernous beer fridge. I decided to pick this one.

This Brewdog collaboration with Mackie’s of Scotland has come up with Two Scoops Honeycomb Ice Cream Stout. I love honeycomb ice cream. At 7% in volume, this milk stout has natural flavourings added in the brewing to produce its honeycomb flavour.

On opening the can there was a creamy sweet toffee aroma from the almost jet black liquid. Two Scoops Honeycomb Ice Cream Stout pours thick and dark. It had a creamy velvet texture with sweet honeycomb from the initial flavour right through to the aftertaste. There was a little bitterness in the middle from the hops, and sumptuous body from the oats and chocolate malts. Simply gorgeous.

Cherry and Pomegranate Refresha (Starbucks) by @cinabar

We are back to the hot weather again in England, and so, in an effort to stay cool and hydrated, I’m exploring the Starbucks summer menu. Here we have the Starbucks Cherry and Pomegranate Refresha.

This is an ice-shaken drink, for those of us who suffer with ice cream headaches if given a crushed-ice drink. The pain from those is real. I had an ice cream headache from a slushie at Warwick Castle and would still have another one, so clearly I have learned nothing. Plus I still want a Ninja Slush Maker. I really make no sense.

Anyway this Starbucks Cherry and Pomegranate Refresha drink also has actual cherries in it, which made it look very pretty when served. I gave it a try and loved the sharp, juicy cherry taste. The sour edge made it super refreshing, and the pomegranate added a little sweetness in the aftertaste, but it was all about the cherries. Sharp, zingy, fruity goodness.

That just leaves me with one last problem: the actual cherries. As pretty as they looked, all I had was a chunky straw and they didn’t fit through it. They were also pretty soggy by the end, so I left them. Perhaps they were just decoration?

Strawberry Candyfloss Frappé (McDonald’s) By @Cinabar

Oh my word, how cute is this McDonald’s Strawberry Candyfloss Frappé? I spotted it advertised in a service station and realised this was exactly the drink I needed as a little pick-me-up. When it arrived, it had an almost glitter-like topping, which sadly doesn’t show too well in the photo, so you’ll just have to take my word for it. Full marks for cuteness!

I took a sip and was surprised to find it tasted like I was drinking a strawberry thick shake. Weird. It was lovely and sweet and fruity, but there was no obvious candy floss flavour, and it tasted suspiciously similar to their normal strawberry shake.

I decided to try the topping, and that’s where the candy floss flavour was hiding. The topping is thick and sugary, with that classic candy floss taste, but in a texture that reminded me a little of Angel Delight. It was delicious and definitely added the fun element I was expecting from the drink. 

Overall, it was exactly the pick-me-up I needed. Spectre had a black coffee. Each to their own!

Pepsi Raspberry Ripple Flavour (Ocado) By @Cinabar

We've been a bit spoilt for cola flavours this year. Every time I look, there seems to be another new variety of Pepsi to try. So far we've had Max Tropical, Salted Caramel, and Cherry & Vanilla, and now we have Pepsi Raspberry Ripple. As a cola fan, I'm absolutely loving it.

This new flavour is part of the ice cream range, and the bright pink can looks really cute with the ice cream design on the front.

I chilled the can before giving it a taste test. It had the usual fizzy kick, but the aroma was very sweet and fruity. I took a sip and this was a full-on raspberry ripple experience. It absolutely nailed that wonderful pink raspberry sauce you get on a 99 from the ice cream van (which always seems to cost a lot more than 99p these days!).

The sweet, fruity raspberry flavour is right at the front, with the cola taste coming through afterwards. It works surprisingly well, creating a refreshing drink that's perfect for summer. This is definitely one to enjoy over ice on a nice hot day.

Strawberry and Watermelon Instant Iced Tea (Whittard) By @Cinabar

We had a few days away around the UK and found a branch of Whittard in Stratford Upon Avon. This is dangerous territory for us! I have a hot chocolate problem, and our tea cupboard barely shuts as it is. Inevitably, we bought tea bags, a new hot chocolate (which I’ll be writing about soon), and then I had a sample of this instant tea. I loved it so much that I ended up buying a tub.

I don’t think I’ve tried Whittard’s instant teas before, but a drink that you can make cold feels absolutely perfect for summer. When I got home, I found that the recommended serving is three teaspoons per 200ml of water. My bear cup is huge, so I went for six teaspoons, and the flavour was about right. The tea granules are brown, but they turned a lovely red colour in the cup when mixed with water. They dissolved easily, leaving no lumps, even in my awkward-shaped cup.

The taste was just wonderfully summery. The watermelon is juicy and refreshing, like a proper thirst-quenching summer drink, while the strawberry adds just enough sweetness and berry flavour to balance everything perfectly. You can still taste the tea too, which stops it from feeling like just a fruit drink.

I must try it with ice as suggested on the pack. It does say that it can also be made with hot water for a warm drink, but it feels a little wrong to make Whittard Strawberry and Watermelon Instant Iced Tea with hot water! Some of the other flavours might work better that way, but this one has warm summer days written all over it.

Jaffa Cakes Mango (Ocado) By @Cinabar

Another summer edition from Jaffa Cakes, who are really going all out with new flavours this year. They have even released a range of Jaffa Cakes that are specifically marketed as biscuits, but that's a review for another day. Today we're talking about the wonderfully tropical-sounding Jaffa Cakes Mango. The box is lovely too, with a bright, summery design that certainly catches the eye.

As much as I enjoy trying the new flavours, my heart will always belong to the classic orange Jaffa Cakes. They just work so perfectly together. That said, I'm also a fan of mango, so I was keen to see how these compared.

Opening the box, they looked exactly as expected. I broke one in half and there wasn't much difference there either, with the familiar layer of jelly looking much the same as usual. There wasn't a particularly noticeable aroma either.

The flavour, however, was a different story. From the first bite the mango really bursts through, delivering a juicy, tropical sweetness that is genuinely delicious. Combined with the familiar soft sponge and thin layer of chocolate, it works surprisingly well. The mango is distinctive without overpowering everything else, making these a fun twist. They're definitely worth picking up if you spot them, especially if you're a fan of fruity treats.

Swizzels Squashies Tropical Sweets (Tesco) By @Cinabar

I am just loving the look of these new summer sweets. Swizzels Squashies Tropical Sweets are absolutely oozing sunshine. There are three cute designs in the bag. A slice of watermelon that tastes of watermelon, a pineapple shaped sweet with a pineapple flavour and, naturally, the parrot shaped sweet is flavoured with parrot. Just kidding, it's actually mango and passionfruit!

All of the sweets have a firm, foamy texture with a satisfying chew, without being too soft. The flavour is fairly mild at first, but the more you chew, the fuller and fruitier it becomes.

The watermelon is the zingiest of the three, with an almost sour edge that is sharp, sweet and really refreshing. The pineapple is lovely and juicy, reminding me of canned pineapple chunks, just with a much chewier texture. The parrot is packed with fruity flavour, with the mango really taking centre stage. It has a lovely sweet, smooth tropical taste that I really enjoyed.

These sweets are perfect for the warmer weather. And did I mention just how cute they look? Swizzels Squashies Tropical Sweets deserve to be displayed in a bowl rather than simply being munched straight from the bag, otherwise you might miss all those fun little shapes.

Califia Farms Peppermint Mocha (Ocado) By @Cinabar

Well, the weather is hot and I have a new cup specially for milkshakes and iced coffees, so of course I couldn’t resist browsing to see what drinks I could pick up. I spotted this Califia Farms Peppermint Mocha on the Ocado site and gave it a try.

It arrived in a good sized bottle. The drink is fairly thick and has a lovely minty aroma. It filled my huge cup to the brim and still had enough left to go back in the fridge.

This drink is dairy free. I’m not dairy intolerant, I just wanted to try it, and the peppermint flavour sounded perfect for the sunshine. I was impressed with the first sip. Coffee, mint and chocolate could have felt like too much in one cup, but the flavours were really well balanced. It’s sweet from the chocolate with plenty of cocoa, the coffee comes through nicely, and then the peppermint adds a refreshing finish with a proper minty kick. It reminded me of melted After Eights in an iced coffee. Pure yum.

Whatever you are drinking, do remember to stay hydrated in all this heat.

Galaxy Caramel Flavour Frappe (Ocado) By @Cinabar

The weather is warming up again, which means it won't be long before we're all moaning that it's too hot, as is the British way. I always enjoy looking out for the range of summer drinks though, especially iced coffees and milkshakes, so expect to see a few over the next week or so.

First up is Galaxy Caramel Flavour Frappe. This is essentially a milkshake mix rather than a coffee drink, as it contains no coffee and is designed to be mixed with milk. The tub suggests shaking it with milk or blending it with ice. I added four heaped teaspoons to a jug of milk and stirred it with a spoon, but it wasn't dissolving very well. Spectre rescued the situation by grabbing a fork from the drawer and giving it a proper mix, which worked much better, although it was a surprising amount of effort. To be fair, it does recommend using a blender, and I own a NutriBullet, so perhaps I should have used that with a couple of ice cubes. I'll give it a go next time.

We poured the finished drink into my new adorable teddy bear-shaped cup, which was purchased specifically for milkshake and iced coffee season, or summer as some people prefer to call it. It looked fantastic, although I suspect that's more down to the cup than the drink itself. I'm getting distracted.

The drink is genuinely tasty. It's sweet, creamy and packed with caramel flavour. I also loved the amount of chocolate coming through. It feels more like a chocolate milkshake with added caramel rather than the other way around, which suited me perfectly. Next time I'll definitely blend in some ice for the full frappé experience.

Sprite Chill (Ocado) By @Cinabar

There is talk of a mini heatwave this weekend, although that does seem optimistic considering Monday is a Bank Holiday in the UK, and those are usually famous for rain rather than sunshine. I’m hoping the forecast wins out over tradition this time. If the weather does behave itself, I’m planning to spend some time in the garden with a good book and a refreshing drink. I bought these summery sounding cans of Sprite Chill for exactly that occasion.

Sprite Chill is essentially the classic lemon and lime fizzy drink but with added mint for an extra refreshing twist. Opening the can released the familiar strong fizz, and it poured out clear with a slight cloudiness.

The mint flavour is more like fresh garden mint rather than peppermint, which gives the drink a bit of a mocktail mojito vibe. It tastes fizzy, fresh, and fragrant, with the mint adding a cooling edge without overpowering the citrus flavours. It’s a very easy drink to enjoy in warm weather because it feels light, zingy, and properly refreshing.

Now we just need the weather to avoid doing its usual Bank Holiday thing.

Iced Coconut Strawberry Matcha Latte (Costa) By @cinabar

There is a lot on social media about the health benefits of matcha. I have seen everything from it fixing your skin to giving you an energy boost. It does contain antioxidants, which are good for you, but I have no idea how valid most of these claims really are.

The main point is that matcha has become popular online, even though it has quite an acquired taste. It is very leafy and almost grassy. Some people love it, but this feels like Costa aiming for people who do not. The approach here seems to be to soften the matcha by adding plenty of flavour, and that is exactly what this drink does with coconut and strawberry.

The drink itself looks great, with distinct layers. Red at the bottom, white in the middle, and green on top. I was not sure whether you are meant to mix it or drink it as it is, so I just went straight in.

The first hit was strawberry, with a strong jam-like flavour. Sweet, fruity and really enjoyable. The coconut added a creamy element, while the matcha was not too overpowering. It was slightly sweet, with that familiar fresh, leafy taste.

I enjoyed this one. The strawberry was the standout for me and helped balance the bitterness of the matcha. This definitely feels like a matcha drink for people who are not fully sold on matcha yet.

Baileys Strawberries & Cream Biscuits (Home Bargains) By @Cinabar

These biscuits immediately caught my eye thanks to their pretty pink packaging. They feel very much like a summer release, with that hint of strawberries giving them a lighter, seasonal appeal.

Opening the box, the biscuits did seem a bit smaller than expected compared to the packaging. They are not tiny, but there is definitely some wasted space, and it feels like more could have been included.

Each biscuit consists of a chocolate base topped with a dollop of strawberry and Baileys cream, all coated in milk chocolate. Snapping one in half, I was pleased to see a generous amount of filling, which is always a good sign.

Texture-wise, these work really well. You get a satisfying crunch from the biscuit, balanced by the softer cream layer and smooth chocolate coating. The flavour is just as enjoyable. There is plenty of chocolate, a clear Baileys note, and a gentle strawberry sweetness. The fruit flavour is present without being overpowering, avoiding that overly artificial strawberry cream taste you sometimes get.

Overall, these strike a nice balance and feel well suited to a summer treat. They would be perfect with a cup of tea on a sunny afternoon.

McVitie’s Summer Collection Strawberries and Cream Flavour (Iceland) By @Cinabar

I spotted these new Strawberries and Cream cake bars from McVitie’s in Iceland and, as a sucker for anything that screams summer, they were straight into the basket. Strawberries and cream is such a classic warm weather flavour, it is hard to resist.

The packaging is bright, bold and almost a bit punk in its colour scheme, so they definitely stand out on the shelf. Inside, the bars are individually wrapped, which makes them perfect for lunch boxes, desk drawers or a quick grab and go treat.

As soon as I opened the first one, I was hit with a lovely strong scent of strawberry and chocolate. Always a good sign. The cake itself is a soft vanilla sponge, topped with a pretty pink strawberry flavoured creme and finished with a layer of milk chocolate.

Flavour wise, they are very sweet and properly fruity. They actually reminded me of those strawberry cream chocolates you get in the big tins at Christmas. There is a solid chocolate hit from the coating too, so it does not feel like just a fruity sponge bar. It is definitely more indulgent than that.

They are genuinely yummy, the only downside being that they disappear in about two bites. Still, as a little summery treat, they are spot on. If you love that strawberries and cream combination, these are well worth picking up while they are around.

Pepsi Max Tropical (Ocado) By @Cinabar

This is an interesting new flavour from Pepsi called Pepsi Tropical. The can artwork shows pineapple and what looks like melon and possibly peach. It is not the clearest from the tiny icons, but that is my best guess. It has only just launched, yet it already feels very much like an early summer drink. This is also a sugar free Pepsi Max variant.

When I opened the can, the fruity aroma was very distinct. It immediately reminded me of a bag of fruit sweets. Very sugary and very tropical. Poured into a glass, it had a lovely strong fizz.

On the first sip, it is clear this drink is all about the tropical fruit. Pineapple comes through strongly and, honestly, it made me think of a fizzy Um Bongo. I really enjoyed it, although the cola element is definitely more muted in the background.

To test this theory, I passed it to Spectre, who normally dislikes cola of any kind, not just Pepsi. He was very reluctant to try it. After a cautious sniff, he admitted it smelled nice, took a sip, and declared it lovely and fruity and said he would happily drink it. That pretty much confirms it. There is far more fruit than cola going on here.

McVitie's Summer Collection Pineapple & Coconut (Iceland) By @SpectreUK

It's still pretty cold, dark and damp outside. We've seen plenty of snacks for Easter time, but these McVitie's Cake Bars are the first limited edition summer products we've found on the shelves.

There is Strawberries and Cream Flavour available, which we'll blog about soon. First I wanted to try these McVitie's Summer Collection Pineapple & Coconut Flavour Cake Bars. These cake bars are milk chocolate coated with a layer of pineapple and coconut flavoured cream.

On opening the packet there were five individually wrapped cake bars inside. On opening the first cake bar wrapper, there was an aroma of pineapple and coconut to the milk chocolate coated cake bar inside.

This McVitie's Summer Collection Pineapple & Coconut Flavour Cake Bar was soft to bite into and had a creamy flavour of pineapple and coconut, with milk chocolate to finish. It was really gorgeous, and perfect for a lunchbox snack.

Information on the packet; Each cake bar has 95 calories, with 4.5g of fat, 9.3g of sugar and 0.11g of salt. Please see photograph for the ingredients.

Barry Island IPA (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

I haven't been to South Wales for many years. I've heard Barry Island is a fun beach resort near Cardiff. I've heard Cardiff is a great place to visit too, with its castle and Dutch Church, and Roald Dahl exhibition. Perhaps we'll have to visit sometime.

S.A. Brain & Co., Dragon Brewery have produced this 4.5% in volume Barry Island India Pale Ale. Made with three American hops, the can suggests citrus and berry bitterness, with a smooth malt finish.

On opening the can there was a smell of berries and a little citrus from the hops, with malted barley at the back of the aroma. There was a deep golden colour to Barry Island IPA. On taste there was strong fresh fruity bitterness, and a touch of citrus from the hops, and then smooth sweet pale malts into the aftertaste. Very nice indeed. It washed down my chilli dogs a treat. Cheers.

7UP Pink Lemonade (Morrisons) By @SpectreUK

I haven't had pink lemonade for quite sometime, probably since last summer. 7UP's new summer drink this year is pink lemonade. 7UP is my favourite lemonade to have with rum. Not that this blog is going to be about me trying pink lemonade and rum, that's for after.

7UP Pink Lemonade had a sharp raspberry, lemon and lime aroma. Pink on pouring, this pink lemonade had a very crisp refreshing flavour of raspberries with the traditional lemon and lime flavour of 7UP. It was perfect for a hot summers day like today. Now where did I put my bottle of Captain Morgan's Spiced Gold?

Haagen Dazs - Peach & Raspberry Ice Lollies (Ocado) By @Cinabar

With all the heat we’ve been having, I couldn’t resist picking up some new ice creams to try. These Haagen Dazs Peach & Raspberry Ice Lollies caught my eye, I love fruity flavours, so I was keen to give them a go.

There are three lollies in the box, each individually wrapped in bright, colourful packaging. When I opened one, I was struck by how pretty it looked. The lolly has a white chocolate coating, decorated with pieces of freeze-dried raspberry, and a lovely mix of colours.

My first bite was mostly white chocolate, which gave way to the centre, a two-part filling of peach ice cream and raspberry sorbet. The sorbet is the standout here, it’s sharp, tangy, and seriously refreshing in the hot weather. The peach adds a more mellow, sweet layer, perfectly balancing the punchy raspberry. The white chocolate is absolutely delicious, creamy and smooth, with the raspberry pieces adding a nice texture.

These ice lollies are seriously good. I love the combination of strong fruit flavours with the creamy ice cream and chocolate. They’re perfect for a hot summer’s day.

Pink Coconut Refresha Drink (Starbucks) By @Cinabar

We were on a road trip and stopped off to grab something refreshing for the journey. I went for the new drink being advertised, the Pink Coconut Refresha, which just looked so summery. To be honest, it was the picture that sold it to me: bright pink, with strawberries floating in the cup. I knew there was coconut involved, but I wasn’t entirely sure what else was in it until I got home and looked it up! (It’s a mix of strawberry and açai flavours, green coffee extract, and strawberry slices.)

The drink arrived packed with ice and plenty of sliced strawberries, and it looked lovely in the cup, a real summer treat. The flavour didn’t disappoint either. It was sweet and fruity, bursting with strawberry and berry flavours, and the creamy coconut came through nicely. It was absolutely spot on for a warm day, and I enjoyed every sip.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t pick up on the green coffee element at all. If it was there, I couldn’t taste it. That didn’t matter, though, because it was still a delicious, refreshing drink for a sunny day out exploring.

Lemon Coca-Cola Zero (WH Smiths) – By @Cinabar

I think I’ve had Lemon Coca-Cola before. This feels familiar, so I suspect it’s a re-launch of an older product. I’ve always believed citrus flavours and cola are a perfect match, so I was feeling positive about this drink even before I opened it.

This is the Zero Sugar edition. I’m fairly sure I saw a full-sugar version in the shop too, but I opted for the lower-calorie option made with sweeteners. I don’t mind that in drinks, even though I know many people prefer the original recipe.

I opened the bottle and took a sip, and I really liked what I was tasting. The cola flavour was strong and familiar, and the lemon added a refreshing twist. It wasn’t overpowering, but it was definitely noticeable. The balance was spot on, making it taste like a chilled cola served with slices of fresh lemon and plenty of ice, ideal for a hot summer day.

This one gets a definite thumbs up from me. It deserves a place in Coca-Cola’s regular flavour line-up, right alongside cherry. It was that good.

On a side note, the Coca-Cola bottles with names on them are back, so keep an eye out for yours. As always, I curse the weird spelling of my name.