🥃 Pimm's Winter Cup
Winter line of Pimm's: a brandy-based drink (No.3 Cup) with orange peel and spices; test launch in 2004.
Pimm's Winter Cup is the winter line of the Pimm's brand: a brandy-based drink with orange peel and spices. It derives from the traditional No.3 Brandy Cup. The Grocer reported that a 2004 test launch in the Waitrose chain ran from October to March, at 25% ABV, the same strength as the main brand.
According to Morning Advertiser, in autumn 2004 Diageo tested the drink for six months in twenty London pubs run by Young's. The suggested serve is a long drink with ginger ale and slices of orange, lemon and red apple, plus seasonal berries. The sources do not confirm current availability or strength, so check the label.
Why this matters to you. Winter differs from No.1 in its base: brandy instead of gin, so its taste is spiced rather than bitter and citrusy. Do not confuse it with No.1 in recipes. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Year founded | 2004: test launch (per The Grocer and Morning Advertiser) |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Reg. (EU) 2019/787: spirit drink; not brandy or liqueur |
| EU category | spirit drink |
| Raw material | No.3 Brandy Cup base, orange peel, spices |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 25% ABV (2004 figure) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Pimm's Winter Cup → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Made from
- 🥃 Brandy
- What it contains
- 🍬 Sugar, 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Pimm's, 🍸 Liqueurs
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Pimm's Blackberry & Elderflower, 🥃 Pimm's No.1 Cup, 🥃 Pimm's Blackberry & Elderflower, 🥃 Pimm's No.1 Cup
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Pimm's Winter is the same as No.1?
No. Winter derives from No.3, which is brandy-based, while No.1 is gin-based.
When did Pimm's Winter appear?
A test launch took place in 2004, according to The Grocer and Morning Advertiser.
What is the strength of Pimm's Winter?
In 2004 it was 25% ABV, according to The Grocer; check the label for the current strength.
What to read next
- 🥃 Pimm's No.1 Cup — Base line of Pimm's: a British gin-based drink at 25% ABV, with bittersweet orange and herbal notes, for long drinks with lemonade.
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍬 Sugar — Sucrose added to condensed milk, ice cream and sweet yogurts; WHO advises that free sugars supply less than 10% of daily energy.
- 🥃 Pimm's Blackberry & Elderflower — Pimm's special edition of 2013: a drink based on No.6 Vodka Cup with blackberry and elderflower, 20% ABV.
Similar
🥃 Pimm's Blackberry & Elderflower · 🥃 Pimm's No.1 Cup · 🥃 Southern Comfort 100 Proof · 🥃 Southern Comfort Black · 🥃 Southern Comfort Original · 🥃 Midori Melon Liqueur
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- The Grocer: Pimm's for the winter (Pimm's Winter test-launched in Waitrose Oct 2004 - Mar 2005; 25 % ABV; blend of No.3 Brandy Cup; orange zest and spices)
- Morning Advertiser: Diageo to extend Pimm's with a Winter warmer (27.10.2004; six-month trial in 20 Young's pubs in London; No.3 Cup, brandy-based; ginger ale, orange, apple, berries)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Art. 2 and Annex I
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)