7 top Virgin Experience Days for cocktail-lovers to try

You know how the saying goes: when life gives you pineapples, make piña coladas. 

The rich history of cocktail-making can be traced back all the way from Ancient Greece to Shakespearean times, when tankards of “sugar sack” (a warm blend of ale, sherry, eggs and mace) were all the rage. Fast-forward to the present day, and our appetite for a good cocktail shows no signs of abating – only now we want to make as well as taste them. 

Luckily, this is exactly the kind of activity the guys at Virgin Experience Days excel at. True spirit aficionados, their platform is brimming with fun experiences that celebrate the art of cocktail-making, including molecular food pairings, luxury DIY kits, gin-tinted cruises, and more.

Better still, Virgin Red members can earn 10 points for every £1 spent with Virgin Experience Days. What does this mean? It means that you can fill your boots with cocktail-fuelled experiences, all while earning points to spend on more Virgin Red treats: whether that’s a fancy scented candle (7,600 points), a one-way flight to Paris (from 4,000 points + taxes, fees and surcharges*) or so much more besides. 

Here are a few of our favourite cocktail activities from Virgin Experience Days to do across a range of locations and budgets. All experiences are for at least two people so you can bring a guest along for the ride. Bottoms up!

Hop aboard for a gin, whiskey and cocktail cruise

Virgin Experience Days

Ready to go boating with a boozy twist? This two-hour foray down the Leeds and Liverpool canal has your name on it. You and your guest can soak in the timeless scenery from a Luxury Dalesman Canal Boat, while tasting your way through some truly terrific tipples. Speciality cocktails, along with a selection of whiskeys and gins, are all on the cards for a cruise like no other.

Row your boat for £70, book via Virgin Red

Make your own luxury cocktails at home

If 2020 gave us a taste for at-home cocktails, this experience luxury cocktails at home experience dials it up a notch with a decadent at-home kit for two. Turn mixologist for the weekend and prepare to dazzle your dinner party guests, as you find out how to make three signature cocktails: the Sweet Orange Nojito (spiced rum, marmalade and sweet syrup), Jolly Time (vodka, blood orange syrup and zippy ginger beer) and Raspberry Crush (raspberry gin, triple sec and sweet syrup). An education not to be missed. 

Enjoy at home for £50, book via Virgin Red

Savour a chocotini in UK’s first chocolate cocktail bar 

If the thought of a chocolate cocktail makes your heart skip a beat, this one’s for you. London’s Chocolate Cocktail Club is the first of its kind in the UK, and home to the truly scrumptious “chocotini”. Two moreish and creamy chocolate creations are yours for the taking in this cocoa-scented outing for two. 

Indulge for just £39, book via Virgin Red

Virgin Experience Days

Escape a vintage breakout speakeasy 

It’s Prohibition era in the bootleggers district of underground Soho. You and your fellow thirsty scoundrel will be tasked with helping the boozy black market stay one step ahead of the old bill, following a fast-paced challenge at London’s 1940s-themed bar Cahoots. Race against the clock in a breakout experience that ends in a lip-smacking cocktail masterclass of Cahoots classics. 

Put your brains to the test for £104, book via Virgin Red

Virgin Experience Days

Mix up some cocktails (with burgers on the side)

Grab a plus one and learn the art of mixology at The Kingsbury @ No7 and spend an hour learning how to make four delicious cocktails. Alongside the fantastic drinks, the two of you can enjoy a selection of light hot bites to treat the tastebuds courtesy of Bite Me Burger. As part of the experience, you’ll also receive a hard back recipe book of cocktails and a 12 piece cocktail set to continue honing your new skills.

Stir and snack for £80, book via Virgin Red

Create and taste your own rum

Rum is one of the world's most popular and versatile spirits, and you can earn Virgin Points with this masterclass at Hotham’s Rum School.

Kick things off with a Hotham’s Spiced Rum cocktail before you smell, taste and choose amazing spices and rums for your own unique spiced spirit. Throughout the session, you’ll learn about the distillation process whilst discovering the spirit’s rich history and distinctive characteristics. Once your blend is ready, you’ll bottle, name and label your creations before wax dipping the stopper to seal the bottle with the Hotham's seal of approval.

Get spicy for £150, book via Virgin Red

Disappear down the rabbit hole with Mad Hatter drinks

Virgin Experience Days

The Oxford-based Mad Hatter speakeasy bar is where things get truly eccentric, disappearing down the rabbit hole in this Alice In Wonderland-themed venue, after solving a string of riddles to enter the Mad Mixology Masterclass. An award-winning mixologist will then guide you through three cocktails served in sharing teapots, in a lesson that will become curiouser and curiouser as the minutes roll on. 

Follow the white rabbit for £70, book via Virgin Red

Want more delicious delights in your life? Sign up to Virgin Red for more rewarding experiences

P.S. We always do our best to include the most up to date information but Virgin Red offers do change from time to time. Click on each offer for the current points rate and all the details.

*Taxes, fees and carrier imposed surcharges apply to all Virgin reward flights. Points quoted are based on standard season rates for a one-way Economy class flight from London to Paris. Different cabin classes, ticket types and routes will earn a different amount of points. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club membership required.