2 days ago
Jo Malone: ‘I can't stand Aperol spritz'
My favourite drink as a child was homemade ginger lemonade. My father, Andy, was a dab hand in the kitchen, and he'd often make shortbread and lemonade for my sister Tracey and me. He used fresh lemons, ginger and probably a bit too much sugar, but it was divine. I remember excitedly coming home from school on a Friday afternoon and there would be a big jug of fresh lemonade in the fridge with loads of ice cubes.
I start every day with homemade juice. I'm pre-diabetic so I often feel light-headed when I wake up and need some sugar to rebalance me. My recipe is banana, lemon, raspberries or strawberries, some ginger and a teaspoon of turmeric. It's absolutely delicious. I don't drink coffee, but I love a strong cup of builder's tea and I try to drink a litre of water every morning, too.
My first taste of alcohol was at a house party when I was 12. It was in Bexleyheath [South-east London ], where I grew up, and someone sneaked in some Woodpecker cider. We played Postman's Knock [a party game that includes lots of kissing] and swigged cider from the bottle. I didn't like the taste of it at all. I was much more interested in the kissing.
On my first date with my husband Gary [Willcox, a former surveyor], we drank hot chocolate. It was 43 years ago and he was a competitive swimmer back then, so alcohol wasn't involved. We went for a walk around Wimbledon Common and it was a cold day, so we stopped at a tiny café and had hot chocolate. I still remember every detail, even the grey tracksuit Gary wore. It took me about five seconds to fall in love with him.
The most memorable drink I've ever had was the night we decided to relocate to Dubai in 2023. Gary and I felt we'd never had the 'gap year' experience of moving abroad, so why not do it now? We sat in our London garden watching the sun set, me with a glass of chilled sauvignon blanc and Gary with a 0% beer, and decided the next morning we'd skydive together to symbolically seal the deal. And that's exactly what we did.
My favourite cocktail has to be a vodka gimlet. I've always been into citrussy drinks and had a penchant for lemon barley water as a child. I love a coupe glass but I don't like the taste of champagne, so I always serve my vodka gimlets in them to feel stylish. I'm also a big fan of a kir, made with crème de cassis and dry white wine, on a warm evening when I'm on holiday in France.
The worst drink I've ever tasted is Aperol spritz. I can't stand it. When I was young my parents would make me drink Lucozade when I was sick and I hated it. Whenever I see Aperol, it brings back that memory.
The song I'll always sing on a night out is Dancing Queen by Abba. I recently took my son, Josh, and some of his friends to the Mamma Mia! Party at the O2 arena, where you sit in a replica Greek town square and everyone sings the hits and gets merry. Of course, after two glasses of white wine I was dancing on the table.
At my funeral I'd like them to serve my new liquor, Jo Vodka. That feels like a fashionable way to sign off, serving a drink with my name on it! I've always loved the cleanness of vodka, and when it's fused with anything citrussy, the whole thing takes on a new life. Everyone could have a coupe and come together over my drink. I'd want it to feel celebratory, not sad. I've left a legacy with my signature scents and now my signature drinks, and that's something to remember me by.
