A Wander Down Memory Lane

Vimto - An Early Favorite

As a tween, my family moved from Sheffield in the Northeast of England to the Northwest: To be precise St Helens. Actually a city of around 200,000 it was a similar industrial center - we swapped a decaying steel-making city for a decaying glass-making town.

But the change of locales included a change of available foods and drinks - and my first encounter with Vimto. Most Brits can identify Ribena - the GSK blackcurrant drink. But there are a select few that really know Vimto. I can remember the first time I saw it - and had no idea what it was - at a small independent grocery. I bought it and enjoyed for the first the time the sweet, yet complex purple fluid. It is not as sweet or simple on the palate as Ribena, it is a mix of spices and juices that remains unique.

After a quick check Vimto on Wikipedia, I note that the canned version I used to buy was carbonated (I remember it was still) and it can be a cordial too (vaguely remember that as well).

But mostly I remember Vimto as a new, underground discovery (since it was created in 1908 - I was wrong).

And apparently they have had a good year and are now in a new PET bottle. Ah, for a Huyton's Iced Bun and an ice cold (well lukewarm) Vimto...