Manchester's purple herbal cordial: a sweet, slightly fizzy mix of raspberries, grapes and blackcurrants with spices. Invented in the city by John Noel Nichols in 1908.

John Noel Nichols invented Vimto in Manchester in 1908 as a herbal tonic, marketed for medicinal properties. The mix of raspberries, grapes and blackcurrants with a blend of herbs and spices was rebranded as a cordial in 1913 and became a national soft drink through the twentieth century. A statue marks the inventor's site near the University of Manchester; the cordial still ships from Manchester to the Middle East where Ramadan iftars use it.

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Make it at home

Serves 124 hrEasy

Ingredients

  • 500g fresh raspberries
  • 500g black grapes
  • 300g blackcurrants
  • 800g caster sugar
  • 500ml water
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 star anise
  • 5 cardamom pods, crushed
  • 1 thumb fresh ginger, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon citric acid (food grade)
  • Carbonated water to serve

Method

  1. Place the raspberries, grapes and blackcurrants in a heavy pot and crush coarsely with a potato masher.
  2. Add 500ml water and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook 20 minutes until the fruit is completely broken down.
  3. Strain through a muslin-lined sieve, pressing firmly to extract all juice. Discard the pulp.
  4. Return the juice to the pot. Add the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom and ginger.
  5. Heat slowly, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Simmer 10 minutes.
  6. Take off the heat, stir in the citric acid, cover, and leave to infuse at room temperature for 24 hours.
  7. Strain again through fine muslin into sterilised bottles.
  8. To serve: pour 30ml of cordial into a tall glass with ice, top with carbonated water and stir.

Editor tip. Use citric acid not lemon juice for shelf life; cordial keeps three months refrigerated. For Ramadan-style, dilute with cold water instead of fizz.