As Craig would say on Strictly…

…Disaaaster Daaarling!

This is what happens if you try to wash wax-topped bottles in hot water, in order to refill them with fruit vodka for your Advent calendar!

Last Christmas, my brother gave me his empty Malty Whisky Advent Calendar, and challenged me to refill the 24 miniature bottles with homemade fruit vodkas. So step 1 was to make those fruit vodkas: peach, nectarine, blackberry and blueberry. No problem, all duly made back in the Summer. Step 2, clean the bottles ready for the bottling. Disaaaster Daaarling!

As you can see, the black wax that was coating the collars and the lids of the bottles melted in the hot soapy water and went everywhere! On tomorrow’s shopping list, a new washing up bowl and rubber gloves! Thank goodness I didn’t put the bottles through a hot wash in the dishwasher!! (I added an unwashed bottle to the scene so that you can see the full extent of the disaster.)

Whether or not I can rescue the bottles remains to be seen, but that problem will have to wait until tomorrow…