Holiday Cocktail Recipes
The holiday’s are just around the corner, and it’s the perfect time to enjoy a holiday cocktail at home. While turkey and apple pie are always a hit, don’t forget your bar cart can be a fun way to round out your holiday meal. We asked TJ Fink, a New York City mixology instructor and cocktail consultant (ie, the Artisanal Alchemist), for his top holiday drink recipes. From spicy flavors to festive bitters, these original recipes are sure to be a hit alongside your traditional holiday meal. Cheers!
First Holiday Cocktail, A Star Anise is Born
1.5 oz MAHÓN gin
1.0 oz elderflower liqueur
3 dashes spiced cherry bitters
2.0 oz (cranberry-flavored) tonic water
2 lemon wedges
1 rosemary sprig
garnish: rosemary sprig & cranberries
In a cocktail shaker, add the lemon wedges and rosemary sprig; muddle the mixture until lemons are thoroughly mashed. Add the gin, elderflower liqueur, and bitters to the shaker; fill nearly to the top with chunky utility ice; shake vigorously for ten to fifteen seconds. Double-strain over fresh ice into a chilled martini glass; top with tonic water. Garnish with rosemary sprig and a few cranberries.
(If you get the formula just right, you may pick up just a hint of star anise on the nose.)
X-Mas in July G&T
2.0 oz MAHÓN gin
3 dashes Bittermens Winter Melon bitters
0.5 oz honey syrup
1 watermelon chunk
a single cucumber slice
2 lime wedges
tonic water, to top
garnish: cucumber slice & mint sprig
Muddle the lime wedges, cucumber slice, and watermelon chunk in a cocktail shaker. Add the gin, bitters, and honey syrup to the shaker; fill nearly to the top with ice; shake vigorously for ten to fifteen seconds. Double-strain mixture into chilled cocktail glass over fresh ice; top with tonic as desired. Add the garnishes.
The Persnickety Penicillin
2 oz Amrut FUSION Indian Single Malt Whisky
0.5 oz Firkin Islay Single Cask Single Malt Scotch Whisky
0.75 oz lemon juice
0.75 oz honey-ginger syrup
3 dashes Bittermens Buckspice ginger bitters
Maple-Ginger-Whisky Cream (recipe below)
garnish: candied ginger slice & honey drizzle
In a double rocks glass, drizzle a thin layer of honey around the inner edges. Put glass in the freezer, allowing honey to set. In one cocktail shaker, prepare the Maple-Ginger-Bourbon Cream; set aside. In a separate cocktail shaker, combine whiskey, scotch, lemon juice, honey-ginger syrup, and ginger bitters; fill shaker ¾ to the top with ice; shake vigorously for ten to fifteen seconds. Strain over fresh ice into double rocks glass from the freezer. Using a bar spoon, add a few dollops of Maple-Ginger-Whisky Cream to the top. Garnish with ginger candy.
Winter is Rumming
1.0 oz Amrut Indian Single Malt Whisky
2.0 oz Kahlúa rum & coffee liqueur
3 dashes smoked cinnamon bitters
maple-cinnamon-whisky cream (recipe below)
garnish: coffee beans
Prepare maple-cinnamon-rum cream in a cocktail shaker; set shaker aside. Pour whisky and Kahlúa over one large ice cube in a double-rocks glass; add the bitters and stir briskly for a few seconds. Add a few dollops of maple-cinnamon-rum cream to taste, and swirl it around in the glass; sprinkle some coffee beans on top to garnish.
Maple-Cinnamon-Rum Cream
3 oz heavy cream
0.5 oz maple syrup
0.5 oz Old Port Rum
3 dashes smoked cinnamon bitters
Add rum, maple syrup, bitters, and heavy cream to the cocktail shaker. (Add the heavy cream last.) Give the mixture a vigorous dry shake for about ten to fifteen seconds. (You’re aiming for the consistency of thick whipped cream.) If you have any left over, drizzle it over those X-Mas cookies you left for “Santa.”
Maple-Chocolate-Whisky Cream
3 oz heavy cream
0.5 oz maple syrup
0.5 oz Amrut FUSION Indian Single Malt Whisky
3 dashes chocolate bitters
Add whisky, maple syrup, bitters, and heavy cream to the cocktail shaker. (Add the heavy cream last.) Dry shake vigorously for about 10 seconds. (You’re aiming for the consistency of thick whipped cream.) If you have any left over, try putting it on top of maple-walnut ice cream with an extra drizzle of maple syrup.
Maple-Ginger-Whisky Cream
3 oz heavy cream
0.5 oz maple syrup
0.5 oz Amrut FUSION Indian Single Malt Whisky
3 dashes Bittermens Buckspice ginger bitters
Add whisky, maple syrup, bitters, and heavy cream to the cocktail shaker. (Add the heavy cream last.) Dry shake vigorously for about 10 seconds. (You’re aiming for the consistency of thick whipped cream.) If you have any left over, try putting it on top of maple-walnut ice cream with a drizzle of maple syrup.
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