Bring a little merriment to your holiday season
The holiday season is here and the best way to make everyone around you feel the spirit of the holidays is with a nice cocktail. And we have some recipes we have fallen in love with that you can try out yourself.
Whiskey
Ingredients:
- 2oz Proper Irish Apple
- 2 oz Irish Cream Liqueur
- 2 Dashes of cinnamon
- Graham cracker rim on glass
Directions: In a Boston shaker filled with ice, add 2 oz Proper Irish Apple, 2 oz Irish Cream Liqueur, and a dash of cinnamon. Shake and strain into a martini glass rimmed with crushed graham cracker. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon.
Apple Cider Hot Toddy
Ingredients:
- 50ml Bushmills Original
- 100ml hot apple cider
- 1 tsp honey
- Ground cinnamon
- Whole cloves
- Lemon wheel
- Cinnamon stick
Method:
Combine apple cider and spices in a pot. Heat over a stove until hot, not boiling. Pour Bushmills Original Irish Whiskey into a glass. Strain hot cider with spices into the glass. Garnish with an apple slice and serve
The Glenlivet Twist on Tradition
Ingredients
- 2 parts The Glenlivet 12 Year Old
- 1 parts Fino Sherry
- ¼ parts Olive Brine
- 1 pinch salt
Method
Build in mixing glass. Ice. Stir. Strain.
Garnish: Olives
Glass: Large Coupe
A Misty Isle Sour
Ingredients:
- 2 oz of Isle of Skye 12 Year Old
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 oz Simple Syrup
- 1 egg white (optional)
- 1/2 oz red wine
Method: Half fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in Isle of Skye 12-year-old, lemon juice simple syrup and separated egg white (optional) and shake vigorously for one minute. Strain into an old fashioned glass filled with fresh ice cubes. To float the red wine, place a bar spoon over the surface of the drink and pour the wine onto the back of the spoon allowing it to roll off it and stay on top of the drink. This cocktail does not require a garnish but feel free to add.
Beach Whiskey’s Hot Coco-Cocoa
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Beach Whiskey Island Coconut
- 5 oz. Hot Chocolate
Method:
- Combine it in a mug and stir.
Glassware:
- Mug
Garnish:
- Top with Whipped Cream and Cinnamon Dust
Mercer + Prince Espresso Martini
Ingredients:
- 5 oz. Mercer + Prince
- 1 oz. Coffee Liqueur (Kahlua or Mr. Black)
- 2 oz. Cold Brew Espresso (or Iced Coffee)
Directions:
- Add ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake to combine/chill.
- Strain into chilled martini glass and garnish with 3 espresso beans.
October Leaves
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz The Macallan Harmony Collection Amber Meadow
- 0.5 oz Giffard Espolette
- 0.75 oz Lime Juice
- 0.75 oz Pepita Orgeat
- 6 Dash Allspice Dram Liqueur
Method: Combine / Shake
Glass: Rocks / Block ICE
Garnish: Dehydrated Lime + Nutmeg
Clonakilty Old Fashioned
Ingredients:
- 2oz Clonakilty Port Cask Whiskey
- 25oz Demerara Syrup
- 4 dashes orange bitters (or angostura)
- Grapefruit Twist
Preparation:
- Add all ingredients into a rocks glass over a large ice cube/cubed ice
- Stir for about 5-10 seconds
- Garnish with a grapefruit twist
For those looking for an unbelievably smooth whisky, The Balvenie Doublewood 12-Year-Old (SRP: $59.99) is handcrafted by the legendary David C. Stewart MBE, The Balvenie’s former Malt Master, who designed the process now commonly known as ‘wood finishing’. This expression is the ultimate example of craftsmanship and gains its distinctive character from being matured in two different wood types. The result is a whisky layered with honey and spiced tasting notes – perfect to sip during cold temperatures! Available HERE.
BALLOTIN CHOCOLATE OLD-FASHIONED
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ oz Ballotin Original Chocolate Whiskey
- ¾ oz bourbon
- Dash of Bitters
METHOD
In a rocks or old-fashioned glass, muddle an orange slice and a cherry with a dash of bitters. Pour in the Ballotin Chocolate Whiskey and bourbon. Fill with ice.
BALLOTIN MOCHA MARTINI
INGREDIENTS
- 2 oz Ballotin Chocolate Mocha Whiskey Cream
- ½ oz bourbon
- ½ oz cold brew or black coffee
METHOD
Shake with ice & strain into martini glass. Dust with finely grated chocolate.
Gin
Gunpowder Martini
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Drumshanbo Gunpowder Gin
- 0.5 oz Boissiere Dry Vermouth
- 2 dashes of grapefruit bitters
- 1 bar spoon of gunpowder tea
Method: Add the Drumshanbo Gin, Boissiere Vermouth, bitters and gunpowder tea to a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with Fresh Lemon zest
The long drink is a top selling category of alcohol in Finland – a legend that is now available in America. The roots of long drinks go back to the 1952 Summer Games in Helsinki, when the country of only 4 million people was still recovering from World War II. Concerned about how to serve drinks quickly enough to all the visitors, the government commissioned the creation of a revolutionary new liquor drink that was both delicious and fast to serve – and so the first long drinks were born. Now this legend has finally been brought to America by the next generation of Finns who want the world to experience the refreshing and unique Finnish Long Drink. www.thelongdrink.com
Rum
Bayou Rum Espresso Martini
Ingredients
- Add 1 oz. Bayou Spiced Rum
- 1 oz. Coffee Liqueur
- 1 oz. espresso
- 1/2 oz. simple syrup
Method: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice, Shake until cold and serve in a martini glass.
Bayou Rum Holiday Punch Batched Cocktail
Ingredients: (for larger parties, you can equally increase all ingredients to maintain consistency)
- 1.5 cups Bayou White Rum
- 1.5 cups cranberry juice or pomegranate juice
- 3 cups of sparkling wine or ginger ale
Directions:
- Add all ingredients into a large bowl.
- Carefully stir until fully combined
- Garnish with fresh cranberries
Planas Chai Tea
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Diplomático Planas
- 2 oz Chai Tea
- 0.5 oz Coconut syrup
- 0.3 oz Lemon juice
Directions:
Add all ingredients together and pour over a cup glass with cubed ice. If batching for a punch, use the following measures to make a standard 24 oz bottle. Planas 7.5 oz, Chai Tea 11 oz, Coconut syrup 3 oz, and 2 oz of lemon juice. Place in the fridge, then when you wish to use, serve over ice in a punch bowl and garnish.
Papa’s Pilar was inspired by Ernest ‘Papa’ Hemingway and his beloved boat, the Pilar; named in honor of the famed author and the vessel of his adventures. As bold yet nuanced and artistically expressive as Hemingway himself, Papa’s Pilar rums are hand-selected from the Caribbean, Central America, and Florida, before being brought to the U.S.A. Daring and well-traveled, Papa’s Pilar Dark Rum is an award-winning, ultra-premium sipping rum born with an appetite for greatness. Crafted from hand-selected rums blended in Bourbon barrels, Port Wine casks and Sherry casks, it is made for the pioneers and the pathfinders, for the ones that refuse to be a spectator.
- Tasting Notes: Notes of rich maple, chocolate, ripe fig, and candied orange with a long, velvety finish.
- Enjoy it neat; this rum is best on its own.
The only Dominican rum produced with 100% sugarcane juice from company plantations, Barceló makes quality products its core mission, standing as an embodiment of excellence that can be tasted with every sip. The Gran Añejo Dark, which is a part of Barceló’s Dark Series, is born from the finest Dominican sugarcane juice aged in barriques with a high toast degree, giving it a distinctive trait in its category. After an aging period of up to six years, the product is subjected to a complex cooling process that harmonizes the blend, resulting in a beautiful, amber coloured rum.
- Tasting Notes: Fragrances of caramelized vanilla, creamy chocolate, subtle reminiscences of tobacco and aromatic citrus hints. Round and mild entry, light but persistent body, with a fruity and tasty finish.
- Enjoy it on the rocks or use it for this Signature Dark cocktail to add a refreshing touch to your cozy days, recipe below:
Bayou XO Mardi Gras Rum is an Ultra Premium rum that has been expertly crafted from locally sourced Louisiana sugarcane, and aged in bourbon and sherry casks. This handcrafted spirit is not just a testament to Louisiana’s rich heritage, but also a perfect companion for the winter months. With its sophisticated palate boasting notes of dark stone fruits, blackcurrant, and a finish of sweet tupelo honey, it’s ideal for sipping neat, over ice, or in a cozy winter cocktail.
Vodka
Original Sparkling Holiday Punch
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Three Olives® Vodka
- 2 oz Cranberry
- 4 oz Sparkling Apple Cider
Garnish: Garnish with a rosemary sprig, orange slice, and three fresh cranberries.
Instructions: Add all ingredients in the order given to a glass with ice and gently stir.
American Harvest Vodka’s American Gingerbread Martini
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. American Harvest Organic Vodka
- 1.5 oz. Irish Cream
- 2 tbsp. Gingerbread Syrup
- .25 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 1 oz. Half & Half
Method:
- Combine all ingredients in cocktail shaker with ice.
- Shake and strain into a glass.
Glassware:
- Martini Glass
Garnish:
- Rim with Crushed Gingerbread Cookie and top with Whipped Cream and a Gingerbread Cookie
YoCo Vodka’s “Champagne Life”
- 1 1/2 oz YoCo Vodka
- 1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
- 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
- 1/2 oz Sparkling Wine
Directions: Combine all ingredients but the sparkling wine in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake vigorously, strain into a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine. Garnish with lemon wedge. Enjoy!
Tequila
High Roller Margarita
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Tequila Cazadores Extra Añejo (Made with 100% Blue Weber Agave)
- 3/4 oz Grand Marnier
- 3/4 oz agave nectar
- 3 wedges lime
- 3 wedges lemon
- 1 wedge orange
Method:
In a cocktail shaker muddle limes, lemons and orange. Add the rest of the ingredients with ice, shake and serve up in a cocktail glass.
Cantarito Familiar
Ingredients:
- 1 liter bottle of Tequila CAZADORES Reposado (2 oz per 16 oz cocktail)
- 25 oz orange juice
- 10 oz fresh lime juice
- 25 oz grapefruit juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12 oz grapefruit soda
Method:
Combine Tequila, orange juice, lime juice, grapefruit juice, grapefruit soda and salt.
Pour over ice. Garnish with orange, grapefruit and tamarind candy.
Serves 17 people
Hornitos Ranch Water
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ PARTS HORNITOS PLATA
- 1 LIME WEDGE
- 4 PARTS HIGHLY CARBONATED SODA WATER, CHILLED
GARNISHES
- SALT RIM
- GRAPEFRUIT WHEEL OR PEEL
DIRECTIONS
- SQUEEZE LIME WEDGE INTO A TALL GLASS FULL OF ICE
- ADD REST OF INGREDIENTS AND GIVE GENTLE STIR TO COMBINE
RECOMMENDED GLASSWARE
COLLINS GLASSES
Merry Margarita
Ingredients
- 1 1⁄2 or 12 PARTS HORNITOS® PLATA OR REPOSADO
- 3⁄4 or 6 PARTS RASPBERRY LIQUOR
- 3⁄4 or 6 PARTS POMEGRANATE
- 1⁄2 or 5 PARTS LIME
Unión Jolly & Holly
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Mezcal Unión Uno
- 1 oz Club Soda
- 0.5 oz Lime Juice
- 0.5 oz Honey
Instructions: In a rocks glass over ice, add Mezcal Unión and honey then stir to combine. Add club soda and lime juice then stir again. Garnish with berries and enjoy!
Glassware: Rocks
Ice: Cube
Garnish: Berries
Pomegranate Aperol with Cinnamon Sugar Brule’ Sliced Orange from Southbound Tequila
Ingredients
- 3/4 ounce of fresh pomegranate
- 1/4 ounce fresh lime
- 1/4 ounce of fresh orange
- 1/2 ounce of Aperol
- 1/8 ounce of agave
- 1/2 ounce of water
- 1 1/2 ounce of Southbound Tequila Reposado
Cocktail Recipe
Place all ingredients in a shaker with ice and pour into a cocktail glass. Serve with a cinnamon sugar brûléed orange.
To brûlée the orange:
Sliced oranges with cinnamon and sugar sprinkled on top. Turn broiler onto medium/high. Broil for two minutes tops until the tops caramelize/ Brulé. Watch closely.
Posada Ponche
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Tequila CAZADORES Reposado
- 10-12 Cups Water
- 3 Cups Sugar
- 1 Pilloncillos (mexican brown sugar)
- 8 Guavas (fresh or canned)
- 6 Small sugar cane sticks (if available)
- 1/2 of cup of raisins
- 4 Slices of orange
- 1 Cinnamon stick
- 1 Cup hibiscus flower
- 1 Sliced apple
Instructions:
- Heat water in a pot and all ingredients
- Boil together for 30 minutes and serve in a hot coffee mug
- Add 1 oz. of Tequila CAZADORES Reposado, cinnamon stick and a teaspoon to stir and eat the carmelize fruit
Tequila Vanilla Sour
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Dulce Vida Anejo Tequila
- .5 oz Licor 43
- .5oz Vanilla Liqueur
- 1 oz Lemon Juice
- .5oz Agave
- 1oz Egg Whites
Garnishes: Chocolate Bitters on top
Glass: Coupe Glass
Contraluz
Launched last year by award-winning global spirits company, Casa Lumbre, Contraluz is Mexico’s first Cristalino mezcal. The perfect gift for any spirits aficionado in your life, Contraluz boasts a new-to-market filtration process using activated charcoal to produce a colorless, smooth flavor profile without compromising mezcal’s signature smokey taste. As the first luxury-focused, ultra-premium mezcal, Contraluz introduces a balanced taste of cooked agave, vanilla and cacao with notes of green agave, citrus, and drive fruits – made to enjoy neat or in cocktail form.
Flecha Azul Cristalino ($114.99)
An extraordinary blend of approachable brightness and the depth of Añejo complexity, the Cristalino mirrors the best of both worlds—an invitation for whiskey enthusiasts to savor unparalleled smoothness.
Flecha Azul Extra Añejo (SRP: $319.99)
Culminating in the pinnacle of tequila craftsmanship, the Extra Añejo unfolds a symphony of oak, sweetness, and butterscotch—a powerful yet balanced journey for the discerning palate.
El Cristiano
The ultra premium of luxury tequilas, El Cristiano offers an additive free and sustainable, delicious and award-winning world class tequila, featuring the finest aged blue weber agave out of Jalisco, Mexico. Offered in a gift set for the holiday season, this tequila is both a sipper and an entertainer’s dream. It’s pure taste leaves no burn, no hangover and is purity with a purpose, as they fund both orphanages and youth sports teams in Guadalajara with their proceeds, Their offering selection includes Silver, Reposado, Extra Reposado and Extra Aged Anejo. They are at Total Wines nationwide as well as local retailers across the US, with a full store locator on their website, including hotels, restaurants and nightlife establishments as well. They are in local restaurant, bars and Speakeasies like Cold Shoulder and Gracias Madre in Los Angeles, private members clubs like Soho House and San Vicente Bungalows, Vegas hotels and casino resorts like Resorts World and WYNN, hotels across the country from W South Beach to Ritz Carlton and Proper Hotels, plus world renowned notable restaurants like Nobu and Spago. Visit online at www.el-cristiano.com
Wine, Sake, and Aperitif
Sorel Spritzer
Ingredients:
- 1 oz of Sorel Liqueur
- 3 oz Prosecco or Champagne of Choice
Method: Pour ingredients into a flute and enjoy
“A Song for Celie” by Tiffanie Barriere.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Sorel
- 1 oz. Mcqueen And The Violet Fog Ultraviolet
- 1/2 oz. Lemon juice
- 1 bar spoon pure cane sugar
- Club Soda
Method: Combine all ingredients EXCEPT Club Soda in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake cold. Fill a Collins glass with ice and pour Club Soda about half way. Top with shaken contents. Garnish with lemon and orange half moon and cherry. Straw if you fancy.
Dassai Blue was an idea born in Japan but now brewed in New York. With our new brewery in Hyde Park, we are hoping to introduce and share our sake with even more people around the world. We strive to educate people on how our artisans craft our sake. We strive to make our sake the very best.
The goal of Dassai Blue is to brew a more superior product than our sake in Japan. We look to the proverb about the indigo plant. The dye possesses a deeper hue of blue than the very indigo plant from which it originates, symbolizing the transformative power of art and craftsmanship to elevate and enrich the natural world’s inherent beauty. Dassai Blue will transcend expectations and reach deeper than ever before.
Canned Spirits
BeatBox Beverages
The perfect ready-to-drink boxed beverage featuring flavors like hard tea, fruit punch, peach punch, pink lemonade and tropical punch, introduces Green Apple for holiday, the perfect flavor for the season to compliment any holiday party spread. An easy and delicious option for entertaining, the drinks are low in sugar, low in carbs, and low in calories, served in eco-friendly resealable packaging. Known as “The world’s tastiest and original party punch,” BeatBox, an alum of Shark Tank, is the perfect RTD offering. Ideal for on-the-go events like outdoor concerts, drive-ins and gatherings with friends, the beverages are available all over the country at convenience stores, grocery and specialty chains. Visit beatboxbeverages.com for full brand and flavor info as well as store locator information. Their fun packaging and throwback nostalgia branding, takes the experience of BeatBox to another level.
Free AF Beverages
Free AF “sober curious” beverages are an award winning non alcoholic premade cocktail beverage that are also “Tasty AF.” Enhanced with Afterglow (™), which is a 100% natural botanical heat extract mimicking the warmth of alcohol and rosy glow, without the booze or hangover. They are low in sugar, low in calories and gluten free. This is the perfect drink for those that are sober curious, wanting a break from liquor, and also for Dry January which lies ahead. But, with the holiday season upon us, this is the perfect cocktail to serve to those that do not drink or are wanting to skip the liquor component. They recently introduced their latest flavor addition, Cucumber G&T, truly perfect for holiday entertaining either on its own or in combination with their full flavor portfolio, Paloma, Apero Spritz, Cuba Libre, and Vod%a Spritz. All are available at Sprouts, with additional purchasing information on their website, www.us.af-drinks.com
Casa Luigi 
Casa Luigi offers a range of premium Prosecco-based sparkling wine cocktails, including Bianco, Rosé, Imperial, Veneziano, and Hugo spritz. Each of these cocktails offers a unique flavor profile and a taste of European sophistication in a convenient, beautifully designed floral can, inspired by founder Claudia’s grandmother’s teacup. They take pride in European heritage and the tradition of Prosecco, and they want customers to feel that experience from the moment they have a can in their hands. They are the only brand in the US offering Prosecco, Sparkling Rosé, and Prosecco Spritzers in cans, using Glera grapes from the beautiful and world famous region of Veneto in Northern Italy.
