The holidays might look a little different in 2020, but if there is a year for mixing up a variety of winter cocktails, this is the one. Unfortunately, many of us will not be able to celebrate with our family and friends in person. In good news, however, we don’t really need to leave our homes at all, which means there’s plenty of time to mix up drinks.
While Christmas is just around the corner and New Year’s Eve follows not too long after, the cold and snowy season is only getting started. These 15 cocktails were made with winter in mind, not just the holidays. They’re here to keep you warm and jovial as you zoom conference with friends and watch the flakes float to the ground.
So without further ado here are our:
15 Winter Cocktails Perfect For Lighting Up The 2020 Holiday Season:
Candy Cane Gin Sour
Ingredients:
- 200ml sugar syrup
- Star anise, a cinnamon stick and nutmeg – whole winter spices of your choice!
- 50ml of Greenall’s Wild Berry Gin
- 1/2 lemon, juiced
- · egg white
- Grenadine syrup
- Caster sugar
- Tonic
- Ice cubes
- A candy cane for decoration
Heat the sugar syrup with your selection of whole winter spices until just simmering then set aside to cool. Coat the top of a champagne flute with grenadine syrup and sprinkle with caster sugar. When cool, add 15ml of the spiced syrup along with Greenall’s Wild Berry Gin, lemon juice, egg white and ice to a cocktail shaker and shake hard. Strain into a champagne flute and decorate with a candy cane.
A Harper Carol
Created by Adrian Alvarez
Ingredients:
- 1 oz I.W. Harper Kentucky Straight Whiskey
- 0.5 oz Italian Red Bitters
- 0.75 oz Pineapple Juice
- 0.75 oz Lemon Juice
- 0.25 oz Cinnamon Date-Syrup
- Garnish: Dehydrated Lemon Wheel, Ground Nutmeg
Combine all ingredients in a shaker tin, shake, double-strain into a coupe.
Scotch 75
Created by Mixologist Eric Ribero
Ingredients:
- 1.25 oz The Singleton of Glendullan 12 Year Old
- 0.5 oz Lemon Juice
- 0.5 oz Simple Syrup
- Sparkling Wine, to top
Add all ingredients except the sparkling wine into a shaker. Add ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a flute glass then top up with the sparkling wine and garnish.
Starward New World Egg Nog
Created by Tui Tekaaho, Beverage Director, Peachy’s NYC
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz. Starward Australian Whisky
- 1 oz. Apricot Brandy
- 1 Egg Yolk
- 0.5 oz. Heavy Cream
- 0.5 oz Honey Syrup
Combine Starward, brandy, egg, cream and honey in a shaker with ice. Shake and strain vigorously and strain into an empty Collins glass. Top with sparkling wine and serve.
Cranberry Rosemary Margarita
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Tequila Don Julio Blanco
- 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
- 0.5 oz cranberry juice
- 0.5 oz rosemary simple syrup
- Fresh Cranberries + Rosemary Sprig
Shaken over ice. Bar Ice.
Partida Anejo Cristalino Martini:
Ingredients:
- Partida Añejo Cristalino 1.5-2 oz
- Sweet White Vermouth ¾ oz
- Lemon Juice ¼ oz
- Orange Bitters 2 dashes
Shake all ingredients in a shaker and double strain over chilled martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Grace Martini
Ingredients:
- 6 cl Grace O’Malley Heather Infused Irish Gin
- 2 cl sweet white Vermouth (for example Lillet Blanc)
- Optional: 4 dashes of Olive Bitters (for
- example The Bitter Truth)
- 1 tsp olive brine (from the olive jar)
- 1 green olive
Fill a mixing glass with ice cubes and add the ingredients. Stir on ice, then strain into a coupe or martini glass. Add the olive. Tip: chill the glass in the freezer before serving.
The Hive Toddy
Ingredients:
- 1½ ounce Wemyss The Hive
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- 1 cup hot water
- Lemon wedge, cinnamon stick and star anise, for garnish (optional)
Combine the first four ingredients into the bottom of a warmed mug. If desired, garnish with the lemon, cinnamon stick or star anise.
Shibui Earl Grey Toddy
Ingredients:
- 5 oz Earl Grey tea
- Dollop of honey – vary based on how sweet you would like
- 1 oz Shibui Single Grain Whiskey
- 1/4 oz Applejack Brandy.
- Garnish with a clove-studded half-lemon wheel
Make the tea. Stir in honey, applejack and add the whisky. Garnish with lemon and serve in a teacup.
The Rudolph
Ingredients:
- 1.7 oz Diplomatico Mantuano
- 0.3 oz Cranberry juice
- 0.3 oz Orgeat syrup
Step 1: In a shaker, put all the ingredients without ice. Shake vigorously a first time for 6 to 8 seconds. Add ice and shake again. Step 2: Filter and pour into a whiskey glass. Add a fresh cranberry and two rosemary branches to the glass.
Speyside Cowboy
Created by Allan Roth, Glenfiddich Brand Ambassador
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Glenfiddich 14 Year Old Bourbon Barrel Reserve
- ½ part Drambuie
- ¼ part coffee liqueur
- ¼ part demerara syrup
- 1 barspoon China China
- Egg white or chickpea water
- Coffee beans, to garnish
Combine all ingredients except for the coffee beans in a shaker and shake to incorporate the egg white. Add ice and shake again. Pour into a coupe. Garnish with coffee beans.
The Balvenie Spiced Yule
Created by Naomi Leslie, Balvenie Brand Ambassador
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 oz Balvenie Caribbean Cask
- 1/2 oz Madeira
- 1/4 oz Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao
- 1/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- Small sprinkle (Approx. 1/8 tsp) of Smoked Paprika
- 1 1/2 oz Prosecco
Add all ingredients (except Prosecco) to shaker with ice. Shake briefly and strain into a Champagne Flute or Coupe. Top with 1 1/2 oz Prosecco. Add lemon twist.
Tod & Vixen’s Dry Gin Negroni 1651
Created by the late, great gaz regan (NY)
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz Tod & Vixen’s Dry Gin 1651
- 1 oz Cocchi Storico Vermouth di Torino
- 1 oz Campari
Stir with ice in an ice-filled rocks glass, garnish with an orange wedge, then serve. (Finger-stirring optional.)
Tanteo Tequila Sparkling Margarita
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Tanteo Blanco Tequila
- 1 oz Sparkling Wine or Club Soda
- 3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 3/4 oz Agave Nectar
Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice Stir well and strain into a chilled Coupe Glass. Garnish with a lemon twist
Woodford Reserve Bring Back Black Manhattan
Created by Erica Gantt, Savannah, Georgia
Ingredients:
- 1.5 part(s) Woodford Reserve Bourbon
- .75 part(s) Dumangin Ratafia de Champagne
- .5 part(s) Barolo Cocchi Chianto
- 2 dash(es) 18.21 Aromatic Prohibition Bitters
Add all measured ingredients to a mixing glass. Ice should be added (enough to cover the liquid), stir the cocktail until gently diluted. Strain with a julep strainer into coupe glass. Express an orange peel over the top. Garnish with a Woodford Reserve Bourbon cherry.
Please let us know in the comments how you enjoyed our 15 Winter Cocktails Perfect For Lighting Up The 2020 Holiday Season