Celebrating the good cheer of the holidays is made easier when smooth libations are involved. Usher in 2016 with one of these inventive cocktails inspired by global premium beverage experts.
Snowball Cocktail at Artesian Hong Kong (Above)
“Ingredients like cinnamon remind me of Christmas, and I wanted to incorporate festive spices to the cocktail. I also wanted the presentation to feel like the holidays by having it mirrored after a snow globe.” —Rajendra “Rush” Limbu, bar manager
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Cinnamon whiskey liqueur
½ oz. Drambuie
½ oz. Ginger liqueur
1 oz. Dubbonet
Dash of spice bitters
Preparation: Stir and pour into a 2-piece martini ball glass.
“This drink was made by (bartender) Amanda de la Nuez. It’s inspired by Christmas Eve, and very popular for her family in Cuba.”—Ivy Mix, co-owner and head bartender
Ingredients:
¾ oz. Black Bottle Scotch
¾ oz. Plantation Jamaica Rum
1 oz. Lustau East India sherry
½ oz. Heering coffee liqueur
½ oz. Cinnamon
3 dashes aromatic bitters
Egg
Preparation: Dry shake, shake, and serve in a coupe with grated nutmeg and espresso bean.
“A Thousand Follies is a basically just a fall-winter sidecar. You’ll find cranberry liqueur instead of orange liqueur and sweet vermouth for its rich and spicy herbaceousness. There’s also apple brandy to give it that extra ‘fall’ element.” —Matt Tocco, beverage director
Ingredients:
1 ½ oz. Copper & Kings apple brandy
¾ oz. Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
¼ oz. Clear Creek cranberry liqueur
¾ oz. Lime
½ oz. Hibiscus-clove syrup
1 dash Angostura bitters
Preparation: Shake and strain into a coupe glass (no ice). Garnish with a lemon sidewinder.
Rosemary Maple Bourbon Sour at Grill 23 & Bar
“Bourbon will always keep you warm, especially during the holidays. The key is finding one that has the right level of sweetness to balance out the high level of alcohol. Mitcher’s was our choice. The maple syrup gave great substance to the cocktail, while the acid in the lemon juice gave the drink a nice lift to it. The maple syrup makes it a great for the fall-winter and the upcoming holiday festivities: It is super easy to make at home or in large batches for a full-on holiday party.” —Jacob Kress, bar manager
Ingredients:
3 oz. Michter’s bourbon
1 oz. Maple syrup
½ oz. Lemon juice
Preparation: Add all ingredients to glass and garnish with rosemary and lemon.
Tres Coops at Mercadito Chicago
“When we opened Mercadito Chicago, we created a menu of cocktails that would both complement the chef’s food and be so quaffable on their own so that guests would order two or more. But…we wanted a full-flavored, complex, and slightly challenging mezcal-based cocktail. We knew we wanted to use Del Maguey Chichicapa because it’s smoky, chewy, and delicious. As we were playing around with different iterations of the drink, we came up with this recipe and have loved it since. Oh, and the name: it’s a tribute to three gents: Ron Cooper, founder of Del Maguey mezcal; John Cooper, the man behind the delicious ginger liqueur Domaine de Canton; and Rob Cooper, who created the beloved elderflower liqueur St. Germain.” —Tad Carducci, partner at Mercadito Chicago and Author of A Lime and a Shaker.
Ingredients:
1 oz. Del Maguey Chichicapa mezcal
½ oz. Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
½ oz. St-Germain elderflower liqueur
½ oz. Amaro Averna
¾ oz. Fresh lime juice
¼ oz. Egg white
Preparation: Fill a cocktail shaker glass with ice. Add ingredients. Shake and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
Click here for more holiday cocktail recipes curated from Forbes.com.
