The holiday season is upon us. And that means three things: family, food, and festive drinks!
Because no Christmas get together is really complete without an amazing cocktail, we’ve chatted to some of the best mixologists in the business to find out what the latest, tastiest and trendiest Christmas cocktails are on everybody’s lips.
Although the focus around this time is mostly on the amazing Christmas food recipes, the right cocktail is what really gets everyone into the holiday spirits…. literally. And if you’re planning an awesome Christmas party, you’ll want to really impress your guests with a kick-ass boozy beverage.
Read on to discover seven simply delicious cocktail recipes from the cocktail experts that are easy enough to shake up at home, but have the air of a top-notch concoction.
Guaranteed they’ll put some extra Christmas cheer in your holiday season affair.
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1. Hide Bar – Fizzy Rascal
Oskar Kinberg
The man behind Oskar’s Bar at Dabbous in Fitzrovia, cocktail guru Oska Kinberg has recently served up another five-star drinking spot in Piccadilly – Hide Below. Situated beneath Ollie Dabbous’s highly anticipated Hide restaurant, the subterranean bar has been called “a goldmine at the bottom of a posh Ikea staircase” by the Standard.
With a reputation for concocting awesome drinks, Oskar has let us in on his Fizzy Rascal cocktail. The Prosecco, elderflower and sage make this cocktail a go-to crowd pleaser. Potato vodka tends to have more character and flavour than grain vodka but, if you can’t get hold of it, any vodka will do!
Ready in: 10 minutes
Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Serves: 1
Ingredients
- 50ml potato vodka
- 15ml fresh lemon juice
- 15ml elderflower cordial
- 25ml apple juice
- 1 slice of cucumber
- 25ml prosecco, to top
- 1 large sage leaf
Method
- Put all the ingredients except the prosecco and sage in a shaker and shake with cubed ice for 4 seconds.
- Strain into a highball glass filled with cubed ice and top with the prosecco, then garnish with the sage.
2. Purl London – Para todo mal
Occupying a vaulted 19th-century cellar in Marylebone, Purl London has become synonymous with multi-sensory cocktails. One of the first to join a new wave of prohibition-era speakeasy bars, Purl’s mixologists use aroma, fogs, airs, foams to bring a new flare and creativity to their innovative cocktails.
Purl’s para todo mal is a truly spectacular creation that’s bound to excite even the snobbiest of Christmas guests. To find out how to really make this cocktail like a pro, visit Purl for an unforgettable Molecular Mixology Cocktail Masterclass.
Ingredients
- 25 ml Quiriquiri Mezcal infuse whit shichuan pepper
- 25 ml Campari
- 15 ml Oloroso sherry
- 2 Bsp Rich syrup
- 3 drops Orange bitter
Served with Homemade Charcoal bread with cream cheese
3. The Cocktail Trading Co – Toreador No.4
One tequila, two tequila, three tequila… Toreador No. 4! With a name like the Cocktail Trading Company, it goes without saying that these guys know what they’re doing when it comes to cutting-edge mixology. Devoted to drinks and ‘general fun’ the award-winning London bar has a serious repertoire of awards behind them, including Masters of Maraschino Champion and Diageo World Class Top 8 at the World Finals.
Sharing their recipe for Toreador No.4, this delicious tequila-based rink is perfect for a big Christmas party at home. With just four ingredients of crisp flavours, shaken together like there’s no tomorrow, it’s simple to make, but certainly doesn’t taste that way. But what we really love about this cocktail, besides the fact that it is crazy yummy, is the subtle Christmasy flavours of the Rhubarb Verjus.
For an even more unforgettable festive shindig, why not get everyone in on the cocktail making fun with a Private Cocktail Party at your home. The quirky and professional team from CTC will divulge the history of your favourite drinks, as well as how to prepare them with all the bells and whistles.
Ingredients
- 2 parts Ras El Hanout Tapatio Tequila
- 1 part Watermelon & Lime Juice
- 1 part Rhubarb Verjus
- 1 Egg White
Method
Shake all ingredients real hard and dispense into an undeniably pretty floral vessel with a block of ice.
4. Asia de Cuba – Sirio Punch
No holiday party is complete without a massive punch bowl filled with the best seasonal fruits, spices, and booze. But the cliché punch of cranberry juice and cherries is so last Christmas.
Add some international spice to your festive party with a fiery Cuban-themed Christmas cocktail punch. Representing the perfect marriage of Latin and Asian ingredients, this punch from the iconic Asia de Cuba hotspot is bound to be a big hit, so make sure you prepare enough!
Ingredients
- 1 bottle of medium bodied red wine
- 1 cup of lime juice
- 1 cup of pineapple juice
- 1 cup of frambois
- 2 cups of aged Havana Club rum
- Sugar to taste
- 4 sticks of cinnamon
- 5 cloves
- 2 bags of Earl Grey tea
Method
- Add all ingredients to a medium sized pot.
- Heat until sugar is dissolved but do not bring to a boil.
- Let cool completely.
- Strain and serve in a punch bowl or pitcher over ice.
- Garnish with clove-studded orange slices.
5. Bombay Sapphire – The Laverstoke
The true spirit of the festive season, gin is the go-to tipple for some of the best cocktails around. Who better to share their secrets on gin mixology than one of the biggest and best names in the business – Bombay Sapphire.
A future classic in the making, the Laverstoke cocktail was created to celebrate the opening of the Bombay Sapphire Distillery at Laverstoke Mill in 2014. But to make it even more current, Bombay Sapphire has carefully crafted the Laverstoke Winter 2018 edition – just in time for Christmas.
Can you hear the gin-gle bells? We sure can.
Ingredients
- 50ml Bombay Sapphire
- 10ml St Germain
- Elderflower Liqueur
- 15ml MARTINI & ROSSI Rosso
- 2 lime wedges
- 85ml Fever-Tree Ginger Ale – chilled & freshly opened
- 1 ginger slice
- 1 mint sprig
Equipment
- Balloon glass
- Long twisted bar spoon
- Measuring device
- Serrated knife & chopping board
- Bottle opener for the ginger ale
- Optional – mandolin with safety guard for the ginger
Method
- Squeeze 2 lime wedges into a balloon glass & drop them in then add the ginger slice, MARTINI, St Germain & Bombay Sapphire.
- Swirl well to mix & infuse then fill the glass with cubed ice.
- Top with the ginger ale & gently stir/fold to combine.
- Finally, garnish with a freshly awoken mint sprig.
6. School of Booze – The Big Smoke Winter ‘Cockt-ale’
Jane Peyton
A good pint around Christmas time is a must – and no one knows this better than Jane Peyton from School of Booze. A drink and beer historian, as well as the UK’s first Beer Sommelier of the Year for 2015, Jane together with Friends of Glass have created a mulled beer ‘Cockt-ale’ to take the place of a traditional mulled wine.
A real winter warmer, this big inventive brew will delight beer lovers and cocktail drinkers alike.
Ingredients
- 1 x 500 ml bottle of London Velvet (a blend of porter beer and cider – available nationwide from Morrisons). If London Velvet is not available use 200 ml of porter and 300 ml of medium dry cider
- Smoked paprika
- Cinnamon stick
- Smoked apple slices
Method
- Can be served warm/mulled or cold
- If serving mulled, gently warm the drink on the hob
- Serve in a tulip or snifter glass
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick as a stirrer
- Accompany with a couple of slices of crisp smoked apple to nibble on (sprinkle the apple with smoked paprika too if desired)
7. Sipsmith – Gingerbread Sour
Nothing screams Christmas quite like the taste and smell of gingerbread. Instead of handing out kiddies gingerbread men to your guests, treat them to a real adult twist with a hearty Gingerbread Sour. Believe me, they’ll appreciate it a lot more.
This festive take on the classic sour cocktail is from our friends at Sipsmith. The first copper-pot based distillery to start up in London in 189 years, it is one of only four gin distilleries located within London’s city limits. Bold, complex and aromatic – everything in one glorious festive concoction.
Ingredients
- 50ml Sipsmith London Dry Gin
- 25ml lemon juice
- 25ml gingerbread syrup
- Egg white
- 1 dash Regans Orange Bitters
- Fresh ginger to garnish
Method
- Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and dry shake
- Add ice and shake again
- Double strain into a chilled glass
- Garnish with slices of fresh ginger
And there you have it! Take your pick from our list of professional Christmas cocktails and try your hand at making them at home.
There’s no need to get your Christmas knickers in a twist if you’re hosting a holiday party this festive season. Just make a list of cocktail ingredients, check it once, check it twice, and after several hours of boozing, you’ll find out who’s really naughty or nice!