Toast to the festive season with one of these winter cocktails, from an aromatic Cointreau cocktail to a Botanist-infused mulled gin. These recipes are perfect for Christmas drinks parties, or just a cosy night in.
Winter Cocktails To Make At Home
Barentsz Mandarin Martini and Marny
55ml Barentz Mandarin Gin
15ml triple sec (Grand Marnier)
15ml dry vermouth
Garnish: orange twist
A flavourful twist on the classic gin martini, this cocktail is a Christmassy infusion of mandarin peel and almonds, with a delicate note of jasmine. Pour the ingredients into a shaker half-full of cracked ice. Shake well before straining into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with the orange twist.
The ideal drink for those with a penchant for decadence, this spiked hot chocolate is the perfect, warming nightcap to round off the festivities. Stir all the ingredients in a mug and garnish with a toasted marshmallow. Best served when curled up on a sheepskin next to a roaring fire.
20ml mince pie puree (made by blitzing a jar of mincemeat with 200ml orange juice and 100ml lemon juice)
25ml egg white
20ml lemon juice
15ml Canada Club
35ml Balvenie 12
10ml simple syrup
What could be more festive than a boozy version of the nation’s favourite Christmas treat? To make, add all ingredients to a shaker along with two cubes of ice and shake vigorously. Add more ice and re-shake. Double strain into metal coupette and garnish with a holly sprig, with a dash of both Angostura bitters and Maraschino cherry brine. Dust with icing sugar and serve with a mini mince pie, for effect.
One of the more simpler cocktails to make, the Bramble is a classic that never steers out of fashion. Ideal for sprucing up sharp at a last-minute soirée, the Botanist’s concoction only comprises of three ingredients, including lemon and honey, ideal for staving off winter colds. Shake all together and strain, then adorn with bramble, rosemary and a drizzle of Aelder Elixir if you want to add a touch of pizazz.
If your love for mulled wine has meant you’ve already drank your fair share before December, switch it up with this Metaxa take on the festive beverage. Fill a tin mug or copper mule with 4cl of Metaxa 12 Stars, then add hot apple juice (to taste). Finish with an aromatic cinnamon stick and a sweet slice of apple.
You can indulge in as many of these delightful Royal Bellini’s as you wish and ensure no mishaps are made underneath the mistletoe. Alcohol free, but still brimming with flavour and mixed with fizzy kombucha, (perfect for that post-Christmas health kick), this champagne-esque bellini should be elegently served in a coupe glass, fit for a queen.
An espresso martini at Christmas is nothing new, but this Three Spirit’s ‘Herbal Stimulant’ is giving the coffee-themed concoction a new lease of life with its sophisticated infusion of social elixir, unrefined maple syrup and dark rum. Mix all ingredients with ice in a shaker and serve cold in a snazzy cocktail glass with raw cocoa beans to top. For an alcohol-free version, ditch the dark rum.
A deliciously pink winter cocktail infused with Slingsby’s Yorkshire-crafted pink gin, the Rhubarb Cream takes a little longer to make than most, but is most definitely worth the wait. Simply combine the spiced milk and cream and place in the fridge for 3 hours (use within 2 days), then combine all ingredients in a shaker and strain into a coupe glass. Sprinkle with cinnamon dust for all the festive feels!
Ginger, cardamom and cinnamon; it doesn’t much more Christmassy than this warming mulled gin from the Botanist. Heat all the ingredients in a pan, then add 40ml of Botanist’s Islay Dry gin. Decorate with a clove studded apple wedge if you’re feeling festively fancy.
Process first 4 ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add ice cubes to the mixture in a blender (to 5 cup level) and mix until smooth. Pour into a coupe glass and garnish with fresh mint.
The Sexton Whiskey: The Night Before Christmas
60ml The Sexton
10ml rhubarb syrup
Few dashes of angostura bitters.
To create The Night Before Christmas – the first in the range of exclusive Noctails from The Sexton which utilise consumables that flourish under the cover of darkness – simply pour over ice, stir and garnish with fresh rhubarb (if desired). Those who intend to follow the path to darkness can expect the aroma of nuts, marzipan and dark chocolate with a pinch of spice.
A fiery concoction starring METAXA, flame roll the Greek spirit with amaretto and bitters, then add water and syrup before serving. Garnish with orange zest and a burned cinnamon stick on the side.
For a seasonal take on the classic Margarita, try this delicious Christmas cocktail courtesy of Cointreau. Make a cinnamon-sugar rim on your glass, then combine the ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a cocktail glass, then garnish with a rosemary sprig to finish.
Fresh spices, cranberries and dehydrated orange segments
Add cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, stem ginger & star Anise to a bottle of brandy and let them sit at least overnight – the longer the better! Stir all of the ingredient together over plenty of ice. Garnish with fresh spices, cranberries and dehydrated orange segments.
