The holiday season is already upon us, ringing the close of another year. Hopefully your holiday features a number of festive and spirited engagements, emphasis on the spirits.
Cocktails this time of year should be focused and warm in terms of flavors, even if you’re serving them on the rocks. We can’t stop making Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s Bourbon Renewal, a popular recipe from one of the country’s most renowned bartenders. It’s like a Gold Rush but with a deep, luscious twist of berry from the crème de cassis that also lends it a deeper, seasonal hue. A simple, unfussy preparation like this is enhanced all the more by a bourbon with a little more attitude and character than your standard offering. Try it with Eagle Rare, for example, for something approachable yet sophisticated.
If nog is a must this holiday season, it’s hard to argue with this recipe from Difford’s Guide, a venerable anthology of classic cocktails. It calls for Rémy Martin, but your guests certainly won’t complain if you substitute SIP Awards Platinum winner Le Portier Shay instead. Just tell them it’s all you have on hand.
To impress fans of classic martinis or negronis, show off a drink that somehow sits right between the two with the Maria Mole. This 1980s cocktail from São Paulo, a simple combination of cognac and white vermouth, is a bold and balanced drink that’s more than the sum of its parts. It comes together in less time than it takes to tell its story, which is great for professional and home bartenders alike.Thanks to its ease, versatility, and worldly appeal, it’s enjoying a bit of a renaissance this year.
If you have the pleasure of hosting a party this holiday season, consider large-format libations in the form of punch. The revival of this time-honored tradition has plenty of benefits for the modern host. It can be prepped in advance, so you can spend your time mingling instead of stuck by the bar cart. A good one like this bourbon rosemary punch also makes for showstopping visuals and a hit highlight for social media stories.
There’s a lot of thought that goes into great cocktails, even when they’re just a handful of ingredients. It’s a craft that’s often as enjoyable as the creations it makes. So whether you're an experienced mixologist, or you can’t tell a jigger from a dasher, bust out the barware this holiday season and set your fears aside. After all, even mistakes are enjoyable as long as they’re made in good company.
