Festive Holiday Cocktail Recipes
OUR FAVOURITE BARTENDERS AND BRANDS HAVE COLLABORATED ON A GREAT SELECTION OF INDISPENSABLE HOLIDAY COCKTAILS. LUCKY US. LUCKY YOU.
Woodford Reserve Winter Manhattan
This riff on the classic Manhattan adds amaro for herbal complexity, paired with orange bitters in place of the traditional aromatic ones. The cocktail is rounded out with Woodford Reserve Bourbon and its classic notes of vanilla, oak, and spice. It’s a perfect cocktail for holiday gatherings—and goes incredibly well with charcuterie and cheese boards. – Michael Fortier
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz Woodford Reserve bourbon
1⁄4 oz sweet vermouth 1⁄4 oz Averna amaro
4 drops Woodford Reserve orange bitters
GARNISH:
Brandied cherry
METHOD:
Combine bourbon, vermouth, amaro and bitters over ice in a cocktail shaker and stir. Strain into a (preferably chilled) coupe and garnish.
Herradura Tequila Pomegranate Mule
After 11 months of barrel ageing, Herradura Tequila Reposado grows rich with the flavours of winter spice. Com- bined with the piquant punch of ginger beer and rounded out with the sweet, tangy notes of fresh pomegranate juice, this makes for a perfect holiday cocktail. – Michael Fortier
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz Herradura Reposado Tequila 1 oz pomegranate juice
1⁄2 oz lime juice
3 oz ginger beer
GARNISH:
Pomegranate seeds lime wedge (or candied ginger)
METHOD:
Combine Tequila and juices over ice in a mule cup or rocks glass, stir, and add more ice to fill. Add ginger beer, stir again, and garnish.
Whitley Neil Original Dry Gin
This holiday cocktail was inspired by the fresh mandarins and clementines which come out just in time for the holiday season. Our family always bought boxes of them to enjoy over the Christmas break! – Robin James Wynne
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz oolong tea-infused Whitley Neill Original Dry Gin
11⁄2 oz clementine or mandarin juice
1 oz lemon juice
1 oz hawthorn berry syrup*
3 dashes Bittered Sling Lem-Marrakech bitters
3 dashes of Ms. Better’s Bitters Miraculous Foamer
METHOD:
Combine gin, juices, syrup, bitters and foamer over ice in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Double strain into a coupe glass.
*Combine 11⁄4 cups (300 ml) sugar and 1 cup (250 ml) dried hawthorn berries with 1 cup (250 ml) water in a saucepan and bring to a boil on high. Lower heat and simmer for
10 minutes. Set aside to cool, strain into a non-reactive container and refrigerate.
Fairmont Royal York Once Upon A Time
This fruit-forward whisky sour-style cocktail is built on rich and spicy Lot 40 dark rye. Yellow Chartreuse provides complexity and is complemented by chamomile. Cinnamon and demerara sugar are a house-favourite combination that improve mouthfeel and bring on the festive cheer! – Rus Yessenov
INGREDIENTS:
13⁄4 oz Lot 40 dark rye
1⁄4 oz yellow Chartreuse
1⁄2 oz cinnamon and chamomile syrup*
3⁄4 oz pineapple juice
3⁄4 egg white
GARNISH:
Powdered raspberry
METHOD:
Combine rye, Chartreuse, syrup, juice and egg in a cocktail shaker and shake for 10 seconds. Add ice and shake again. Strain into a stemmed, chilled glass and garnish.
*Crumble 1 piece cinnamon bark into a saucepan, add 1 tbsp chamomile flowers and 3⁄4 cup (200 ml) water, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add 1 cup (200 g) demerara sugar, and stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool. Strain into a non-reactive container and refrigerate.
Tromba Coffee and Coconut Tegroni
The classic Negroni cocktail— rejuvenated. The coffee and coconut infusion adds complexity and a velvety smoothness, while Tromba Tequila enlivens the mix. Best enjoyed with loved ones, near the fireplace, warm and cozy with a furry blanket. – Julie “Jukie” Mecteau
INGREDIENTS:
11⁄2 oz coffee-infused Tromba Tequila Blanco
1 oz coconut-infused La Select (or other) Aperitivo**
1 oz red vermouth
GARNISH:
Pirouline chocolate wafer cookie
METHOD:
Combine infused Tequila and Aperitivo with the vermouth over ice in a cocktail shaker and stir. Strain into a rocks glass half-filled with ice and garnish.
*To make enough for four cocktails, combine 6 oz Tequila and a handful of coffee beans and let steep at room temperature for 1-5 hours, according to desired intensity. Strain.
**Follow same process with 4 oz Aperitivo and a handful of shredded coconut.
Tanqueray Yuletide Sour
A simple cocktail that’s also a little fun and fancy is a great way to im- press your friends and start off an evening’s festivities. This is one of my favourites. Juniper, pomegranate and rosemary are all ingredients that I love to work with in the colder weather and this cocktail puts them to great use! – James Grant
INGREDIENTS:
11⁄2 oz Tanqueray No. Ten Gin
1⁄2 oz pomegranate liqueur
1 oz lemon juice
1⁄2 oz rosemary-infused simple syrup*
GARNISH:
Rosemary sprig
METHOD:
Combine gin, liqueur, juice and syrup in all ingredients in a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish.
*Combine 1⁄2 cup (100 g) sugar and 3 oz (100 ml) water in a saucepan on medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Trans- fer to a non-reactive container and add 2 sprigs of rosemary. Leave to steep for 2 hours, remove and discard rosemary, and refrigerate syrup.
Distell Penicillin Cocktail
What I think makes this drink so sensational is that it’s perfect for the season. It has a strong kick of Scotch that is followed by ginger, honey and lemon that will wake up your senses—and warm your belly. So, as you host family and friends over the holidays, try something new and show off your skills with this delicious seasonal cocktail. – Asher Jones
INGREDIENTS:
2 oz Monkey Shoulder Blended Malt Scotch whisky
3⁄4 oz honey ginger syrup (“penicillin”)*
3⁄4 oz lemon juice
1⁄4 oz Black Bottle whisky
GARNISH:
Lemon wheel
METHOD:
Combine Monkey Shoulder, syrup and juice in a cocktail shaker over ice and stir. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Add Black Bottle Scotch slowly, pouring it in a trickle over the back of a spoon. Garnish.
*Combine 125 ml (1⁄2 cup) honey and water and a 8 cm (3”) piece of ginger, peeled and sliced, in a saucepan. Bring to a boil on high and then lower to a simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool, transfer to non-reactive container, and refrigerate.
Distell Whisky McIntosh Mule
I want a holiday cocktail to bring my sense memories to life. That is why I like to create cocktails around a flavour or a tradition that reminds me of the season. This one, the McIntosh Mule, reminds me of sipping on hot apple cider and making gingerbread cookies. Enjoy it as a single serving or turn it into a big holiday punch. – Kaitlyn Stewart
INGREDIENTS:
11⁄2 oz Deanston Virgin Oak whisky
11⁄4 oz unfiltered apple juice 3⁄4 oz lemon juice
1⁄2 oz cinnamon syrup*
2 dashes Angostura bitters Ginger beer
GARNISH:
Lemon wheel
METHOD:
Combine whisky, juices, syrup and bitters in a cocktail shaker over ice. Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Top up with ginger beer and garnish.
*Combine 1 cup (250 ml) sugar and water with 1 piece of cinnamon bark and bring to simmer over medium heat. Set aside. Once cool, discard cinnamon and transfer syrup to a non-reactive container and refrigerate.
