5 Cocktail Recipes to Get You in the Holiday Spirit

The spirit of the holidays is in the air! Whether you are entertaining for the masses or spending special holiday moments with close friends and family, get in a festive state of mind by sipping on one of the following specialty holiday cocktails.

Bacardi: The St-Germain Cocktail

Method: When one puts one’s name on something, that something must be perfect. This something is. Fill a tall Collins glass with ice. Add Prosecco first, then St-Germain, then Club Soda (the order is essential, not arbitrate). Stir completely and garnish with a lemon twist. And, if you have done all of the above perfectly, feel free to put your name on it, as well.

Variation: Think of Sartre circa 1947. Be the lemon twist.

Add some frozen cranberries for a festive garnish!

Basil Hayden’s®: A Warm Welcome

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 part Basil Hayden’s® Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• 1 Egg White
• 1/2 part Lime Juice
• 1/2 part Simple Syrup
• 1/4 part Apple Syrup
• Grated Nutmeg

Instructions

Add egg white, lime juice, simple syrup, spiced apple syrup, and Basil Hayden¹s® Bourbon in a shaker. Give it a nice dry shake to mix all the ingredients together, then add ice and shake again so your cocktail is chilled when strained. The cocktail will have a nice froth on top. Grate fresh nutmeg, sprinkle on top for garnish and enjoy.

Privateer’s Hot Buttered Rum

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz. Privateer True American Amber Rum
• 5-6 oz. hot water
• 1 heaping tbs. of Buttered Rum Batter*

Heat a tempered mug beforehand.  In the hot mug, combine the rum and batter and fill halfway with hot water.  Stir to incorporate the batter.  Top off with more hot water and garnish with grated nutmeg.  

*Buttered Rum Batter

• 1 stick (4 oz.) of unsalted butter 
• 1Ž/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1Ž/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1Ž/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 small pinch of salt

Let the butter come to room temperature.  Combine all the ingredients and mix well until a light and fluffy batter has formed.  Store in a covered container and use at room temperature.   

There’s very few things more comforting to drink during the holiday season than a Hot Buttered Rum.  Rich, creamy, and decadent, the winter-spiced batter is a perfect compliment to Privateer’s Amber Rum.  Plus, it’s easy to make beforehand.  Whip up a batch before guest’s arrive and leave it out until you’re ready to indulge.

WhistlePig: Fireside Chat

Ingredients

• 2 oz WhistlePig Rye Whiskey
• 4 oz Tart Apple Cider
• 4 Dashes Dale Degroff’s Pimento Bitters
• 1 oz Grade A Maple Syrup

Method
Heat apple cider, mix all ingredients, and stir. Serve in a copper cup and garnish with cinnamon stick and star anise.

Latitude Beverage: New York Sour with a Malbec Float, By Ryan McGrale of Tavern Road

Ingredients:

• Old Overholt Rye Whiskey
• Simple Syrup
• 90+ Cellars Lot 23 Old Vine Malbec
• Lemon Juice

Method:

Combine rye whiskey, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, and shake. Strain into a pre-chilled glass. Be sure no ice shards make their way into the drink. Using a layering spoon, float a layer of Malbec on top of the cocktail. Enjoy!