Our Favourite Christmas Cocktails.
It’s that time of year when getting together with friends and family (albeit maybe virtually this year) is synonymous with making delicious cocktails and mocktails. In my household, it’s a fun, messy and slightly chaotic activity. I never have enough ice. Anything complicated and I’m likely to be missing an ingredient or two. And, by the time I’ve made and tried a few myself, they all seem totally fabulous!
Team London-Unattached cocktails are for the most part, simple and easy to make and reasonably flexible. We won’t expect you to stock homemade shrub or to have garnishes imported from the Himalayan mountains. And, we’ll forgive you if you adapt the recipes to suit what you have to hand. The main thing is to enjoy whatever you make. Do you have a favourite Christmas cocktail? For some people it’s a Snowball with Advocaat, for others an Old Fashioned. For me, I tend towards cocktails that include autumnal and winter fruits – I love our Rhubarb and Custard cocktail with Advocaat and rhubarb gin, or our ultra-simple Damson Vodka Martini. It’s all about what works for you at this time of year, with the caveat that we recommend keeping your Christmas cocktail simple!
To get started, we suggest stocking a few basics. Lemon and orange slices, maraschino cherries, angostura bitters, good quality mixers and a few fresh herbs. We also make our own simple syrup and variations. We make 1:1 and 2:1 dilution syrups by gently heating sugar and water until the sugar dissolves (1 part sugar to 1 part water for 1:1 and 2 parts sugar to one part water for the richer 2:1 syrup). We’ve also made a spiced orange syrup and we generally make a 1:1 honey syrup instead of using the agave syrup that you’ll sometime find recommended for drinks like margaritas. The syrups will keep well in the fridge in a screwtop jar or bottle for a few weeks.
You’ll also need a cocktail shaker and a few glasses. Don’t worry too much about having every possible glass you might ever need – but do try to have a few coupe glasses and some tumblers as an absolute minimum. Then, make as much as ice as you can in preparation – and get ready to shake, rattle and roll! Remember that you can switch out ingredients for low alcohol varieties – try some of the new low alcohol gins. We’ve tried quite a few, including CleanGin which has no alcohol at all and Trinity25 which has just 25% ABV. Both a great substitute for the real think in a cocktail that might just leave you feeling better the morning after!
Here’s our roundup of festive drinks
Delicious festive cocktails to drink at Christmas or any time of the year A classic snowball cocktail with Warninks Advocaat. Our model showcases the classic Christmas sweater - you know - the one your mum makes you wear that embarrasses you every year! If you love a negroni, why not try this special Christmassy version - it's bound to be a hit Ginger is one of those spices that just epitomises Christmas for me. Pair it with a delicious small batch rum for the perfect seasonal cocktail Autumnal fruits preserved in alcohol are just about ready to enjoy at Christmas time. Damson, like sloe, is a kind of plum that works brilliantly preserved in vodka or gin. This easy damson vodka martini is the perfect way to showcase it. If you like advocaat but find a snowball just a bit too 'eggy' you may well enjoy this delicious rhubarb and custard cocktal made with Jawbox Rhubarb Gin and Advocaat. OK, fizz is always festive - and a French 75 is the perfect light cocktail to enjoy at Christmas time The Martinez is said to be the precursor of the Martini. That's not proven - but made with this special small-batch winterful gin, it's a great seasonal cocktail that lets the botanicals shine through Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without a mulled drink of some sort. We've loved this very special mulled rum which is achingly simple but oh so festive thanks to the Christmassy spices We love a Bellini - lucky us, this one was a Christmas gift, with tiny bottles of peach and rhubarb juice to accompany the prosecco. Perfect! We made this prosecco and spiced orange cocktail for Christmas Eve a couple of years ago - and loved it so much we've been making it ever since. Whip up a batch of spiced orange syrup and it's easy peasy! Of course, the ultimate celebratory drink has to be Champagne. A classic champagne cocktail is nothing more than a splash of brandy, a little sugar and some great champagne. Try for yourself! Gin, ginger, blueberries and lime combine to make this ultra-refreshing yet deliciously seasonal Christmas cocktail We love a margarita and think this special rose margarita using Lanique rose liqueur is just perfect for the festive seasonFestive Cocktails for Christmas Cheer
Warninks Advocaat - Making a Snowball this Christmas
A Christmas Negroni
Dark ‘n’ Stormy Christmas cocktail recipe with Blackwell Rum
Cove Damson Liqueur Christmas #Giveaway
Rhubarb and Custard Cocktail with Jawbox Rhubarb and Ginger:
Gin for Christmas - The perfect French 75
A Seasonal Martinez Cocktail with Martin Miller Winterful Gin
Mulled Rum - A Seasonal Cocktail with a Rum worth Sipping
Bellini Cocktail
Prosecco and spiced orange cocktail
Classic Champagne Cocktail
Gin and Ginger Christmas Cocktail
Rose Margarita with Lanique
Leave a Reply