Despite the fact that snow blankets many cities and rural landscapes, it is technically still autumn (until Dec. 21st, that is). Whether you’re raking leaves or shoveling snow, we have some delightfully spiced cocktails to aid your transition from fall to winter. So pour yourself a cup of cheer while you prepare for the holiday season that is upon us!
BROCKMANS FIERY SIDE
2 oz Brockmans Gin
0.5 oz Cinnamon syrup
Ginger beer
0.25 oz Cherry Brandy
Fill a highball glass with ice, add the Brockmans Gin and cinnamon syrup and top with ginger beer. Drizzle the Cherry Brandy over the top. Garnish with a stick of cinnamon and a cherry.
RHUM BUTTER CIDER
1 1/2 oz Rhum Barbancourt Réserve Spéciale (5 star)
1 oz orange liqueur
1 oz butterscotch liqueur
4 oz hot apple cider
Pour the first three ingredients in a mug. Add the hot cider and garnish with a cinnamon stick and a star anise.
OAXACAN HOLIDAY – created by H. Joseph Ehrmann, Chief Mixology Officer, Fresh Victor
1.5 oz Fresh Victor Pineapple & Ginger Root
.75 oz Fresh Victor Cactus Pear & Pomegranate
2 oz mezcal
1 dash Degroff’s Pimento Bitters, Angostura, or other aromatic bitters
Build all ingredients over a cocktail shaker full of ice, shake well and strain over ice in a tall glass. Garnish with pineapple pieces.
NOLET’S SILVER HOT TODDY
1.5 oz NOLET’S Silver Gin
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon or Orange Juice
1 oz Honey
2 oz Hot Water
Combine hot water, honey and citrus in a mug or glass and stir until honey is dissolved. Add NOLET’S and garnish with any combination of cinnamon stick, citrus peel, star anise, ginger, cloves, or dried fruits.
PEAR MARTINI
3 oz Spa Girl Cocktail Pear
1 oz Pear Nectar
1 oz Pear Liqueur
Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of Nutmeg
Pinch of Cinnamon
1 Slice of Asian Pear
Pour all liquid ingredients into a glass and stir. Sprinkle nutmeg and cinnamon on top. Garnish with a slice of Asian pear.
BROCKMANS WINTER BRAMBLE
1.5 oz Brockmans Gin
1.0 oz Lemon juice
0.25 oz Balsamic vinegar
0.25 oz Ruby Port
0.25 oz Berry liqueur
Fresh thyme
Fill a highball glass with crushed ice, break thyme and churn in the glass. Add all ingredients. Stir well. Garnish with thyme and a dehydrated slice of lemon.
Feature image by Tyler Delgado on Unsplash.
As Thanksgiving grocery shopping is underway, you don’t necessarily have to rush to the local wine store to complete your list of items for the big feast. While we appreciate a glass (or three) of wine while preparing the meal and wine certainly has a place on any holiday table, holiday gatherings are about classic cocktails as well. If you’d like to add a unique twist to your Thanksgiving dinner, we share some cocktail solutions that pair well with each course to enhance your overall T-Day dining experience!
WHISKEY HIGHBALL
Pairs with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy: The slight effervescence of the soda will help cleanse the rich flavors from your palate while the slight sweetness and subtle spice notes found in the whiskey play perfectly with the butter in the potatoes as well as the stock used in the gravy.
2 oz Egan’s Fortitude Irish Whiskey
Soda water
Lemon wedge
Fill a collins glass with ice, add whiskey, top with soda water, give it a quick stir, garnish with a lemon wedge and sprig of thyme.
VODKA GIMLET
Pairs with Cranberry Sauce: Tart is the word to encapsulate this pairing. The refreshingly bright lime in the vodka gimlet will work beautifully with sweet/tangy cranberry sauce much in the same way as the flavors combine in a classic Cosmopolitan.
2 oz Bare Bone Vodka
.5 oz fresh lime juice
.5 oz simple syrup
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, shake with ice, double strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with a lime wheel.
1:1 GIN MARTINI
Pairs with Turkey and Stuffing: An olive stuffed with garlic and rosemary is our garnish of choice to plunk into this beautiful gin martini. The herbs and botanicals will match beautifully with those traditionally used in stuffing as well as the decadent flavor of crisp turkey skin.
1.5 oz Jaisalmer Indian Craft Gin
1.5 oz dry vermouth
Combine both ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, stir to achieve proper chill and dilution, strain into a chilled Nick and Nora or coupe glass and garnish with an olive stuffed with a clove of garlic and a sprig of rosemary.
OLD FASHIONED
Pairs with Pumpkin Pie: A nicely bittered Old Fashioned made with this opulently tropical whisky is a no-brainer with pumpkin or apple pie.
2 oz Rampur Double Cask
Thick slice of Orange peel (pith removed)
About a demitasse spoon of demerara sugar
5 dashes Angostura bitters
Place the sugar, bitters, and orange peel in the bottom of a large rocks glass. Muddle to express the oils and combine the flavors. Add whiskey, stir, add ice and stir again to chill and begin dilution.
AFTER DINNER DRAM
If a final indulgence to close out the night is required (and it should be!), we recommend relaxing in front of a cozy fire and enjoying a dram of this Cabernet Sauvignon barrel-finished single malt born in the foothills of the Himalayas.
2 oz Rampur Asava Indian Single Malt
Pour 2 oz of Asava into your favorite glass and enjoy with or without ice.
NOLET’S SILVER DUTCH APPLE BEE’S KNEES
2 oz NOLET’S Silver Gin
1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz Apple Juice
1 oz Honey Syrup
In a cocktail shaker with ice, add all ingredients and shake well until chilled. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with fresh rosemary sprig and/or apple slices.
Honey Syrup Ingredients:
½ cup Water
½ cup Honey
3 Sprigs Rosemary
Simmer all ingredients in a saucepan, over a medium flame until honey dissolves and rosemary becomes fragrant. Let cool for about 30 minutes then remove the rosemary and strain into a clean container. May be stored in the refrigerator for a week.
Feature image by Virginia Simionato on Unsplash
November brings Daylight Savings Time, Thanksgiving, fallen leaves and falling temperatures. It’s a good time to savor some seasonal cocktails, starting with a Halloween concoction because, admit it, those spooky decorations are still on your front porch. Our next two cocktails are inspired by naval aviators in anticipation of the Nov. 19 release of Top Gun: Maverick. Even though the film’s release has been pushed back to May 2022, we couldn’t wait to fly with these cinnamon and clove infused drinks. Our other offerings serve up cider, syrup and cinnamon for some lively fall libations.
VAMPIRE KISS
3 oz Spa Girl Cocktails Cucumber Vodka
1 oz Domaine de Canton Liqueur (or ginger simple syrup)
Juice of 1 lemon
Raspberry puree
1 Lychee
1 Blackberry
Pour Spa Girl Cocktails Cucumber Vodka, Domaine de Cantone Liqueur, and juice of one lemon into a glass and stir. Add raspberry puree to the inside edge of the glass with a spoon or syringe. Place a blackberry inside a lychee (cut the blackberry in half if needed) for the eyeball and garnish.
LIBERTY RISK (Someone with a high risk of getting into trouble while on liberty)
1 oz Old Line Navy Strength Aged Caribbean Rum
1 oz Rhum Neisson Rhum Agricole
¾ oz Hamilton Demerara Rum 151
¾ oz fresh grapefruit juice
¾ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz cinnamon simple syrup
½ oz grenadine
Combine in shaker, add ice, shake until well mixed. Strain over crushed ice in tumbler, garnish with your favorite tiki flair.
DAY BEACON (A nautical sea marker)
2 oz Old Line Spirits Cask Strength American Single Malt Whiskey
1 oz pineapple juice
¾ oz cream of coconut
½ orange juice
¼ oz lime juice
¼ oz cinnamon/clove simple syrup
Combine ingredients over ice in a shaker and shake until well chilled. Pour over fresh ice in a tall glass and garnish with a lime wheel and cinnamon stick.
FLANNEL SZN – Created by: Evan Wolf, The Company Burger, New Orleans
1½ oz Bourbon
½ oz Amaro Averna
¾ oz Cider Syrup (see recipe below)
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
Combine all of the ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake to chill. Strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice. Garnish.
Cider Syrup:
4 oz apple cider
4 oz raw sugar
2 oz honey
2 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise pods
1 Tbsp whole allspice
1 tsp whole cloves
Dissolve the sugar and honey in apple cider over low heat and steep with spices to taste. Once cooled, strain out the spices and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
TRENTINO – Scarpetta by Scott Conant
2 oz Zacapa 23 Rum
¼ oz lemon
1 ½ oz unfiltered cider
3 dashes orange bitters
Cinnamon sugar and dehydrated orange candy for garnish
Rim a Reidel Martini glass with cinnamon sugar. Combine ingredients into a shaker. Shake and strain cocktail into glass. Garnish with piece of dehydrated orange candy.
THYME WILL TELL – served at NYC’s The Sea Fire Grill (158 E 48th St)
2 oz Maker’s Mark Bourbon
Fresh thyme herbs
1 teaspoon Vermont Maple Syrup
½ oz lemon juice
Muddle a few strands of thyme. Pour the bourbon, lemon juice and the maple syrup over ice, stir (don’t shake), strain into a coupe glass, or over a large ice cube, garnish with a fresh strand of thyme.
Feature image by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash
With the end of October creeping up on us, we turn to spooky potions as well as drinks that evoke fall flavors – apple, ginger, cinnamon, cider, gingerbread and caramel. It’s sweater weather so grab your favorite cardigan and stay warm with a creepy cocktail either before or after trick-or-treating with the little goblins!
SPOOKY & SPICY – created at Orchard Room by Beverage Director Curtis Bernadeau
Absente, made with wormwood, anise, mint, and spices, starts off sweet and leaves you with a taste of spice, giving it the perfect alcoholic take on trick or treat.
1 oz Absente Absinthe Refined
1 oz lime
.5 oz simple syrup
.5 oz pineapple juice
2 drops hellfire bitters
Mix all ingredients and pour over ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with a slice of lime and jalapeño pepper.
NOLET’S SILVER APPLE CRISP PUNCH
Cocktail for one:
2.5 oz NOLET’S Silver Gin
1.5 oz Apple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Honey
Apples (Green & Red), Cinnamon Sticks, Thyme and Citrus for Garnish
Cocktail for a group:
26 oz NOLET’S Silver Gin
13 oz Apple Juice or Cider
6.5 oz Lime Juice
6.5 oz Honey
2 Fresh Limes
Apples (Green & Red), Cinnamon Sticks, Thyme and Citrus for Garnish
Mix all ingredients in an infusion jar (or punch bowl) and stir thoroughly to dissolve honey. Slice limes into wheels and add to mixture. Serve over ice, garnished with lime, apple slices or matchsticks, cinnamon sticks, and/or thyme.
GINGER ROGERS – served at StripSteak by Michael Mina
2 oz Grey Goose Pear Vodka (grated ginger infused for spice)
½ oz Domaine duCanton Ginger Liqueur
½ oz Pear Puree
¼ oz Club Soda
Gingerbread Cookie Crumbs
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and stir. Pour over the rocks in a Riedel High Ball rimmed with gingerbread cookie crumbs.
BOURBON APPLE CIDER – served at Pizza & Burger by Michael Mina
1 ½ oz Four Roses Bourbon
½ oz Lime Juice
1 oz Caramel Apple Butter
4 oz Sparkling Apple Cider
Mix all ingredients in shaker and stir. Pour over ice and garnish with caramelized apple slices and cinnamon sticks.
SWEATA WEATHA – served at L.A. Jackson
1.5 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon
0.5 oz Amontillado Sherry
2 oz Apple Juice
0.5 oz Lemon Juice
0.75 oz Cinnamon Syrup*
Pour all contents into a shaker with ice; shake, strain into a snifter glass over crushed ice and top with a mint bouquet or dried apple.
*To Make Cinnamon Syrup: Place 4 cinnamon sticks into a pot with two cups of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove the cinnamon sticks and add 2 cups of sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Let cool before placing in a cocktail.
APPLE OF MY EYE – served at Bleau Bar
1 oz Bulleit Rye Bourbon
1 oz Remy VSOP Cognac
1 oz Apple Juice
¾ oz Lemon
¼ oz Agave
¼ oz Ginger Puree
4 Dashes Angostura
Combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Shake and strain into a Collins glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint.
Feature image by Riccardo Piazza
Depending on where you reside, the autumn leaves may be showing full color, some color or none yet at all. We don’t have an “in” with Mother Nature to shower your world with brilliant hues but we can serve up some cocktail recipes that offer vibrance for both your eyes and palate. Enjoy!
SPICED PEACH MARTINI – created by cocktail blogger Arika Jeter
2 oz @alizeincolor Peach liqueur
1/2 oz of allspice dram
2 oz of bourbon
3/4 oz lemon juice
Add the ingredients to a shaker with plenty of ice, shake well, & strain into a chilled martini glass.
GENTLEMEN’S DATE – created by Yoon
2 oz Bulleit Rye Whiskey
0.5 oz Jujube syrup
4 dashes orange bitters
Pinch of cinnamon
In a snifter glass, combine Bulleit, jujube syrup, orange bitters and cinnamon. Add ice and stir. To garnish, add a torched orange peel and a date.
PUMPKIN SPIKED WHITE RUSSIAN
1.75 oz NEFT ultra premium vodka
.75 coffee liqueur
.75 pumpkin spiced cream
Combine all ingredients in a mason jar and stir lightly. Garnish with pumpkin spiced biscotti and dash of cinnamon.
AUTOMNE – created by Jay & Leah Hall
1.75 oz Delamain Cognac Pale & Dry X.O
.50 oz spiced pear liqueur
.25 oz cinnamon simple syrup
.25 oz fig balsamic
.50 oz lemon juice
dash of saline
Shake with ice, strain into coupe. Garnish with lemon peel or cinnamon stick if desired.
BOULEVARDIERE
1 oz Select Aperitivo
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
1 oz Bourbon
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass, add ice and stir for 30 seconds. Strain into a glass over ice and garnish with an orange peel.
VANTAGE POINT – created by Salcombe Distilling Co.
2 parts (50ml) ‘New London Light’ non-alcoholic spirit
2 parts (50ml) Coffee (cold brew, decaffeinated or fresh)
1/2 part (12.5ml) Agave syrup
Place all the ingredients in a Boston shaker with plenty of ice. Shake for 15 seconds and strain into a tumbler over a large ice cube. Garnish with a twist of orange peel.
Although somewhat balmy temperatures are still present in many locales worldwide, according to the calendar Autumn has officially arrived. That means it’s time to swap out cooling libations for warming drinks to enjoy after a day of fall hiking, apple picking, football watching or leaf raking. We’ve got some recipes in honor of International Coffee Day (October 1, 2021) and some others to keep your spirits up as the temperatures begin to drop.
BELFAST COFFEE
3 oz cold brew coffee
2 oz Mad March Hare Irish Poitín
1 oz demerara syrup
Hand whipped heavy cream
Nutmeg
Prepare the cold brew coffee. Stir ingredients in a mixing glass over ice. Strain into a chilled footed glass. Top with whipped cream. Garnish with nutmeg.
AUTUMN GIN + SODA
1.5 oz. NOLET’S Silver Gin
Soda
Persimmon Slices
Cinnamon Sticks
Fresh Thyme Sprigs
Pour NOLET’S Silver over ice, top with soda water and garnish with persimmon slices, cinnamon sticks and thyme sprigs.
SAITEN SANGRIA
1.5 oz iichiko Saiten
1.5 oz Red Wine
1 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Pineapple Juice
0.5 oz Simple Syrup
Muddled Berries
There are two ways to make this cocktail: Batch the Sangria with whole fruits and pour over Ice, or mix all ingredients in a shaker, add berries, shake, then strain over Ice.
ESPRESSO HEAVEN – by: Laura Pica
1.5 oz Rhum Barbancourt 3 Star
1 oz fresh brewed espresso
.25 oz vanilla simple syrup
1 oz Mr Black coffee liqueur
.5 oz full-fat oatly oat milk
Mix all ingredients and top with *café batido foam & chocolate covered espresso beans. *To make the foam: mix 2 tbsp café batido instant coffee with 2 tbsp water & 1 tbsp vanilla simple syrup and blend until thick.
FRESH MONKEY – By Stéphane Ginouvès, Hotel Barriere Le Fouquet’s Paris
1.5 oz Monkey 47 Gin
.5 oz apple syrup
.75 oz lemon juice
.75 oz egg white
.75 oz Ginger Beer
Add all ingredients to shaker. Shake and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a small sprig of rosemary and flower petals.
EGAN’S IRISH COFFEE
3.5 oz. freshly brewed coffee
1.5 oz. Egan’s Vintage Grain
1 oz. demerara syrup
Hand whipped heavy cream
Nutmeg on top
Stir ingredients into a warmed footed glass. Top with whipped cream and garnish with nutmeg.
Featured image by NOLET’S Gin
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